Today on Good Morning America, Disney unveiled some of their plans for Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary, which will include decor on Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom for the festivities.
As part of the celebration, Cinderella Castle at The Magic Kingdom 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.
We would assume that the current construction at the Castle is related to the addition of the decor, with the moat currently being dammed on both sides.
Of course, Cinderella Castle was already painted in preparation for this months ago, but now the look will be completed with these additions as we near the anniversary on October 1st, 2021.
With the full reveal on Good Morning America today, Walt Disney World has showcased the glimmering nighttime looks of both the Tower of Terror and the Tree of Life for the 50th anniversary celebration beginning October 1st, 2021 as part of “The World’s Most Magical Celebration”.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, a warm light will emanate from the Tree of Life as magical fireflies gather to usher in the magic of nature.
The Hollywood Tower Hotel at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be awash in a brilliance evoking the golden age of imagination and adventure.
Also revealed today, we know that Spaceship Earth will debut a permanent new nighttime look with the adornment of lights all around it, while Cinderella Castle with be decorated with physical adornments.
Are you excited for Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary?
It’s almost here. The 50th Anniversary celebration at Walt Disney World will begin on October 1, 2021, and we are so excited. Disney has released details on what we can expect during the celebration.
From a Disney Cast Member;
It’s an event five decades in the making!
Beginning Oct. 1, Walt Disney World Resort will throw “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” in honor of our 50th anniversary, bringing new experiences to our four theme parks and beyond. 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. 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.
In anticipation of this exciting time, we recently went out across Walt Disney World to talk with guests and Disney cast members about what a magical celebration would mean to them and why they love being here so much.
Speaking for my fellow Walt Disney World cast members, we’re looking forward to welcoming you during this special time in our history. We’ll have more to share about our plans for “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” in the future as we ramp up to the big day on Oct. 1, and then will be chronicling all the magic to be found during the 18-month-long event. So keep checking back here on the Disney Parks Blog for the latest updates on what promises to be something to remember for the next 50 years.
Walt Disney World is gearing up to celebrate their 50th Anniversary on October 1, 2021! As the excitement of the 50th builds for all of us Disney fans, we hope you’ve planned ahead if you were planning to visit Magic Kingdom for the big day. Currently, the Park Pass calendar shows no availability for Magic Kingdom on October 1, 2021.
As you’ll see in the three screen shots below of the Walt Disney World Theme Park Reservation Availability calendar, all three tiers (Theme Parks Tickets, Disney Resort Guests, and Annual Passholders) show Magic Kingdom is no longer available for the 50th:
Did you snatch a Magic Kingdom Park Pass reservation for the 50th? If not, you’ll have to keep checking back in hopes that Disney releases more. In the meantime, you may want to grab one of the other three parks which still have full availability. Happy planning, Disney fans!
October 1st, 2021 will be Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary and we are super excited for all that will be coming in 2021 to bring in the celebration. Although there is still a lot that is unknown, there are many restaurants, rides and entertainment that we can’t wait to experience in 2021. We have what you need to know about the 50th right now.
1. Get Park Reservations
As of right now, guests wanting to celebrate the 50th need to have a park reservation. Currently, Walt Disney World is using their park reservation system to help monitor crowds. Once guests have an active ticket, they are able to make their park reservations through the My Disney Experience site. This is super important as currently the parks are still at 35% capacity limiting how many park reservations are available. We are hopeful that by October 2021 we might see the parks back to more normal; however, it is super important to have those reservations just in case.
2. Expect Crowds
No matter what the park capacity is by fall of 2021 you can expect crowds to be high. So many fans are going to want to celebrate the magic which will guarantee larger than normal crowds. Make sure to think about this when making plans. Get those park reservations and dining reservations made when the time comes to ensure you get into the places that you want to experience. Also, make sure to have an overall plan when heading into the parks. This will allow you to be ahead of the crowd and have a magical experience.
3. Opening Up of Resorts
Walt Disney World is slowly opening their resorts up and we are excited that by the 50th anniversary most resorts will be back open and welcoming guests to the magic. Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort will open March 22nd, Disney’s Beach Club Resort will be opened starting May 30th and Wilderness Lodge will be opening back up June 6th. Disney announced that Disney’s Polynesian would remain closed until summer 2021 as it undergoes refurbishment. This resort will be getting updated rooms and a new look as they bring in Moana touches throughout the resort. We are so excited to see this resort once it opens back up.
4. New Rides
With the anticipation of the 50th Anniversary, Disney has been preparing by creating and designing brand-new state-of-the-art rides. Although we haven’t seen specific premier dates, we are hopeful some of these new rides will welcome guests in 2021 either before or during the anniversary celebration.
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: In EPCOT, many are excited for the new trackless ride featuring Remy. This ride will shrink guests to the size of a rat as they travel through the kitchen of Gusto’s. This ride was scheduled to open in summer of 2020; however, when the parks closed this got pushed back. We are hopeful we will see this ride start to welcome guests soon.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Comic Rewind: Also, in EPCOT, guests will find the new ride in Future World featuring Guardians of the Galaxy. This ride will be the first to have a reverse launch and ride vehicles that move and rotate guests so they are constantly facing the action. This is sure to bring fun and thrills to EPCOT.
TRON: In Magic Kingdom, guests have been watching as TRON has been built over the last few years. This amazing coaster is highly anticipated and we can’t wait to experience it here in the US hopefully during the anniversary celebrations.
Thrills and excitement is sure to come with these rides and we are hopeful that we will be able to enjoy them for the 50th anniversary.
5. Opening of New Restaurants
One of the best parts of a Disney vacation is the outstanding meals. We are thrilled to have new options coming in 2021 hopefully in time for the 50th anniversary. In EPCOT we are hopeful that both Space 220 as well as the new creperie will be opened. These two dining experiences are sure to offer great dining options as well as unique dining experiences. Space 220 will take guests high above the Earth for views that are truly out of this world. In Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we are looking forward to the opening of Woody’s Roundup Rodeo. Located in Toy Story Land, this restaurant shrinks guests to the size of a toy and allows them to enjoy dining in a “family style” environment. Although we don’t know a lot about the menus for these dining restaurants, we are excited to see what they bring in time for the 50th celebrations.
6. Magic Treats
You know that along with the 50th anniversary will come amazingly themed treats throughout the parks. Disney has become known for the amazing treats that are a work of art and we can only imagine what is being created for the 50th. A new cupcake is a must, but we wait in anticipation for the announcement of the other treats that we know will be showing up to celebrate this magical event.
7. More Merchandise
What would be a celebration without new merchandise to purchase in honor of the anniversary? Ears, pins, spirit jersey and so much more we anticipate will be released featuring ways to celebrate the 50th anniversary. We saw this in Disneyland for the 60th and it was beyond magical. We can’t wait to see what creative and amazing designs are released. Make sure to start saving now.
8. Evening Show
Already we are starting to see progress when it comes to EPCOT’s new nighttime show HarmonioUS. This new nighttime spectacle will most likely be out in 2021 once shows are safe for guests and cast members. We can’t wait to see the fireworks, projections, laser and more that will bring this new evening show to life in 2021.
9. EPCOT
Something we are looking forward to in 2021 and for the 50th anniversary is the new reimagined EPCOT. If you have been to EPCOT over the past few months, you are well aware of the crazy construction that is taking place throughout Future World. We are super excited to see the new reimagined neighborhoods will bring. We have started to see more art work and visions as the newest reveal showed us the statue of Walt himself that will be placed in the World Celebration neighborhood as part of the Dreamers Point. This is just one feature that we are excited to see premier during 2021 and for the 50th.
Even though we don’t know the specifics yet around Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary, we are sure excited to celebrate with new rides, restaurants, merchandise and more. Make sure to stay tuned for more on this historic celebration as we get closer to October.
