Disney World 50th Anniversary: New Castle Decor, Character Costumes, Projection Effects
With the big day just over six months from now, Walt Disney World has finally shared a preview of its 50th Anniversary celebration! This post covers everything revealed today on ABC’s Good Morning America: new projection mapping, character costumes, Cinderella Castle overlay, and more. We also offer commentary about what was hinted and what was missing from the promo.
During its segment, Good Morning America announced that the World’s Most Magical Celebration (on Earth) will kick off on October 1, 2021 and last for 18 months. The 50th anniversary event will be celebrated at all four Walt Disney World theme parks throughout 2021 and 2022.
Per Good Morning America, Walt Disney World’s Most Magical Celebration will include new entertainment activities and attractions, and to mark the festivities, Magic Kingdom’s iconic Cinderella Castle will be transformed with new sparkling embellishments.
In addition, icons in the four Walt Disney World theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios will transform into “Beacons of Magic” by coming to life with their own magical glow.
Here’s a look at some of the concept art for the projections and lighting effects:
At EPCOT, new lights will shine across the reflective panels of Spaceship Earth, connecting to one another and resembling stars in a nighttime sky.
This permanent new lighting on Spaceship Earth will continue beyond “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” as a defining feature of the reimagined EPCOT.
Above, you can see special new touches coming to life on the Hollywood Tower Hotel at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which will be awash in a brilliance evoking the golden age of cinema.
Below, a warm light emanates from the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as magical fireflies gather to usher in the magic of nature…
While the other park icons are receiving animated enhancements via projection mapping and nighttime lighting, Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park will also add to its Royal Makeover from last year with physical adornments.
As you can see in the new artist rendering below, Cinderella Castle will feature blue bunting, golden swirls, and a 50th anniversary crest as part of its festive new look for the World’s Most Magical Celebration. (Further down the post is a nighttime look at it.)
This milestone is such a big deal, Walt Disney World has coined a new word – “EARidescence” – to describe what you’ll see when you visit. (A teaser at the D23 Expo nearly two years ago offered brief glimpses of merchandise and food in this style.)
Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse will have sparkling new looks for the World’s Most Magical Celebration. As hosts of the event, they’ll be dressed for the occasion in custom-made fashions of EARidescent fabric. Highlights of these celebratory designs include beautifully embroidered impressions of Cinderella Castle backed by fireworks, as well as a brocade in multi-toned, EARidescent fabric – all punctuated with pops of gold.
Keep in mind that this preview comes at a time when it’s impossible–even for Walt Disney World leadership–to predict with certainty what will be practical and possible by October. Accordingly, this announcement is deliberately constrained to only the “sure things” that the company is confident will be feasible by then.
Nevertheless, now comes the part where we overanalyze a few seconds of substance with hundreds of words of commentary and speculation. We know better, but we can’t help ourselves…
One popular topic of fan conversation will undoubtedly be Cinderella Castle’s special decor for the anniversary, featuring its blue turrets topped with gold swirls and more. It’s likely that the current construction in front of the castle and the coffer dams in the moat are related to these 50th Anniversary enhancements.
This celebratory overlay will likely be divisive, just like last year’s Royal Makeover that formed the foundation for this (which I admittedly do not care for), the ‘Happiest Celebration on Earth’ gold detailing before that, or the infamous Castle Cake before that.
Cinderella Castle’s 25th Anniversary cake was derided among many fans as the Pepto Bismol Castle. I was 10 years old when I first saw the Castle Cake, and I absolutely loved it. Even today, I remain nostalgic for the Castle Cake as a short-lived overlay for Walt Disney World’s 25th Anniversary.
The Happiest Celebration on Earth marked our first trip back to Walt Disney World as adults, and our first together. It was before we became very serious Disney fans, and we also liked those golden adornments and “pixie dust” encircling the turrets.
This isn’t our attempt to publicly proclaim our poor taste. Rather, illustrating that perhaps kids and casual guests view these things from a different perspective. It’s also possible that some appreciate the novelty or celebratory quality of anniversary overlays.
I will fully admit that I still fall into the latter category. So long as it’s temporary, I’m on board with pretty much any anniversary enhancements to Cinderella Castle. The concept art for the 50th Anniversary looks regal and relatively tasteful, and I’m excited for it.
Then there are the character costumes. I’m no fashion blogger, which is patently obvious from every picture ever posted of me on this site. Accordingly, critiquing style is pretty far beyond the scope of my expertise. When it comes to costumes, I like stuff that’s elaborate and grandiose–like top hats, coat tails, and even bedazzled accessories.
Basically, I just like Mickey Mouse and friends to look fancy in their fun threads. I think these outfits accomplish that, and I’m also a fan of the color scheme, which echoes Cinderella Castle’s new look. Again, I’m excited to see these in person.
Just as significant is what was not featured in Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary preview. While new entertainment and attractions were mentioned, it would’ve been nice to see concept art or hype for a new fireworks show, daytime parade, stage show, or light parade. Understandably, there was nothing on that front.
GMA could’ve even shown video footage of Paint the Night if the plan were to bring that from California to Florida. The absence of these things doesn’t mean they won’t debut at some point during the celebration–just that there’s not sufficient certainty as to if/when they’ll be able to roll out.
Then there are the omitted attractions. It was a bit of a surprise to see Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure not even mentioned, but we still strongly believe that’ll open this year, along with Harmonious at EPCOT.
On the other hand, although Walt Disney World has not officially confirmed as much, Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind or the Play Pavilion at EPCOT and TRON Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom will likely not open “in time for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary” as previously promised.
Our expectation is that all of these attractions open at some point during the World’s Most Magical Celebration. In our prior Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Preview, we speculated that Cosmic Rewind and TRON could debut at the halfway point to reinvigorate the event.
We still think that’s entirely possible–if not probable. Although Disney announced the the World’s Most Magical Celebration would last 18 months, it’s also possible the event could receive a “surprise” extension. That happened with the Year of a Million Dreams, and would make sense here given the travel trepidations (etc.) that will likely exist in late 2021 through early 2022.
Then there are two highly-anticipated restaurants, Space 220 at EPCOT and Toy Story Roundup BBQ in Hollywood Studios, that were previously slated to open last year. Both could be rolled into the start of the 50th Anniversary or be pushed into 2022.
In the case of those restaurants, it’s also possible that they’re not high-profile enough to warrant mentioning on Good Morning America. WDW dining is important to hardcore fans, but not so much a casual and mainstream audience. That’s worth emphasizing, as is the fact that this was a very brief teaser segment.
One final thing that stood out to me was that everyone in the teaser spot that aired online was wearing face masks (no guests were shown during the actual GMA segment). This is most likely unremarkable, as face masks are required at Walt Disney World right now when the promo reel aired. Not showing them would amount to mixed messaging in the near term. Moreover, there’s no way Disney knows right now if they might be able to relax the rule by then, so erring on the side of showing masks is appropriate.
Nevertheless, this is a topic about which I’ve speculated at length recently, theorizing that October 1, 2021 might be a target date for loosening health safety policies. By showcasing face masks so prominently, it’s possible this is preparing guests to expect masks this fall. Or, more likely, it’s nothing at all…and just me reading too deeply into things.
Ultimately, it’s an interesting early glimpse at some of what’s coming for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary. Notwithstanding our over-analysis, a lot still remains to be seen as to what debuts for the celebration–and when. Even though we’ve been expressing optimism in recent weeks, there’s still a lot of uncertainty about the coming months, and what will be possible by October 1, 2021.
In other words, think of this more as a “save the date” or vague teaser trailer about Walt Disney World’s “Most Magical Celebration” for general public audiences. It showcases some of what’s definitely coming for the celebration, but is definitely not an exhaustive preview of everything that will debut during the multi-year event. In the end, we’re just happy to see something–it’s a relief that Disney hasn’t forgotten about the big event, and doesn’t plan on glossing over it in light of the circumstances of the last year.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of the Cinderella Castle overlay, celebratory character costumes, or icon projections? Are you considering a trip for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary? What are your expectations in terms of new attractions, entertainment, merchandise, food, and other aspects of the celebration? Think Disney has any surprises for the anniversary up its sleeves? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment of the Good Morning America preview of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary celebration? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I’m planning on being there, The Magic Kingdom and EPCOT are my birthday buddies! Except I’m a bit older then that are. Went to WDW that very first year in 1971 and have been back over 35 times since then driving that 17 hour drive from NJ and well worth it. I’ve seen ALL the changes throughout the years. It’s absolutely without a doubt MY HAPPY PLACE!
So you missed one bit of overanalysis – I guess this means all 4 parks will be open at night again !
“I’m no fashion blogger, which is patently obvious from every picture ever posted of me on this site.”
thank you for this.
Who knows what will or won’t be possible (acceptable?) by Oct. as for health restrictions, basically every company and institution is showing how health conscious they are right now and avoiding accusations of not taking the pandemic seriously. If Disney even hinted that they’re rescinding mask mandates by then they were be descended upon by the Twitter hoards for not taking the pandemic seriously enough.
Bottom line: this is their 50th. They’re not going want it to be blemished by social distancing, anxiety, and covered faces if they can avoid it.
My wedding took place with the Pepto bismal cake in the background. I can’t tell you how devastating it was to arrive on site of what was to be one of the most magical, memorable days of our lives and see that monstrosity (with a giant crane sticking out of it, no less). Having that iconic castle in our wedding photos was the only reason we chose that location. Castle aside, it was a magical time, and we were looking forward to returning for our 25th anniversary. We’ll wait and see!
Tom excellent update it was very informative. We are looking at a November trip. My ? Is do you think that Port Orleans French Quarter will be open this year.
Tom, I didn’t realize we’re about the same age – I was also 10 when I saw the cake castle and I loved it. It was also my first (and only real childhood) trip to Disney World so until I was about 17 that was the only castle I knew! And that was a-okay with me. It was funny to get older and find out how many people hated it because it was iconic for me.
@Becky and Tom, it’s funny, because I was 19 when the castle cake debuted, and I was HORRIFIED. My friends and I joined the trend, dubbing it the “Pepto Castle,” and it hurt my brain to look at it. My view has softened over time, and now I enjoy looking back at how offended we were. It’s hard to match the angst of a Disney-obsessed teenager! Lol.
Tom as always you’re assessment is spot on. You did NOT overanalyze but it’s scary to think how much you would have written if the spot went a minute longer.
I’m not sure what people expect them to officially announce this far out? They got the ball rolling and whet the worlds appetite. This 50th is a marathon not a sprint and now that they have our attention we are in anticipation mode.
I like the projections and the costumes and love that EPCOT’s projection is remaining after the event. Should do the same in AK. Now would we be talking excitedly about any of these things if they had upstaged themselves by announcing a new ride or the return of fireworks? The best romance always follows hot on the heels of some solid foreplay.
Let’s savor Disney’s roll outs and Tom’s zealous meticulous analytics.
PS Tom some day you have to cull historical sections from your blogs, add some of those great photos and do a coffee table book.
Hi Tom, I’m booking a trip in December with my best friend. I’m coming from Italy, so I hope things will have changed for the better.. especially for air travel and Covid testing. As part of the EU, I won’t be flying through England ( as they still have strict rules ) this year. I am looking forward to Christmas decorations as well as 50th celebrations. I would like to see fireworks.. but it isn’t as important too me, either is riding the rides.. I just want it to stay open later at night for the lights and atmosphere. Thanks for the news! I’m a big fan of yours. Hopefully we will be there in December
Big fan of the castle cake. Actually own a gum drop that was on the castle!
So excited to see what will be going on during the celebration. We are planning the first week of November!
Looking forward to the lights on Spaceship Earth. As for the castle, something about the proportions of the decorations makes it feel a tad garish. But, I’m judging it from a jaded adult’s perspective. The young ones who have never seen anything like it would probably be mesmerized. Seems Disney has attempted to go more sophisticated overall with the golden anniversary. On another note, how about that Chevy Bolt x Disney ad??
Tom, we’re thinking of visiting December 2021. My question is how crowded do you think it might be?
Debbie, that would depend on when in December. My opinion – it will get more busy the closer you get to Christmas and weekends will busy anytime that month.
This all looks great. How do you think this will impact September crowds. I am really counting on it creating a September pre-celebration lull. Fingers crossed.
who seriously didn’t think the 50th Anniversary wouldn’t be an 18 month event?
After the past financial yea, they are going to use any and all means to get people back over the next 2 years.
I want to come home!! This Covid-19 thing has definitely rained on my parade! I would love to book a trip, but I’m still very sensitive about the changes that have occurred. I’m usually have an Annual Passholder pass. I’m not going to buy another one of those until things are back to “my” normal.
I have to admit, I too gazed up at the cake castle and was overcome with joy! I’m excited about the glitz and glamour of this anniversary. Thank you imagineers! The pictures look awesome!
I’m going to wait until the mask restrictions are lifted. I couldn’t breathe with a mask on it that heat. I was miserable, and that is a very big deal to me.
My personal guess is no. They change the top of the towers to the dreamlights- and I have a feeling that they aren’t gonna mess around changing the tower tops for dreamlights again once they’ve changed them for the 50th. They didn’t change them for 2020 after they painted the castle pink, either.
From a distance, Cinderella Castle looks like it’s a crime scene. Cool!
Teacher here who likes to double check my math …I’m not gonna lie, I counted it out on my fingers, LOL! The 50 year will run through March of 2023, right?
I’m hoping I’m right because we are skipping Disney for 2021. (And visiting our second favorite, but much more relaxed vacation of Dollywood, instead!) I’d still like to make it for the 50th though- although in January or February of 2023 during the “downtime” and tail end of the celebration.
PS, Tom, I was 12 for the 25th celebration and I LOOOVED the cake castle!!!!! I still do! I’m still holding out hope they will revive it just a lllittttttllleee bit with at least a cake projection or a giant, pink, rainbow “throw-back” cupcake in the bakery!
Thank you Tom for the updated information. Looking forward to a last week of September / first week of October visit. But if restaurants wont be open and no fireworks we may move our trip to November/December of this year as those things are important to our visit. How likely will it be by these dates in your opinion? If not back by December we will likely move our trip to late fall 2022 to get the full Disney experience that we so love!
I loved the 25th Anniversary Cake Castle! I was a sophmore in high school on that trip and thought it was so cool that we were there and got pictures of the “special” castle. Although I can’t believe that was 25 years ago!! We’re booked for a Christmas trip this year to celebrate my 40th (+1) birthday, since we had to cancel last year, and I can’t wait!!