Castle Pyrotechnics Removed from Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire at Walt Disney World

Lauren Stracner

Published:

Castle Pyrotechnics Removed from Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire at Walt Disney World

Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire was performed without its usual castle pyrotechnics, a modification to accommodate the Cinderella Castle repainting project that commenced today.

Castle Pyrotechnics Absent from Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire Performance

Mickey, Minnie, and characters from Frozen and Tangled perform Mickey's Magical Friendship Faire in front of Cinderella Castle in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire performance times have already been shifted later in the day to accommodate the painting work, and now we’ve seen that the performance itself has been altered as well.

Sign with performance schedule for Mickey's Magical Friendship Faire at Magic Kingdom: 1pm, 2:05pm, 4pm, and 5:15pm.

Normally, two sets of pyrotechnic effects are used: one set flanking Cinderella Castle and another pair in the distance. At today’s 4pm performance, our reporter witnessed only the distant set of pyrotechnics being used.

Pyrotechnics flank Cinderella Castle during a performance of Mickey's Magical Friendship Faire at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

This version of the show will be performed for the foreseeable future. Watch our video:

Cinderella Castle Repainting

Cinderella Castle with a freshly painted gray section surrounded by the existing pink color scheme.

Work started today on the Cinderella Castle repainting project at Magic Kingdom. Cinderella Castle received its pink, royal blue, and gray color scheme for the park’s 50th anniversary in 2021. Disney announced in summer 2025 that the castle would be restored to its classic colors of gray and light blue. This project will be completed over the course of 2026.

Close up of Cinderella Castle showing a freshly painted gray section surrounded by the existing pink color scheme.

The repainting project has necessitated changes be made to some of the Magic Kingdom’s entertainment offerings. The park’s opening castle show, Let the Magic Begin, stopped including fireworks earlier this month and now no longer includes characters, although the welcome fanfare and music still plays.

Are you disappointed that the castle painting means changes to some Magic Kingdom shows? Let us know on social media.

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