Disney's World Of Color
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''World of Color'' is a nighttime show at
Disney California Adventure Disney California Adventure is a theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Experiences division. The park is themed after Disney's interpretation of California ...
in the
Disneyland Resort The Disneyland Resort is an entertainment resort in Anaheim, California, United States. It is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences, Experiences division and is home to two theme parks (Disneyland and Dis ...
in
Anaheim, California Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orang ...
. Conceived by Vice President of Parades and Spectaculars Steve Davison, and designed by
Disney Live Entertainment Disney Live Entertainment is the theatrical live entertainment production division of Walt Disney Imagineering, the design and development arm of Disney Experiences, a division and business segment of The Walt Disney Company. History Disney Ente ...
, the show has 1,200 water fountains and includes
light Light, visible light, or visible radiation is electromagnetic radiation that can be visual perception, perceived by the human eye. Visible light spans the visible spectrum and is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400– ...
s,
fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...
,
lasers A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word ''laser'' originated as an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radi ...
, and
fog Fog is a visible aerosol consisting of tiny water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. Reprint from Fog can be considered a type of low-lying cloud usually resembling stratus and is heavily influenc ...
, with high-definition projections on mist screens. The show is inspired by ''
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color The Walt Disney Company has produced an anthology series, anthology television series since 1954 under several titles and formats. The program's current title, ''The Wonderful World of Disney'', was used from 1969 to 1979 and again from 1991 onwa ...
'' anthology television series, as evidenced by the use of its eponymous theme song written by the
Sherman Brothers The Sherman Brothers were an American songwriting duo that specialized in musical films, made up of brothers Robert Sherman (December 19, 1925 – March 6, 2012) and Richard Sherman (June 12, 1928 – May 25, 2024). Together they received ...
. The process of assembling, installing, and testing the show's numerous components and equipment in Paradise Bay spanned a period of approximately 15 months. The original version of ''World of Color'' premiered at a media-only event on Thursday, June 10, 2010, and to the public on Friday, June 11, 2010, as part of the '' Summer Nightastic!'' promotional campaign. The entire show cost $175 million to design, fabricate, and install. The show transpires at the lagoon of Paradise Bay, while the audience watches the performance at Paradise Park, located in front of The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure attraction, as well as on the
Pixar Pier Pixar Pier is a themed land at Disney California Adventure, inspired by Victorian boardwalks that were once found along the coast of California. Despite its name and the presence of a nearby human-made lake, Pixar Pier is not actually a pier, b ...
bridge. Other nearby attractions such
Pixar Pal-A-Round Pixar Pal-A-Round (formerly known as the Sun Wheel and Mickey's Fun Wheel) is a eccentric wheel at Disney California Adventure, at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The attraction opened to the public on February 8, 2001, at Paradi ...
and Incredicoaster become part of the performance as they undergo various forms of lighting and projections throughout the show. The effects utilized in ''World of Color'' (water fountains, mist screens, fire, lasers, lighting, and fog) are choreographed to work in synchronicity with the featured music and image projections. On January 27, 2023, a new iteration of the show called ''World of Color: One'' debuted, which is part of
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...
's centennial celebration. On May 16, 2025, ''World of Color: One'' was replaced by ''World of Color: Happiness!'' in honor of the 70th Anniversary of
Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...
.


Construction and development

The show was first announced as part of the
Disney California Adventure Park Disney California Adventure is a theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Experiences division. The park is themed after Disney's interpretation of California ...
expansion in the fall of 2007, originally known as ''Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color''. Construction for the water show began with the draining of Paradise Bay on November 3, 2008. Construction on the platform began on January 5, 2009. The water was refilled in Paradise Bay in November 2009. Testing began during and after park hours in January 2010.
25-minute video of sequences from the show
was posted on YouTube by a hotel guest staying at
Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel The Disneyland Resort is an entertainment resort in Anaheim, California, United States. It is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Experiences division and is home to two theme parks (Disneyland and Disney California Adven ...
, on April 7, 2010. The first public performance was held on June 5, 2010, for the creators of the show and guests. In the week leading up to June 11, private viewings for cast members, contest winners, and a celebrity-filled World Premiere took place.


Show elements

The show uses 1,200 fountains that can shoot water up to in the air. Each fountain is equipped with an
LED A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (corresp ...
ring. Other water features include 3 mist screens that combine to make a -long
mist Mist is a phenomenon caused by small droplets of water suspended in the cold air, usually by condensation. Physically, it is an example of a Dispersion (chemistry), dispersion. It is most commonly seen where water vapor in warm, moist air meets ...
screen on which images are projected (similar but smaller screens are used in ''
Fantasmic! ''Fantasmic!'' is a nighttime show at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios. The show formerly operated at Tokyo DisneySea. It features fireworks, characters, live actors, water effects, pyrotechnics, lasers, music, audio-animatronics, searc ...
'' at
Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...
and
Disney's Hollywood Studios Disney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. It is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Experiences division. Based on a concept by Marty Sklar, Randy Br ...
at
Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort is an destination resort, entertainment resort complex located about southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences, a division of the Wa ...
in
Lake Buena Vista, Florida Lake Buena Vista ( or ) is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is mostly known for being the mailing address for Walt Disney World, although almost all of the resort facilities, including all four theme parks, are physically loc ...
). Isopar cannons are capable of shooting flames up to in the air. MeeFog and
laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word ''laser'' originated as an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radi ...
s are used. Previously, projection domes emerged from the water atop telescopic masts and featured lighting effects and video projected onto the inside surface of the domes. However, these were later removed due to maintenance and reliability issues. Laser and video projections are projected onto the Pixar Pier icon behind Incredicoaster’s vertical loop. A 65' tall telescopic mast was installed in the bay to create
Chernabog The following are fictional characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney's 1940 film ''Fantasia (1940 film), Fantasia'', its 1999 sequel ''Fantasia 2000'', and the 2014 video game ''Fantasia: Music Evolved''. Characters are sorted by th ...
of ''Fantasia'', but the tower was never used in the show and was eventually removed. The LED lighting strings (Phillips ColorKinetics iColorFlex) on
Pixar Pal-A-Round Pixar Pal-A-Round (formerly known as the Sun Wheel and Mickey's Fun Wheel) is a eccentric wheel at Disney California Adventure, at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The attraction opened to the public on February 8, 2001, at Paradi ...
, as well as LED lights installed on Incredicoaster, are synchronized to the show. Lighting towers rise from boxes in front of the viewing area. The lighting towers bordering the viewing area and the bay include speakers, bubble machines, and a handful of VariLite lighting fixtures (VariLite VL3000 spot, which were replaced with Elation Proteus Hybrids in 2021). On either side of the bay, there are additional lighting towers with five Syncrolite SXB-7/3 fixtures (later replaced by VariLite VL6000 Beams). Additional Clay Paky Sharpy fixtures have since been added onto the Incredicoaster, as well as around the Mickey head on the front of the Pixar Pal-A-Round. The viewing area, known as Paradise Park, is situated along the northern shore of Paradise Bay, and can hold up to 4,000 spectators at full capacity. It is multi-tiered, similar to the viewing area for '' Fantasmic'' at
Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...
in Anaheim, California. It features trellises (They were removed for sight line issues),
flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...
s, and - formerly - an interactive play fountain during the day. Hidden fountains located in the flower beds in the viewing area are incorporated into show. When ''World of Color Celebrate'' was opened, a large screen shaped like Mickeys head was added to be raised to cover the face on Pixar Pal-A-Round giving the show another projection surface. On nights where winds are too strong, the screen is not pulled up and some projections seen on the Pixar Pal-A-Round head show up on the Incredicoaster's loop area instead. The fountains in the flower beds in the viewing area were replaced by cannons and additional cannons were placed on the edge of the viewing area on the water. Each cannon has its own LED lighting ring, similar to the fountains. For World Of Color: Winter Dreams, a series of foam machines that could create snowflake shaped foam elements were installed in fake gift boxes throughout the viewing area. The show utilizes an on-PC system to control the laser effects, 4 GrandMA2 Full size consoles, 1 GrandMA2 light console and 7 NPUs to control the rest of the show's elements. From the show's conception, all versions have presented footage from the Walt Disney Studios library, including films from
Walt Disney Animation Studios Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that produces animated feature films and short films for the Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a s ...
,
Pixar Animation Studios Pixar (), doing business as Pixar Animation Studios, is an American animation studio based in Emeryville, California, known for its critically and commercially successful computer-animated feature films. Pixar is a subsidiary of Walt Disney S ...
,
Walt Disney Pictures Walt Disney Pictures is an American film Film production company, production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios (division), the Walt Disney Studios, a division of Disney Entertainment, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company. The st ...
,
Marvel Studios Marvel Studios, LLC, formerly known as Marvel Films, is an American film and television production company. Marvel Studios is the creator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a media franchise and shared universe of films and television ser ...
, and
Lucasfilm Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC is an American film and television production company founded by filmmaker George Lucas in December 10, 1971 in San Rafael, California, and later moved to San Francisco in 2005. It is best known for creating and producing th ...
.


Synopsis


''World of Color''

Special animation sequences were created using paper animation by paper artist Megan Brain, who created many characters for the show. Mark Hammond and Dave Hamilton arranged the music, which was performed by the
London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
and The Nashville Choir. The show begins with Dick Wesson's original introduction to ''
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color The Walt Disney Company has produced an anthology series, anthology television series since 1954 under several titles and formats. The program's current title, ''The Wonderful World of Disney'', was used from 1969 to 1979 and again from 1991 onwa ...
''. A quote from
Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...
appears on the center mist screen; "Every child is blessed with a vivid imagination", and the theme song transforms into the reworked version for ''World of Color''. As the introduction concludes, a projection of
Ariel Ariel may refer to: Film and television *Ariel Award, a Mexican Academy of Film award * ''Ariel'' (film), a 1988 Finnish film by Aki Kaurismäki *, a Russian film directed by Yevgeni Kotov * ''ARIEL Visual'' and ''ARIEL Deluxe'', a 1989 and 1991 ...
before a sunset, stretches across the mist screens. The show enters ''The Little Mermaid'' portion, with Ariel and
Sebastian Sebastian may refer to: People and fictional characters * Sebastian (name), including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Saint Sebastian, a Christian saint martyred in the 3rd century * Sebastian of Portugal (1554–1578 ...
singing "
Part of Your World "Part of Your World" is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for Disney's animated feature film '' The Little Mermaid'' (1989). Performed by American actress and singer Jodi Benson in the titular role as Ariel, a ...
" and "
Under the Sea "Under the Sea" is a song from Disney's 1989 animated film '' The Little Mermaid'', composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman. It is influenced by the calypso style of the Caribbean which originated in Trinidad and Tobago, as well as ...
", respectively. On the last note of "Under the Sea", Crush and Squirt from ''
Finding Nemo ''Finding Nemo'' is a 2003 American animated comedy-drama adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The film was directed by Andrew Stanton, co-directed by Lee Unkrich, and produced by Graham Walters, from ...
'' are seen traveling on the
East Australian Current The East Australian Current (EAC) is a warm, southward, western boundary current that is formed from the South Equatorial Current (SEC) crossing the Coral Sea and reaching the eastern coast of Australia. At around 15° S near the Australian co ...
, as the water fountains begin to portray the characteristics of rough surf. As the final
breaking wave In fluid dynamics and nautical terminology, a breaking wave or breaker is a wave with enough energy to "break" at its peak, reaching a critical level at which linear energy transforms into wave turbulence energy with a distinct forward curve. ...
clears, the scene with Marlin and Dory encountering the blue whale from the film plays out. As the duo attempt to escape, the scene transitions into the "
Pines of Rome ''Pines of Rome'' (), P 141, is a tone poem in four movements for orchestra completed in 1924 by the Italian composer Ottorino Respighi. It is the second of his three tone poems about Rome, following '' Fontane di Roma'' (1916) and preceding '' ...
" segment from ''Fantasia 2000''. The bay gradually transforms into an outer space environment as Eve and WALL-E from ''
WALL-E ''WALL-E'' (stylized with an interpunct as ''WALL·E'') is a 2008 American animated Romance film, romantic science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The film was directed by Andrew Stanton, produced b ...
'' appear and re-enact their " Define Dancing" scene. WALL-E, equipped with a
fire extinguisher A fire extinguisher is a handheld active fire protection device usually filled with a dry or wet chemical used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergencies. It is not intended for use on an out-of-control fire, such as one which ha ...
, sprays it throughout the lagoon, forming small clouds as a result. The clouds eventually re-create Andy's room from ''
Toy Story ''Toy Story'' is a 1995 American animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. It is the first installment in the Toy Story (franchise), ''Toy Story'' franchise and the Firsts in animation, firs ...
'', with Woody and
Buzz Lightyear Buzz Lightyear is a fictional character in the The Walt Disney Company, Disney–Pixar Toy Story (franchise), ''Toy Story'' franchise. He is a superhero action figure from an Story within a story, in-universe media franchise. Buzz is recognizab ...
appearing shortly thereafter on Andy's bed. Woody rebuffs Buzz's ability to fly, thus Buzz attempts to disprove him and Andy's room is suddenly changed into a battle between Buzz and Emperor Zurg from ''
Toy Story 2 ''Toy Story 2'' is a 1999 American animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and the first sequel to Toy Story. It is the second installment in the Toy Story (franchise), ''Toy Story'' franchise and was directed by J ...
''. As the bay clears, Carl Fredrickson's house from '' Up'' briefly makes an appearance before the setting transitions into ''
Aladdin Aladdin ( ; , , ATU 561, 'Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with '' One Thousand and One Nights'' (often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of the original ...
''. With the night sky recreated on the bay,
Aladdin Aladdin ( ; , , ATU 561, 'Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with '' One Thousand and One Nights'' (often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of the original ...
and
Jasmine Jasmine (botanical name: ''Jasminum'', pronounced ) is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family of Oleaceae. It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia, Africa, and Oceania. Jasmines are wid ...
perform "
A Whole New World "A Whole New World" is the signature song from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney's 1992 animated feature film Aladdin (1992 Disney film), ''Aladdin'', with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice. A duet originally recorded by singers B ...
" together, until the Genie abruptly appears and takes control of the show by performing "
Friend Like Me "Friend Like Me" is the song from Disney's 1992 animated feature film '' Aladdin'', performed by Robin Williams in his role as the Genie. The song is also performed by Will Smith in 2019 live-action remake. It was nominated for the Academy Award ...
". Once the Genie disappears, the Spring Sprite from ''Fantasia 2000'' transforms the bay into a lush forest, where
Pocahontas Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, also known as Matoaka and Rebecca Rolfe; 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. S ...
appears, singing " Just Around the Riverbend". The ''
Pocahontas Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, also known as Matoaka and Rebecca Rolfe; 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. S ...
'' segment ends with a dramatic fountain overlay set to "Farewell" from it. After a brief pause, Heimlich from ''
A Bug's Life ''A Bug's Life'' (stylized in all lowercase) is a 1998 American animated comedy film directed by John Lasseter from a screenplay written by Andrew Stanton, Donald McEnery, and Bob Shaw, and a story conceived by Lasseter, Stanton, and Joe Ran ...
'' arrives, informing the audience of an approaching
thunderstorm A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustics, acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorm ...
. The storm rapidly intensifies into the thunderstorm scene from '' The Old Mill'', accompanied by an unsettling instrumental version of "Little April Showers" from ''
Bambi ''Bambi'' is a 1942 American Animated film, animated Coming of age, coming-of-age drama film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. Loosely based on Felix Salten's 1923 novel ''Bambi, a Life in the Woods'', the ...
''. As the storm dissipates,
Jack Sparrow Captain Jack Sparrow is a fictional character and the main protagonist of Disney's '' Pirates of the Caribbean'' franchise. An early iteration of the character was created by screenwriter Jay Wolpert, with later drafts by Stuart Beattie and w ...
from ''
Pirates of the Caribbean ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' is a Disney media franchise encompassing numerous theme park rides, a series of films, and spin-off novels, as well as a number of related video games and other media publications. The franchise originated with Wa ...
'' emerges from the shadows and " Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)" is faintly heard. Suddenly, the bay turns blood-red as fountains and flames of fire are orchestrated in tandem with "
He's a Pirate "He's a Pirate" is a 2003 track composed by Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer for the 2003 Disney film '' Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl''. It is featured on the soundtrack album of the film and is used at the beginning of the ...
". Battle scenes from the ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' series are projected onto the mist screens before transcending into a sequence dominated by jets of fire. Once the ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' act concludes, the atmosphere of the show's narrative darkens and
Mufasa Mufasa is a fictional character in Disney's ''The Lion King'' franchise. A wise and benevolent lion, he first appears in the 1994 animated film as the King of the Pride Lands and devoted father to Simba, whom he is raising to inherit the kin ...
's death scene from ''
The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical coming-of-age drama film directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, produced by Don Hahn, and written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. Produced by Walt Disney ...
'' unfolds erratically on the bay. After a brief moment of silence, the show enters its climax. " So Close" from '' Enchanted'' plays as touching scenes from Disney's animated films (including ''The Lion King'', ''Bambi'', ''
Dumbo ''Dumbo'' is a 1941 American Animated film, animated Musical film, musical Fantasy film, fantasy Comedy drama, comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film i ...
'', ''
Tangled ''Tangled'' is a 2010 American animated musical film, musical Adventure film, adventure fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Loosely based on the German fairy tale "Rapunzel" in th ...
'', ''
Lady and the Tramp ''Lady and the Tramp'' is a 1955 American Animated film, animated Musical film, musical romantic comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by Buena Vista Film Distribution. Based on Ward Greene's 1945 ''Cosmopolitan (magazine) ...
'', ''
The Princess and the Frog ''The Princess and the Frog'' is a 2009 American Animation, animated musical film, musical Romance film, romantic fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Inspired in part by the 2002 ...
'' and ''
Beauty and the Beast "Beauty and the Beast" is a fairy tale written by the French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in (''The Young American and Marine Tales''). Villeneuve's lengthy version was abridged, rewritten, and publish ...
'') are projected. The transformation scene from ''Beauty and the Beast'' takes place, being followed by other famous moments from ''
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs "Snow White" is a German fairy tale, first written down in the early 19th century. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'', numbered as Tale 53. The original title was ''Sneewittch ...
'', ''
Sleeping Beauty "Sleeping Beauty" (, or ''The Beauty Sleeping in the Wood''; , or ''Little Briar Rose''), also titled in English as ''The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods'', is a fairy tale about a princess curse, cursed by an evil fairy to suspended animation in fi ...
'', and ''
Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...
''. Immediately following ''Cinderella'', the fountains and lighting turn white and the lagoon fades into darkness. The fountains then slowly begin to regain momentum as they swirl around the lagoon, until
Tinker Bell Tinker Bell is a fictional character from J. M. Barrie's 1904 play '' Peter Pan'' and its 1911 novelisation '' Peter and Wendy''. She has appeared in a variety of film and television adaptations of the Peter Pan stories, in particular the 1953 ...
appears to enchant the bay, which suddenly blossoms into a myriad of colors. Entering the show's finale, a reprisal of "The Wonderful World of Color" is heard as the bay becomes host to a kaleidoscopic montage of films, some of which were earlier components of the show (including ''Alice in Wonderland'', ''The Little Mermaid'', ''Finding Nemo'', ''WALL-E'', ''Toy Story'', ''Aladdin'', ''Fantasia 2000'', ''Pocahontas'', ''The Old Mill'', ''Pirates of the Caribbean'', ''The Hunchback of Notre Dame'', ''The Lion King'', ''
Lilo & Stitch ''Lilo & Stitch'' () is a 2002 American animated Science fiction film, science fiction comedy-drama film, comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation for Walt Disney Pictures. It was written and directed by Chris Sanders and De ...
'' and ''The Princess and the Frog'').
Mickey Mouse Mickey Mouse is an American cartoon character co-created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The longtime icon and mascot of the Walt Disney Company, Mickey is an anthropomorphic mouse who typically wears red shorts, large shoes, and white ...
then appears in his iconic " Sorcerer's Apprentice" attire from ''
Fantasia Fantasia may refer to: Film and television * ''Fantasia'' (1940 film), an animated musical film produced by Walt Disney ** '' Fantasia 2000'', a sequel to the 1940 film * ''Fantasia'' (2004 film), a Hong Kong comedy film * ''Fantasia'' (201 ...
'' and the show concludes with a final series of water, fire, laser and light orchestrations. ''Notes:'' * Note 1. The ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' sequence was extended from May 20, 2011, to June 15, 2012, to promote the release of '' Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides''. * Note 2. The original show had a sequence composed of the " Firebird Suite" (from ''Fantasia 2000''), "
Night on Bald Mountain ''Night on Bald Mountain'' (), also known as ''Night on the Bare Mountain'', is a series of compositions by Modest Mussorgsky (1839–1881). Inspired by Russian s:St. John's Eve (Gogol, unsourced), literary works and legend, Mussorgsky composed ...
" (from ''Fantasia'') and " Hellfire" (from '' The Hunchback of Notre Dame''). It was replaced by the extended ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' sequences and has not been restored to the show since 2011. But this has been used in "Villains Night Out!" Halloween mini-parade at
Hong Kong Disneyland Hong Kong Disneyland () (abbreviated HKDL; also known as HK Disneyland or Disneyland Hong Kong) is a theme park located on reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island, Hong Kong. It opened to visitors on Monday, September 12, 2005, at 13:00 H ...
, as Maleficent morph into a ferocious dragon, determined to claim the castle as her own and invited more villains. * Note 3. Replaced ''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, a feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer. Creat ...
'' on May 20, 2011. * Note 4. The finale was followed by an encore promoting the release of '' Tron: Legacy''. It ran from October 29, 2010, to March 23, 2011.


Original planned version

Early plans also called for a small orange fountain, named Little Squirt, that was meant to embody
Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...
's artistic and mischievous spirit, and appear throughout the show. Instead, during the post-show, after all the other fountains turn off, the little orange fountain remains on for a couple seconds as it bows to the audience, then disappears. A video of a run-through of the show leaked onto the Internet on April 7, 2010. There had been a few changes to the show from the synopsis that had been disclosed for Disney fans in September 2009. Sequences featuring ''Alice in Wonderland'', the Firebird, and Dr. Facilier were missing, the ''Pocahontas''/Heimlich/Little April Showers segment was placed after "A Whole New World," and new ''
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
'' and ''
Pirates of the Caribbean ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' is a Disney media franchise encompassing numerous theme park rides, a series of films, and spin-off novels, as well as a number of related video games and other media publications. The franchise originated with Wa ...
'' segments had been added. It was also rumored that Disney CEO
Bob Iger Robert Alan Iger (; born February 10, 1951) is an American media executive who is chief executive officer (CEO) of the Walt Disney Company. He previously was the president of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) between 1994 and 1995 and p ...
wanted a more contemporary soundtrack and that the show was being reworked. Many of these changes were confirmed when a second video of a run-through leaked onto the Internet. Disney launched a website for ''World of Color'' containing interactive features, pictures of on-site testing, and videos. The theme song to "World of Color" has also been posted on the Disneyland website. Although videos of testing have been leaked online, the site shows both the extensive ''
Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...
'' and ''
The Princess and the Frog ''The Princess and the Frog'' is a 2009 American Animation, animated musical film, musical Romance film, romantic fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Inspired in part by the 2002 ...
'' segments of the show that were said to have been cut. The site was launched after leaked videos of testing were posted. Singer-songwriter
Amy Grant Amy Lee Grant (born November 25, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She began her music career in contemporary Christian music (CCM) before crossing over to pop music in the mid-1980s. Grant has been referred to as "Honorific ...
was going to provide lead vocals for the show's rendition of "The Wonderful World of Color" but was ultimately replaced in the studio and is not heard in the final version.


Temporary scenes and special holiday pre-shows

On October 29, 2010, previews for an encore scene promoting '' Tron: Legacy'' began, using additional projections and effects on the California Screamin' structure along with improved use of Paradise Park and Mickey's Fun Wheel lighting in a reworked trailer sequence. The scene was added to the show on November 1, 2010, and was discontinued in March 2011. On May 20, The ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' segment was expanded to include scenes from '' Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'' and was discontinued on June 15, 2012, the same day that a sequence incorporating ''
Brave Brave(s) or The Brave(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Brave, an adjective for one who possesses courage * Braves (Native Americans), a Euro-American stereotype for Native American warriors Film and television * ''Brave'' (1994 film), a concept ...
'' premiered. Beginning in 2011 for the
Fourth of July Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing th ...
season, from July 1 to 4, a special Independence Day preshow was added. The Independence Day preshow utilizes fireworks, which the normal show does not use, such as pyro launches from barges on
Pixar Pier Pixar Pier is a themed land at Disney California Adventure, inspired by Victorian boardwalks that were once found along the coast of California. Despite its name and the presence of a nearby human-made lake, Pixar Pier is not actually a pier, b ...
, atop of the Toy Story Midway Mania show building, and backstage behind California Screamin'. In addition, the patriotic music for the pre-show borrows selections from '' Disney's Celebrate America'', the Fourth of July fireworks show that is presented at the adjacent Disneyland Park and
Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort is an destination resort, entertainment resort complex located about southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences, a division of the Wa ...
's
Magic Kingdom Magic Kingdom Park is a Amusement park, theme park at the Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It opened on October 1, 1971, and is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences, Expe ...
park. On November 11, Disney unveiled a holiday themed intro based on '' Prep & Landing'' for the 2011
Christmas season The Christmas season or the festive season, also known as the holiday season or the holidays, is an annual period generally spanning from November or December to early January. Incorporating Christmas Day and New Year's Day, the various celebrat ...
, and to commemorate their 1000th show. On December 3, 2011,
Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and Video game publisher, publisher based in Irvine, California, and a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard. Originally founded in 1991, the company is best known for producing the h ...
held their annual Christmas party at
Disney California Adventure Disney California Adventure is a theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Experiences division. The park is themed after Disney's interpretation of California ...
and for the event a custom ''World of Color'' segment was produced featuring characters and game footage from ''
Diablo III ''Diablo III'' is a 2012 online-only action role-playing dungeon crawling game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment as the third installment in the ''Diablo'' franchise. It was released for Microsoft Windows and OS X in May 2012, ...
'', '' StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty'', and ''
World of Warcraft ''World of Warcraft'' (''WoW'') is a 2004 massively multiplayer online role-playing (MMORPG) video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment for Windows and Mac OS X. Set in the '' Warcraft'' fantasy universe, ''World of War ...
''. During the
Lunar New Year Lunar New Year is the beginning of a new year based on lunar calendars or, informally, lunisolar calendars. Lunar calendar years begin with a new moon and have a fixed number of lunar months, usually twelve, in contrast to lunisolar calendar ye ...
season, the regular show is preceded by a pre-show titled, ''World of Color: Hurry Home—Follow the Journey of Little Lantern'' ''World.'' This six-minute pre-show is the story of a Little Lantern on its journey home to join its Lantern family in celebrating Lunar New Year features animated appearances by Mulan and Mushu in “dream sequences” inspired by traditional Chinese paper cut-out style animation and a score highlighted by an original arrangement of the music created for the grand opening ceremony of Shanghai Disney Resort by Academy Award-winning composer
Tan Dun Tan Dun (, ; born 18 August 1957) is a Chinese-born American composer and conductor. A leading figure of contemporary classical music, he draws from a variety of Western and Chinese influences, a pairing which has shaped much of his life and mu ...
(“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”). To promote
Pixar Pixar (), doing business as Pixar Animation Studios, is an American animation studio based in Emeryville, California, known for its critically and commercially successful computer-animated feature films. Pixar is a subsidiary of Walt Disney ...
's ''
Elemental An elemental is a mythic supernatural being that is described in occult and alchemy, alchemical works from around the time of the European Renaissance, and particularly elaborated in the 16th century works of Paracelsus. According to Paracelsu ...
'', ''World of Color: One'' was preceded by a limited-time pre-show titled, ''Elemental Connection'' which debuted on June 2, 2023. To promote Disney's ''
Wish A wish is a hope or desire for something. In fiction, wishes can be used as plot devices. In folklore, opportunities for "making a wish" or for wishes to "come true" or "be granted" are themes that are sometimes used. Sociology Several cu ...
'', ''World of Color: Seasons of Light'' was preceded by a limited-time six-minute pre-show titled, ''Wish'', which debuted on November 17, 2023, which was part of The Walt Disney Company's 100th Anniversary celebration. To promote Pixar's ''
Inside Out 2 ''Inside Out 2'' is a 2024 American animated coming-of-age film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The sequel to '' Inside Out'' (2015), it was directed by Kelsey Mann and was produced by Mark Nielsen, from a screen ...
'', ''World of Color: One'' was preceded by a limited-time pre-show titled, ''Emotional Rollercoaster'', which debuted on May 31, 2024. To promote Disney's ''Moana 2'', ''World of Color: Seasons of Light'' was preceded by a limited-time pre-show titled, ''Boat Snack'', which debuted on November 16, 2024.


Subsequent versions

Following the debut of the original ''World of Color'' show in 2010, several different full-length iterations have been produced, often replacing the traditional show completely during park celebrations and holiday seasons.


''World of Color: Winter Dreams''

From November 15, 2013, to January 6, 2014, a full-length show titled ''World of Color: Winter Dreams'' debuted. Hosted by Olaf (Frozen), Olaf the Snowman, the show celebrates the winter season with several holiday-themed segments, featuring scenes from ''Frozen (2013 film), Frozen'', ''Toy Story (franchise), Toy Story'', ''
Bambi ''Bambi'' is a 1942 American Animated film, animated Coming of age, coming-of-age drama film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. Loosely based on Felix Salten's 1923 novel ''Bambi, a Life in the Woods'', the ...
'', Fantasia (1940 film), ''Fantasia'', ''One Hundred and One Dalmatians'', ''Prep and Landing'', ''Secret of the Wings'', ''
Tangled ''Tangled'' is a 2010 American animated musical film, musical Adventure film, adventure fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Loosely based on the German fairy tale "Rapunzel" in th ...
'', ''Wreck-It Ralph'', ''Melody Time'', ''
Lady and the Tramp ''Lady and the Tramp'' is a 1955 American Animated film, animated Musical film, musical romantic comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by Buena Vista Film Distribution. Based on Ward Greene's 1945 ''Cosmopolitan (magazine) ...
'', ''Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas'', ''Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas'', and various vintage
Mickey Mouse Mickey Mouse is an American cartoon character co-created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The longtime icon and mascot of the Walt Disney Company, Mickey is an anthropomorphic mouse who typically wears red shorts, large shoes, and white ...
shorts. The show incorporates traditional holiday-related music, including Eric Whitacre's "Glow", "Carol of the Bells", "Let it Snow", "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year", "I'll Be Home for Christmas", "Believe (Josh Groban song), Believe", "Silent Night", "Noël (Josh Groban album), Thankful", the "Nutcracker Suite", "Jingle Bells", "I Have a Little Dreidel", "Feliz Navidad (song), Feliz Navidad", "Joy to the World", and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", as well as Disney songs, such as "I See the Light", "Let It Go (Disney song), Let It Go" and "In Summer". The show features vocals by Heather Headley. In November 2014, ''World of Color: Winter Dreams'' opened with a different show than its pilot year. The pre-show segment of Glow has been removed; its music plays after the post-show segment as exit music. There is a reorganization of the ''Toy Story'' version of ''The Nutcracker'' with one song cut. Overall the show faced major rearrangement, such as additional songs from ''Frozen'', including "Love Is an Open Door" and "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?". In the "Believe" segment, the old paper animation and guest made greeting cards were replaced with both new and familiar scenes from ''Big Hero 6 (film), Big Hero 6'', ''Peter Pan (1953 film), Peter Pan'', ''
Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...
'', ''
The Princess and the Frog ''The Princess and the Frog'' is a 2009 American Animation, animated musical film, musical Romance film, romantic fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Inspired in part by the 2002 ...
'', '' The Hunchback of Notre Dame'', ''The Little Mermaid (1989 film), The Little Mermaid'', ''
Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...
'', ''
Brave Brave(s) or The Brave(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Brave, an adjective for one who possesses courage * Braves (Native Americans), a Euro-American stereotype for Native American warriors Film and television * ''Brave'' (1994 film), a concept ...
'', ''
Beauty and the Beast "Beauty and the Beast" is a fairy tale written by the French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in (''The Young American and Marine Tales''). Villeneuve's lengthy version was abridged, rewritten, and publish ...
'', ''
Aladdin Aladdin ( ; , , ATU 561, 'Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with '' One Thousand and One Nights'' (often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of the original ...
'' and ''Pinocchio (1940 film), Pinocchio''. In November 2015, two different ''World of Color'' shows were presented back-to-back: ''Winter Dreams'' was followed by ''World of Color: Celebrate!''. "Love Is an Open Door" from ''Frozen'' was removed and the additional lights installed for ''World of Color: Celebrate!'' on California Screamin' were incorporated into ''Winter Dreams''. The rest of the show is the same as the show from the 2014 holiday season. The scrim made for ''World of Color – Celebrate!'' to cover Mickey's head on Mickey's Fun Wheel is raised up before ''Winter Dreams'' but is only used for ''Celebrate''.


''World of Color: Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney''

Premiering on May 22, 2015, as part of the
Disneyland Resort The Disneyland Resort is an entertainment resort in Anaheim, California, United States. It is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences, Experiences division and is home to two theme parks (Disneyland and Dis ...
's 60th Anniversary celebration, the ''World of Color'' show was changed to ''World of Color: Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney''. Dedicated to
Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...
's legacy, this special edition of the show is hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and
Mickey Mouse Mickey Mouse is an American cartoon character co-created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The longtime icon and mascot of the Walt Disney Company, Mickey is an anthropomorphic mouse who typically wears red shorts, large shoes, and white ...
, and features music and imagery from Disney films and theme parks. Under the direction of Steve Davison, the show took nearly three years to develop. The show was returned to its original format on September 6, 2016. ''Celebrate!'' contains five sections: *"Opening": Hosts Neil Patrick Harris and
Mickey Mouse Mickey Mouse is an American cartoon character co-created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The longtime icon and mascot of the Walt Disney Company, Mickey is an anthropomorphic mouse who typically wears red shorts, large shoes, and white ...
are introduced, accompanied by a new arrangement of the ''World of Color'' theme. Harris begins to describe
Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...
's lifetime achievements and milestones including in the creation of Mickey, feature animation, and the conception of
Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...
. Archival footage of Disney is featured throughout the subsequent scenes. *"It Was All Started by a Mouse": Dedicated to the creation and career of Mickey Mouse, featuring footage from Mickey Mouse (film series), Mickey Mouse cartoons and feature films including the " Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment from ''
Fantasia Fantasia may refer to: Film and television * ''Fantasia'' (1940 film), an animated musical film produced by Walt Disney ** '' Fantasia 2000'', a sequel to the 1940 film * ''Fantasia'' (2004 film), a Hong Kong comedy film * ''Fantasia'' (201 ...
'' and the ''Mickey Mouse Club'' theme song. *"The Golden Age of Animation": Highlights the significance of the first feature-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film), ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'', followed by a montage of animated feature films from
Walt Disney Animation Studios Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that produces animated feature films and short films for the Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a s ...
and
Pixar Animation Studios Pixar (), doing business as Pixar Animation Studios, is an American animation studio based in Emeryville, California, known for its critically and commercially successful computer-animated feature films. Pixar is a subsidiary of Walt Disney S ...
. The montage concludes with the "Let It Go (Disney song), Let It Go" sequence from ''Frozen (2013 film), Frozen''. *"The Dream of Disneyland": Focusing on the creation of Disneyland park, with iconic attractions found across the
Disneyland Resort The Disneyland Resort is an entertainment resort in Anaheim, California, United States. It is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences, Experiences division and is home to two theme parks (Disneyland and Dis ...
, including the Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, Enchanted Tiki Room, Splash Mountain, Radiator Springs Racers, Pirates of the Caribbean (attraction), Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion, Haunted Mansion, It's a Small World, and Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, with the latter incorporating footage from ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens''. The sequence is ended with a newly recorded rendition of "Forever Young (Bob Dylan song), Forever Young" performed by Christina Perri. *"Finale – Infinity & Beyond – A Celebration for Years to Come": The show's finale with a tribute to Walt Disney's legacy, featuring archival images of Walt Disney throughout his career, imagery from Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Disney parks worldwide, as well as scenes from various Walt Disney Studios films. The post-show includes a fountain overlay set to Perri's renditions of Bob Dylan's "Forever Young (Bob Dylan song), Forever Young" and Howard Ashman and Marvin Hamlisch's "Smile (musical), Disneyland".


''World of Color: Season of Light''

In September 2016, Disney announced that ''World of Color: Winter Dreams'' would be replaced with a brand new holiday show called ''World of Color: Season of Light'', which will "celebrate the warm and heartfelt spirit of the holidays." and feature Disney moments intertwined with the holidays. This version features holiday songs and incorporates moments from Disney films to illustrate such songs. The following songs are included in the show with the featured films in parentheses. * Intro Medley: "Deck the Halls"/"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"/"It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"/"Santa Claus is Coming to Town"/"Deck the Halls"/"Joy to the World" * "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole (''Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas'', ''Mickey's Christmas Carol'') * "White Christmas (song), White Christmas", "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, Let it Snow" by Dean Martin (''Frozen (2013 film), Frozen'', ''The Art of Skiing'', ''The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh'', ''Melody Time'') * "Baby, It's Cold Outside" by Michael Bublé and Idina Menzel (''
Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...
'', ''
Aladdin Aladdin ( ; , , ATU 561, 'Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with '' One Thousand and One Nights'' (often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of the original ...
'', ''
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs "Snow White" is a German fairy tale, first written down in the early 19th century. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'', numbered as Tale 53. The original title was ''Sneewittch ...
'', ''
Sleeping Beauty "Sleeping Beauty" (, or ''The Beauty Sleeping in the Wood''; , or ''Little Briar Rose''), also titled in English as ''The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods'', is a fairy tale about a princess curse, cursed by an evil fairy to suspended animation in fi ...
'', ''
Tangled ''Tangled'' is a 2010 American animated musical film, musical Adventure film, adventure fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Loosely based on the German fairy tale "Rapunzel" in th ...
'', ''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, a feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer. Creat ...
'', ''
Beauty and the Beast "Beauty and the Beast" is a fairy tale written by the French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in (''The Young American and Marine Tales''). Villeneuve's lengthy version was abridged, rewritten, and publish ...
'', ''
Pocahontas Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, also known as Matoaka and Rebecca Rolfe; 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. S ...
'', ''The Little Mermaid (1989 film), The Little Mermaid'') * "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by
Amy Grant Amy Lee Grant (born November 25, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She began her music career in contemporary Christian music (CCM) before crossing over to pop music in the mid-1980s. Grant has been referred to as "Honorific ...
(''
Lady and the Tramp ''Lady and the Tramp'' is a 1955 American Animated film, animated Musical film, musical romantic comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by Buena Vista Film Distribution. Based on Ward Greene's 1945 ''Cosmopolitan (magazine) ...
'', ''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, a feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer. Creat ...
'', ''Tangled'', ''
The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical coming-of-age drama film directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, produced by Don Hahn, and written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. Produced by Walt Disney ...
'', ''
Finding Nemo ''Finding Nemo'' is a 2003 American animated comedy-drama adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The film was directed by Andrew Stanton, co-directed by Lee Unkrich, and produced by Graham Walters, from ...
'', ''Pinocchio (1940 film), Pinocchio'', ''Inside Out (2015 film), Inside Out'', ''
Bambi ''Bambi'' is a 1942 American Animated film, animated Coming of age, coming-of-age drama film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. Loosely based on Felix Salten's 1923 novel ''Bambi, a Life in the Woods'', the ...
'', ''
Toy Story ''Toy Story'' is a 1995 American animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. It is the first installment in the Toy Story (franchise), ''Toy Story'' franchise and the Firsts in animation, firs ...
'', ''The Good Dinosaur'', '' Up'', ''The Jungle Book (1967 film), The Jungle Book'', ''
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
'', ''Mulan (1998 film), Mulan'', ''Zootopia'', ''
Dumbo ''Dumbo'' is a 1941 American Animated film, animated Musical film, musical Fantasy film, fantasy Comedy drama, comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film i ...
'') * "Mele Kalikimaka" by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters (''
Lilo & Stitch ''Lilo & Stitch'' () is a 2002 American animated Science fiction film, science fiction comedy-drama film, comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation for Walt Disney Pictures. It was written and directed by Chris Sanders and De ...
'') * "Feliz Navidad (song), Feliz Navidad" by José Feliciano (''The Three Caballeros'') * "O Tannenbaum", "The Nutcracker, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"/"The Nutcracker, Russian Dance" by Pentatonix (''
Fantasia Fantasia may refer to: Film and television * ''Fantasia'' (1940 film), an animated musical film produced by Walt Disney ** '' Fantasia 2000'', a sequel to the 1940 film * ''Fantasia'' (2004 film), a Hong Kong comedy film * ''Fantasia'' (201 ...
'') * "Wizards in Winter" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra (''Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas'') * "Blue Christmas (song), Blue Christmas" by Elvis Presley (''Inside Out'') * "Noël (Josh Groban album), Thankful" by Heather Headley (''Up'', ''Toy Story 3'', '' The Hunchback of Notre Dame'', ''The Lion King'', ''Hercules'', ''Pocahontas'', ''
WALL-E ''WALL-E'' (stylized with an interpunct as ''WALL·E'') is a 2008 American animated Romance film, romantic science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The film was directed by Andrew Stanton, produced b ...
'', ''
The Princess and the Frog ''The Princess and the Frog'' is a 2009 American Animation, animated musical film, musical Romance film, romantic fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Inspired in part by the 2002 ...
'', ''Peter Pan (1953 film), Peter Pan'', ''Wreck-It Ralph'', ''Monsters, Inc.'', ''Zootopia'', ''Frozen'', ''Tangled'') * "Let There Be Peace on Earth (song), Let There Be Peace on Earth" by Heather Headley * "This Is My Wish" by Kevin Ross * "Joy to the World" by Heather Headley The ''World of Color: Season of Light'' has remained the same as of 2016.


''World of Color: Celebrate You!''

On September 15, 2016, Disney hosted a special private event to honor their Disneyland Resort employees and cast members who served magic in the parks for 10 years to 60 years. This show was a two-time spectacular only made for those special events. The show was held at Paradise Bay at Disney California Adventure on September 15, 2016, Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in the following months, and at Disney California Adventure again in November 2019 and November 2022. The show featured the World of Color stage itself, and during the show, it also synchronized fireworks to it (fireworks on World of Color are mainly featured only for special events, e.g. July 4 pre-shows, New Year's Eve, special events, private events, etc.) The theme used for the show is ''Fantasy in the Sky'', even though the show itself had a variety of songs featured in it. After the show included the Diamond Celebration Theme Music "''Live the Magic''" as the exit music. However, the ballad version was used for the exit music.


''World of Color: Villainous''

On September 17, 2019, during Mickey's Halloween Party, Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween Party nights, the water show had a makeover with a villain-themed show called ''Villainous''. The story focused on a young girl named Shelley Marie who has encounters with many Disney Villains. This version was only played during the 2019 Halloween season.


''World of Color: One''

''World of Color: One'' celebrates the storytelling legacy started by Walt Disney a century ago, as part of Disney's centennial celebration. It tells a new story of how a single action, like a drop of water, creates a ripple that can grow into a wave of change. The show depicts the journeys of some of the most courageous and inspiring characters, such as
Pocahontas Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, also known as Matoaka and Rebecca Rolfe; 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. S ...
, Mirabel Madrigal, Ratatouille (film), Remy, Soul (2020 film), Joe Gardner, Coco (2017 film), Miguel, Luke Skywalker, Simba, Mulan (Disney character), Mulan, Moana (character), Moana, and Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), the Avengers. The show is the first Disneyland Resort nighttime spectacular to showcase characters and films created from
Walt Disney Animation Studios Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that produces animated feature films and short films for the Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a s ...
,
Pixar Pixar (), doing business as Pixar Animation Studios, is an American animation studio based in Emeryville, California, known for its critically and commercially successful computer-animated feature films. Pixar is a subsidiary of Walt Disney ...
, Star Wars, Lucasfilm, and
Marvel Studios Marvel Studios, LLC, formerly known as Marvel Films, is an American film and television production company. Marvel Studios is the creator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a media franchise and shared universe of films and television ser ...
together in one production. The show also features a new original song, "Start a Wave", featuring vocalist, Loren Allred and written by Cody Fry. ''World of Color: One'' debuted on January 27, 2023. The following films are included in the show with featured music in parentheses: ''
Pocahontas Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, also known as Matoaka and Rebecca Rolfe; 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. S ...
'' ("Colors of the Wind"), ''Encanto'' ("Waiting on a Miracle"), Ratatouille (film), ''Ratatouille'', ''Soul (2020 film), Soul'', ''Coco (2017 film), Coco'' ("Remember Me (Coco song), Remember Me"), ''Star Wars'' ("Star Wars (Main Title), Main Title theme" / "Binary Sunset"), ''
The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical coming-of-age drama film directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, produced by Don Hahn, and written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. Produced by Walt Disney ...
'', ''Mulan (1998 film), Mulan'' ("Reflection (song), Reflection"), Moana (2016 film), ''Moana'' ("How Far I'll Go" / "I Am Moana"), and Marvel Cinematic Universe (''The'' ''Avengers'' theme). ''World of Color: One'' was replaced on May 16, 2025 with ''World of Color: Happiness!'' in honor of the Disneyland Resort's 70th Anniversary.


''World of Color: Happiness!''

''World of Color: Happiness!'' explores happiness and is hosted by the emotions from ''Inside Out (2015 film), Inside Out'' and ''
Inside Out 2 ''Inside Out 2'' is a 2024 American animated coming-of-age film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The sequel to '' Inside Out'' (2015), it was directed by Kelsey Mann and was produced by Mark Nielsen, from a screen ...
''. The pre-show features the Muppets, marking the characters first appearance in a Disneyland nightime spectacular. ''World of Color: Happiness!'' debuted on May 14, 2025. The following films are included in the show with featured music in parentheses: ''Inside Out (2015 film), Inside Out'' ("Bundle of Joy"), ''The Muppet Movie'' ("Rainbow Connection"), ''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, a feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer. Creat ...
'' ("Tarzan (1999 soundtrack), Trashin' the Camp"), ''Turning Red'' ("Nobody Like U"), ''A Goofy Movie'' ("I2I"), ''
Wish A wish is a hope or desire for something. In fiction, wishes can be used as plot devices. In folklore, opportunities for "making a wish" or for wishes to "come true" or "be granted" are themes that are sometimes used. Sociology Several cu ...
'' ("This Wish"), ''
Tangled ''Tangled'' is a 2010 American animated musical film, musical Adventure film, adventure fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Loosely based on the German fairy tale "Rapunzel" in th ...
'' ("I've Got a Dream" / "When Will My Life Begin?, When Will My Life Begin"), ''The Incredibles'' ("The Glory Days"), ''Moana (2016 film), Moana'' ("How Far I'll Go"), ''
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
'' ("Go the Distance"), ''Encanto'' ("Surface Pressure"), ''Frozen 2, Frozen II'' ("Into the Unknown (song), Into the Unknown").


See also

* ''Rivers of Light'' * ''Epcot Forever'' * ''Harmonious (Epcot), Harmonious'' * ''
Fantasmic! ''Fantasmic!'' is a nighttime show at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios. The show formerly operated at Tokyo DisneySea. It features fireworks, characters, live actors, water effects, pyrotechnics, lasers, music, audio-animatronics, searc ...
'' * ''Luminous: The Symphony of Us''


Notes


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:World Of Color Operating amusement attractions Walt Disney Parks and Resorts attractions Walt Disney Parks and Resorts entertainment Disney California Adventure Paradise Pier Paradise Gardens Park Fountains in California Works about Walt Disney 2010 establishments in California Amusement park attractions that closed in 2018 Amusement park attractions introduced in 2019 Amusement park attractions introduced in 2022 Disney 100