Credit: DisneyAn apparently controversial Disneyland show will be returning to the park much earlier than originally expected.
The Disneyland Resort is home to two parks, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure (DCA). At DCA, guests can experience attractions and areas inspired by their favorite Marvel characters at the Avengers Campus or their favorite Pixar movie at Pixar Pier. The park includes attractions like Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, Radiator Springs Racers, the IncrediCoaster, Pixar Pal-A-Round, and more.
However, DCA truly lights up at night with its featured show, World of Color, which is similar to Fantasmic! in that it projects images from various Disney and Pixar movies using incredible water features and light shows. World of Color was first introduced in 2010 and has had several different versions of the show over the last decade.
The current version of the show is called World of Color – ONE, which “celebrates the rich storytelling legacy begun by Walt Disney a century ago, bringing to spectacular life moments from favorite films including The Lion King, Moana, Ratatouille, Soul, Star Wars, The Avengers and more. Come experience the first World of Color to feature characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Star Wars and more!”
It was originally reported that the show would be closed for refurbishment starting January 8 until February 29. However, it was just confirmed that the show will be coming back sooner than expected, with a shortened refurb time allowing the show to reopen on January 19, just a few days before the park celebrates the Lunar New Year.
In addition to World of Color returning early, the show will also be preceded by an all-new show called “Hurry Home – A Lunar New Year Celebration,” which follows “Little Lantern on a journey to return home for the annual celebration of good luck and fortune. Accompanied by a stirring musical score, created by Academy Award®-winning composer Tan Dun, you’ll be immersed in the magic of a 6-minute tale,” according to the Disneyland website’s description. The show will also feature Mulan and other characters in a celebration of family and friendship and will be available from January 23 through February 18.
It’s unclear why exactly the planned refurbishment has been cut short, especially considering it’s been changed from almost a month and a half to just under two weeks. Throughout the year, attractions and shows undergo various periods of maintenance and refurbishment in order to ensure everything is working properly and there aren’t any issues.
Earlier last year, guests at Fantasmic! experienced a terrifying show when the Maleficent animatronic caught fire in the middle of a show, forcing guests and cast members to evacuate. Although no one was injured, the animatronic had severe damage and the show has been unavailable to guests since April 2023. As an immediate result, all pyrotechnic elements of shows across the Disney parks were halted and have slowly been allowed back into various shows and parades. Fantasmic! at Disneyland is still closed, although it’s expected to return on May 24, 2024.
The closure has left a gaping hole in nighttime entertainment at the Disneyland Resort, and with World of Color – ONE down for a few weeks, that gap will be even more noticeable. Without much else to offer in its place, it’s possible the refurb time was cut short in order to ensure guests visiting for the Lunar New Year celebrations would have a nighttime show to enjoy.
Have you seen World of Color – ONE? What are your thoughts on the show?