Updated March 9, 2023
This year brings lots of excitement to Disney Parks, including all new entertainment, merchandise and more for the big celebration.
Why are we celebrating?
The Walt Disney Company turns 100 years old!
That’s a big deal.
Let’s dive in to see what’s in store for us.
Basic Scoop
During the entire 2023 year, Disney Parks will be celebrating the Walt Disney Company turning 100 years old.
This is a global celebration, encompassing all 6 Disney Parks, with the kick off happening at the Disneyland Resort on January 27, 2023.
Throughout this year, all parks will be hosting events and shows to commemorate this achievement for Disney. I can’t wait to see it!
Disneyland
The Disneyland Resort gets us started with fantastic fun including:
- All new Wondrous Journeys Nighttime Spectacular (fireworks) – info here
- All new World of Color One – info here
- Magic Happens Parade returns February 24, 2023 – info here
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction opens January 27, 2023
- Lots of themed food around the resort – find Disney’s foodie guide here
How to Ride Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
***This dedicated post shares what’s below and more. Check it out.
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway will include a virtual queue at opening. There will be no standby line. You may ride this attraction in one of two ways:
Virtual Queue
Here’s how it works:
- The virtual queue will be accessible to guests at both 7am PST and 1pm PST each day.
- You do not have to be in the park to enter the virtual queue at 7:00am, but you do have to have a ticket or Magic Key and a theme park reservation to Disneyland.
- Guests with park reservations for both Disneyland and DCA may try at the 1:00pm slot. But! You have to have entered a park (and have your ticket scanned) to be eligible. And, if you started the day at DCA, you must have a hopper ticket to enter Disneyland park, where the attraction is.
Here are the steps to follow to ensure you grab a spot:
- Before arriving at the park, attach each person’s ticket or Magic Key to your Disneyland app.
- If you aren’t confident in your wifi connection, use data. Every second counts in a Disney virtual queue, so be sure you’re in a good spot.
- At 6:00am, go into the Disneyland app and build your party. “Building your party” includes selecting each guest’s ticket to form a party.
- Once the 7:00am PST time arrives, enter the queue immediately and follow the prompts. If you’re unsuccessful at 7am, try at 1pm.
- If you’re successful, you’ll receive a prompt on your phone when it’s time to ride.
Here are some tips for the virtual queue:
- Use your phone to keep an eye on the clock. You need a precise time.
- At 6:59am, count down to the very second that 7:00am arrives by using a watch or the second hand on your clock app.
A la carte Lightning Lane
Individual (a la carte) Lightning Lanes become available as soon as you walk in the park at the Disneyland Resort. Using any of these options will not interfere with your Genie+ purchase. The two work together on the app.
Find your options for purchasing any of the a la carte Lightning Lanes in the Disneyland app on the Tip Board, where you’re using Genie+. You are not able to select a window at any point in the day. Instead, the return windows for each of these attractions will be the next available, just like Genie+ works (and how FASTPASSES worked).
How to Plan Your Day So You See and Do Everything
Disneyland really does these big celebrations well. The incoming shows are supposed to be amazing, so I hope you’ll make time to see them.
Here’s where I come in.
I’m not an influencer. I don’t do much Disney style. But, I know how to keep guests out of line. This is where I excel.
With that in mind, I recommend you start your day with one of my strategies (or one you know has been tested and proven to work in the parks). Arrive early and get busy with rides when the lines are low. This will put you in great shape for entertainment in the afternoon/evening.
Find my strategies with details on where to go and what to do in this post. These are tested monthly in the parks and/or at home remotely.
Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World continues its 50th Birthday celebration through March 2023.
I’ll share more about its participation in the Disney 100 celebration as we learn more.
International Disney Parks
Internationally, we’re celebrating too!
Hong Kong Disneyland is said to unveil a new statue of Walt and Mickey Mouse.
Notes
I’ll be at Disneyland for the launch to share all the fun with you and then at WDW, too, throughout the year.
Disney shares all about the celebration in this post.
As always, let me know how I can help you plan!
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Will Disneyland be celebrating any of the remaining Club 55 members, which I am one of.
I believe there are only 6 left?
Bob Penfield
I wish I knew! So cool, Bob.
Do you happen to know when the 100 year celebration ends? We’d love to see it, but aren’t traveling until early January, 2024. Thanks!
I haven’t heard of an official end date, but if I do, I’ll update this post.
I’m so excited – we go in exactly 30 days! So question on the virtual queue for Runaway Railway. At Epcot this fall we were able to get in the virtual queue for Cosmic Rewind in both the morning and AGAIN in the afternoon, AND a third time when they did the late afternoon virtual queue. Do you know if this is a possibility with Runaway Railway?
Not that I’m aware of. I’ll be watching for any options that deviate from what I’m expecting and have detailed in this post. Lots to learn!
so correct me if I am wrong, You can’t ride the ride unless you pay for Genie or lightening lane? So you spend a fortune getting there with flights, rental car, gas, Tickets to the park, hotel and now to ride you have to pay more? Seems unfair to me. You are totally stopping the low and most middle class families from coming. I thought Walts dream was for it to be accesible to everyone. Oh well thanks
Hi Peggy.
You may actually use the virtual queue at no cost. I list the steps to make sure you are successful at entering it in this post because it will be competitive when it first opens.
I apologize for the confusion.
Hi Casey! We will happen to be there on the first day of the Disney 100 celebration as the last day of our Disneyland trip. I’m wondering if it will be best to avoid Disneyland in the morning and do DCA instead (we have park hopper passes and 2 little girls) or if it will be worthwhile to fight the crowds and be in Disneyland that morning.
Also, it just dawned on me today that the new ride is likely to be on an Individual Lightning Lane instead of included on Genie+ which we will have. Do you think on opening day it will 1. Be available to purchased Lightning lane passes for that ride? and 2. Be worthwhile to purchase them versus standing in the standby line? Also, do you have any guesses on what they will charge for individual Lightning lane passes? We have a 6 and 4 year old daughter so even the best ride will be spoiled by a 2 hour wait. Thanks for your help!
Hi Natalie.
All great questions. I have most of the answers you need.
I think you should go to Disneyland. It’s going to be such a fun, memorable day.
I updated this post that you commented on with all you’ll need to know about the new ride including how to use the virtual queue and how to purchase the a la carte Lightning Lane.
It’s hard to know how the virtual queue will play out vs the LLs. I would take a look at my notes in this post on how to be successful in the queue so you’ll have your best shot at it.
Try at 7:00am. (You’ll need to start your day at Disneyland for that.) If you’re unsuccessful, buy the LLs. It’s only money and you’ve likely blown a small fortune by the last day so what’s a bit more?
I kid. I kid. But it might be worth it to budget for this. There will be lots of excitement around this attraction that day.
I don’t know costs for the LLs yet, but I’ll update this post as soon as I do. I’m at the media event next week (3 days long!), so I will be gathering lots more info.
Let me know how else I can help.
Thanks for all of your answers! That is very helpful! We’ll be in Disneyland tomorrow morning and I’m getting prepared to enter the virtual queue both times! Hopefully we can ride it sometime tomorrow! ??