A few months into the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Walt Disney World Resort, there’s still so much information scattered around that we figured we would put together a helpful guide with every single special part of the World’s Most Magical Celebration! If you don’t want to miss out, check out all the offerings below.
Entertainment
Disney Enchantment
“Disney Enchantment” replaced “Happily Ever After” as the nightly fireworks spectacular at Magic Kingdom. See full coverage, including photos and video, here.
Harmonious
“Harmonious” replaced “EPCOT Forever” and “IllumiNations” as the new nighttime spectacular at EPCOT. Watch our video of the full new show here.
Disney KiteTails
This new kite show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom has two different versions: “The Jungle Book” and “The Lion King.”
Beacons of Magic
Each Walt Disney World theme park icon — Cinderella Castle, Spaceship Earth, Tree of Life, and Tower of Terror — lights up as a “Beacon of Magic” every night.
Points of Light
Spaceship Earth at EPCOT has new lights for the “Beacon of Magic” which will also be used for ongoing light shows each night, continuing beyond the 50th anniversary. Special versions have debuted, including one for the International Festival of the Holidays and one for the International Festival of the Arts featuring the Muppets’ “Rainbow Connection.”
Mickey’s Celebration Cavalcade
Among the cavalcades at Magic Kingdom is Mickey’s Celebration Cavalcade, featuring the mouse and all his friends dressed up for the 50th Anniversary.
Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade
The brand-new Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade, featuring about 30 Disney and Pixar characters, debuted at Magic Kingdom this month.
New Scene Added to the Electric Water Pageant
The Electric Water Pageant debuted shortly after Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, and to celebrate this 50-year tradition; it got a new scene.
Food
Check out our complete list of reviews of 50th-anniversary food and beverage items at Walt Disney World.
Decorations
The golden statues of 50 characters are the main addition in terms of decor for the 50th Anniversary in the parks. Find our complete list here.
The main entrance archways into Walt Disney World Resort got brand new paint jobs for the occasion.
Magic Kingdom & Transportation and Ticket Center
Monorail stations and the Ticket and Transportation Center got a fresh new paint job.
The flowerbeds at the entrance to Magic Kingdom got a new look, while the clock on Main Street, U.S.A., got a makeover for the occasion.
A Mickey and Minnie topiary was also added to the entrance. They are standing next to a 50th anniversary cake.
Magic Kingdom debuted a number of 50th Anniversary banners, including embroidered banners, jeweled banners, and banners with Mary Blair concept art.
Of course, Cinderella Castle takes center stage for the Anniversary. You can see its initial transformation in this time-lapse video.
EPCOT
EPCOT debuted a floral 50th Anniversary logo for the 2022 International Flower and Garden Festival, and the entrance to EPCOT has a Goofy topiary holding a 50th anniversary cake.
EARidescent flowers also debuted at this year’s Flower and Garden Festival in honor of the 50th anniversary.
The Port of Entry shop got a new 50th Anniversary overlay.
The barges for Harmonious feature the 50th logo when not in use for the show.
EPCOT also got Spaceship Earth patterned 50th Anniversary banners.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios received unique 50th Anniversary banners.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios seamlessly blended holiday and anniversary decor this winter.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney’s Animal Kingdom received 50th Anniversary banners with a zebra motif.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom shops, such as Island Mercantile and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, have festive merchandise displays.
Disney Springs
Disney Springs has a unique merchandise display for the Anniversary at World of Disney.
Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa decked out their lobby and shops for the Anniversary.
Even the construction at Disney’s Contemporary Resort got in on the 50th Anniversary theme.
Merchandise
Resort Anniversary Collections
The three Disney resorts that opened with Magic Kingdom in 1971, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort all got special merchandise collections.
The Polynesian collection features a Loungefly ear headband, apparel, kitchenware, coasters, an ornament, and a MagicBand.
The collection for Disney’s Contemporary Resort also has an ear headband, an ornament, apparel, a MagicBand, and a Loungefly bag.
The Fort Wilderness collection features apparel, a MagicBand, a picture frame, an ear headband, an ornament, playing cards, and games.
Celebration Collection
We have compiled a complete list, with pricing, of all of the Celebration Collection merchandise here.
Castle Collection
We have the complete list of items and pricing from the Castle Collection.
Vault Collection
The Vault Collection features several pieces meant to harken back to the first Anniversary of Walt Disney World. See the full collection here.
From keychains to Crocs and cardigans to Harveys bags, the Vault Collection prominently features the original map of the Magic Kingdom.
There’s a denim vest, sweatpants, bucket hat, puzzle, a pin, track suit, an alarm clock, hoodie, a tee with matching sweatpants and of course a Spirit Jersey.
Luxe Collection
The Luxe Collection offers a range of upscale pieces for the Disney collector.
In Uptown Jewelers at Magic Kingdom, collectors will find Luxe Logo bags by Kate Spade and Loungefly and luxe ear headband along with a jeweled ear hat.
Additionally, a Luxe Collection black Minnie ear headband, a black logo hat, a logo jacket and sweatshirt, a PopSocket, a decorative plate, a Starbucks tumbler, and a Steiff teddy bear are available.
Souvenir Items
A number of engravable ID tags are available throughout the Walt Disney World Resort. You can find unique ones at Magic Kingdom, Disney Springs, EPCOT, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
Here is our full list of Walt Disney World 50th anniversary pennies.
Here is our full list of Walt Disney World 50th anniversary medallions.
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while i really liked Disney Enchantment, i consider that Happily Ever After is better. i liked the projections from the previous fireworks show, especially the show’s song which was first used for “Mickey and The Wondrous Book” (also known as “Mickey’s Storybook Adventure” in Shanghai Disneyland). i hope Disney Enchantment ends along with the resort’s 50th anniversary and replaces it with a differnt fireworks show. (or maybe Happily Ever After might have a chance to return… even though it sparkled into Disney history)
Doesn’t matter what disney do now, the magic gone, people just can’t afford to go to Disney now, the cost is double for overseas families to go to disney or anyone wanting to go to Disney.
You have to pay extra to go on rides when you already pay to get into parks or you have to queue in longer lines if don’t pay on genie plus
for lightening lanes , no free buses to & from airport if staying on a Disney resort, fasspasses gone now, magic bands gone if staying on a Disney resorts, this has made longer queues as people won’t pay for rides per person, per ride when you pay so much to get into parks alone.
This isn’t walt disney vision, he wanted all families to be able to go to the parks, it’s seems to be catering for the rich, no standard working class family could afford this unless putting yourself into debt.
Disney got Greedy, we were due to go before corvid reschedule to following year, cancelled again, but when the cost went up we got our refund back, to go to Disney now it’s cheaper to go to Dubai, and that’s a expensive country,sorry disney go so expensive that families just can’t do it anymore unless your rich, disney took away that opportunity for all families just now cater for the wealthy, specially overseas families, if people continue to pay for these ridiculous prices then disney will continue to keep raising prices if people keep paying the costs, people just can’t afford those high costs ,
Its not the most magical place on earth Anymore. We wont be going back, it wasn’t broken so no need for the major changes it worked with fasspasses, the buses to resorts, etc
DISNEY JUST GOT GREEDY
Can’t agree more. It is sad. We are going this month and it will probably be the last time due to cost. Hopefully some day they will learn how to steward their $$ better and drop prices 25%+ to where they need to be. Also limiting park capacity would be helpful as well. Lines have gotten wayyy to long. No fun anymore
Not only has disney got Greedy with the unaffordable cost for working class families, but you have to now book to get into parks & rides when on the disney parks when before if you booked a overseas trip you had 60 days before to book & 30 days before your travelled to USA, so you could travel & not be guaranteed you even get in park or rides as you have to be in parks to book, time disney reviewed this & think of overseas families & how do the disabled cope, as nothing has been said about disabled people get around on rides, parks etc no mention of changes for disabled
This new CEO seems to think more of money than what walt vision was, all about greedy & money 😡😡
Disneyland Paris’s 30th anniversary decorations seems already more exciting then this one if i am being honest.
Still want to go to WDW tho.
Great post. It was needed for those who are not keeping up but really want to enjoy the 50th celebration. I live on this site – so it wasn’t needed for me. But thanks for taking the time to organize it!