Disneyland Spreads Pixie Dust Across Anaheim with "70 Happiest Hours" Initiative

The three-day celebration kicked off with surprise events for students, seniors, and the entire community.
by |
Tags: ,

For 70 years, the city of Anaheim has been home to The Happiest Place on Earth. To celebrate this milestone anniversary, Disneyland Resort is giving back to its neighbors with a massive, city-wide celebration called the "70 Happiest Hours in Anaheim," running from August 20th to August 22nd, 2025.

What’s Happening:

  • The celebration began on August 20th, kicking off 70 hours of surprise events, character appearances, and community gatherings throughout Anaheim.
  • Crescent Elementary School received a magical first-day-of-school welcome with characters, breakfast, and a plush Mickey Mouse for all 800+ students and staff.
  • Ponderosa Elementary School hosted a reading celebration for 250 students, featuring a surprise appearance by author Ridley Pearson and a $15,000 donation voucher from the resort.
  • Local seniors at Brookhurst Community Center were treated to a sixties-style sock hop, complete with a live band, lunch, and Disney-themed fun.
  • The Boys and Girls Club of Anaheim got a special visit from Donald Duck and Daisy Duck, who joined nearly 100 participants for crafts and photos.
  • The day concluded with a massive Block Party Bash at Ponderosa Park, where residents enjoyed live entertainment, games, and meet-and-greets with beloved Disney characters and Disneyland Resort President Thomas Mazloum.
  • The 70 Happiest Hours initiative continues through August 22nd, so Anaheim residents should keep an eye out for more Disney magic appearing in their neighborhoods.

A Magical Day For Anaheim's Youth

  • The festivities began bright and early as Disney VoluntEARS created a spirit tunnel to welcome over 800 students and staff at Crescent Elementary to a surprise first-day-of-school party.
  • Later, the focus shifted to literacy at Ponderosa Elementary, where students not only received free books but also got to hear from New York Times bestselling author Ridley Pearson, who read from his new book, Kingdom Keepers: Inheritance: The Final Draw.
  • To cap off the event, the resort announced a $15,000 donation to the school to foster their students' love of reading.
  • The afternoon brought more character fun to the Boys and Girls Club of Anaheim, where Donald and Daisy Duck surprised children, who enjoyed crafts, snacks, and special popcorn buckets to take home.

Celebrating Every Generation

  • The celebration wasn't just for kids. At lunchtime, local seniors at the Brookhurst Community Center were transported back in time with a sixties-themed sock hop.
  • A live band played hits from the era as attendees danced and enjoyed a delicious meal. As evening fell, the magic culminated in a Block Party Bash at Ponderosa Park.
  • Residents of all ages gathered to enjoy live music, games, and snacks.
  • The highlight for many was the arrival of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and a host of enchanting princesses.
  • Disneyland Resort President Thomas Mazloum also joined the fun, personally thanking the residents for being an integral part of the resort's 70-year history.

About the Disneyland Resort and Anaheim Partnership

  • The relationship between Disneyland and the city of Anaheim is one of the most famous examples of urban transformation in American history.
  • Before Walt Disney chose the 160-acre plot of orange groves and walnut trees in 1954, Anaheim was a quiet, rural community. The opening of Disneyland on July 17, 1955, acted as a catalyst, sparking an economic and population boom that turned Anaheim into a world-renowned tourist destination.
  • The resort is the city's largest employer, and the partnership has led to the development of the Anaheim Resort District, which includes hotels, convention centers, and entertainment venues. Beyond its economic impact, Disneyland has a long history of community engagement through the Disney VoluntEARS program, which began in 1983, and millions of dollars in charitable grants provided to local non-profits, schools, and hospitals over the decades, solidifying a bond that extends far beyond the park's berm.

More Disneyland News:

Laughing Place recommends MouseFanTravel.com for all your Disneyland Resort travel planning
Fill out the form below for a free, no obligation quote from MouseFanTravel.com
Daniel Kaplan
Daniel loves theme parks — specifically how the narrative of theme park attractions differs from film or books — and loves debating what constitutes a "good" theme park attraction story.
View all articles by Daniel Kaplan