Disneyland Resort is throwing a party for its neighbors. On Thursday, Aug. 27, the resort turns the city into the Happiest Day in Anaheim, a day of events and surprises aimed squarely at the people who live there.
The plan runs from treat stops at various locations to surprise visits from iconic characters, and Disney says there’s more in store. Residents are being told to keep an eye out all week.
Who is the Happiest Day in Anaheim for?
Anaheim residents. Disney is inviting people who live in the city to the events and surprises, and it’s part of a longer run of programs built for children and families in Anaheim and across Orange County.
Where have the Disney treat stops been happening?
All over the city, and they started well before the big day. Over the past month, Disney VoluntEARS made surprise stops at a variety of community centers and local events, greeting more than 2,000 residents of all ages.
Kids at summer camp at Oak Canyon Nature Center got a visit. So did families at the YMCA Sports Complex. The handouts were the good kind of small: bubble wands, Mickey Mouse plush, and Minnie Mouse ears.
None of it was announced ahead of time. That’s the whole format, and residents ran into Disneyland Resort in the middle of an ordinary summer day.
A surprise bubble wand at nature camp is hard to top.
Why is Disneyland Resort celebrating in Anaheim?
Because it’s been part of the city for a long time. Disneyland Resort opened in 1955, and Disney traces these community programs back to Walt Disney’s own mission of joy and inspiration, one it says was never meant to stop at the parks’ gates.
Last year the resort ran 70 Happiest Hours in Anaheim, a three-day citywide celebration tied to Disneyland Resort’s 70th anniversary. The one-day sequel celebrates over 70 years of the resort in Anaheim, and Disney says it’s bringing even more happiness to the local community this time around.
If you live in Anaheim, the thing to watch is the Disney Parks Blog. Disney hasn’t named the characters or published locations and times, and it says the latest surprises will be posted there as they roll out.
Shark Take: this one belongs to locals, not to a park itinerary. The treat stops have been landing where Anaheim families already spend their summer, so the stop list staying quiet is the point.
Source: Disney Parks Blog
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