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Disneyland: Railroad, ‘Fantasmic!' Return Dates

"Star Wars" land construction temporarily shuttered a number of attractions at the theme park; now several longtime favorites will soon be back.

Much of the Disneyverse is craftily constructed around clocks and the nature of time, and a fan only need dip into a song, or story, to find references to the meaning, and passage, of hours and minutes.

From the stroke of midnight in "Cinderella" to Cogsworth the clock of "Beauty and the Beast" to "Step in Time" from "Mary Poppins" to the beloved doll clock at It's a Small World at Disneyland, tick-tockery weaves throughout the Disney-style wonder.

But when a number of beloved and historical attractions shuttered at the Anaheim theme park in January 2016, all to give "Star Wars" land construction some room to start up, that ol' tick-tockery had fans a mite concerned. How long before they could again board the Mark Twain Riverboat or the Disneyland Railroad or watch "Fantasmic!"?

The answer is ticking 'n tocking this way: July 2017, with one attraction opening earlier, on June 16.

The theme park's official blog revealed on Thursday, June 15 that all of the Rivers of America attractions, including the Mark Twain, the Sailing Ship Columbia, Pirate's Lair at Tom Sawyer Island, and Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes will paddle into view over the next few weeks, with Pirate's Lair up first and right away, on Friday, June 16.

The other waterborne attractions shall follow with openings at the end of July (Saturday, July 29, to be exact).

"Fantasmic!" flies back on Monday, July 17, with several of the details fans love intact. But some fresh additions have been made to the nighttime spectacular, too, like new mist screens, as well as a nod to both "Aladdin" and "The Lion King."

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Oh, you're so right, if you just raised your hand, excitedly, at reading "July 17" a moment ago: July 17 is Disneyland's birthday. And, in 2017, the world's most celebrated rides-and-more merrymaker is turning 62, making the re-debut of "Fantasmic!" an even bigger event.

Finally, and we do advise you to hold onto your favorite dinosaur, train enthusiasts, at this bit of news: The Disneyland Railroad chugga-chuggas back on July 29, complete with a restoration of the dino-filled Primeval World as well as the Grand Canyon.

Both scenic displays have been brought back to "their original splendor," says the park blog.

And here's something nifty: "For the first time ever, the Disneyland Railroad will make a left-hand turn to continue around Disneyland Park."

As Mr. Disney himself said, and as others have seconded over the decades, Disneyland will always change, and grow, and continue to burnish the existing enchantment in interesting, to-the-future ways.

Even the classic railroad, one of the original 1955 attractions, has a few new tales to tell along its much covered tracks.

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