On October 1, 2021, Walt Disney World Resort kicked off its massive 50th Anniversary celebration. To honor 50 years of Walt Disney World magic, Imagineers created two new nighttime spectaculars — Disney Enchantment at the Magic Kingdom and Harmonious at EPCOT. They also built 50 beautiful statues — called the Fab 50 — that they placed throughout the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and EPCOT. Each statue interacts with Disney’s new MagicBand+, and the bands even interact with the nighttime shows.
In addition to the fun statues and the nighttime fireworks shows, Disney also created gorgeous decorations, as well as a ton of delicious new food and drink offerings. There were more than a hundred new food offerings throughout the theme parks. The months celebrating Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary is truly a great time to make your way down to the Most Magical Place on Earth.
From the beginning, Disney said that the 50th Anniversary would run from October 2021 until March 2023. However, they never gave an official end date to the epic party. Until now. Walt Disney World Resort has officially updated its website, and we now know that the 50th Anniversary will end on March 31, 2023.
If you haven’t made your way down to the World’s Most Magical Celebration, now is a perfect time. Here is some more information on the magical celebration from Disney Parks Blog:
This milestone is such a big deal, we’ve even coined a new word – “EARidescence” – to describe what you’ll see when you visit. Our Disney teams are creating all sorts of new decorations that will shimmer and sparkle all day and into the night.
As part of the celebration, Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park will add to its royal makeover from last year. As you can see in this new artist rendering, the castle will feature golden bunting and a 50th anniversary crest as part of its festive new look.
The castle will add even more magic at night, joined by icons at each of the other three theme parks as they transform into Beacons of Magic. In the video above, you can get a feel for what they’ll look like, with pixie dust on Cinderella Castle, magical fireflies inhabiting the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, and special new touches coming to life on the Hollywood Tower Hotel at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
And at EPCOT, new lights will shine across the reflective panels of Spaceship Earth, connecting to one another and resembling stars in a nighttime sky. This permanent new lighting will continue beyond “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” as a defining feature of the park.
You’ll also want to keep an eye out for Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, who will have sparkling new looks for the celebration. As hosts of the event, they’ll be dressed for the occasion in custom-made fashions of EARidescent fabric with gold highlights.
You can read more about Walt Disney World Resort’s 50th Anniversary celebration, and even book your own magical Disney Parks vacation by clicking here.
