In the Loop: Disneyland's 60th anniversary, Twisted Colossus and a coaster marathon

In the Loop: Disneyland’s 60th anniversary, Twisted Colossus and a coaster marathon

May 28, 2015 9 AM PT

Welcome to another edition of In the Loop, the L.A. Times' theme park newsletter. I’m Funland theme park blogger Brady MacDonald and this week we take a look at the kickoff of Disneyland’s 60th anniversary celebration, the debut of Twisted Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain and a host of new attractions.

Diamond jubilee

Disneyland launches its 60th anniversary celebration with the introduction of three new nighttime spectaculars, and I review them all.

In celebration of Disneyland's 60th anniversary, the theme park debuts its "Disneyland Forever" fireworks show on May 21, 2015. The new show features 3-D projections and a new song.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The new Paint the Night parade at Disneyland is my favorite and a worthy heir to the beloved Main Street Electrical Parade.

Dubbed “Celebrate,” the new World of Color water show at Disney California Adventure dials back the spectacle a bit in favor of storytelling with a presentation that pays tribute to Walt Disney and his original theme park.

Hugo Martin, who covers theme parks for The Times’ Business section, explains how Neil Patrick Harris landed the hosting job for the new World of Color show.

I find the new “Forever” fireworks show at Disneyland to be overly complex, with so much going on that I forgot to look at the pyrotechnics.

Meanwhile, Hugo follows Disneyland tech guru Chuck Davis during preparations for the fireworks show.

Actor Neil Patrick Harris and Mickey Mouse introduce Disney California Adventure's new "World of Color: Celebrate!" to the media for Disneyland's 60th anniversary celebration.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Our TV critic and recent Pulitzer Prize winner, Mary McNamara, braves the 24-hour kickoff party at Disneyland just a year after vowing never to do it again. Says Mary: “I'm a sucker for Disney and any birthday party celebrating something older than myself.”

And in honor of the 60th anniversary, Times film blogger Oliver Gettell weighs in with six films inspired by the Happiest Place on Earth.

More from the Mouse

In an interview with Hugo, Disney Chief Operating Officer Tom Staggs says yes to “Star Wars” attractions at Disneyland and no to MagicBands at the Anaheim park. In use in Florida, MagicBands serve as admission tickets, hotel room keys and even credit cards.

Times Travel blogger Mary Forgione writes about a Disney Cruise out of New York City that stops at Walt Disney World as well as the debut of the world’s biggest Disney store in China that serves as a tease for the much-anticipated debut of Shanghai Disneyland.

(Disney Cruise Line)

Thrills and spills

I review the new Twisted Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain and dub the steel-wood hybrid my new favorite roller coaster in Southern California.

And I cap a busy week with a ride on the new Aqua Rocket water coaster at Raging Waters San Dimas that mimics the whoop-de-do ups and downs of a traditional roller coaster.

Drug bust

A cellphone stolen at Knott’s Berry Farm leads sheriff’s deputies in the Inland Empire to a home with a cache of drugs and an illegal hash oil lab. Six people were arrested.

And finally…

New York magazine chronicles an epic coaster marathon by 82-year-old Vic Kleman, who rode Kennywood’s Jack Rabbit 95 times in honor of the Pennsylvania wooden coaster’s 95th anniversary. Kleman is no stranger to the out-and-back terrain coaster, having conquered Jack Rabbit more than 5,000 times.

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