In the long list of technological innovations that Disney has introduced over the years to enhance the guest experience at Walt Disney World, the introduction of MagicBands is certainly up toward the top of the list. We love using them! This morning, Disney announced the introduction of a new generation of MagicBands that adds brand new functionality and takes interactivity to an entirely new level.
Innovation is essential to The Walt Disney Company story, dating back to its inception nearly a century ago. As Walt Disney once said, “We’ll always be introducing and testing and demonstrating new materials and new systems.” Well, that promise will come true once again next year when Walt Disney World Resort releases our next-generation wearable technology, MagicBand+.
The original MagicBand was introduced in 2013 at Walt Disney World, making the guest experience in our theme parks and resorts more convenient and hands-free for things like park and guest room entry, retail and dining, Disney PhotoPass and more. MagicBand+ will retain those popular features and add functionality that unlocks new moments of magic for you.
After you enter a theme park, MagicBand+ will come alive at various times with color-changing lights, haptic vibrations, and gesture recognition. The wearable will allow you to engage with favorite Disney moments in new ways, including:
Play like a bounty hunter in a galaxy far, far away and find virtual bounties throughout Black Spire Outpost in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Interact with the “Disney Fab 50 Character Collection,” the golden sculptures spread throughout the Walt Disney World theme parks.
Experience nighttime spectaculars in a new way as you see your band light up and complement the magic in the skies, including the new “Harmonious” at EPCOT and “Disney Enchantment” at Magic Kingdom Park.
MagicBand+ will be available for purchase beginning next year, including a discounted, pre-arrival price for Disney Resort hotel guests as well as new and renewing Walt Disney World Annual Passholders. Current MagicBands will continue to be available, too, along with the complimentary Disney MagicMobile service that extends MagicBand features, such as park entry, to smart devices.
MagicBand+ will help immerse you in Disney stories and connect with characters you love like never before. We’ll have more to share about this exciting new technology in the future. And be sure to check out all our coverage of the Walt Disney World 50th anniversary, because “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” begins tomorrow!
During its 50th anniversary celebration, Walt Disney World once again demonstrates how food and drinks can be key ingredients for a fun day at The Most Magical Place on Earth. New menu items for the celebration offer nods to the resort’s past while pushing culinary adventures to exciting new places. These include theme park classics and some of Walt Disney’s favorite items, along with novel dishes and sips full of color, whimsy and a touch of EARidescent shimmer. Disney has released a look at some of the 150-plus new items available.
From a Disney Cast Member;
The magic is calling all Foodies to the Walt Disney World Resort 50th anniversary celebration – The World’s Most Magical Celebration! Throughout our four theme parks and beyond, Disney chefs and mixologists have created more than 150 sips and bites full of color, whimsy, and a touch of EARidescent shimmer – with even more coming throughout the 18-month celebration beginning Oct. 1.
Walt’s personal recipes, Walt Disney World Resort attractions (past and present), beloved Disney Characters, and nostalgic dishes from 1971 were inspirations for the tasty offerings created for this anniversary celebration.
Walt’s palate was relatively simple – definitely a meat and potatoes guy! Roast lamb, roast beef hash topped with a fried egg, chili, and fried chicken were his favorites, along with lemon, apple, chocolate, and bread pudding desserts. Disney chefs looked to Walt’s recipes from the archives while planning for the 50th anniversary celebration. The result is deliciously reimagined versions of Walt’s favorites. And many of the treats (including the fun EARidescent Sip-a-bration) are infused with EARidescent shimmers to add glimmering touches to the celebratory creations.
I am highlighting just a sampling of the limited-time sips and bites in this Foodie Guide, but we have created a complete online guide for you to view the more than 150 fantastic menu items!
While you are celebrating with us, be sure to share your favorite sips and bites using the hashtag #DisneyWorld50.
Let The World’s Most Magical Celebration begin!
Magic Kingdom Park
Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies
Uncle Orville Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow Sundae – Chocolate and vanilla soft-serve, brownie pieces, hot fudge, and whipped cream topped with red, white, and blue sprinkles served in a “bathtub”
Be Our Guest Restaurant
Squids Revenge Drink – A michelada with a salted rim and garnished with charred octopus and cucumber. Watch out, the giant squid is back!
Casey’s Corner
Pressed Penny Silk Pie – Chocolate tart shell, silky chocolate filling, sweet whipped cream, and a chocolate-pressed penny
50th Celebration Hot Dog – All-beef hot dog topped with strawberry bacon jam, crisp funnel cake pieces, and powdered sugar
Cinderella’s Royal Table
Royal 50th Celebration Flight – Flight of Enchantée Champagne – a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunière (Enchantée Champagne is sold exclusively at the Walt Disney World Resort)
Columbia Harbor House
Happy Haunts Milkshake – Blackberry milkshake topped with a purple chocolate-glazed doughnut covered with black sprinkles
Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café
Mission to Mars – Burger topped with bacon and macaroni & cheese served on a bun dusted with crushed cheese-flavored puffs
The Crystal Palace
Walt’s Favorites on the Buffet – Chicken fried steak, New York strip steak, pork chops, and more!
Friar’s Nook
The Toad Burger – Brat burger served on a bun with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and American cheese
Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen
Veranda Fried Rice – Spicy chili-garlic shrimp served over pork fried rice with eggs and peas (from the original Verandah Restaurant menu)
Outdoor Kiosks
Dumbo Churros – Churros rolled in peanut dust and served with chocolate dipping sauce in a Dumbo-themed churro bag
Royal 50th Churro – Churros rolled in strawberry sugar, drizzled with marshmallow cream, and shimmer sprinkles served with chocolate dipping sauce
Plaza Ice Cream Parlor
The Banana Boom – Traditional banana split topped with popping candy and a candied shooting star
Plaza Restaurant
Cheers to 50 Years! – Chocolate and vanilla ice cream, brownies, cupcakes, cookie crumbles, pretzel rods, and hot fudge topped with whipped cream, EARidescent sugar, and a Mickey pretzel drizzled with caramel and chocolate icing (serves 4-6)
Storybook Treats
Heigh-Ho Sundae! – Chocolate soft-serve, hot fudge, graham cracker pieces, chocolate gems, and whipped cream
Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
Five Alarm Wings – Wings tossed in a sweet-and-spicy heat served with ranch dressing for dipping
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Drinkwallah
Hand-dipped 50th Celebration Mickey Premium Bar – Our classic Nestlé Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar dipped in blue raspberry-flavored coating with celebration sprinkles and a little bit of pixie dust
Restaurantosaurus
Cheese Fries with Walt’s Chili – Crispy fries topped with Walt’s favorite chili and cheddar sauce
Walt’s Favorite Chili on Foot-long Hot Dog – A foot-long hot dog served on a warm bun topped with Walt’s favorite chili and cheddar sauce
Tiffins
50th Celebration Chocolate Gâteaux – Almond praline, white chocolate crémeux, ganache, and chocolate-South African cream liqueur sauce
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Trolley Car Café
Glimmer and Shimmer Pineapple Mousse – Golden pineapple mousse on a toasted coconut crisp with caramel cream and matcha sponge cake
The Hollywood Brown Derby
Filet Mignon with Walt’s Hash topped with an egg (just the way Walt liked it!)
The Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge, Oasis Canteen, Sunshine Day Bar, Animation Bar
Shimmer over the Moon – Apple pie moonshine, amaretto, falernum, pineapple juice, and club soda served with a souvenir glow cube
ABC Commissary
Chocolate Mousse – Raspberry-dark chocolate mousse, chocolate-almond cake, and a layer of hazelnut crunch and whipped chocolate-hazelnut cheesecake
EPCOT
Coral Reef Restaurant
Key Lime Tart with toasted meringue, EARidescent shimmer, sprinkles, and chocolate garnish
The EPCOT Experience
EARidescent Croissant Doughnut – Croissant doughnut with blue icing and sprinkles
Le Cellier Steakhouse
Chocolate Mousse Bar – Dark chocolate mousse, caramel cookie pieces, milk chocolate shell, and chocolate shortbread cookie
Sunshine Seasons
Mini Chocolate Bundt Cake – Mini chocolate Bundt cake with chocolate ganache, sprinkles, and icing dusted with EARidescent shimmer and chocolate 50th anniversary garnish
Disney Springs
Amorette’s Patisserie
50th Celebration Petit Cake – Vanilla chiffon cake with celebration blue mousse, blueberry jam, and lemon curd
The Ganachery
50th Celebration Chocolate Bundle:
50th Celebration Ganache Chocolate Bar – Milk chocolate combined with caramel and crispies for a playful crunch
50th Celebration Ganache Square – Celebration cake ganache mixed with sprinkles, enrobed in 65% dark chocolate, and decorated with a shimmering castle design
Frontera Cocina
Chocolate Pigñata – Chocolate shell filled with cajeta mousse, tender cake (infused with whiskey & vanilla), crumble of chipotle bacon, candied orange, and Maria cookies. Yes, there’s a mallet to break your piñata! Serves two.
The BOATHOUSE
Sweet Nostalgia Pineapple Upside-Down Cake – Pineapple upside-down cake with caramel glazed with Chantilly cream
Terralina Crafted Italian,
Whimsical White Chocolate Mousse –White chocolate mousse with salted caramel and cotton candy
Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill,
Caramel Banana Chocolate Sphere – Dark chocolate sphere, vanilla pudding, banana caramel compote, gold dust, and chocolate pearls
Resorts
The Mara, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Chocolate Mousse with a cardamom financier
Contempo Café, Disney’s Contemporary Resort
50th Anniversary Peanut Butter-Banana Pie – Sweet tart shell filled with peanut butter mousse and banana sauce topped with chocolate glaze and chocolate décor
Toledo–Tapas, Steak, and Seafood, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Braised Lamb Shank with olive oil-potato purée, rosemary-roasted garlic gravy, huckleberry jam, and English peas
P&J’s Southern Takeout, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campgrounds
Chicken Dinner Cupcake Trio
Fried chicken-apple fritter, apple pie moonshine filling, and vanilla buttercream
Peas and carrots-strawberry moonshine custard, white chocolate frosting, and M&M’S Mini “peas
Mock mashed potato-SNICKERS mousse cupcake, caramel buttercream, and STARBURST “butter”
Grand Floridan Café, Disney’s Grand Floridan Resort & Spa
50th Anniversary Vintage Minnie’s Brown Betty Profiterole – Crunchy-topped cream puff filled with one of Walt’s favorite flavors of cinnamon-spiced apples and Chantilly cream
Olivia’s Cafe, Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Spam-Cheddar Biscuits with white gravy and drizzled with honey
Capt. Cook’s, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
50th Celebration Cupcake – Vanilla cupcake with DOLE Whip pineapple center, tropical fruit salsa, and pineapple macaron
Le Petit Café, Disney’s Riviera Resort
50th Celebration Cupcake – Vanilla cupcake, cake-flavored mousse, and caramel-buttercream icing garnished with crisp pearls, 50th anniversary sprinkles, and a whimsical gold Mickey
Roaring Fork, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Petit Stump Cake – Chocolate cake with birthday cake buttercream filling surrounded by chocolate “bark” fondant topped with 50th anniversary chocolate coin
The Market at Ale & Compass, Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts
50th Celebration Tart – Birthday cake mousse dome on top of a milk chocolate mousse-filled vanilla tart shell with mini chocolate crisp pearls, buttercream, fondant, and chocolate décor
Available at select table-service restaurants, lounges, and pool bars throughout our four Theme Parks and Resorts
EARidescent Sip-a-bration (Non-Alcoholic Beverage) – Minute Maid Premium Lemonade and fruity strawberry punch served in a souvenir 50th Celebration Cup with a surprise Character and a little bit of magic!
Magical Beacon Cocktail – Gin, blue curaçao, Minute Maid Premium Lemonade, orgeat (almond) syrup, lemon, hibiscus grenadine, and a souvenir glow cube
Our classic Nestle Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar has a festive new wrapper showcasing Mickey in his EARidescent finest!
One of the best parts of any celebration is dressing for the occasion, and cast members at Walt Disney World Resort are ready to celebrate the resort’s 50th anniversary in style with their favorite accessory — new EARidescent Disney nametags!
With “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” only days away, cast members are coming together virtually and in person to officially put on their spectacular new 50th-themed nametags featuring EARidescent and gold details and the 50th anniversary logo.
Whether they’ve been here for 50 years or one day, the tradition of wearing a Disney nametag is one that every cast member keeps close to their heart (literally!), and there’s no better way to commemorate the important role each of us plays in bringing the magic of Disney to life for our guests and fellow cast members.
Check out how just a few of our Walt Disney World cast members are celebrating:
As the clock struck midnight earlier today, our third-shift cast members became the first to put on their 50th nametags!
Cast members working across Walt Disney World and at home share this historic moment together
Of course, no look is complete without a smile, and our cast members are grinning from ear to ear!
Cast members are wearing their new 50th nametags with pride, knowing they are part of this special moment in history and the heart of our celebration
Stay tuned for all of the latest news about the “The World’s Most Magical Celebration.”
The low pay for many Disneyland Cast Members along with the high cost of living near Anaheim, California has been causing housing and food insecurities for a number of years, and now the majority of Cast Members are joining a class action lawsuit against the resort in hopes of gaining a living wage.
The 25,000 (of Disneyland’s total 32,000) Cast Members involved in the suit allege that the company is legally obligated to pay them a living wage, and the ability to “live” hours away from their place of employment on top of food insecurities and the inability to consider having children does not quite constitute living.
Unions and Cast Members began to feel added pressure on wages when Disneyland changed the way certain roles are paid. For instance, some tipped positions like valet attendants recently had their roles modified so that they would no longer be handling luggage. But handling luggage is the way that many valet Cast Members make enough money to live on where their role is otherwise paid minimum wage or close to it.
Because of their low pay, some Disneyland Cast Members are experiencing food insecurities, while others are having to put off having children and buying a home. Some are even opting to sleep in their cars, because while affordable housing projects have helped some Cast Members make it work, others have not been able to find a solution close enough to work to justify the drive and the job.
Many Cast Members also believe that leaving their positions, despite the fact they many do not want to as they are there because they love what they do for work, will not help. While the COVID-19 crisis may present a different picture, Disneyland has not historically had a difficult time filling frontline hospitality roles, so many fear if they were to leave the positions would simply be filled by those willing to accept the low pay and the problem would never be resolved.
A 2018 study conducted by Occidental College and the Economic Roundtable reported that 11% of Disneyland Cast Members have experienced homelessness, while 68% felt food insecurities and 73% stated that they do not earn enough to cover their basic living expenses.
Some Cast Members have taken on second jobs to offset their Disneyland pay, but many find it difficult to do so given their requirement to have full availability at Disneyland. Even part timers have a hard time working a second job because of the varying shifts they get scheduled in the park. Some have turned to rideshare jobs and delivery services that are easier to work on their own time.
The cost of housing has gone up throughout Orange County as well, and many Cast Members believe rents are raised whenever possible because landlords understand the benefits of living close to the park and assume people will do what they can to be able to pay them.
The suit is also pointing to tax subsidies that the Walt Disney Company gets for the Anaheim property, claiming that those are extra dollars available that could be put towards giving the people who make the magic at the resort a living wage. Additional complications have been noted with revenue from the Mickey and Friends parking structure, which is a garage the City of Anaheim has ownership of though it is located on Disney property. “Measure L” as the involved Cast Members and union leaders are referring to this point in the suit, asks that the company increase wages to at least $18/hour plus any adequate increases to match the cost of living by 2022.
Currently Disneyland starts Cast Members at $15/hour, one dollar over the $14 minimum wage required by the state of California. There are plenty of perks and benefits to being a Disneyland Cast Member, too, but at the end of the day perks cannot compete with a living wage. As far as benefits, Cast Members do have access to public transportation cost subsidies, childcare, elder care, added paid sick time during COVID, and free access to educational programs (from GED courses to Master’s programs) all entirely covered up-front by the company.
Ultimately, Cast Members choose to work at Disneyland despite the low wages, because they want to be there. They enjoy creating happiness for Guests from all over the world and they truly have a passion for what they do- They would just like to be paid accordingly for it.
Walt Disney World already has a lot of bonuses in place for any Disney Guests who visit on or after October 1st of this year, since it marks their 50th anniversary, but now they’ve added additional sweeteners for anyone who stays at the Disney Resorts Collection hotels!
Anyone who is staying at a Disney Resorts Collection hotel during the “World’s Most Magical Celebration” can officially enter the Disney World theme parks earlier than everyone else. Furthermore, Disney visitors who are residing in the Disney Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resort hotels can take advantage of extended evening hours on select nights in select theme parks.
There will also be special appearances by Disney “friends” (i.e. Disney characters), who will be wearing new EARidescent garb. Cast Members will also be wearing special-edition nametags. While you’re on your way to the parks, you can also see special 50th-anniversary decor on the Disney monorail, select Disney Skyliner cabins, and select Disney Transportation buses!
If you haven’t picked which Disney hotel to hang your hat in, you may want to give Disney’s Contemporary Resort a try! This Resort has just had a makeover, making it a mix of retro and modern, and characters from the Pixar Incredibles movies are being featured in lots of its decor.
Walt Disney World is also encouraging Guests to book rooms at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, because the resort has new rooms that are based on the Disney film (and Polynesian heroine) “Moana.” The resort has a new entrance with lots of Polynesian detailing, which was only just finished as another part of Disney World’s current refurbishments!
Once you’ve picked a resort to stay in, be sure to try the limited-edition Joffrey’s Coffee blend that’s been formulated just for Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration. With two new restaurants opening as well (one French and one futuristic), you won’t go hungry!
