Walt Disney World has finally given us a glimpse at what’s to come for their big 50th-anniversary celebration, taking place later this year. This is the first bit of news surrounding the resort’s 50th anniversary in a long while, and we’re excited to see it unfold! “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” begins October 1st of this year and will continue for 18 months.
An EARidescent 50th Anniversary!
While Cinderella Castle has recently received a dramatic makeover, the Magic Kingdom icon will be decorated with gilded embellishments, bunting, and a special 50th-anniversary crest.
And at night, the castle will appear to be covered in pixie dust:
New nighttime projections will transform all 4 of the Walt Disney World park icons into “Beacons of Magic”. Plus, EPCOT is receiving a permanent lighting package resembling a starry night sky, which will continue to shine long after the anniversary celebration as a new feature of the park.
At night, Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life will glow with shimmering fireflies, and the Hollywood Tower Hotel at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will come to life with brilliant new touches.
As hosts of the magical celebration, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse will don sparkling new ensembles, gleaming with purples and blues… and golden shoes, of course!
This is just the start of what’s to come for Walt Disney World’s big 5-0, as more details will be announced in the coming months. We can’t wait to see what else is in store! What do you think so far? What do you hope to see for the 50th anniversary?
Here’s Disney’s somewhat subdued first promotion for the 50th Anniversary:
Celebrate Soulfully
In case you missed it, Walt Disney World is celebrating Black History Month soulfully! You’ll find murals, merchandise, and limited-time food offerings celebrating Black artistry, achievement, and excellence throughout Disney Springs. Plus there’s a new addition to the American Adventure pavilion at EPCOT. The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure exhibit showcases the history of Jazz in America with Soul’s Joe Gardner. Learn more here:
New Leave a Legacy Walls at EPCOT
We made a quick trip to EPCOT this week, and some of the new Leave a Legacy tiles have appeared on new rainbow-paneled walls, found just outside the park’s entrance.
EPCOT’s Leave a Legacy started as part of the Millennium Celebration and were sold through 2007. Guests could purchase a tile for their own photo or message to be etched in metal, displayed on the large stones at the front of the park.
Now, those same tile designs have been printed on new aluminum panels, forming massive walls near the entrance to the park.
The new vibrant walls feature colors from the park’s new palette, they’re hard to miss approaching the park!
To locate your tile, a QR code can be scanned at the beginning of each wall, or you can visit epcottilefinder.com.
The walls that are currently up can be found to the left of the EPCOT entrance (see the Guardians coaster building in the background?), and more are on their way to the opposite side near bag check and the monorail station.
Were you a part of the Leave a Legacy program? What do you think of the new walls compared to the original version?
Let’s head into EPCOT for a hot minute…
Inside the park, Festival of the Arts is going on through Monday, February 22nd. Only a few days left to try out those creative dishes and meet some favorite Disney artists!
Disney’s horticulture team has already started on the flower beds in Future World! The park is beginning to blossom for the upcoming International Flower & Garden Festival, which kicks off March 3rd!
Over in France, we await the imminent opening of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. The winding pathway leading to the France pavilion’s new area is very inviting…
That’s all for our brief trip to the parks this week! We’ll be back with more soon. Thanks for joining along!
Walt Disney World New 500 Day Booking Window!
In the earliest release I’ve ever seen them do, Walt Disney World has released next year’s vacation packages (for travel through July 1, 2022)! They have also moved to a new rolling calendar booking model which allows you to book vacations up to 500 days in advance!
That means that if you’re planning on traveling later next year, you can submit your quote request as early as 500 days prior to when you’d like to travel.
There are also a variety of deals available right now. These include 2 free days added to your tickets at Walt Disney World, or up to 30% off select hotel rooms. Our travel partners at Get Away Today will run the numbers to see which offer is best for you. There are also a variety of ticket deals to various theme parks, including a combo WDW/Universal ticket.
You can request a free quote for travel through July 1, 2022: click HERE to request a quote. Or, call 1.855.GET.AWAY and mention Mice Chat.
Let’s Hear From You!
Well folks, there weren’t any big attractions announcements, or even new entertainment, though we still expect to hear about parades an fireworks for Disney World’s 50th at the very least. What do you think so far? Hopes, wishes, and things you think they can still pull off in time… let us know if the comments below.
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