On Oct. 1, 1971, Magic Kingdom first welcomed guests to what is now known as the most magical place on earth.
This means, Oct. 1, 2021 is the 50th anniversary for Walt Disney World and there are going to be all kinds of celebrations across all four theme parks. On Friday, Feb. 19, Disney finally revealed some details about the major milestone.
Officially titled “The World’s Most Magical Celebration,” the 50th anniversary kicks off on Oct. 1 and will last for 18 months. This means guests will be able to celebrate through April 1, 2023.
Also, the official color of the anniversary is iridescent, aka “EARidescent.” Keep in mind the following are just a glimpse of what to expect, but they sure do sound fabulous. Here’s what we currently know.
Transformations For Every Park Icon
First, each park icon will transform in a special way by becoming “Beacons of Magic.”
Of course, Cinderella Castle will have two different looks: one during the day and another for the evening.
During the day, expect to see “golden bunting and a 50th anniversary crest.”
But, when nighttime comes, the castle will transform into a sparkling piece of magic and with a little bit of pixie dust.
Then, there is the Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios, which will also receive some “special new touches.”
Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life is also getting in on the action with a nighttime overlay complete with “magical fireflies.”
A New “Permanent” Nighttime Fixture For Spaceship Earth
And what about Spaceship Earth? Well, the grand and miraculous park icon will also transform for the 50th, but there’s even more exciting news.
The new nighttime lights, which connect and resemble stars in a nighttime sky, will remain a “permanent” fixture and will “continue beyond” the celebration as a “defining feature of the park.”
The area surrounding Spaceship Earth has already seen many changes, including the addition of the pylons and updated fountain.
To add permanent “stars” to the giant golf ball will most likely make the beauty, well, even more beautiful.
A Costume Update For Mickey & Minnie
The final detail we learned is that Mickey and Minnie will once again sport some festive, new costumes for the 50th. Yes, they are also “EARidescent” in color.
Anyone else love these costumes more than Mickey and Minnie’s 90th anniversary outfits?
There’s certainly a lot to look forward to, with more to be announced. We’ will keep you updated. And if you’d like to celebrate the 50th anniversary at WDW, Small World Vacations can help you with all of the necessary planning.
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