Fascinating Facts About World of Color at Disney California Adventure
At Disney California Adventure Park, World of Color is more than just a nighttime show—it’s an immersive sensory journey that brings animation to life. Using a mix of fountains, music, lasers, fire, and fog, the show creates a towering wall of water that becomes a canvas for beloved Disney and Pixar stories.
With scenes from WALL-E, Pocahontas, Finding Nemo, and Pirates of the Caribbean, this show lights up Paradise Bay with dazzling emotion and technical brilliance.
A Tribute to Walt Disney’s Legacy
The show’s name and spirit draw inspiration from Walt Disney’s first color television series, The Wonderful World of Color (1961–1969), which extended his earlier anthology series. The Emmy Award-winning series utilized color, music, and imagination to entertain a new generation of fans.
“World of Color” begins and ends with the theme from the original TV show, composed by Disney Legends Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman. The result is a tribute that merges the past, present, and future of Disney storytelling.
Music and Animation in Perfect Harmony
The music for World of Color was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, featuring a massive 100-piece orchestra. This ensemble included:
- 60 strings
- 15 brass instruments
- 12 woodwinds
- A harp, guitar, percussion, keyboards, and synthesizers
- Soloists and a choir of over 100 voices
Disney and Pixar icons showcased in the show include:
- Finding Nemo’s Dory, Marlin, Crush, and Squirt
- The Little Mermaid’s Ariel and Sebastian
- Toy Story’s Woody and Buzz Lightyear
- Aladdin and Jasmine
- Beauty and the Beast’s Belle and the Beast
- WALL-E and Eve
- The Lion King’s Simba, Mufasa, and Scar
The show even features sand animation, contributed by an award-winning animator for a magical Aladdin sequence, blending traditional and experimental animation styles.
Fountain Power and Technological Wonders
Behind the beauty of World of Color lies an astounding set of technologies:
- The show platform spans nearly one full acre, longer than a football field.
- More than 18,000 active points of control manage the show’s precise execution.
- 1,200 programmable fountains launch water between 30 and 200 feet high.
- The water screen measures 380 feet wide by 50 feet high, totaling 19,000 square feet.
- 28 HD projectors (14 submersible) create vivid projections across the lagoon.
- The show spans the entire 5-acre Paradise Bay, holding 15 million gallons of water.
A Focus on Sustainability: World of Color Facts
Disney’s commitment to environmental responsibility shines behind the scenes. During the show’s development, the Resort partnered with the Orange County Water District to reduce water waste.
Rather than draining the lagoon into the ocean, water is filtered through the Groundwater Replenishment System, then returned to the local water supply. These efforts helped Disneyland Resort earn California’s highest environmental honor, the Governor’s Environmental & Economic Leadership Award, in 2009.
A Living “Fantasia” at Disney California Adventure
Originally envisioned as a living “Fantasia,” World of Color blends imagination and innovation. It turns Paradise Bay into a dreamscape of story and song—where color, light, and music flow together.
Whether you’re watching for the music, the technology, or the unforgettable animation, World of Color delivers a spectacular display of Disney magic unlike anything else in the parks.
