Nearly a year after its debut, “Disney Enchantment” has added a new sequence to celebrate Walt Disney and his brother Roy, who were both instrumental in the creation of Walt Disney World. There’s also new pyrotechnics, updated narration, and even an appearance by the main mouse himself!
You can watch the updated sequences in our video above or keep reading for photos and more details!
“Disney Enchantment” begins as it always has with a triumphant fanfare of the show theme song “You Are the Magic,” with two fireworks exploding at its conclusion. But instead of leading into “You Are the Magic”, we skip straight to Angela Bassett welcoming guests to the park, as she used to after the song. Her lines are slightly altered, now saying “Good evening. Tonight we gather in a most enchanted kingdom. One overflowing with magic. And once upon a time, it all began with a dream.”
New projections light up the castle to “When You Wish Upon a Star” before images of the “it’s a small world” clock face and Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland appear. Over the music we hear “Yesterday, Disneyland and the New York World’s Fair. Tomorrow, a project so vast it has already been called a whole new Disney World” as images of the early Florida Project map appear.
A famous photo of Walt, Roy, Joe Fowler, and Card Walker surveying the future site of the Magic Kingdom appears as clips of the iconic EPCOT film play below.
Walt Disney points up as the entire castle is covered in blue. Icons from classic attractions sing brief bars from “Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me)”, “it’s a small world”, “Grim Grinning Ghosts”, and “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow”.
The show continues with more clips of Walt Disney at Disneyland appearing on the 50 medallion while audio of Roy Disney dedicating Walt Disney World in October 1971 plays over.
Mickey balloons rise over the castle as fireworks burst.
Finally, an animated Mickey Mouse appears on the balcony to say “Oh boy, this place sure is swell! Some folks like to say that it all started with a dream. But you wanna know what makes this place real special? It’s you! Each and every one of you. Any time you set foot here, you leave this place brighter than it was before. Because you are the magic!”
The show then continues as normal… until the very end.
Instead of Angela Bassett at the show’s finale, Mickey appears once again as a balcony projection to say “You are the magic!” at the show’s climax.
If you’d like to compare to the original show, you can check out the original version from its debut last October below.
What do you think of this attempt to better honor Walt and Roy Disney and their legacy at Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments below!
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Now this is an improvement. Okay I thought the original show was good and people are actually warming up to it but it’s nice to know that they did listen and it does help push that anniversary message further. But can you blame them for the original as the pandemic did cause huge problems ifr the anniversary. I wonder this means they plan on extending the party for adding stuff like this. Anyway I hope to see it soon.
Bring back Happily Ever After.
This was a wonderful “correction” to what should have been placed in this show a year ago at the very beginning of this 50th celebration. The idea that Walt Disney Company fans had to say something about this to get the “upper brass” be aware is mind boggling to me and disappointing to say the least.