Disney Dining Serving up the latest Disney Eats, Treats, News, and More!
This weekend, Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park will be the location of significant changes as the icon of the Resort’s first park is scheduled to undergo major, heartbreaking changes.
Eighteen long months ago, a celebration of celebrations kicked off at The Walt Disney World Resort. There was only one word to describe it: epic. Actually, there were several words that could be used to describe the regal celebration commemorating the 50th anniversary of the opening of Disney’s second theme park resort–the first one on the East Coast. Those words include beautiful, inviting, exciting, memorable, unforgettable, and lavish.
Cast Members were involved in dressing up all four parks for the 50th anniversary celebration of the opening of Magic Kingdom at Disney World. It has been referred to as a “party across the parks.” Disney Parks created a 50th anniversary Foodie Guide to commemorate the occasion, promising that new food and drink offerings would be added throughout the 18-month-long celebration.
Credit: Disney Parks
Disney World chefs offered up a proverbial buffet of edible and drinkable fun–all in celebration of the Resort’s 50 years of welcoming Guests, making memories, and sharing the magic. (But don’t get us started on the 50th anniversary drink that had us questioning our love for The Little Mermaid AND for drinking.)
Magic Kingdom’s beloved icon–the structure at the Central Florida parks that has served as the backdrop for countless family vacation photos, innumerable proposal photos, and candid shots of kids (and kids at heart) caught up in the magic–served as the centerpiece for the celebration at Disney World’s OG park, but not without being completely reimagined with bright blue turrets and 50th anniversary embellishments.
It. Was. Breathtaking.
View this post on Instagram
It was a dream–a wonderful dream come true. But, to quote the Fairy Godmother in Disney’s Cinderella (1950), “like all dreams, well I’m afraid this can’t last forever,” and Friday marks the final day of the 18-month celebration. As such, Disney World has announced plans for the removal of many of the 50th anniversary elements from the parks–including emblems at Cinderella Castle.
Credit: Walt Disney Animation
A tweet on Friday reads, “The WDW 50th décor will start coming down as early as this weekend. This includes the phased removal of 50th anniversary embellishments on Cinderella Castle. Spaceship Earth lights will continue nightly displays, and the Fab 50 statues will stick around for a while.”
NEW: The WDW 50th décor will start coming down as early as this weekend. This includes the phased removal of 50th anniversary embellishments on Cinderella Castle.
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) March 31, 2023
Spaceship Earth lights will continue nightly displays and the Fab 50 statues will stick around for a while. pic.twitter.com/3BYM69SXw8
So while the celebration has been wonderful, it has come to an end–officially, as of midnight Friday night. And anytime something wonderful ends, it’s truly heartbreaking indeed.
