On October 1, 1971, Walt Disney World Resort officially opened its doors to visitors for the first time; the culmination of years dedicated to imagining, planning and developing Walt Disney’s magical dream. During these five decades, the Most Magical Place in the World has continued its expansion with new stories, characters and adventures that can be appreciated for a lifetime. And now, for its 50th anniversary, the resort welcomes visitors to “The World’s Most Magical Celebration.” With Disney cast members at the heart of this historic celebration, the 18-month-long event at Beginning October 1, 2021, usher in a spectacular array of new attractions, nightly shows and much more.
Shining as the centerpiece, Cinderella’s Castle at Magic Kingdom Park welcomes visitors to the celebration with gold pennants, sparkling gold ornaments, a 50th anniversary crest, and other enhancements inspired by the art of the legend. from Disney, Mary Blair. Visitors will discover new experiences throughout the resort, where shimmering iridescence magically appears everywhere from theme parks to Disney Resort hotels, transportation, merchandise and more.
At EPCOT the expanded France Pavilion serves a new attraction and restaurant
The grand opening of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure on October 1, invites guests to the tasty world of the Academy Award®-winning Disney and Pixar film, » Ratatouille «. At this family-friendly attraction, visitors feel like they shrink to Chef Remy’s size and race through Gusteau’s famous restaurant. They discover Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at the World Showcase as part of a newly expanded area of the French Pavilion, where the real is made fantastic in a reimagining of Paris inspired by the film.
Also debuting on October 1 in this expanded section of the pavilion is a delicious new restaurant, La Crêperie de Paris, offering quick-service and table-top options. The menu will feature sweet crepes, wheat crackers (gluten-free), and authentic French cider. The attraction, restaurant, and pavilion expansion are part of EPCOT’s historic transformation currently underway, bringing a wide range of new experiences to the park as a celebration of curiosity, discovery, and the magic of possibility.
Evening Show “Harmonious” Reinvents Disney Music at EPCOT “Harmonious,” one of the largest night shows ever created for a Disney park, opens October 1 at EPCOT. This new show brings the world together at the World Showcase Lagoon in a celebration of Disney music that inspires people around the world. It’s a great and powerful tribute to the unifying power of story and song, embracing new technical wizardry that incorporates pyrotechnics, choreographed moving fountains, lighting, LED panels, and media in new ways. «Harmonious» features new interpretations of classic Disney songs in more than a dozen languages, performed by a diverse group of 240 artists from around the world, including Luis Fonsi, Joy, Danny Gokey and the Ndlovu Youth Choir.
«Disney Enchantment» lights up the nights at Magic Kingdom Park
Joining «Harmonious» with its October 1 debut is another new nighttime show, «Disney Enchantment,» at Magic Kingdom Park. Created to launch with «The World’s Most Magical Celebration,» this evening show takes visitors on a journey filled with adventure, wonder, and empowerment. Inspiring everyone to believe in magic, «Disney Enchantment» features stunning fireworks, powerful music, enhanced lighting and, for the first time, immersive projection effects that stretch from Cinderella’s Castle to Main Street, USA The moving band program soundtrack is represented by an emotional original song, «You Are the Magic,» written and performed by multiple GRAMMY® Award winner Philip Lawrence,
Magic Symbols Shine in Walt Disney World Theme Parks
During the 50th anniversary celebration, Walt Disney World theme park icons are transformed at night into magnificent Magic Symbols, coming to life with their own iridescent glow. *
- Cinderella’s Castle will illuminate the Magic Kingdom with a dazzling glow and the glitter of fairy frost.
- At Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, warm light will emanate from the Tree of Life as magical fireflies gather to give way to nature’s magic.
- The Hollywood Tower Hotel at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be covered in glitter that evokes the blazing golden age of imagination and adventure.
- At EPCOT new lights will shine through the Spaceship Earth reflector panels, connecting together as a symbol of optimism that resembles the stars in a night sky. The new permanent lighting of the iconic structure will continue beyond “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” as a definitive feature of the park.
«Disney Kite Tails» to take flight at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park
New daytime entertainment is being prepared at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, «Disney Kite Tails» will come to life several times a day starting October 1 inside the Discovery River Amphitheater. Performers will fly wind catchers and kites of all shapes and sizes, while in the water elaborate three-dimensional kites – some stretching up to 30 feet in length will depict Disney animal characters including Simba, Zazu, Baloo and King Louie. These colorful creations will dance across the sky to the beat of Disney favorite songs in an uplifting and vibrant experience for the whole family.
Gold «Disney Fab 50 Character Collection» Sculptures to Appear in Theme Parks
New gold «Disney Fab 50 Character Collection» sculptures are spread across all four Walt Disney World theme parks in honor of the 50th anniversary. In total there are fifty characters, including Miguel and Dante from Disney and Pixar’s «Coco» at EPCOT; BB-8 and R2-D2 from Star Wars at Disney’s Hollywood Studios; Simba, Timon and Pumbaa from «The Lion King» at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park; and Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse – dedicated to the Walt Disney World cast members – at Magic Kingdom park.
Celebratory food and drinks look to the past for new inspiration
During its 50th anniversary celebration, Walt Disney World demonstrates once again how food and drinks can be key ingredients for a fun day at The Most Magical Place on Earth. Land. New celebration menu items offer a glimpse into the resort’s past as they take culinary adventures to exciting new places. These include theme park classics and some of Walt Disney’s favorites, along with novel dishes and sips full of color, whimsy, and a hint of iridescent glitter.
New items developed for the celebration, including popcorn containers, mugs and glasses, are available starting October 1, 2021 and continue to be updated at Walt Disney World throughout «World’s Most Magical Celebration.»
Bring the Magic Home with the 50th Anniversary Commemorative Merchandise Collection
Visitors will discover new merchandise collections launching in October and November 2021 as part of the celebration. These new items include clothing, accessories, plush, household items, souvenirs, collectibles, and much more, in several different collections:
- The Celebration Collection includes a wide assortment of commemorative merchandise for the whole family.
- Taking inspiration from Cinderella’s Castle, the Disney Castle Collection features everything from collectibles such as ornaments and charms to castle-inspired outfits and a 50th Anniversary Minnie Mouse luminous ear headband.
- Disney fans and those who love all things retro will be eager to discover the Vault Collection that pays tribute to 50 years of Walt Disney World magic with a variety of retro-themed designs straight from the Walt Disney Archives.
- In line with the new décor seen at Walt Disney World during the 50th anniversary celebration, the EARidescent Collection features a brilliant assortment of themed fashion and accessories.
- As the name implies, the Luxe Logo Collection offers a range of luxury pieces for the Disney collector.
Drawn to Life, presented by Cirque du Soleil and Disney, premieres November 18, 2021 Drawn to Life, the new family show coming to Disney Springs, is an original creative collaboration between Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering. Premiere on November 18, 2021 during «The World’s Most Magical Celebration», Drawn to Life is a live acrobatic journey that tells the story of Julie, a determined girl who discovers an unexpected gift from her father, a Disney animator: a unfinished animation. As Julie embarks on an inspiring quest filled with Disney memories from her childhood, while immersing herself into the inner world of surprising pencil-guided animation, brought to life through Cirque du Soleil’s innovative design and dazzling performances. Tickets are available at cirquedusoleil.com/drawn-to-life.
Space 220 Restaurant at EPCOT: The ‘Height of Dining’
In the expansion of the Mission: SPACE pavilion at EPCOT, the new Space 220 restaurant is a culinary experience that offers the celestial panorama of a space station, including day and night views of the Earth at a distance of 220 miles above the surface of the planet. Visitors board a space elevator for a simulated trip to the Centauri Space Station, where they experience a «dinner high up.» Once they arrive, visitors enjoy food and drinks while looking at truly out-of-this-world landscapes.
The Original Walt Disney World Resort Hotels With A New Twist Of Fairy Frost
As Walt Disney World celebrates its 50th anniversary, Walt Disney Imagineering continues to enhance storytelling at this vacation destination’s two original Disney Resort hotels, part of the Disney Resorts Collection. All rooms in the iconic A-shaped tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort are undergoing a complete renovation, mixing an elegant touch of the monorail evoking Tomorrowland with some of Pixar Animation Studios’ favorite characters from the Incredibles movies. In the lobby, guests can view a collection of modern art pieces, as well as behind-the-scenes historical photographs of Disney’s Contemporary Resort under development and under construction. The resort’s lobby restaurant is aptly renamed Steakhouse 71,
Rooms were recently reimagined at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort with a color palette inspired by the Pacific Ocean and its islands. Its fresh new look is based on the details, textures and patterns found in Disney’s «Moana,» with characters and references to the film’s rich storytelling. The complex also features a spectacular new porte cochere to enhance the entry experience as guests arrive at its Grand Ceremonial House.
«The Magic Is Calling» During the 50th Anniversary Celebration
«The Magic Is Calling,» an inspiring new song written especially for the 50th anniversary, can be heard in various ways during the 18-month celebration. Songwriter and music producer Alana Da Fonseca and Nashville-based songwriter and producer Bobby Studley created the original song, collaborating with award-winning songwriter Emily Bear and singing phenomenon Journi. Da Fonseca and Studley’s pop music style, Bear’s towering orchestrations, and Journi’s magical vocal performance come together to create a song that is at once nostalgic, inspiring and contemporary.
The new song invites all visitors to join in the celebration, even at night when the icons of each theme park are transformed into Symbols of Magic. * «The Magic Is Calling» is also featured in special moments of live entertainment at Walt Disney World, such as during «Mickey’s Celebration Cavalcade» at Magic Kingdom Park, performances by Dapper Dans (Magic Kingdom), Discovery Island Drummers (Disney’s Animal Kingdom) and Voices of Liberty (EPCOT). «The Magic Is Calling» is available on the Walt Disney World playlist through Disney Music Group beginning October 1, 2021.
Walt Disney World Transportation Introduces New Magic
Several of Walt Disney World’s fun and convenient forms of free transportation receive a special 50th anniversary decoration during the celebration. Guests can travel in sparkling style with new artwork added to select Disney Skyliner cabins, Disney Transportation buses and a gold monorail.
Electrical Water Pageant adds 50th anniversary sparkle
The Electrical Water Pageant, a 50-year tradition, sails nightly through Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake, delighting guests of nearby Disney Resort hotels with music and lights in a floating parade. In celebration of the 50th anniversary, the show will add new details with a towering castle, fairy frost, and a version of the celebratory hymn «The Magic Is Calling,» recorded on the parade’s iconic electro-synthesizer-magnetic sound.
Mickey, Minnie and their friends dress up for the occasion
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto and Chip ‘n’ Dale, also known as the «EARidescent 8», are dressed in shiny new looks. tailor-made for this special occasion. The highlights of these celebratory designs include beautifully embroidered prints of Cinderella’s Castle with fireworks on the back, as well as a multi-hued iridescent fabric brocade, all peppered with pops of gold.
Disney characters will also make appearances at Disney Resort hotels, dressed in their best iridescent looks.
Mickey and Minnie are the hosts of «The World’s Most Magical Celebration», and together with the cast members of Walt Disney World they represent the heart of this event. With the new iridescent badges designed for the 50th anniversary, cast members will once again demonstrate why they are recognized for their commitment to service, consistently exceeding visitor expectations and doing their best to make Site visits Most Magical in the World are special.