Iger said the Disneyland resort has reached “almost 30 million” in annual attendance while talking about what Walt Disney would think of Disneyland today during a speech at the front gates of the park.

“More than anything else, he’d be awestruck by the fact that almost 30 million guests flow through the gates of his beloved Disneyland each year,” Iger said during the 70th anniversary celebration speech on Thursday, July 17.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland celebrates 70th anniversary with parades, fireworks and marching bands

The 30 million figure mentioned by Iger represents an approximation of overall annual attendance at the Disneyland Resort, according to Disneyland officials.

The “almost 30 million” figure should not be used to gauge any increase in attendance at the Disneyland Resort since 2023 as the number is an approximation, according to Disneyland officials.

The combined attendance of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure was 27.25 million in 2023, according to TEA/AECOM. A new mark of 30 million would represent a 10% increase in attendance over the past two years.

Disneyland attendance in 2023 stood at 17.25 million in 2023 with Disney California Adventure attendance at 10 million, according to TEA/AECOM.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland’s biggest decade ever is about to end — and the next could be even bigger

An increase of nearly 2.75 million visitors per year at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure would push the California theme park resort past the 28.5 million visitor mark registered in 2019 and back above pre-pandemic attendance levels for the first time.

Tracking attendance numbers used to be a Disneyland tradition — with the park proudly issuing annual tallies. Disneyland no longer publicly announces attendance figures.

TEA/AECOM has published annual theme park attendance figures since 2006, with the latest numbers available through 2023. The 2024 TEA Global Attractions Attendance Report is expected to be released in September.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland had a nightmare start in 1955, but ‘Walt’s Folly’ quickly won over fans

The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) has never recorded a higher annual attendance count at Disneyland than the Magic Kingdom over the past two decades.

The latest attendance increase could make perennial runner-up Disneyland the most visited theme park in the world.

Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Florida was the most visited park in 2023 with 17.72 million visitors, according to TEA/AECOM. The difference between first place (Magic Kingdom) and second place (Disneyland) in 2023 was fewer than 500 visitors — the closest gap in recent history.

ALSO SEE: Walt Disney and Abe Lincoln animatronics to share rotating Disneyland stage

Hurricanes Helene and Milton put a damper on Walt Disney World attendance in 2024, according to Disney quarterly financial reports released in February.

The Magic Kingdom still remains 3 million visitors behind the all-time high annual mark of 20.96 million in 2019, according to TEA/AECOM.

Knott’s Scary Farm tickets will go on sale July 25 at 10 a.m. for 28 select nights from Sept. 18 through Nov. 1. Tickets for the “Nightmares Revealed” preview show also go on sale on July 25.

ALSO SEE: 70 new menu items coming to Knott’s Summer Nights

Scary Farm 2025 will feature 10 haunted mazes, five scare zones and three live shows at the Buena Park theme park. Knott’s typically adds two or three new mazes per year and removes an equal amount from the lineup.

This year’s Scary Farms dates include Sept. 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 and 28; Oct. 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30 and 31; and Nov. 1.

ALSO SEE: 21 live bands coming to Knott’s Summer Nights

Doors open nightly for the separate admission, after hours event at 7 p.m. The event runs until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 1 a.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Knott’s announced the retirement of the Bloodline 1842 and Wax Works mazes after the 2024 season. Two new mazes are expected to take their place.

Here are the eight mazes expected to return in 2025 (with their debut year):

• Widows (2024)
• Eight Fingers Nine: The Boogeyman (2024)
• Chilling Chambers (2023)
• Cinema Slasher (2023)
• Room 13 (2023)
• Grimoire (2022)
• Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind (2021)
• Origins: The Curse of Calico (2019)

Knott’s will reveal the full lineup of mazes, scare zones and shows for Scary Farm 2025 during the “Nightmares Revealed” show from 7 to 10 p.m. on Aug. 19 in the Walter Knott Theater.

Knott’s has not yet announced ticket prices for this year, but Scary Farm tickets cost $60 online and $110 at the gate in 2024.

The $35 tickets to “Nightmares Revealed” include admission to the show, access to the Ghost Town scare zone filled with fog and monsters, opportunities to speak with Knott’s maze designers and creative directors and ride time on the GhostRider, Silver Bullet and Sierra Sidewinder roller coasters.

Disneyland marked the anniversary date of the park’s 1955 opening with marching bands, parades and fireworks on Thursday, July 17 as part of a yearlong party set to run through summer 2026.

ALSO SEE: 10 best things to eat at Disneyland’s 70th anniversary bash

The 70th anniversary celebration of the original Disney theme park kicked off in May with the “Wondrous Journeys” fireworks show and Paint the Night parade at Disneyland and “World of Color Happiness” water show and the Better Together parade at Disney California Adventure.

Disneyland introduced three more additions on Thursday: “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” animatronic show in the Main Street Opera House, new lyrics on It’s a Small World boat ride in Fantasyland and a “Last Verse” documentary short in the Main Street Cinema.

The “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” show starring a robotic doppelganger of Disneyland’s founder used a virtual queue on Thursday with spots in line distributed at 7 a.m. before the park opened and again at noon.

The first virtual queue at 7 a.m. for “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” filled in less than a minute, according to MousePlanet.

The 3 1/2-minute “So Much That We Share: A Tribute to the Sherman Brothers” film pays homage to the Disney songwriting team and details how the new “Last Verse” lyrics were written for the catchy and infectious song and incorporated into the finale scene of the beloved attraction.

Disney CEO Bob Iger, Disney Parks boss Josh D’Amaro and Disneyland Resort President Thomas Mazloum presided over the raising of the American flag on Disneyland’s Town Square around 6 a.m. Thursday as thousands of Disneyland employees stood in silence. Iger and D’Amaro rang the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange remotely from Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A. around 6:30 a.m. Thursday.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland’s biggest decade ever is about to end — and the next could be even bigger

Iger and D’Amaro spoke at 7:20 a.m. Thursday from in front of the floral Mickey inside the Disneyland front gate. Iger echoed Walt Disney’s 1955 opening day remarks and D’Amaro commented on the 70th anniversary celebration as a trainload of Disney characters rolled into the Disneyland Railroad station.

Lines to get into Disneyland on Thursday at 7:15 a.m. stretched past the Monorail beam with queues at the Disney California Adventure gate six people deep.

Visitors entering Disneyland in the morning received a free July 17 collectible button and a poster-sized commemorative map based on a 1954 rendering of Disneyland by Disney Legend Peter Ellenshaw.

Lines for merchandise for some shops were longer than the wait for the Disneyland Monorail (5 minutes), Casey Jr. Circus Train (5 minutes), Mad Tea Party (5 minutes), Mark Twain Riverboat (10 minutes) and Pinocchio’s Daring Journey (10 minutes). Fifty people waited in a line that stretched across the Frontierland bridge to the hub for 70th anniversary pins at the Western Ho Trading Co.

The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it new verse on It’s a Small World played twice in the finale room of the leisurely boat ride.

Nearly 100 Disneyland visitors waited in line at 9 a.m. outside World of Disney in Downtown Disney for the release of three exclusive 70th anniversary collectible pins costing $25 to $40.

Queues formed outside Main Street U.S.A. shops for the opportunity to purchase exclusive 70th anniversary merchandise.

There was a 30-minute queue with a snaking back and forth line for Tropical Hideaway. The top 70th anniversary items included a Peach Dole Whip and a sundae that weren’t available via mobile order.

Visitors called for the virtual queue waited in line in a backstage passageway for their chance to see “Walt Disney — A Magical Life.”

Even Minnie Mouse had to wait as the long line of visitors loaded into the Main Street Opera House.

Visitors not yet called for the virtual queue milled in front of the Mad Hatter gift shop for their turn to be called.

Disneyland visitors gathered under a shady tree in front of Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe at 11:59 a.m. with Disneyland app open poised to nab a spot in the noon virtual queue distribution. Most came away happy with return groups later in the day. Group numbers reached near 400 for later in the day with the attraction calling 166 at noon.

The Main Street Cinema was busier than it’s been in years. About 50 people filled the cinema as the new film played on all six screens.Signs in the foyer paid tribute ton the Sherman Brothers song contributions in TV, film and theme parks.

The wait times at Disneyland at 11:20 a.m.: It’s a Small World (75 minutes), Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (65 minutes) and Space Mountain (50 minutes). Rise of the Resistance was temporarily closed at the time.

The Celebrate Happy cavalcade added a singalong by the thousands lining the parade route wishing the park Happy Birthday led by the Disneyland marching band.

Before the park opened on Thursday, Disneyland cast members posed for photos with a 75-foot-tall hot air balloon on the hub in front of the Tomorrowland entrance. The 70th anniversary balloon has been touring across the United States with stops in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Denver, Seattle, Portland, Sacramento and San Francisco to promote the park.

The Disneyland 70th hot air balloon is out for a special Cast Member event this morning at the park and will be taking off soon! pic.twitter.com/qCVikAdILN

— Disneyland News Today (@dlnt) July 17, 2025

Disneyland reservations for daily ticket holders were still available on the morning of July 17.

Inspire and Believe Magic Key reservations were sold out for Disneyland on July 17. Disney California Adventure access was still available throughout the day which allowed passholders to park hop over to Disneyland after 11 a.m.

Enchant and Imagine Magic Key passholders were blocked out of both parks for the entire month of July.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland 70th anniversary timeline from 1955 to today

Disneyland is offering deep discounts on tickets during the summer kickoff of its 70th anniversary celebration with prices as low as $100 for a one-day, one-park ticket good through Aug. 14 when prices typically hover between $142 and $206.

The two summer deals include a $400 4-day ticket and a $360 3-day ticket – each good for one park per day.

Disneyland has rolled out more than 70 menu items across the Anaheim theme park resort to mark its 70th anniversary on July 17 followed by a celebration that runs through summer 2026.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland rolls out 70 menu items for 70th anniversary

Here are 10 best things I ate on Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration menu.

1) Pineapple Upside Down Sundae

Tropical Hideaway$8.49

Dole Whip Pineapple, caramel drizzle and pineapple upside-down cake topped with a maraschino cherry.

I knew going in the Pineapple Upside Down Sundae was going to be a winner and thank goodness I was right.

This deconstructed upside down cake improved on the classic Dole Whip with a moist and crunchy chunk of cinnamony cake and even more pineapple flavor.

ALSO SEE: 13 Disneyland anniversary foods that offer nods to park’s past

I would eat the Pineapple Upside Down Sundae every time I came to Disneyland if it was on the menu.

The Dole Whip soft serve literally overflowed with diced pineapples that fell off as I ate the sundae in a cup.

The hidden-in-plain-sight surprise was the caramel woven through the swirls and coating the inside of the cup. I wanted it on every bite.

2) Cowboy Fries

Golden Horseshoe$13.99

Fries, nacho cheese, sauteed ground beef, burger sauce and butter pickles.

My first whiff and bite of this big, messy pile of delicious goodness immediately reminded me of In-N-Out Animal Fries.

The tastes were great throughout and got better with every single bite.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland’s biggest decade ever is about to end — and the next could be even bigger

This was a whole lot of food. I could have never eaten the whole thing by myself — even if I wanted to. It’s probably too much food for two people. The Cowboy Fries could have easily feed three or four and were definitely meant to share.

They would make a great mid-course appetizer if you planned to graze around the park sampling 70th anniversary dishes like a food festival.

The Disneyland chefs really nailed it with the Cowboy Fries, which were everything I was hoping for.

3) Peach Cobbler Funnel Cake Fries

Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree$9.99

Cinnamon sugar, peach topping, vanilla ice cream and streusel.

Disney does dessert better than anyone and this peach cobbler was the latest perfect example.

The cobbler is the star of the show with this pile of funnel cake fries. I kept wanting more peaches and more sauce.

I found the dense and thick cinnamon-dusted fries much heavier than I expected.

I always try to pace myself when I’m eating 10 foods in a single visit to the park. But I could not stop eating this cobbler.

4) Fried Tamale Walking Taco

Rancho del Zocalo$13.99

Fried beef tamale with chili, corn chips and diced onions with cilantro, shredded cheese and sour cream.

It’s ironic that “walking” was in the name of this dish because it was served on a plate with silverware that you have to sit down to eat.

The “walking taco” part of the name refers to the single serving Fritos bags filled with taco toppings served at baseball games, county fairs and birthday parties.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland 70th anniversary timeline from 1955 to today

Disneyland chefs basically dumped a “walking taco” on top of a chili tamale to add a twist to an otherwise traditional Mexican dish.

Frying the tamale dried out the ends a bit, but I found the middle tender and delicious.

Overall, the Fried Tamale Walking Taco was a nice tribute to Casa de Fritos — the former restaurant that once occupied Rancho del Zocalo.

5) Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese Bread Bowl

Refreshment Corner$13.49

Mac and cheese topped with pineapple-BBQ pulled pork in a sourdough bread bowl.

Disneyland billed the Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese Bread Bowl as a new item — even though it struck me as something that should have been in the park by now.

That was a brilliant move on the part of the Disneyland culinary team — taking three familiar standbys and putting a new spin on them.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland Opera House opening 4 exhibits for 70th anniversary

The Kraft-style mac and cheese was pretty basic — but that was all it really needed to hold up to the sweet, savory and juicy pulled pork.

It was a lot of food that could easily be shared — especially with that big Boudin Bakery bread bowl.

The bread bowl was the novelty here. While it’s delicious, I don’t usually want to eat a whole loaf of sourdough bread while I’m at Disneyland.

6) 70th Stuff

Red Rose Taverne$7.29

Shortbread cookie with a cookies and cream cake, fresh raspberry and raspberry jam surrounded with white chocolate mousse and topped with colored sprinkles.

The strategy here was simple: Take a winner and change the flavor profile ever so slightly.

The Grey Stuff from “Beauty and the Beast” is one of the most successful desserts Disneyland pastry chefs have ever created.

So why not build on that success with the 70th Stuff — which swapped out chocolate mousse for white chocolate mousse.

The result: A much whiter shade of grey and pretty much the same level of joy and satisfaction.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland has a whole lotta ‘Happy’ going on during 70th birthday bash

I’m a sucker for frosting. I always ask for the corner piece of cake and then just eat the frosting. And I go back and scrape the leftover frosting off the serving tray when all the cake is gone.

That also makes me a sucker for the “Stuff” — no matter what flavor mousse is on top.

I’m still always surprised by the cake and jam inside the pile of frosting, even though I know it’s coming. I love getting all the different layers in a single bite.

In a word, the 70th Stuff was delicious. Don’t believe me? Just ask the dishes.

7) Strawberry Shortcake Macaron

Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe$8.29

Vanilla bean buttercream, strawberry jam and fresh strawberry with strawberry whipped topping and strawberry crunch.

This was the latest Instagram-ready treat that the Disneyland chefs always whip up for every special event — and fortunately it tasted even better than it looked.

The twist here was a pie-shaped French meringue-based cookie that sat atop a slice of strawberry shortcake.

Make sure the camera eats first because the whole thing started falling apart after the first forkful.

The crunchy macaron top crumbled with each bite and slowly revealed the big strawberry slices and strawberry jam hiding inside.

8) Grilled Tahitian Ribs

Bengal Barbecue$19.49

Served with white rice and pineapple slaw.

I had high hopes for the Grilled Tahitian Ribs and they delivered.

Don’t think too hard about the “Tahitian” part of the name — which is a nod to the Tahitian Terrace that served a menu of South Sea Island foods and offered Polynesian entertainment from 1962 to 1993 in Adventureland.

These were nothing more than the Bengal Barbecue ribs with teriyaki sauce. They were sweet, delicious and just what I’d expect from the Bengal Barbecue.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland’s new ‘World of Color’ tugs at your emotional heartstrings

I wanted the meat to be more tender, but it wasn’t super tough either.

You can pick the teriyaki ribs up in your hands if you don’t mind sticky fingers. Trying to cut meat with a plastic fork was pretty ridiculous.

The lackluster cole slaw didn’t do it for me, but the rice was perfect for soaking up the extra sauce and served as a good complement to the ribs.

The Grilled Tahitian Ribs will be perfect for Bengal Barbecue fans looking for a new flavor profile at their favorite Adventureland eatery.

9) Dancing Shimmering Lights

Troubadour Tavern$7.99

Sweet berry lemonade with blackberry topper and colorful sanding sugar.

My main concern with any Disneyland drink is that it’s going to be too sweet. Fortunately, that was not the case with the Dancing Shimmering Lights.

Lemonade is my go-to drink and this fresh take added a fun twist on the classic.

The creamy blackberry topper stayed with the drink all the way to the last sip. That creaminess helped break down the sweetness.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland characters hit the road for 70 Happiest Hours in Anaheim

This was like drinking a melted Slurpee topped with a melted soft serve ice cream on top.

It did all the things I want lemonade to do. It was cool, refreshing and just special enough to warrant the upcharge.

10) Chicken Pot Pie Baked Potato

Troubadour Tavern$11.99

Chicken pot pie filling with pie crust crumble.

This mash-up of classic baked potato with a deconstructed chicken pot pie took a bit of effort to get all the flavors together into one bite.

It felt satisfying whenever I did and left me hunting for that familiar chicken pot pie flavor whenever I didn’t.

I’m not a peas and carrots guy, but I love them hidden in the context of a stew or pot pie.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland closes 7 attractions during 70th anniversary party

My recommendation: Cut up the baked potato and mix up the pot pie ingredients so the flavors are more evenly distributed. Otherwise you’ll be getting one ingredient at a time with each bite of potato.

Also, ask for extra gravy so that it lasts all the way to the final bite.

This was a big, hearty dish that was by no means a sample size. You can easily make a meal out of this. It was perfect for sharing.

“Walt Disney – A Magical Life” will debut on Thursday, July 17 — the 70th anniversary of Disneyland’s grand opening in 1955.

The “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” show closed in April and is not expected to return until fall 2026 after the yearlong run of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration.

Walt Disney Imagineering redesigned the Main Street Opera House with a turntable stage to allow “Walt Disney: A Magical Life” and “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” to play in rotation.

“Getting to eventually have that in rotation and have Lincoln and Walt share the stage was really a big win for us,” Imagineering Portfolio Executive Creative Producer Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz said.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland swings big and hits a home run with Walt Disney animatronic

“Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” will get a new scenic set as part of the upgrades to the Main Street Opera House.

“There’s a big sigh of relief from the fan community that Mr. Lincoln got some love too,” Walt Disney Archives Director Becky Cline said.

Shaver-Moskowitz and Cline spoke during a media preview of “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” on Monday, July 14 in the Main Street Opera House.

Disneyland visitors will be able to choose between the two shows or stay to watch both when “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” eventually returns in fall 2026.

Keeping “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” in the Main Street Opera House was important to Imagineering.

“Being able to keep Lincoln in his home was really great,” Shaver-Moskowitz said during the media preview. “It’s so important to Disneyland and the DNA of Disneyland.”

ALSO SEE: First look at Disneyland’s new Walt Disney animatronic

Disneyland filed building permits in 2024 valued at $5 million with the city of Anaheim that called for an existing platform to be replaced with a new turntable on the landmark Audio-Animatronic attraction in the Main Street Opera House, according to city records.

The former platform raised and lowered the Lincoln animatronic so the theater could be used for traditional stage presentations.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland Opera House opening 4 exhibits for 70th anniversary

Walt Disney once planned to bring lifelike versions of Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, Thomas Edison and John Adams to Disneyland.

Shortly after the park’s opening in 1955, Disneyland announced plans to build Liberty Street and Edison Square just off of Main Street U.S.A.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland re-creates Walt Disney with most lifelike animatronic ever

Liberty Street would have featured Jefferson, Franklin and Adams drafting the Declaration of Independence. Edison Square would have showcased the American inventor’s work with electricity.

While Liberty Street and Edison Square never happened in Anaheim, Imagineering’s initial creative work eventually morphed into the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln exhibit that debuted at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair and eventually returned to Disneyland.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland ‘Blinkin’ Lincoln’ animatronic used to go crazy and smash his chair in a robotic fit

Imagineering eventually built Liberty Street — which became Liberty Square when the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971 complete with a Hall of Presidents.

Disneyland showcased “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” during a media preview on Monday, July 14 in the Main Street Opera House at the Anaheim theme park.

“Walt Disney — A Magical Life” will debut to the general public on Thursday, July 17 — the 70th anniversary of Disneyland’s grand opening in 1955.

Imagineering vowed to create the “most life-like animatronic ever” and has succeeded with the world’s first robotic figure of Walt Disney.

The show starts with a 15-minute adaptation of “Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream,” the documentary film that plays at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida.

But it’s the two-minute conclusion that everybody in the theater will be waiting to see when the movie screen rises to reveal an animatronic Walt in his studio office leaning against his desk.

Robot Walt seems most lifelike in the moments before he speaks — raising an eyebrow, tapping his leg and blinking his eyes as the stage lights brighten.

ALSO SEE: First look at Disneyland’s new Walt Disney animatronic

The Walt animatronic seems like he is about to walk toward the audience as he puts his hands on the edge of the desk, leans forward and takes a couple steps.

The hand and arm movements are the most reminiscent of the “Uncle Walt” many people will remember from his television appearances in the 1950s and ‘60s promoting Disneyland and the “Wonderful World of Color.”

ALSO SEE: Take a seat in Walt Disney’s office for an animatronic chat about the creation of Disneyland

The Walt animatronic counts on his fingers, throws his hands forward and rests his hand on his hip like a teacup.

A corneal bulge gives robot Walt’s eyes a glint framed by his expressive eyebrows.

The audio track of the animatronic show seamlessly combines together snippets of archival dialogue.

The level of detail is impressive — from the Legion of Honor ring Walt wore as a wedding band to the Smoke Tree Ranch tie tack paying tribute to his Palm Springs vacation home.

ALSO SEE: Lifelike Walt Disney animatronic looks ‘stellar’ and ‘accurate’ his grandkids say

Most Disneyland visitors will never stare at a single animatronic figure for two minutes straight. The more you do, the more you focus on the head and mouth at the expense of the scenic set and surroundings.

It’s in those moments when the illusion is broken and you realize you’re watching a robot rather than an actor or ghost.

Despite the impressive swing, Imagineering didn’t hit a grand slam with “Walt Disney — A Magical Life.” There’s still room for improvement in the show.

Some of the archival audio tracks of Walt Disney’s narration during the documentary film are hard to hear and understand — which is understandable with soundbites that are more than six decades old.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland Opera House opening 4 exhibits for 70th anniversary

The face of the Walt animatronic looks too broad and wide. His mouth doesn’t move enough when he speaks. His desk seems way too small for a company chief executive.

But there’s no denying the “moonshot” leap forward made by Walt Disney Imagineering. The secretive creative arm of the company vowed to create a “truly believable” figure of Walt Disney and succeeded in advancing the art form of Audio-Animatronics technology.

The Walt animatronic looks authentic and natural while capturing the appearance, movements and mannerisms of a man considered one of the 100 most influential people of the last century.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland honors Lillian Disney with Main Street U.S.A. window

The new animatronic figure is as close as Disneyland visitors will get at the moment to spending a few minutes listening to Walt talk about how he got started, his thoughts on his career and his dreams for the future.

Along with the new show, several exhibits have been added to the Opera House lobbies that look at the evolution of Disneyland, the history of animatronics and plans for upcoming projects.

The new “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” animatronic show will initially run solo before playing in rotation with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.”

Disneyland showcased “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” during a media preview on Monday, July 14 in the Main Street Opera House at the Anaheim theme park.

“Walt Disney – A Magical Life” will debut to the general public on Thursday, July 17 — the 70th anniversary of Disneyland’s grand opening in 1955.

Disneyland will use a virtual queue and not offer a standby queue during the initial opening days of “Walt Disney — A Magical Life.”

Disneyland visitors will have two chances a day to join the virtual queue via the Disneyland app — at 7 a.m. before the park opens and again at noon. You’ll need to have already entered Disneyland to join the noon queue.

The new show begins with a 15-minute adaptation of the “Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream” documentary film that has played for more than two decades at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida and has been re-edited for the new Disneyland presentation.

In the short film, Walt tells the story in his own words from his Missouri childhood to the creation of Mickey Mouse, his animation and film career and the opening of Disneyland.After the film, the screen rises to reveal the new animatronic of Walt Disney leaning against the edge of his desk in his office suite on the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank.The show concludes with a two-minute visit with an animatronic Walt as he talks about how he got started, his thoughts on his career and his dreams for the future.

ALSO SEE: Take a seat in Walt Disney’s office for an animatronic chat about the creation of Disneyland

The project has stirred some controversy with one of Walt Disney’s grandkids concerned about him becoming a “robotic grampa.”

Joanna Miller, the child of Walt’s daughter Diane Disney Miller, started a letter-writing campaign to convince Imagineering to abandon plans to create an audio-animatronic version of Walt Disney.

“The idea of a Robotic Grampa to give the public a feeling of who the living man was just makes no sense,” Miller wrote on Facebook. “It would be an imposter. They are dehumanizing him. People are not replaceable.”

ALSO SEE: Lifelike Walt Disney animatronic looks ‘stellar’ and ‘accurate’ his grandkids say

The Walt Disney Family Museum board of directors — which includes five of Walt’s grandchildren and three of his great grandchildren — support the creation of the new audio-animatronic for the “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” show coming to Disneyland.

Tamara Miller believes her grandfather would have approved of the audio-animatronic being created in his likeness by Imagineering.

“We believe that our grandfather would have been enthusiastic about the project and fascinated by the advancements of the audio-animatronics technology that was first developed during his days at WED (now Imagineering) — a technology that he was always passionate about,” Tamara Miller said in a statement released by the museum.

Disneyland quietly pushed back the debut of “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” by two months from May 16 to July 17 as Walt Disney Imagineering continued to work on the Audio-Animatronic figure of the park’s visionary founder. The original date coincided with the kickoff of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration.

Combining the new displays and exhibits in the Main Street Opera House with the debut of “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” into one moment tied to the 70th anniversary of Disneyland on July 17 delivers the biggest impact and highest quality experience possible, according to Disneyland officials.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland re-creates Walt Disney with most lifelike animatronic ever

Along with the new show, several new exhibits have been added to the Opera House lobbies that look at the evolution of Disneyland, the history of animatronics and plans for upcoming projects.

The new “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” animatronic show will initially run solo before playing in rotation with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.”

ALSO SEE: Disneyland Opera House opening 4 exhibits for 70th anniversary

The “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” attraction closed on April 16 for an extended refurbishment valued at $5 million, according to Anaheim building permits.

The 70th anniversary celebration of the original Disney theme park is set to run through summer 2026 at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

The private ceremony was held on Sunday, July 13 before Disneyland opened to the public with some Disney family members in attendance as Lillian Disney’s window was unveiled on the Disney Showcase gift shop building.

The window dedicated to Lillian Bounds Disney reads: Lilly’s Bountiful Blooms / Flowers & Fancies / Inspiring Worlds of Color and Happiness.

A Main Street U.S.A. window at Disneyland is one of the highest honors awarded by the Walt Disney Company — a tradition started by Walt Disney himself.

Lillian Disney has been previously honored at Disneyland with the Lilly Belle parlor car on the Disneyland Railroad and a petrified tree along the Rivers of America in Frontierland.

The petrified tree was a bit of an inside joke between Walt and Lillian. Walt bought the five ton stump while driving through Pike’s Petrified Forest in Colorado two days before their wedding anniversary in 1956. Walt joked it was an anniversary gift for Lillian and a year later Lillian presented the petrified tree to Disneyland as an anniversary gift to Walt.

Friends and family joined Walt and Lillian for their 30th wedding anniversary celebration with dinner in the Golden Horseshoe and a ride aboard the Mark Twain Riverboat — just a few days before the grand opening of Disneyland on July 17, 1955.

Lillian Disney’s window faces the new “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” animatronic show debuting Thursday, July 17 in the Disneyland Opera House.

Approximately 50 security officers and Disneyland employees escorted the vice president through the park, Mickey Visit reported.

Vance’s presence sparked protests. Around 100 to 150 demonstrators gathered on Harbor Boulevard near the Disneyland entrance on Friday evening, and a crowd of protesters formed again on Saturday.

Social media video showed Vance’s motorcade arriving at the Disneyland resort around 6 p.m. on Friday and the vice president walking with his family through Bayou Country at Disneyland around 10 a.m. Saturday.

The Vance party rode Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and toured Tom Sawyer Island, according to the posts. They also said Vance rode the Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and dined at the exclusive 21 Royal with his family.

Disneyland officials declined to confirm any individual plans out of respect for the privacy of all guests.

But on Friday, internet sleuths noticed temporary flight restrictions had been placed around the theme park for the weekend.

Matt Desmond, who goes by Disney Scoop Guy on Instagram, posted a social media video of a newly installed staging area tent at the entrance to Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel on Friday.

“They definitely have a staging area at the front of the Grand Californian and there’s a very heavy police presence here,” Desmond said on Instagram.

The vice president’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A weekend schedule was not posted and no fundraising events were announced.

Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, whose office said the vice president’s advance team was in the area recently, noted the vice president’s visit comes amid the Trump administration’s continued aggressive immigration enforcement efforts, particularly in Southern California.

“I welcome any policymaker to come to our community and see for themselves how hardworking our immigrant communities are and how they make our country great,” Sarmiento, who represents the Second District, said. “It is my hope that the administration would come to the table and work with us on reversing these policies that seemed designed to crush our communities and our state.”

“I have respect for the office, but I just don’t respect their polices,” Sarmiento said.

Vance has spent a bit of time in Southern California of late.

He visited Los Angeles on official business last month, where he stood by the administration’s immigration raids and arrests and said the military presence in the area would remain. Then, Vance also toured a multi-agency Federal Joint Operations Center and a Federal Mobile Command Center and met with Marines who had been deployed to the area.

More recently, Vance was in San Diego for fundraisers and a $2,500-a-seat dinner hosted by a conservative think tank.

Earlier Friday, second lady Usha Vance visited Camp Pendleton as part of the Blue Star Books program, which donates books to military children, base libraries and Defense Department schools, to name a few.

The second lady grew up in suburban San Diego, in the community of Rancho Peñasquitos.

President Donald Trump, meanwhile, was in Texas on Friday to survey the damage from the catastrophic flooding that killed at least 120 people — with many more still missing — earlier this month.

Disneyland will release point of view videos of 10 attractions, five themed lands and three nighttime spectaculars on July 17 on the Disney+ streaming service in honor of the Anaheim theme park’s 70th anniversary celebration.

ALSO SEE: First look at Disneyland VIP lounge offering killer fireworks views

The Disneyland POV ride videos will include the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones Adventure, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Jungle Cruise and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

The Disney California Adventure POV ride videos will include Radiator Springs Racers, Incredicoaster, Soarin’ Around the World and Pixar Pal-A-Round.

The themed land videos will feature walkthroughs of Mickey’s ToonTown and Main Street U.S.A. at Disneyland and Cars Land, Avengers Campus and Hollywood Land at Disney California Adventure.

The 70th Anniversary Celebration Nighttime Spectaculars videos coming to Disney+ are expected to feature the “Wondrous Journeys” fireworks show and Paint the Night parade at Disneyland and “World of Color Happiness” water show at Disney California Adventure.

The new batch of Disney+ videos joins POV tours of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Rise of the Resistance already released on the streaming service on May 4 in honor of the unofficial Star Wars holiday.

POV videos of theme park attractions have long been available on YouTube from ride enthusiasts who film themselves aboard Disneyland and Disney California Adventure rides.

What sets these videos apart?

The point-of-view video shorts are professionally produced by Disney while the parks are closed and the rides and lands are empty.

The 14-minute Rise of the Resistance POV video walks briefly through the extensive attraction queue before taking viewers through the full ride experience starting with the pre-show scenes with Rey and BB-8 to the Intersystem Transport Ship motion simulator, Star Destroyer detention cell escape and the rest of the ride aboard the troop transport vehicles.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland Opera House opening 4 exhibits for 70th anniversary

The 13-minute tour of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge takes viewers past Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Rise of the Resistance, Oga’s Cantina, Docking Bay 7 and Droid Depot without going inside. Viewers meet Rey, Chewbacca, Kylo Ren, patrolling stormtroopers and the Mandalorian in the otherwise empty Galaxy’s Edge.

Rey warns of First Order sightings, the stormtroopers order you to keep moving and Kylo Ren invites you to join the Dark Side.