The Happiest Night on Earth

One of the things we missed when we spent the morning at Disneyland Sunday was the evening fireworks show. I had wanted to see it since they launched a completely new fireworks show in celebration of the 50th anniversary. But that issue was resolved Thursday night after work. (For us locals, weeknights are the best time to see the fireworks and avoid the crowds).


Walt would have been impressed by Disneyland's new fireworks show. (05/19/05)

And let me just say that the new fireworks show is awesome! Unlike previous fireworks shows, which were focused on a general Disney theme and were always very impressive, this one stands out in that it's very specific to Disneyland itself, with sights and sounds from the park's signature rides.


Besides Main Street and some other major landmarks, you would hardly recognize it as Disneyland. (05/19/05)

That night I also had the chance to snap some pictures of a scale replica of Disneyland as it looked on opening day in 1955. It was built specifically for the anniversary celebration using original blueprints and photos. While some of the landmarks were still in place, it was amazing to see how much Disneyland has changed since then. How I wish I could have seen it then in person.