So if you were there yesterday for the 50th, what did you think?

[Master Yoda]

I have not seen a thread like this.

If there was one, I apologize. Mods can delete.

I was there yesterday for the 50th. I was so excited.

However as I arrived at MK and waited for an hour to see the spectacle, I realized, I had played this wrong. WDW
did not have much planned aside from merch.

It really felt like it was all about selling the merch and not about anything magical in the park. I mean seriously very few things happened that were special. This was the parks 50th anniversery! Seriously?

Thousands of folks arrived early all expecting something special. What did they get? A special map? A really blah poster as they left?
Both were appreciated but where was special entertainment?

The only thing special about the 50th was that CM's were standing outside stores taking names and numbers for virtual cues. So the 50th was about getting there early so you could buy stuff?

Look I love Disney but this was so un-Disney. Co-Vid should not be an excuse at all. It was business as usual. they did not hardly try to make yesterday feel special.

So it is true they had all the princesses do a cavalcade, they had them wave to crowds in front of the train station, and that was appreciated. But that was about the only thing

They had folks standing shoulder to shoulder without masks all the way from the front of the stage to the train station, but they did not do any special character meet n greets, because Co-Vid?

They did caravans and not any special parade? It was everything October 2nd would be.

The welcome show was underwhelming, and there was very little that made me think it was worth all the effort I had made to be there for the actual 50th anniversery .I 100% believe it was the welcome show they will present the next 18 months.

It was really about standing in line to buy merch.

Great from a business perspective, but sigh....the magic was not there. No way to defend this.

I was there for the 1st and thought the exact same thing.

Having been to Epcot's 25th, 30th, and 35th, as well as MK's 45th, MK's 50th was a huge letdown. There was literally nothing special about the day at all outside of a map, a poster, and merchandise lines that stretched on for hours.

It will be a long time before we ever make a special trip for a Disney park anniversary again.

 

[GuyFawkes]

Couple of thoughts.

When isn't Disney celebrating something with a number? Seriously what year isn't the year of whatever? When don't they have a special cup or something like that with a number on it?

I don't want to carry a cellphone into a theme park. It's annoying to me to carry it around. I don't carry a cellphone around with me in real life either, I have one but better give me a while to get back to you. Business wise there is nothing that needs my attention that second.

 

[Figments Friend]

I returned home a couple of days ago after spending about a week and half in Florida.
Part of that time was visiting the Parks, including the Magic Kingdom on October 1st.
For 20+ years i have been saying that when the 50th rolls around, i WILL be there that day in the Park.
I turned 50 this year, too.


I was quite disappointed that the day was for the most part was just like any other.
No special 'ceremony' or real acknowledgment of it being the Properties' 50th.
The special Guide Map and mini poster were nice, but i was expecting a bit more to give it a 'celebratory' feel that day.
There really should have been some kind of 'opening' recognition....or a effort to step up the norm.

The focus of the day for most of the people i observed was to just hoard merchandise.
That was the only tip off it was October 1st really...the massive lines and crowds of people trying to get into certain shops.
Each their own, but it would have been nice to see a bit more focus on enjoying the day instead of another 'resellers run'.

I had a good time regardless...and can say 'i was there'!
Glad i did it, but it was slightly bittersweet.

Highlights were by far Spaceship Earth's 'Beacons of Magic' ....the 'glowing' Monorails, and the awesomeness that is the love Electrical Water Pageant received.
Amazing to me that this Show has managed to survive all this time, with cut backs and other mishaps that come and go.
Seeing that go by, with the 50th Anniversary additions to the units was nothing short of magical.
Cinderella Castle also looking mighty nice at night time with it's own 'EARidescent' glow.

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