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Magic Kingdom's Let the Magic Begin Welcome Show Not Returning After Castle Work

wdwmagic

wdwmagic

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Original Poster

Magic Kingdom's Let the Magic Begin Welcome Show Not Returning After Castle Work​


The "Let the Magic Begin" welcome show is done as a character experience - Magic Kingdom is moving to a permanent audio-only format at the castle forecourt. This brings it in line with EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom, which have used audio-only rope drop messages.

www.wdwmagic.com

Magic Kingdom's Let the Magic Begin Welcome Show Not Returning After Castle Work

Magic Kingdom's Let the Magic Begin welcome show is gone for good. The character-based castle forecourt performance will not return after the Cinderella Castle refurbishment, leaving an audio-only…
www.wdwmagic.com www.wdwmagic.com
 
H

HuntrixOwlMouse98

Member
To be fair, it was a bit lazy by having the Friendship Fare cast be the ones that opened the park instead of the pre-pandemic era when it had an assortment of pals even when it changed in April 2023 once what was supposed to be the 50th festivities came to an end
 
JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
wdwmagic said:

Magic Kingdom's Let the Magic Begin Welcome Show Not Returning After Castle Work​


The "Let the Magic Begin" welcome show is done as a character experience - Magic Kingdom is moving to a permanent audio-only format at the castle forecourt. This brings it in line with EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom, which have used audio-only rope drop messages.

www.wdwmagic.com

Magic Kingdom's Let the Magic Begin Welcome Show Not Returning After Castle Work

Magic Kingdom's Let the Magic Begin welcome show is gone for good. The character-based castle forecourt performance will not return after the Cinderella Castle refurbishment, leaving an audio-only…
www.wdwmagic.com www.wdwmagic.com
Click to expand...
Probably related to staff cutbacks, Florida's minimum wage law, etc.
 
Brian

Brian

Well-Known Member
They don't want to pay the OT to have the Friendship Faire cast come in earlier anymore, plus they want to keep the later Friendship Faire shows.

Shame, really. Especially when you compare it to the prior welcome show at the railroad station with so many more performers, including Actors Equity Union CMs who were paid remarkably high hourly rates.
 
J

jrhwdw

Well-Known Member
Brian said:
They don't want to pay the OT to have the Friendship Faire cast come in earlier anymore, plus they want to keep the later Friendship Faire shows.

Shame, really. Especially when you compare it to the prior welcome show at the railroad station with so many more performers, including Actors Equity Union CMs who were paid remarkably high hourly rates.
Click to expand...
Then we should have MMFF after Dark then! No Reason MK can't do Castle Shows before the first Starlight!
 
Brian

Brian

Well-Known Member
jrhwdw said:
Then we should have MMFF after Dark then! No Reason MK can't do Castle Shows before the first Starlight!
Click to expand...
That's the trouble. The later Friendship Faire is, the more OT is accrued because the same cast did Let the Magic Begin.
 
jubstice

jubstice

Member
As someone who never watched this particular opening show but was actually an opening family for the RR version, this sucks. I was young when we were family of the day, but I will never forget the smiles and just genuine joy on everyone's faces I saw when we were up there with the characters. When they moved it to the castle, it made it more iconic, IMO, because you were in the park, but you weren't exactly IN the park. The anticipation that was built when the characters would welcome you in set the tone for the day you were about to have. (As well as the money you were about to spend.)

Something something, the world's most visited theme park.
 
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J

jrhwdw

Well-Known Member

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