Disney100 Starts in Earnest at Disneyland

When you’re 99 years old, everyone lets you do your own thing. You’ve earned it.

That’s why Disney fans don’t mind that the party has started a little early for the company’s centennial event.

On October 16^th, The Walt Disney Company turns 100 years old. However, the Disney100 celebration began on Friday, January 27^th.

We have lots of updates to share with you from what is legitimately a once-in-a-lifetime event. Let’s talk about Disneyland’s centennial party!

The New Ride

Can you name the entirely new rides that Disneyland Park has built since 2010? I’ll give you a hint. You’ll find them both at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.*

For this reason, the introduction of a new E-ticket ride at Disneyland feels like a big deal. Even better, the attraction lives up to the hype.

Walt Disney World guests already know about Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. It’s the first Mickey Mouse ride ever, which is remarkable.

After all, everything at Disney started with a mouse, right? That’s why it’s extraordinary that Walt Disney himself never built a ride for his best friend.

In 2020, literally days before the pandemic closed Disney theme parks, Runaway Railway debuted at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

I fully believe that’s the primary reason why the attraction remains somewhat under the radar. Well, it did.

Now that Disneyland Park has its own version of Runaway Railway, the Southern California crew will hype the ride loudly until a new ride appears.

So, Runaway Railway likely represents the best of Disneyland until the King Thanos attractions in a few years. It’s either that or Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Runaway Railway II

Disney pulled out all the stops for its Runaway Railway line queue and building exterior.

Imagineers enjoyed a blank slate here, whereas the ones at Hollywood Studios had to work within the parameters of the existing Chinese Theater.

So, the new building takes on the theming of the recently re-themed Mickey’s Toontown, which won’t officially open until March.

The official Disney Parks YouTube channel showed off the new facility:

Something that should jump out at you is how bright and airy this exterior is relative to the Chinese Theater.

Inside, Runaway Railway at Mickey’s Toontown provides a movie theater atmosphere. Don’t worry! You’ll get to the parts that look familiar later!

In fact, Disney misled us a bit with its description. A close comparison of the two versions shows many similarities. Take a look:

Sure, we’ve got some color scheme differences and the occasional new element here. Overall, the main change is that Disneyland’s Runaway Railway goes in the opposite direction.

Honestly, you may not even notice because the difference is so subtle. Also, some of Disneyland’s scene entrances are a bit more abrupt.

Disney must make those concessions because Disneyland comes with less space than Walt Disney World.

Finally, you can’t help but recognize the lack of synced timing between the rides.

Again, that’s because it’s impossible to build exactly the same track layout at two places thousands of miles apart.

Overall, I believe that the ride queue and exterior of Disneyland’s Runaway Railway make it the superior attraction.

Of course, this ride should be better. Disney has had nearly three years to identify areas of improvement in the original version!

The New Shows

Disney introduced two nighttime presentations and a parade as part of the Disney100 events.

Well, the parade won’t open until February 23^rd, but we’ve already seen the nighttime presentations.

Disney has refined the beloved World of Color nighttime presentation for what I believe is the sixth time.

This new show, World of Color – One includes a new song, Start a Wave, that drives much of the action. Here’s the updated show:

Fittingly, this Disney100 version of World of Color starts with Walt Disney talking. Then, it segues into Start a Wave.

Disney breaks with history a bit by showing updated stories. The presentation highlights newer titles like Encanto, Soul, and Coco.

World of Color – One also throws a nod to Disney’s blockbusters, as Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe appear. Each of them gets the reaction you’d expect.

Overall, World of Color – One blends visuals you know well with new and beloved Disney characters from the 21^st century. So, it’s fresher than some other recent presentations.

However, Disney loyalists may lament a lack of older characters from the film library.

Disney has you covered, though. Wondrous Journeys pays tribute to all 62 animated films the studio has made thus far…including one that doesn’t come out until the end of 2023!

As Disneyland has done recently, Wondrous Journeys displays on Sleeping Beauty Castle and the Main Street, U.S.A. buildings.

So, here’s a video from Main Street:

And here’s the castle view:

The new song, It’s Wondrous, is quite catchy. Also, you can tell by the oohs and ahs of the crowd that Wondrous Journeys is an immediate hit.

I’ve seen some criticism about World of Color – One, mainly because it highlights newer intellectual properties. There’s universal praise for Wondrous Journeys, though.

Other Disney100 Events

Obviously, the parks offer a ton of unique food and merchandise as part of the Disney100 event.

Here’s a sample of some of the cuisine:

Walt Disney World has its own batch of Disney100 merchandise, which you can see here:

Mickey’s Toontown won’t officially reopen until March 8^th. However, with Runaway Railway operational, guests can see some updates.

Here’s what’s currently visible:

Also, Disney California Adventure is offering a Lunar New Year character greeting that merits a mention.

Are you familiar with Ortensia the Cat? She’s the Minnie Mouse to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Walt Disney introduced the character in 1927!

For the first time ever, you can meet her at an American park as part of the Lunar New Year festivities! It’s a limited-time engagement, though. You have until February 15^th.

Disney has also made progress on what it’s now calling the Pixar Pier Hotel. This re-themed hotel may or may not complete its updates this year.

Meanwhile, The Villas at Disneyland Hotel, the 344-room tower, remains on schedule to open later this year.

So, you’ll find plenty of reasons to visit the Happiest Place on Earth in 2023. Remember that Disney’s 100^th birthday doesn’t officially happen until October 16^th.

As such, the parks may save some special reveals for that week. It might be a smart time to book your next DVC trip.

* = I’m not counting the update of Snow White’s Scary Adventures into Snow White’s Enchanted Wish.