A Guide to Disney’s 50th Anniversary Celebration
Wow! How crazy is it to think that Walt Disney World has been around for 50 whole years!? This Magical Vacation Destination also really knows how to celebrate and there is seriously TONS to see and do! I’m going to break it down and show you what all there is to do, eat, see, and experience during this 18 month long celebration.
First things First, when is it?
As mentioned before, this is the longest running celebration Disney has ever done! It began on October 1st, 2021 and will run for 18 months ending in March 2023. You will find plenty of things to see and do throughout all 4 theme parks from decor, eats, new shows, merchandise, and much much much more!
You are definitely going to want to make sure you grab a physical park ticket! They have them all decked out with some fun gold characters. You will also find that the room keys have a new shimmering makeover! There are both fun little keepsakes that are technically ‘free’.
The Decor
The first thing you will notice the EARidescent makeover throughout the parks. The biggest being Cinderella Castle’s stunning makeover! The castle now features a shimmering pink and blue color scheme with golden and jeweled accents and a large 50 medallion to finish it off. You don’t want to miss getting a few selfies with this gorgeous centerpiece! And of course if you have Photopass, be sure to ask about some of the specialty magic shots available just for the 50th!
You will also find some huge banners decorating the turrets on either side of the castle featuring the 50 logo as well as some unique artwork by Famous Imagineer Mary Blair.
There are also shimmering banners scattered through the parks and each park has a unique pattern and color scheme special to the park. My favorite are the Hollywood Studios Banners for sure!
One of the other statement pieces that you will be hard to miss are the Fab 50 Character Statues. These are Gold Statues featuring 50 of your favorite Disney friends! You will find most of them such as Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Pluto in Magic Kingdom, but you can also find quite a few in the other parks as well!
Some are easy to spot and some are a little more challenging, so this is a fun scavenger hunt to do while on your next trip!
Also be on the lookout for the fun 50th wraps on the Monorails, Buses, and Skyliner Gondolas!
The Merch
Speaking of EARidescent, we HAVE to talk about the merch! There are several collections that will be released throughout the celebration that include a variety of ears, shirts, jackets, ornaments, pins, hats, leggings, and more. You will find the largest selections in the Emporium in Magic Kingdom, and in World of Disney in Disney Springs. However, you will also find select items scattered through the numerous gift shops in resorts as well as the other theme parks. Things do sell out crazy fast, but just keep checking back because they restock all the time!
One of my personal favorite merch items can actually be found in the Starbucks locations! They have new 50th Anniversary “You Are Here” mugs that are seriously the cutest. There are also Tumbler Mugs, and even collectible pins featuring similar designs.
Entertainment
They pulled out all the stops for this one! There are TWO new nighttime spectaculars as well as a new character cavalcade with another new cavalcade coming in 2022.
Disney’s Enchantment is the new nighttime fireworks show in the Magic Kingdom. This show features projections on the castle as well as all down Main Street USA which means you can’t really have a bad view. The pyrotechnics of this show are also pretty incredible and some of the best that Disney has ever done. The music is a combination of cover songs from some of your favorite Disney Movies and unfortunately this is where the show does lack a little luster compared to its predecessor Happily Ever After.
It is a great show overall and definitely not one to miss during your trip!
The other nighttime show (and my new personal favorite) is Harmonious in Epcot. This show is INCREDIBLE! It features projections and giant LED screens that feature beautiful images representing some of your favorite Disney movies while the music pays homage to the countries that they are from. The soundtrack features 12 different languages sung throughout the show and it’s truly beautiful to hear! There are also large water fountain features and of course tons of Fireworks.
The best spots are going to be direction in front of the large ‘Ring’ (you’ll know exactly what I mean by that when you see it in person). There are lots of projections shown on this and although the show is still good from the side, you do miss a little bit of the story if you can’t see it. I recommend watching from between the two giftshops at the front of World Showcase or in the Italy Pavilion if you are able to get a spot!
The Mickey Celebration Cavalcade is a short little ‘parade’ that has Mickey, Minnie, and their friends dressed up in their EARidescent best! The dancers have colorful banners that they twirl and they sing the Celebration’s Iconic new song “The Magic Is Calling”. This is performed multiple times a day down Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom.
You can even meet Mickey Mouse in this outfit in Town Square Hall! Meet and Greets are still socially distant, but you can talk to him and take tons of fun selfies, so don’t miss out on this opportunity!
You may even hear the Dapper Dan’s sing this song when they perform down Main Street USA as well!
Another fun nighttime offering is the Beacons of Magic. These are short little projection ‘shows’ that you will see on the Castle in Magic Kingdom, Spaceship Earth in Epcot, the Tree of Life in Animal Kingdom, and Tower of Terror in Hollywood Studios. It also features a small rendering of “The Magic is Calling” and has some seriously GORGEOUS colorful projections. This plays around every ten minutes or so throughout the night once the sun has gone down. (the one in Epcot is the best and definitely made my husband cry because it’s so beautiful)
Kite Tails is a really fun show that you really shouldn’t miss! You will find this in Animal Kingdom Park and it features large colorful kites that are pulled through the sky by jet skis as well as smaller puppet like kites that cast members twirl around to the music. There are two versions of the show, a Lion King Version and a Jungle Book Version. Both are lot of fun and the show is only about 10-15 minutes so perfect to squeeze into your day! (plus they have to crash the kites into the stadium to land them and it’s pretty hilarious to watch)
It is performed various times throughout the day, but be warned that it is in the sun, so if you go in the heat of the day, bring an umbrella for a bit of shade!
The Electrical Water Pageant also has an update with a new float! They have a new segment where they play “The Magic is Calling” with a lit up Cinderella Castle Float. This is a fun and unique experience that not a ton of people know about, but is a Disney staple! You can watch this show at night from any of the resorts around the Magic Kingdom.
The FOOD
Would it even be a celebration if there wasn’t special treats and eats?
There are over 150 specialty items offered during this celebration that you can find in almost every restaurant and quick service location on property! I’m not going to go over all of them here, but I will share a few of our favorites that we tried!
My number one favorite is the Glimmering Shimmering Blondie from Fairfax Fare and Backlot Express. This is a Toffee and Toasted Coconut Blondie with Salted Caramel Buttercream and it is seriously one of the best desserts I’ve ever had at Disney! It’s gooey and warm and definitely rich, so be prepared to share!
We also loved the Tropical Serenade from Aloha Isle. This is coconut Dole Whip (don’t worry, it basically just tastes like sweet vanilla) with POG - Pineapple Orange Guava - Juice and a pineapple upsidedown cakepop. It’s the perfect amount of sweet and especially great if you need a treat to cool off with.
One of the prettier options we tried was the 50th Celebration Petit Cake from Amorette’s Patisserie in Disney Springs. This is a small vanilla chiffon cake with blue mousse, blueberry jam, and lemon curd. It was actually not too sweet and was very light and flavorful! This was was pricey, but if you are looking for something extra special, it’s definitely worth the price!
For something savory, I recommend the 50th Celebration Hotdog from Casey’s Corner. This is a hotdog topped with Strawberry Jam and Funnel Cake. I know… it sounds terrible… but honestly, it was pretty great! I also though that it would be weird, but the blend of savory and sweet actually work pretty well together. It’s pretty messy though, so have a fork on hand!
You will even find that some of your classic eats have a fun celebratory new look with fun wrappers, cups, and boxes! (Yes… I did keep this Popcorn Box)
