For 2020, Halloween starts earlier than ever at the Magic Kingdom, with the first Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party taking place starting August 13th.
This year’s party starts a full three days earlier than last year’s party, which began on August 16th.
The party dates for August are as follows: August 13, 15, 18, 21, 25, 28
To accommodate for construction in the area related to work on arrival experience enhancements and a newly refreshed walkway linking Disney’s Contemporary Resort and the Magic Kingdom, load zones for the park’s bus transportation loop will be changing starting today, January 13.
Beginning Monday, January 13, load zones 1, 2, and 3 (the very first row closest to the park entrance) in the Magic Kingdom bus loop will be closed, while Minnie Vans will use load zones 4 and 5.
Here are the current bus load zones and their respective destinations:
1 – Closed
2 – Closed
3 – Closed
4 – Minnie Van service
5 – Minnie Van service
6 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Par
7 – Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
8 – Disney’s Old Key West Resort
9 – Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
10 – Fort/Contemporary/Polynesian/Grand Floridian
10A – Disney Vacation Club
11 – Disney’s Hollywood Studios
12 – Disney’s Riviera Resort
13 – Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Hotels
14 – Disney’s BoardWalk Resort
15 – Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts
16 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
17 – Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
Yesterday afternoon, reports broke out of smoke and a possible fire at the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover in the Magic Kingdom. Both the PeopleMover and the Astro Orbiter, which are housed in the same building, were evacuated. With the Reedy Creek Fire Department on the scene, the issue was resolved within the hour and both attractions were back up and running that same evening, however no further clarification regarding the incident was provided.
In a statement to the Orlando Sentinel, an RCID spokesperson said responders were called to the ride at 5:24 PM and confirmed that there was no fire at the scene. Responders spent a total of 12 minutes at the location before leaving.
The cause of the smoke has not been disclosed, but witnesses have stated that there was the smell of electrical and rubber burning in the area, which could be related to the moving ramp leading up and down the loading platform for the PeopleMover attraction. Cast Members were seen using a fire extinguisher on the ride’s exit ramp.
Before “Happily Ever After,” there was “Wishes”… but before “Wishes”, there was “Fantasy in the Sky.” This fireworks spectacular, originally developed for Disneyland Park in 1958, was the first Disney castle fireworks show, and it started out as rudimentary as Cast Members manually firing hand flares, but over time, it developed into the amazing nighttime spectacular we know today––and paved the way for newer, better shows.
The fireworks spectacular began nightly showings at the Magic Kingdom in 1976 shortly after Walt Disney World opened, and while it was retired in 2003 for the now-defunct fan-favorite “Wishes”, it still holds a special place in many of our hearts.
You can catch “Fantasy in the Sky” every New Year’s Eve at the Magic Kingdom, often with early showings on the 30th to accommodate for high crowds. Tonight seemed like the perfect night to experience the fireworks spectacular, and we have the full video of the show:
“Fantasy in the Sky” features songs from some of the most beloved Disney films, including “Peter Pan,” “Pinocchio” and “Aladdin,” as well as favorite songs from attractions like “it’s a small world” and The Haunted Mansion. Be on the lookout for a special New Year’s Eve finale.
You can catch “Fantasy in the Sky” fireworks tonight at 11:50 PM for New Year’s Eve.
