For Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary some of the DAPS MAGIC team made the trek to Walt Disney World for The World’s Most Magical Celebration. The trip was built around the plan that the team could say goodbye to some things that were going away at Walt Disney World and then greet the arrival of some of the new offerings.
With that in mind, the travel schedule was structured so that the team could catch the final performance of Happily Ever After. Initially, it was thought that the team could catch the end of Happily Ever After and also EPCOT Forever! However, as the details of the entertainment schedule for the week were released, this ended up not being possible. However, this didn’t mean that there was any shortage of magic to experience.
The team took a red-eye from Los Angeles to Orlando with a brief stop in New Jersey where they could see New York on the skyline. Hours later, they found themselves in Orlando on the Magical Express making their way to Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. There, they would be staying at the cabins for the week (read our review!). Along the way, they were excited to see the decorations that had been placed at Orlando International Airport celebrating the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort.
Having checked into the cabin, it was time to head to the Magic Kingdom for the final presentation of Happily Ever After. To get to the park, the options were a bus or a boat. Obviously the team chose the boat. After a brief drive on the golf cart and a brief wait at the dock, the team was soon cruising to Magic Kingdom.
The first stop once inside the park was the Bakery (aka Starbucks) for a pick-me-up after a red-eye flight with not a lot of sleep. As the java was enjoyed, a couple of cavalcades brought the area in front of the castle to life with music and magic. Between cavalcades, pictures were taken around the side of the castle as the team took in the new decor for the 50th Anniversary.
Once the coffee was consumed and the cavalcades had passed, it was time for a quick ride on PeopleMover! This is always a favorite and often one of the first attractions experienced when the team visits. Of course, more pictures were taken on the way over and also aboard the PeopleMover. One exciting thing to see from aboard that was new is the progress being made on the TRON Lightcycle. It really is starting to take shape and its impact on Tomorrowland becoming quite apparent. It will definitely add an extra futuristic element to the land.
Following the ride through the skies of Tomorrowland, it was time for dinner. This was had at Columbia Harbour House and everyone seemed quite satisfied after a long day of traveling. Along the way, photos were taken of the Haunted Mansion and also Cinderella Castle. However, there wasn’t a lot of time for this as crowds were already starting to form in anticipation of the final Happily Ever After.
Having eaten dinner, it was time to wait for the final performance of Happily Ever After. This would be a multi-hour wait but it was also worth it.
Finally, it was time for the last showing of Happily Ever After. The show was as magical and beautiful as ever. Following the show as the exit music played, guests could be heard singing along. Really, this was also true during the show as well. It really added to the magic as people sang their hearts out.
After chatting with some friends and waiting for the rowds to die out a little, it was time to head back towards the boat dock and the boat back to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. Before doing this, some photos were taken in the Hub. A picture was also taken of George Kalogrids’ new window on Main Street, USA as well. Once back on the boat ride back to the resort, the Electrical Water Pageant could be seen. Once back at the resort, the team watched the entire Electrical Water Pageant and its recent 50th Anniversary additions.
A full night of entertainment over with, it was time to head back to the cabin on the golf cart and look forward to another day full of magic. The first day at Walt Disney World was wonderful but there was a lot more magic in store throughout this trip for the 50th Anniversary of Walt disney World Resort. This will be shown in coming trip reports for this trip.
What do you think of day one of the DAPS MAGIC trip. toWalt Disney World Resort for its 50th Anniversary? What was your favorite part of it? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
