If there are two issues Disney followers love, it’s exclusive merchandise and interactive games. So, when information broke of an occasion that combined the two for the seventieth anniversary celebration of Disneyland, I knew the primary likelihood I had, I used to be going to attempt it.
Disneyland in Anaheim, California, just began its year-long seventieth anniversary celebration and one of the many, many, fun new things you are able to do on the park is unlock it with a Key to Disneyland. The journey begins with a purchase order (don’t all of them?) of a $60 plastic key that measures a couple of foot and a half lengthy (seen above). Simply by itself, this can be a cool merchandise to show or play with, relying in your age. However this key goes nicely past that.
With the important thing, you might be then tasked with unlocking 9 sections of the park. You are able to do this over the course of a single day, a number of journeys, no matter you’d like. So that you go to every place—Foremost Road USA, Adventureland, New Orleans Sq., Bayou Nation, Tomorrowland, Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, Frontierland, Mickey’s Toontown, and Fantasyland—and discover a particular unlock station which appears roughly like this.
Half the enjoyable of the occasion is looking for these stations, which, at occasions, are fairly nicely hidden. In fact, this occasion has been happening for a couple of week as of publication, so all of the places are on the market (and I’ll element them beneath in case you desire a serving to hand) however I appreciated how some are simpler to search out than others. Every can be themed to the land it unlocks, in order that they’re all very bizarre and enjoyable. As soon as you discover the keyhole, you energy up your key and insert it. This triggers a novel occasion at every station, every of which has totally different lights, music, and even some bodily issues comparable to bubbles or projections. Additionally, you will discover that every station reveals a brand new mild in your key (which you’ll see in each images above). It makes every discovery and unlock a enjoyable little occasion, worthy of a photograph or video.
And across the park you go, discovering the stations, and unlocking all 9 lights, every of which reveals a brand new lighting scheme and music on your key, which then carries over and you’ll play later. With every unlock, you get a pleasant little sense of accomplishment. A small, distinctive gratification that you’re on this journey across the park and making progress. It’s small, it’s form of pointless, but it surely’s pleasurable. Particularly whenever you it’s the icing on the cake that you simply’re on the Happiest Place on Earth.
When you unlock all 9 lights, you deliver the absolutely unlocked key again to the entrance of the park for the ultimate station. That is the perfect half. There, and solely after you’ve visited all the opposite stations, you get a particular little occasion. Plus, a particular compartment on the again of your key opens up and divulges a novel, thriller Disneyland anniversary pin. Additionally, the important thing will now play audio of Walt Disney’s speech on the opening of Disneyland. There are 9 pins in complete, one for every land you unlocked. And, for those who don’t just like the one you get, you possibly can try to commerce it with pin merchants across the park. My spouse and I acquired the Haunted Mansion pin however listed here are all 9, courtesy of an eBay listing.
At this level, you’re in all probability considering, “So are you simply paying $60 for a light-up piece of plastic and a tiny, random pin chances are you’ll not like?” Sure, you might be. And, as talked about, it’s probably not a problem to search out the unlock stations as a result of there are sometimes lengthy traces at every. However there’s nonetheless a sure Disney magic in strolling round this unimaginable park, fascinated about its historical past, all of the modifications which have occurred through the years, after which getting a enjoyable little reward on the finish. You aren’t solely bringing dwelling the reminiscences, you might have a number of cool trinkets too.
The Key to Disneyland will likely be on sale by means of all the seventieth anniversary, which runs from now by means of subsequent summer season. So there isn’t any rush in any way. You’ll be able to learn extra about it on the official site and, in case you are in want of some help, right here’s a information to every station. The Galaxy’s Edge one was, after all, our favourite. Right here’s a photograph.
All of the Keys to Disneyland Unlock Station Places
- Foremost Road USA – Contained in the Hearth Station subsequent to Metropolis Corridor
- Adventureland – Behind the Adventureland Bazaar
- New Orleans Sq. – Close to the loos on the entrance to Membership 33
- Bayou Nation – Exterior the Pooh Nook retailer
- Tomorrowland – Instantly subsequent to Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
- Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge – Throughout from Rise of the Resistance, subsequent to the big A-Wing
- Frontierland – On the carriage on the northernmost pathway between the land and Galaxy’s Edge
- Mickey’s Toontown – Subsequent to Roger Rabbit’s Automobile Toon Spin
- Fantasyland – In all probability the toughest one to search out—it’s exterior the Royal Corridor to the West of the fort entrance.
- The Grand Finale – In the principle entrance plaza
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