The Walt Disney Company was founded on October 16, 1923, making it 100 years old this year! For the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company we celebrate #100YearsofWonder. 

Disney Parks, Experiences and Product Chairman, Josh D’Amaro says that Disney Destinations around the globe will celebrate – delivering new decorations, specialty foods, new experiences, merchandise and more. Each destination will celebrate this occasion in their own way. 

Disneyland is the heart of the Disney empire, therefore the heart of the Disney 100. Disneyland has a different feeling than any other Disney Parks. Walt walked there, the light in his apartment remains on even now; this was the OG, the basis of the parks to come. On January 27th, 2023, Disneyland started the celebration, infusing platinum, and purple art deco style decorations- from the Fab 5’s costumes to the banners and bunting on Sleeping Beauty Castle. The Magic Happens Parade has returned for the year and a new nighttime spectacular has debuted. You can now see Wonderous Journey’s - a projection and fireworks show seen on Sleeping Beauty Castle as well as on the Small World façade. This new show offers a nod to all 60 Walt Disney animated films to date. Next door to Disneyland, at Disney's California Adventure, World of Color One has begun. If you have ever seen the World of Color show over the lake of Pixar Pier, you know that this latest version will be a beautiful projection show on the sprays of the fountain waters, with pyrotechnics and the music of Disney/Pixar. 

Hong Kong, Disney Sea, Disneyland Paris, and other parks will be doing smaller scale celebrations in their parks, with their own milestones happening as well. Disneyland Paris is 30 this year! 

Disney World’s celebration is based in Epcot. They are just wrapping up their 18-month 50th anniversary in Florida, removing the bunting and decorations from Magic Kingdom and adding some of the art deco platinum and purple here and there. Even Mickey and his pals are in their new platinum looks now! The two nighttime spectaculars created for the 50th celebration have ended. Enchantment in Magic Kingdom has given way to the comeback of my absolute favorite show -Happily Ever After. I love it so much I made a special trip to see it one more time before the changeover. I am glad to hear about that return! And in the host park of Epcot, we expect “Wallcot” to give way to a fresh look (as it has been under construction for so long). Spaceship Earth (the Epcot ball) will continue its Beason’s of Magic light shows each night with a special 100 show. With the end of Epcot’s 50th anniversary nighttime spectacular Harmonious (and the removal of its ugly barges from the lagoon) Epcot Forever has returned. Epcot Forever was the interim show between Illuminations and Harmonious, and it has returned in the fireworks gap to entertain Epcotians as we await the new show that is in production. 

What does this all mean for Disney fans? We seem to go from one celebration to another some years, right? There is always a new line of merch and a cupcake to commemorate some occasion. But I feel like this anniversary is different. It is not just one park or location, one person or ride but the whole Disney Company. In some way or another Disney is infused in our world, not just for Disney fans. Who has not seen a Disney movie, had a Mickey t-shirt or read a Disney Little Golden Book? Even non-fans have good feelings attached to this company’s products in one way or another. And real Disney fans love this place, its characters, films, and music in a lifestyle way. It is part of who we are.  

#100YearsofWonder has been a wonder for our time. It has brought us joy and emotion, entertained us (and our kids) for hours, helped us understand ourselves and others, while reminding us to have fun, enjoy time with our families and make the memories we will hold on to.

So, thank you to Walt, the Imagineers and the cast members who have built these last 100 years for us, it has been wonderful. 

(Photos by Erin Marowelli)