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Introduction
World of Color was a popular nighttime show at Disney California Adventure that ran from 2010 to 2021. The large-scale water, animation, music and lighting show was located at Paradise Bay and used advanced technologies to create stunning visual effects. Unfortunately, World of Color has been put on hiatus since April 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Disney fans are wondering what exactly happened to World of Color and if or when it may return.
What Was World of Color?
World of Color was a nighttime spectacular that combined fountains, lighting, fire, fog, lasers, music, animation and special effects. It was shown on the large Fantasmic! stage in Paradise Bay, with programmable fountains and lighting arrays installed on and around the stage. Scenes from classic Disney and Pixar films were projected onto water screens made by the fountains and mist. The show included a variety of effects like fire, lasers, smoke, pyrotechnics and moving set pieces.
The show was around 22-26 minutes long and the content changed seasonally. It was designed to invoke various emotions from viewers, from happiness during upbeat songs to sadness during tender ballads. The music ranged from instrumental scores to popular songs. World of Color celebrated Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney and Pixar films and the spirit of childhood.
History of World of Color
The idea for World of Color began back in 2004 as part of the Disney California Adventure Park overhaul project called Disneyland Resort Next. One of the goals was to create a new nighttime spectacular to replace the aging Fantasmic! show. After considering various locations around the park, Paradise Bay was chosen due to its size and visibility.
Construction for World of Color began in 2008. The show required an entire overhaul of the 12-acre Paradise Bay. New technology and infrastructure upgrades included:
– Installing a 19,000 square foot platform for the show action
– Adding 18,000 programmable LED lights, fog and laser systems
– Installing a projected fountain system with over 1200 programmable fountains and lights
– Laying over 20 miles of utilities for plumbing, electrical, power and communications
– Backstage filtration and control systems to filter and recycle the bay water
Disney spent over $75 million developing and installing the cutting-edge technology required for World of Color. After over 2 years of construction, the show was unveiled on June 11, 2010 as part of the Summer Nightastic! event at California Adventure.
The debut show was titled “World of Color: Celebrate!” and highlighted Walt Disney films and characters. It was met with critical acclaim and became extremely popular. From 2010 to 2021, World of Color underwent several seasonal and special event updates:
| Year | Show Name |
|---|---|
| Summer 2010 | World of Color: Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| Winter 2010 | World of Color: Season of Light – A Winter Fantasy |
| Spring 2011 | World of Color: Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| Summer 2011 | World of Color: Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| Winter 2011 | World of Color: Winter Dreams |
| Spring 2012 | World of Color: Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| Summer 2012 | World of Color: Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| Late 2012 | World of Color: Magical |
| Winter 2012 | World of Color: Winter Dreams |
| Spring 2013 | World of Color: Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| Summer 2013 | World of Color: Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| Winter 2013 | World of Color: Winter Dreams |
| Spring 2014 | World of Color: Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| Summer 2014 | World of Color: Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney 60th Anniversary |
| September 2014 | World of Color: Celebrate! – The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| Winter 2014 | World of Color − Winter Dreams |
| April 2015 | World of Color − Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| May 2015 | World of Color: Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney 60th Anniversary |
| September 2015 | World of Color − Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| November 2015 | World of Color − Winter Dreams |
| January 2016 | World of Color − Celebrate! Lunar New Year |
| March 2016 | World of Color − Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| May 2016 | World of Color: Celebrate! Main Street Electrical Parade |
| June 2016 | World of Color: Celebrate! – The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| July 2016 | World of Color: Celebrate! – 60th Anniversary Encore |
| September 2016 | World of Color: Celebrate! – The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| November 2016 | World of Color − Season of Light |
| January 2017 | World of Color − Celebrate! Lunar New Year |
| February 2017 | World of Color − Celebrate! Sweethearts’ Night |
| March 2017 | World of Color − Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| April 2017 | World of Color: Celebrate! – Pixar Fest |
| June 2017 | World of Color: Celebrate! – The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| September 2017 | World of Color: Celebrate! – The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| November 2017 | World of Color − Season of Light |
| January 2018 | World of Color − Celebrate! Lunar New Year |
| April 2018 | World of Color: Celebrate! – Pixar Fest |
| June 2018 | World of Color: Celebrate! – The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| September 2018 | World of Color: Celebrate! – The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| November 2018 | World of Color − Season of Light |
| January 2019 | World of Color − Celebrate! Lunar New Year |
| March 2019 | World of Color: Celebrate! – The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| May 2019 | World of Color: Celebrate! – Mickey’s Mix Magic |
| June 2019 | World of Color: Celebrate! – The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| September 2019 | World of Color: Celebrate! – The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| November 2019 | World of Color − Season of Light |
| January 2020 | World of Color − Celebrate! Lunar New Year |
| February 2020 | World of Color − Sweethearts’ Night |
| March 2020 | World of Color: Celebrate! – The Wonderful World of Walt Disney |
| April 2021 | World of Color: ONE |
Why Was World of Color Put on Hiatus?
In March 2020, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure temporarily closed due to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic. This included World of Color going dark. The parks remained closed for over a year before reopening on April 30, 2021.
When Disney California Adventure welcomed guests back, it was at limited capacity with new health and safety measures in place. Nighttime spectaculars like World of Color, Fantasmic! and fireworks shows could not yet return due to the challenge of maintaining social distancing in large crowds. As a result, World of Color remained on hiatus when the park reopened.
The Disney Parks continued to prioritize health and safety as the pandemic progressed through 2021. The Delta and Omicron surges meant the return of nighttime shows with massive crowds continued to be put on hold. Disney focused entertainment offerings on smaller, more distanced daytime experiences.
It has now been over two years since World of Color last lit up Paradise Bay. The extended hiatus is due to COVID-19 restrictions on large gatherings and the difficulty of maintaining social distancing around the bay. Disney has not provided an updated timeline for when World of Color may return.
The Brief Return of World of Color in 2021
In April 2021, Disney California Adventure brought back a modified version of World of Color for a limited time. This reduced capacity show was called World of Color: ONE.
ONE ran for only two weeks from April 22 to May 4, 2021. It featured a inspiring message of unity and hope as the world emerged from the pandemic.
The show incorporated animated elements from classic Disney films but with no live performers, water fountains or pyrotechnics. Projection mapping and lighting effects were used to create a visually stunning show on a limited budget.
Guests needed to obtain a virtual boarding group on the Disneyland app in order to view ONE. This allowed Disney to maintain limited crowd sizes for social distancing. The limited engagement run allowed guests to experience a fan favorite show while COVID-19 health and safety protocols were still in place.
Will World of Color Ever Return?
Disney has not officially announced if or when World of Color may return in the future. However, it is very likely the original show will be brought back at some point.
Waiting until COVID-19 is less of a public health concern will allow the full World of Color production to return. The show routinely drew thousands of spectators around Paradise Bay in close quarters – something not currently feasible while social distancing measures are recommended.
Disney invested heavily in the infrastructure, technology, and setup of World of Color. The company will likely want to get many more years of use out of the intricate show systems and elements. Also, World of Color has been extremely popular with guests since it first debuted. Bringing back this fan favorite spectacular will boost Disney California Adventure entertainment offerings.
It is possible World of Color could return in 2023 for the grand reopening of the remodeled Paradise Park land. This area of the park is currently undergoing major construction and upgrades. Unveiling newly enhanced World of Color shows could be part of the Paradise Park reopening celebration.
The Future of World of Color
When World of Color returns, it will likely pick up where it left off with Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney. This has been the show’s main summer lineup since 2017.
Disney could also debut brand new World of Color shows and content in the future. The Paradise Bay infrastructure offers immense flexibility for projection mapping, lighting, lasers, fountains and special effects. Disney has a vast library of intellectual property to pull from in creating innovative shows that resonate with guests.
It is an exciting time for World of Color and Disney California Adventure overall. Major investments into park expansions and renovations hint at even grander entertainment spectacles on the horizon. While the wait has been long, the future looks bright for the return of nighttime spectaculars like World of Color to the Disneyland Resort.
Conclusion
World of Color dazzled Disney California Adventure guests for over a decade until the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The large nighttime show was put on hiatus in March 2020 due to health and safety restrictions. A modified version called World of Color: ONE briefly returned in April 2021 before going dark again.
While Disney has not announced a return timeline, it is very likely World of Color will resume once COVID conditions improve. The show’s infrastructure and popularity make it a wise long-term investment. World of Color could return triumphantly as part of upcoming Disneyland Resort expansions and park anniversaries. Though the wait continues, fans are eager to once again experience the magic of World of Color at Disney California Adventure.
