Magic Kingdom 50th Anniversary Plans

[RobbinsDad]

I know we all want more stuff - and there should be. But I'd also be happy with some surprises that didn't involve new attractions, shows, or parades. Remember Year of a Million Dreams? I'd love to see them employ something similar but even better for the 50th Anniversary - like teams of cast members called the 50th Fun Brigade (or something like that), that surprises guests with impromptu "magic". Everybody in line right now at Plaza Ice Cream Parlor gets free ice cream! Resort-guest families being randomly singled-out for a VIP day at the park of their choice. Cast members shooting plush Mickey dolls through arm cannons to the Fantasmic audience before the show. I think it would rule to know there's a great chance that random awesomeness will come my way courtesy of the 50th Fun Brigade (I've said it twice so trademark) during my visit this year.

 

[Kman101]

I know we all want more stuff - and there should be. But I'd also be happy with some surprises that didn't involve new attractions, shows, or parades. Remember Year of a Million Dreams? I'd love to see them employ something similar but even better for the 50th Anniversary - like teams of cast members called the 50th Fun Brigade (or something like that), that surprises guests with impromptu "magic". Everybody in line right now at Plaza Ice Cream Parlor gets free ice cream! Resort-guest families being randomly singled-out for a VIP day at the park of their choice. Cast members shooting plush Mickey dolls through arm cannons to the Fantasmic audience before the show. I think it would rule to know there's a great chance that random awesomeness will come my way courtesy of the 50th Fun Brigade (I've said it twice so trademark) during my visit this year.

I liked "Several Years" of a million dreams. I'd like something similar too. But they have a hard time giving anything away anymore it seems. They barely can give anything out to passholders that isn't a magnet. But it'd be a nice gesture. There's SO much they could do, even just on a regular basis.

They just don't treat WDW like a locals park like they do the other Disney parks. I wish they did. They used to.

 

[CanadianGordon]

I still have one of the 25th anniversary glasses from McDonalds. 50 is a big one. It should be celebrated as such.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I want something grand Disney. 50 things is a great start. But if they're all cupcakes and parties then count me out. I want a new nighttime parade, not PTN, something new and original to WDW.
I want new shows, I want new attractions, and I want to see the parks shine and sparkle.

Shine and sparkle like Disneyland did for its 50th? What Matt Ouimet did for that was amazing, and I'm still not sure how he got the green light for all the work that was done on his watch. But without someone like him pushing, and with the current managerial culture of "cost containment"... Let's just say that despite my dreams of a grand 50th celebration for the Magic Kingdom, like those of yesteryear, my expectations are quite low. I hate to be Johnny Raincloud, but we need to all remember TDO's motto - "They're tourists... whadda they know?".

 

[TTA94]

I still have one of the 25th anniversary glasses from McDonalds. 50 is a big one. It should be celebrated as such.

I hope so to! I’d love if McDonald’s joins in again for the 50th.

 

[TTA94]

Yep, they know they can get away with not doing much. I think they do feel some sort of pressure to make it seem big for the 50th but how far they'll go remains to be seen. We know how cheap they can be, lol.

I imagine D23 2019 could be interesting. Let's hope anyway. Though I think we all expect too much of the D23 Expo (even though it should, IMO, be used to promote projects, it always feels a bit of a letdown, for various reasons - we know about most of what's coming so the excitement is no longer there, it's old news to us)

Honestly I had thought they should bring the D23 expo to Orlando and focus on the 50th.

 

[brb1006]

I think we should all have our expectations in check. We know most of what we're getting (besides maybe some refreshes to attractions that WDW seems to like to put off or decline doing or shifting the funding). I think we set ourselves up to be disappointed and outraged. Expect nothing and hopefully we can be a little surprised.

I know this whole thread is a discussion of this, but what would most of you consider "appropriate" for a celebration? I mean, no one is ever going to be 100% satisfied with what they do.

For me it would simply be a light parade not called Paint The Night. I don't want a clone. I'm sick of clones. I want unique things. I don't mind certain rides being clones here and there, but why do three parks need a Paint the Night parade? It's not THAT great.

Also I need some ride refreshes. Although they failed with Pirates and Flights of Wonder-into-UP, imho, (they could have done a much better job on both) so I hesitate to want them to touch anything. They can't even seem to bring themselves to give us the Big Thunder updates that have been in the other parks for several years now.

They failed giving us a true Space Mountain overhaul nearly a decade ago.

Again, I say we keep expectations in check ...

That being said I wish they would go all out with the 50th. We'll see how they promote it and what they do. I personally think decorating the castle is overrated (I didn't like Disneyland's 60th decor on the castle, sorry folks, it was tacky and a lot of their castle is still damaged). If they don't decorate it, does it make the celebration a "failure"? Just curious what some would consider a "hit" or a "fail" in terms of a promotion.

I love how Tokyo's Cinderella Castle only had small amount of decorations during their 30th Anniversary.

 

[TTA94]

I love how Tokyo's Cinderella Castle only had small amount of decorations during their 30th Anniversary.

I think it would be cool to have this but all over the castle.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Any stuff they put on the castle means they can't use HEA projections unless they re-map it. Same if they do a brand new show, they'd have to map whatever stuff they glue onto the castle to make the mapped projections work.

This leads me to guess that there won't be anything tacked onto the castle for the 50th.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Any stuff they put on the castle means they can't use HEA projections unless they re-map it. Same if they do a brand new show, they'd have to map whatever stuff they glue onto the castle to make the mapped projections work.

This leads me to guess that there won't be anything tacked onto the castle for the 50th.

I expect decorations but not...tumors.

 

[TTA94]

I expect decorations but not...tumors.

So a painted on castle cake?

 

[TTA94]

Any stuff they put on the castle means they can't use HEA projections unless they re-map it. Same if they do a brand new show, they'd have to map whatever stuff they glue onto the castle to make the mapped projections work.

This leads me to guess that there won't be anything tacked onto the castle for the 50th.

True, but if there will be a new 50th show then it would have to be re-mapped anyway.

 

[MisterPenguin]

True, but if there will be a new 50th show then it would have to be re-mapped anyway.

Not really. A new show is indeed work on new animation, but they already have the castle mapping done. They know its contours and its colors so that a projection 'corrects' for that.

Tumors on the castle means a new mapping as well as new animation. It means that anything and everything from HEA needs to be reconfigured if they use it on the newly tumor-ed castle. It means that once the 50th anniversary is over, they can't switch back to HEA or do any new show unless they remove the tumors (and we all know how WDW loves to keep their tumors in place well after the celebration is over).

Not to mention making the Dream/Frozen Lights fit on any tumors...

 

[ToTBellHop]

Not really. A new show is indeed work on new animation, but they already have the castle mapping done. They know its contours and its colors so that a projection 'corrects' for that.

Tumors on the castle means a new mapping as well as new animation. It means that anything and everything from HEA needs to be reconfigured if they use it on the newly tumor-ed castle. It means that once the 50th anniversary is over, they can't switch back to HEA or do any new show unless they remove the tumors (and we all know how WDW loves to keep their tumors in place well after the celebration is over).

Not to mention making the Dream/Frozen Lights fit on any tumors...

Yes to all. It’s not worth the sacrifice.

 

[TTA94]

Not really. A new show is indeed work on new animation, but they already have the castle mapping done. They know its contours and its colors so that a projection 'corrects' for that.

Tumors on the castle means a new mapping as well as new animation. It means that anything and everything from HEA needs to be reconfigured if they use it on the newly tumor-ed castle. It means that once the 50th anniversary is over, they can't switch back to HEA or do any new show unless they remove the tumors (and we all know how WDW loves to keep their tumors in place well after the celebration is over).

Not to mention making the Dream/Frozen Lights fit on any tumors...

So really the only thing they could do is repaint the castle, paint on decorations or “wrap” the castle/turrets (like wallpaper) keeping everything the same shape mostly.

 

[MisterPenguin]

So really the only thing they could do is repaint the castle and or paint on decorations or “wrap” the castle/turrets (like wallpaper) keeping everything the same shape mostly.

Even a repaint would be problematic for projection mapping, although, not as much as changing its shape.

E.g., if a turret top is dark blue, then the projection on that section of the castle accounts for that and adjusts color and brightness. If you then repaint it gold, then the projection has to re-colorize and re-light that section for how the bright yellow and higher shine will affect the projection at that spot.

A paint job, though, it a lot easier to account for than physical alterations which warp the image.

Since they have the projectors and they have the castle mapped, it'd just be easier to project a 50th celebration than to physically alter the castle. During the day, they can have banners that roll up at night. There is no law that says the castle must be physically altered for an anniversary celebration.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Even a repaint would be problematic for projection mapping, although, not as much as changing its shape.

E.g., if a turret top is dark blue, then the projection on that section of the castle accounts for that and adjusts color and brightness. If you then repaint it gold, then the projection has to re-colorize and re-light that section for how the bright yellow and higher shine will affect the projection at that spot.

A paint job, though, it a lot easier to account for than physical alterations which warp the image.

Since they have the projectors and they have the castle mapped, it'd just be easier to project a 50th celebration than to physically alter the castle. During the day, they can have banners that roll up at night. There is no law that says the castle must be physically altered for an anniversary celebration.

Or they could fasten 50,000 balloons every morning and let them float away each evening just before SpectroMagic2.0.

 

[TTA94]

Or they could fasten 50,000 balloons every morning and let them float away each evening just before SpectroMagic2.0.

In a WDW fans dream lol.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Maybe it's just me, but I love list like this. While I know there is a whole rumor thread (and website), I also like this here in it's own way to keep track of possible things for the 50th. I think it would be neat to see these things (and possible updates to it over time) categorized. I am certainly not the person to do it, but I was thinking categories like:

Under Construction [16] - Tron Coaster, GotG Coaster, Space Restaurant, Rat ride, Star Wars Land + rides, Mickey and Minnie railroad, NBA experience, Skyliner, Coronado Tower, Riviera Tower, refurb of tomorrowland facades, Club 33, Star Wars Resort

Permits or Confirmed by Insiders [13] - New Nightime Parade, Illuminations New Show, new China Film, New Cirque Show at Disney Springs, Circle of Life Replacement, Refreshed France Film, new fireworks show (wasn't sure, and was too lazy to look it up), New Swan and Dolphin Hotel (but does it count), Carousel of Progress Update, Lightning McQueen Show, Spine Renovation{3}

Currently Blue Sky Concepts [12] - Speedway Update, WOL rumored replacement(2), Brazil, Mary Poppins ride [wasn't sure where to put this}, Ride/Attraction at DHS/DAK, People Mover update, Seas with Nemo Update, New Resort, Project 89, Living with the Land Update, replacement for a show at Hollywood Studios, Stich Replacement

Not likely to finish by 50th [8]- Launch Bay replacement, Yeti Fixed, Coco Overlay, Star Tours Replacement, New Monorails (I imagine this has a better shot than I give it but I kind of put it here hoping someone corrects me), Path of the Jedi Replacement, New Hub show at HS

Wishful thinking [10] - Thunder Mountain Third Lift, Hatbox Ghost, spaceship earth update, Fantasmic! Update, Primeval Whirl Replacement, Nemo Theater replacement, rivers of light update/replacement, tough to be a bug replacement, new slide at blizzard beach, 50th parade

Signs point to...maybe [3] - Small world adds Disney characters, Jungle Cruise adds movie tie in, Pixar short film replacement)

etc... Again, I am not the best for this, as I know I have things wrong and missed things already, and I might be the only one that would find this interesting in parallel to the rumor threads/websites.

Yeah, somebody should definitely do something like this.

 

[gamblepsu]

Yeah, somebody should definitely do something like this.

Maybe even pin it....