Disney Plans Big Cuts After its 50th Anniversary Celebration

Disney plans big changes that may make some tourist unhappy.

Disney has a special place in many people’s hearts and the memories. If you breathe air and have been around in the last two centuries, you are bound to have fond memories of Disney. If it’s a Disney movie, a character you fell in love with, songs from the movies or memories from attending one of its many theme parks, there is a certain nostalgia that comes around whenever the word Disney is mentioned.

Disney  (DIS) - Get Free Report has been a mainstay for nearly a century. The company was founded in 1923, and if math class taught correctly, next year would be 100 years of making people smile in the entertainment industry. Not so sure how the ‘new math’ would calculate it, but it still might be 100 years.

Disney has grown exponentially over the years and now is one of the largest entertainment companies in the world. Disney’s theme parks are world renowned, with people and families flocking to attend the theme parks every year. This year was something special, with the 50th anniversary since Walt Disney World Resort opened in Florida.

It's So Hard to Say Goodbye

Even though the party is still going on, the announcement came that with the close of its 50^th Anniversary celebration at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, some things won't be returning.

Disney will not have the Disney Enchantment at Magic Kingdom show returning after its close this season. While some fans might be disappointed that this show will not be returning, Disney followed up that news to alert fans that something new will be coming and to not freak out just yet. Disney will have a new version of the fan favorite Happily Ever After Show.

Disney also announced that the Harmonious at EPCOT nighttime spectacular will not be returning, leaving fans to wonder what the night life around Disney World will look like in the not-so-distant future. Disney again wanted to avoid frantic fanatics freaking out and followed up the closure announcement with the arrival of a new nighttime spectacular, but details were not given yet.

Back to the Routine 

All things must come to an end, and Disney has decided the updated version of its longest running parade at Walt Disney World in the Seven Seas Lagoon will be shutting down as well. The Electrical Water Pageant, which has been running a special presentation for the celebration of the 50th anniversary, will end its celebration and revert to its normal routine. While that does mean the parade is not going away, the celebration is changing back to its normal presentation. Theme park guests who were hoping to see the spectacular now have a cut off time on when they can experience this once in a lifetime opportunity. 

Some of these changes coming might make you lose your shirt, or at least the characters will. Among other changes, the fabulous characters, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, their dog Pluto, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, and crazy chipmunks Chip and Dale were all sporting some awesome threads for the 50th anniversary celebration, and those fab threads are going to the wayside as their iconic clothing will make its return. 

These changes are all likely to occur after the first quarter of 2023. New arrivals are expected to debut shortly after in April 2023. Speculation is still out on how these changes will impact Walt Disney World in Florida. Questions around what will the nighttime entertainment look like, will there be more fireworks, more use of drones and new music are still unanswered. If Disney has taught us anything, it's that to expect the unexpected.