World of Color at Disney’s California Adventure

World of Color is one the magnificent nighttime shows at Disney’s California Adventure. The show was designed as part of Disney’s five year renovation of California Adventure in 2007 and was one of the first of the plans to the be completed. It took fifteen months to design and build the seventy-five million dollar project.

The project, built in Paradise Bay, consists of one thousand fountains that can shoot up to two hundred feet and each fountain has an LED light ring to provide the light for the show. Images are projected onto a three hundred and eighty foot mist screen. Sequences from Finding Nemo, Fantasia 2000, Toy Story Wall-E, Aladdin, the Little Mermaid and many other classic Disney movies are featured. Seasonal sequences are also accommodated. An Independence Day sequence is added for the Fourth of July, and Prep and Landing characters are added during the holidays. The lights on Mickey’s Fun Wheel, towering above Paradise Bay, are also synchronized with the World of Color show.

FastPass is the only way to access the viewing area for World of Color. FastPasses for both of the nightly shows are available beginning thirty minutes before park opening each day. Special meal packages can also be purchased and include access to the viewing area. At Wine Country Trattoria, you can enjoy a three course dinner before viewing the show. Or you can purchase a picnic style meal from the Sonoma Terrace at Golden Vine Winery. Picnic meals also include viewing area access. If you do not have a FastPass or dining reservation you may still watch the show from areas around Paradise Bay. We watched the show in front of the Little Mermaid ride and, while it was a decent view and we could see, the view was constantly interrupted by the flow of park traffic.

If you’re planning a visit to Disney’s California Adventure, this show is not to be missed! 

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Rachel is a Virginia native who now lives in Louisiana. She is married with two children, ages 5 and 3. After dreaming and wishing for several years, her family had their very first Disney vacations this year and are now addicted to researching and planning—whether for themselves or for others. They now plan to visit the parks at least once a year.