Did you know we are just a few months away from a very big moment here in Orlando, Florida? On October, 1st 2021 prepare yourself for the world's happiest celebration, Disney World's 50th Anniversary, here at the Magic Kingdom and the rest of the Walt Disney World Resort. So this event is pretty far away why are we even talking about this so ridiculously early? That's because first we love to plan in advance and second Disney doesn't just simply celebrate a birthday, they have an all-out bash! And I will mention this is a big birthday it's crazy to think that Disney World will soon have been open for fifty years. It's the diamond anniversary which we saw beautifully celebrated several years ago at Disneyland.
So here is a look at what you need to know about planning a trip to Disney World in 2021 for Disney World's 50th Anniversary.
When is Disney World's 50th Anniversary?
The official birthday for the Magic Kingdom and Walt Disney World resort is October 1st, 2021. For this celebration, the whole event kicks off on the day of the anniversary. Beginning October 1, we welcome you to be immersed in a sparkling EARidescent experience like no other—The World's Most Magical Celebration. Come celebrate the small stuff. The big stuff. And all the in-between stuff. Share the magical memories you helped create over the last 50 years. And kick off the next era where the best is yet to come.
The anniversary 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.
Disney World 50th Celebration Events
It looks like the offerings for this events are more minimal than normal. The festivities mostly are centered around lighting up each of the park icons.
Cinderella Castle Makeover
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. Pixie dust on Cinderella Castle.
Nighttime Spectacular Disney Enchantment
A new nighttime spectacular, “Disney Enchantment,” will help kick off the 50th anniversary festivities when it debuts Oct. 1 at Magic Kingdom Park. Created to launch with “The World’s Most Magical Celebration,” this evening extravaganza will take guests on a journey filled with adventure, wonder, and empowerment. Inspiring everyone to believe in magic, “Disney Enchantment” will feature music, enhanced lighting, stunning fireworks, and, for the first time, immersive projection effects that extend from Cinderella Castle down Main Street, U.S.A.
Tree of Life Fireflies
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. Watch as magical fireflies inhabiting the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
Disney KiteTails
New daytime entertainment is stirring at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, as “Disney KiteTails” will come alive several times daily beginning Oct. 1 inside the Discovery River Amphitheater. Performers will fly windcatchers and kites of all shapes and sizes, while out on the water elaborate three-dimensional kites – some stretching to 30 feet long – will depict Disney animal friends, including Simba, Zazu, Baloo and King Louie. These colorful creations will dance through the sky to the beat of favorite Disney songs in an uplifting, vibrant experience for the whole family.
Tower of Terror Projection Show
Special new touches coming to life on the Hollywood Tower Hotel. The Hollywood Tower Hotel at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be awash in a brilliance evoking the golden age of imagination and adventure.
Harmonious
Joining Magic Kingdom's new firework show, Disney Enchantment, will be Harmonious at EPCOT, one of the largest nighttime spectaculars ever created for a Disney park. This new show will bring the globe together at World Showcase Lagoon in a celebration of Disney music that inspires people worldwide.
It’s a grand, powerful tribute to the unifying power of story and song, embracing new technical magic that incorporates pyrotechnics, fountains, lighting and media in new ways. “Harmonious” will feature new interpretations of classic Disney songs, reimagined in more than a dozen languages by a diverse group of 240 artists from around the world.
Spaceship Earth Lights
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.
New lights will shine across the reflective panels of Spaceship Earth, connecting to one another in a symbol of optimism resembling stars in a nighttime sky.
Grand Opening of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
The grand opening of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will be Oct. 1, inviting guests into the flavorful world of Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award®-winning “Ratatouille.” In this family-friendly attraction, guests will feel as if they shrink to the size of Chef Remy and scurry through Gusteau’s famous restaurant. They will discover Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in a newly expanded area of the park’s France pavilion, where the real is made fantastic in a reimagining of Paris inspired by the film.
Also debuting Oct. 1 in this section of the pavilion will be a delicious new restaurant, La Crêperie de Paris, offering both table- and quick-service options. The menu will feature sweet crepes, savory buckwheat galettes (naturally gluten friendly) and authentic French hard cider. The attraction, restaurant, and pavilion expansion are all part of the historic transformation of EPCOT currently underway, bringing a breadth of new experiences to the park as a celebration of curiosity, discovery, and the magic of possibility.
For more read Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Opening at EPCOT Set for October!
Special Anniversary Character Outfits
Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto and Chip ‘n’ Dale will also be dressed in sparkling new looks, custom-made for this special occasion. Highlights of these celebratory designs include beautifully embroidered impressions of Cinderella Castle backed by fireworks, as well as a brocade in multi-toned, EARidescent fabric – all punctuated with pops of gold.
