Overnight, Disney Imagineers installed the much-anticipated golden 50th crest to Cinderella Castle as part of the park’s 50th anniversary celebration.
This celebratory event, called “The World’s Most Magical Celebration”, will feature new experiences at the resort’s four theme parks and beyond, where shimmering “EARidescent” décor will appear as if by magic. Shining at the center of it all will be Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park, which will add to its royal makeover from 2020 with new gold bunting, sparkling golden embellishments and other new enhancements, including a 50th anniversary crest warmly welcoming guests to the join the festivities.
The Walt Disney World Resort opened its gates nearly fifty years ago, and beginning October 1, 2021 the resort will begin celebrating it’s 50th anniversary with an 18-month long celebration.
Disney has confirmed that the Magic Kingdom’s current nighttime spectacular, Happily Ever After, which replaced Wishes back in 2017, will have its final performance on September 29.
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 you 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.
To celebrate the reopening of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and DOLE Whip Day, Disney has whipped up a new Moana Themed Dole Whip!
Pineapple Lanai is offering an exclusive “Tamatoa-inspired” Dipped Cone – Dole Whip raspberry swirled with Dole Whip orange in a white chocolate-dipped waffle cone coated with “shiny” gold sugar.
This super glittery Dole Whip – a must-try for fans of “Moana”- is available at the resort today, for Dole Whip Day, through July 21.
Today’s reopening of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort also includes new, beautifully reimagined guest rooms inspired by the Pacific Ocean and its many islands. Reimagined rooms include details, patterns and textures from the hit Walt Disney Animation Studios film “Moana.” We recently shared a look inside.
Disney World is adding a new “Coco” scene in “Mickey’s PhilharMagic” in Magic Kingdom at Disney World later this year during the Walt Disney World Resort 50th anniversary celebration.
One of the original composers of “Coco” – Germaine Franco – produced a score unique to “Mickey’s PhilharMagic,” bringing the musical number “Un Poco Loco,” from Disney and Pixar’s “Coco” to the fan favorite attraction.
The 3D, animated scene extends Donald Duck’s musical journey, bringing the fantasy adventure to new heights alongside all the attraction’s fan-favorite musical numbers. Take a closer look below:
In addition to Germaine Franco, Walt Disney Imagineering collaborated with Pixar and Disney Animation Studios to add the scene to the attraction’s other classic musical sequences. Learn more about the collaboration in this video!
The addition of the new scene can already be seen at Disneyland Resort and Disneyland Paris.
Disney Cruise Line has revealed more details on the immersive Marvel-themed dining concept called “Avengers: Quantum Encounter” coming to the Worlds of Marvel restaurant aboard the Disney Wish.
Premiering in summer 2022, this all-new cinematic dining adventure will assemble some of Earth’s Mightiest — and tiniest — Super Heroes in a larger-than-life showcase of revolutionary quantum technology and world-class cuisine.
Check out the video below to see it for yourself, then read on to learn more about this incredible experience coming to Disney’s newest ship in summer 2022.
“’Avengers: Quantum Encounter’ is Disney Cruise Line’s most ambitious dining experience ever,” said Danny Handke, senior creative director, Walt Disney Imagineering. “We’re doing something that’s never been done before in a restaurant, developing an exclusive Avengers adventure that will immerse our guests in the action through sophisticated technology and innovative storytelling. It’s the perfect complement to the incredible menu of story-driven dining aboard the Disney Wish.”
Guests aboard the Disney Wish will also enjoy Marceline Market and Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods, two new quick-and-casual dining options for relaxed meals throughout the day.
‘Avengers: Quantum Encounter’ at Worlds of Marvel
Worlds of Marvel is the first-ever Marvel cinematic dining adventure, where guests will play an interactive role in an action-packed Avengers mission that unfolds around them, complete with a worldly menu inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Cinematic Dining
“Avengers: Quantum Encounter” will follow Ant-Man and The Wasp as they embark on their first public speaking engagement on behalf of the Avengers. Anxious to impress, they are hosting a special presentation of the most powerful Super Hero technologies, such as Captain America’s shield, Iron Man’s arc reactor and Ant-Man’s Pym Particles, giving guests an up-close look at holographic models, field reports and iconic scenes from Marvel movies displayed on the screens surrounding the room.
The highlight of this special event is a hands-on demonstration of the latest and greatest Pym Tech, the Quantum Core, which uses cutting-edge — and highly unstable — technology to shrink and grow targets at the push of a button. A few “misfires” result in hilarious Ant-Man-style hijinks, but the real trouble begins when an unexpected villain shows up with a fearsome army in tow, eager to get their hands on this powerful quantum technology. Ant-Man and The Wasp will need all the help they can get to save the day, calling on Captain America, Captain Marvel and the brave diners of the Disney Wish for back-up.
Quantum Core Technology
Every table at Worlds of Marvel will feature an interactive Quantum Core, “a brand-new device that can cause objects to shrink and grow remotely.” Guests will assist Ant-Man and The Wasp as they attempt some small-scale trials, perhaps shrinking oversized luggage for easy stateroom storage.
When enough of the Quantum Cores are activated at the same time, the entire venue will become supercharged as energy pulses through the power channels in the walls and ceiling. Outfitted with state-of-the-art Pym Tech and decked out in signature Stark-itecture style, the design of Worlds of Marvel will offer surprises in all shapes and sizes, from a distinctly Marvel hexagonal motif to the various “Easter eggs” and unknown details embedded in the show.
Globally Inspired Menus
True to its name, Worlds of Marvel will take families on a flavorful tour of the real and fictional settings of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with dishes inspired by legendary locales like African Wakanda, Eastern European Sokovia and the Avengers’ home base of New York City. Though menus are still in development, guests can expect to find a diverse array of globally influenced items and playful nods to the worlds and characters they know and love from Marvel Studios films.
Magic Kingdom Park welcomed back their daily flag retreat July 1, resuming the tradition of selecting an active-duty military member or veteran from among that park’s daily visitors.
In the late afternoon in Town Square, many watched silently as a guest U.S. Air Force veteran joined members of Magic Kingdom’s security team to respectfully lower the flag and carry it in a processional down Main Street, U.S.A.
The ceremony included the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, and the singing of “God Bless America” and the “Star Spangled Banner,” accompanied by the Main Street Philharmonic marching band.
“It has been an honor for our security cast to keep our flag flying every day over Magic Kingdom since the park first opened in 1971,” said Army veteran Eileen Underwood, Magic Kingdom’s senior security manager. “We were thrilled to resume our daily flag retreat ceremonies to honor our country and those who serve around the world in defense of our freedoms. It’s a special moment for all our guests that really reaffirms the feeling that this is truly a magical place.”
Disneyland park resumed their Flag Retreat Ceremony when the resort reopened on April 30, and is thrilled to continue thanking veterans for their service, sacrifice and dedication to protecting our country.
The Magic Kingdom’s fireworks show, which returned July 1 for the first time since the COVID pandemic began, has modified their “Happy Ever After” fireworks greeting to be more inclusive.
Instead of the longstanding “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,” greeting, shows are now prefaced with one that swaps the gender specificity, subbing in “Dreamers of all ages.”
The change was first inttoduced at a Wednesday preview of the Orlando, Florida theme park’s “Happily Ever After” fireworks display. But the switch apparently extends throughout the Disney empire and is used in more than fireworks displays, as confirmed by a spokesperson for Tokyo Disneyland.
The announcement received mixed reactions on social media. One Twitter user wrote, “I HATE THAT. BRING IT BACK NOW!!!”
However, others welcomed the change. Another tweeted, “I love “Dreamers of all ages” because it really makes that super snuggly and more magical. It’s so heartwarming.”
In April, Disney announced they would be working towards “including everyone.”
“Inclusion is essential to our culture and leads us forward as we continue to realize our rich legacy of engaging storytelling, exceptional service, and Disney magic,” they wrote.
“We’re bringing the spirit of the Inclusion Key to life across our business. We’re reimagining our attractions to be more inclusive.”
As word of the change circulated on social media, knee-jerk reactions condemning the move surfaced from those who apparently feel the embrace of diversity and inclusion has gone too far.
There has been no official confirmation of the fireworks announcement or other changes by Disney. However, a spokesperson for Tokyo Disneyland’s licensee, Oriental Land Company, acknowledged the changes that company has implemented that are similar. In Japan, gender specificity is changed to “everyone.”
A video of the Gorilla’s at Animal Kingdom in Disney World has gone viral after their extremely relatable reaction to finding a snake in their habitat was posted to Tik Tok.
The video was viewed over 3 million times in a little over 24 hours. It’s unclear if it was recorded the same day it was posted.
The now-viral TikTok from was posted by Bearded Kraken (@silkystrokesurvivor) as you can see below:
The Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail offers guests a chance to “explore a lush tropical forest inhabited by native African wildlife including gorillas, hippos, and exotic birds,” and “salute [their] resident troop of gorillas.” The park is committed to conservation and allowing guests to see the animals in their “natural” habitat. Unfortunately for the gorillas, snakes are sometimes part of their natural habitat.
After laying off more than 30,000 employees in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Walt Disney Co. is now offering $1,000 bonuses to recruit new housekeepers and select kitchen staff at Disney World.
Housekeepers, making $16 an hour, and line cooks, earning $18, can receive the money if they stay on the job for at least 90 days, according to the company’s website.
About 33,000 of the more than 41,000 members of the Service Trades Council Union have returned to work at Disney World, according to Matt Hollis, president of that worker coalition. About 15,000 of the 32,000 workers at California’s Disneyland resort have returned, the company said.
Disney, which was forced to close its theme parks around the world due to the coronavirus, announced plans in September to lay off 28,000 employees, a number that later grew to 32,000 companywide. Most of them were at its domestic resorts.
Disney said it has rehired more than three-quarters of those affected by furloughs and work reductions. Disneyland, in Anaheim, California, has been bringing back 300 staffers a week, and the company wants to hire thousands more at its U.S. resorts this summer and fall.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park at Disney World announced the recent birth of a strapping, long-necked male giraffe.
The healthy calf weighed in at 183 pounds and stands six feet tall, according to Disney’s animal care team on site for the birth. The still-to-be named calf is calm, relaxed and enjoys cuddle time with his mom, Lily.
Distinct markings reveal a butterfly on his right shoulder, heart-shaped spots on his coat and a white-tipped speckled mane. Take a closet look at mom and baby below:
Lily is a parenting pro, staying close to her baby to bond and nurse. Giraffes born at the park spend several weeks bonding in backstage environments before meeting members of their extended giraffe family.
The pitter patter of little hooves is quite familiar to the Disney animal care team. This new arrival is the third giraffe born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in the past year, marking another success for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan Program. These plans ensure responsible breeding of threatened and endangered species. Giraffes are a vulnerable species facing a silent extinction in the wild, with a population decline of 40 percent over the past 30 years.
Walt Disney World Resort is a proud home to two subspecies of giraffes. Masai giraffe live on the park’s Kilimanjaro Safaris savanna, while Reticulated giraffe, Hybrid giraffe and Masai giraffe roam the savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom guests can keep their eyes peeled for mom and calf to join the rest of the giraffe herd on the savanna in the coming weeks.
