Walt Disney World has up to date its official web site to quietly cancel all daytime reveals on the Cinderella Fortress Forecourt Stage. This publish shares dates & particulars of the cancelled leisure, together with our commentary in regards to the possible motivations for this determination past the easy refurbishment.
Per DisneyWorld.com, the entire stage reveals in entrance of Cinderella Fortress have been canceled from now by way of July 27, 2024. At this level, they’re scheduled to renew on July 28. Nevertheless, we’d view that as very a lot tentative for the explanations mentioned beneath.
There are presently two daytime reveals carried out on the Cinderella Fortress Forecourt Stage: Let the Magic Start and Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire. The previous is the morning welcome present that you simply’ve in all probability missed in case you’re on the entrance of the pack making an attempt to do the SDMT Shuffle. The latter is the marquee stage present that’s introduced a number of occasions per day.
For many who are unfamiliar with it, Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire is a reimagining of Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire, with the brand new(ish) model debuting for Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary. It options sequences from Princess and the Frog, Tangled, and Frozen. I want I might inform you extra, however I haven’t watched the complete present since 2022. (Technically, I’ve in all probability seen or “absorbed” sufficient bits and items in passing to have seen it in full a number of occasions over.)
Anyway, each Let the Magic Start and Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire are cancelled by way of July 27, however presently set to return on July 28, 2024. Different leisure in Magic Kingdom is unaffected by the closure of the Forecourt Stage–Pageant of Fantasy Parade, Disney Journey Buddies Cavalcade, and the Fortunately Ever After nighttime spectacular all stay on the schedule.
The official reason for the closure is unclear, as nothing has been introduced by Walt Disney World. Usually, refurbishments are scheduled at the least a number of weeks forward of time except there’s pressing upkeep that have to be addressed. It’s doable that’s the case right here–that they found one thing that wanted to be addressed ASAP earlier than Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Occasion. It additionally may very well be work that must be achieved sooner or later, and Disney views proper now as handy timing for causes we’ll talk about beneath.
To the most effective of our recollection, the Cinderella Fortress Forecourt Stage was final refurbished in Winter 2021. Right here’s our photograph from late February of that 12 months:
Throughout that point, the floor of the Cinderella Fortress Forecourt Stage was eliminated and rebuilt.
I don’t recall how lengthy that took, however it appeared prefer it took a few months. Regardless, that wouldn’t actually be instructive. That was through the peak of the phased reopening when staffing shortages and delays had been commonplace. Not solely that, however nothing was occurring on the stage, anyway. They may take their time.
That may be exactly what’s occurring right here, albeit with a distinct scale, scope and timeline. There have been some experiences from Solid Members that the stage is being refurbished, and it’s doable there’s work that must be achieved earlier than Occasion Season begins. Perhaps we’re getting new results in Hocus Pocus Villains Spelltacular or the fireworks reveals!
My guess is that there’s extra to it than a simple refurbishment. That Let the Magic Start and Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire are being cancelled because of some mixture of the next:
- Value financial savings in disguise
- Decrease summer season attendance
- Performer security
- Excessive warmth and humidity
- Unshaded viewing space
- All performances in broad daylight
- Handy time for a refurbishment
We all know it’s at the least considered one of these items–the final one–as there’s now a refurbishment wall up across the Cinderella Fortress Forecourt Stage. It’s nonetheless unknown what the dimensions or scope of this undertaking is, or why it’s occurring.
Normally when there’s an leisure reduce–just like the latest ones at Disneyland–we stand up in arms about it. We’re staunch advocates of stay performers within the parks, and consider they imbue the areas with power, life, and environment–even in case you don’t cease to observe.
I point out that as a result of it’s not my perspective with the Cinderella Fortress Forecourt Stage momentary closure. Assuming that is being achieved for a mix of the above causes, I utterly get it. Have you ever tried to observe a stage present this time of 12 months? I’ve, and it’s depressing.
There’s a motive I haven’t seen Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire in full for a pair years. The final time I did watch a daytime stage present, I might barely see by the top, as sweat from my brow had blended with sunscreen and was dripping into my eyes. Zero star expertise, not really useful.
I’m truthfully shocked Walt Disney World hasn’t cancelled extra leisure because of climate over the previous two summers, as this can’t be secure for the costumed performers or for friends who camp out within the scorching solar to observe.
Even setting apart security, I ponder what visitor satisfaction scores are for Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire from June by way of July. My guess is pretty low, because the payoff simply isn’t there for climate you must endure. (And I say this as somebody who thinks Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire is cute and a enjoyable providing.)
That is additionally why I feel July 28, 2024 is just the tentative return date for Let the Magic Start and Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire. If the temperatures are cooler by then, they’ll possible return. If not, the closures will in all probability be prolonged.
There’s often a “final hurrah” for summer season journey that spikes attendance (over its present ranges) in mid-to-late July, however that often lets up proper across the finish of the month, with crowds dropping precipitously in early August. So from a sensible perspective, I’m considerably skeptical that Walt Disney World would make an effort to carry again Let the Magic Start and Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire proper at the beginning of the low season. (That’s, except the driving pressure right here is solely an unscheduled refurbishment to the stage itself.)
Personally, my hope is that Walt Disney World begins to get critical about adapting to summer season climate. Florida has all the time been scorching and humid, certain, however it solely appears to be getting (incrementally) worse. We’ve shared our perspective on this lately in Greatest Lesson We Realized from Child Bricker’s Summer time Journey to Walt Disney World.
I’ve additionally complained repeatedly about Imagineering’s refusal to take the Florida local weather into consideration when constructing new lands devoid of shade and indoor areas. Each Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land, for instance, really feel very very similar to lands created by Californians. Designing areas in a different way is an extended sport that’ll take a long time–however hopefully is integrated into these $17 billion enlargement plans.
Within the close to time period, there are answers. The massive one could be pulling from the playbook of Tokyo Disney Resort, which has summers each bit as brutal (typically worse!) as Walt Disney World.
I’ll always remember my first time attending a summer season celebration at TDR. It was a decade in the past, again earlier than data on Tokyo Disneyland was ubiquitous, so I went in with solely a free understanding of what the “get moist” occasions had been all about. I simply knew I ought to put on a poncho and canopy my digicam bag as a result of water was concerned.
All the sudden, Donald Duck grabs a firehose and begins spraying it indiscriminately on the viewers. A person carrying a banana crown dumps a literal bucket of water on friends. You would possibly assume I’m making this up or exaggerating, however right here’s proof:
The summer season festivals at Tokyo Disney Resort are, actually and figuratively, bananas. Though the fruit-themed one was pleasurable, my favourite was Pirates Summer time, which featured the identical hoses and buckets of water thrown on friends, but in addition enormous steins and different appropriately-themed water conveyance mechanisms for soaking the crowds. Natsu Matsuri and Donald’s Scorching Jungle Summer time had been two different favorites.
Like all different leisure at Tokyo Disney Resort, these summer season leisure choices are actually scaled again. However they nonetheless do the “get moist” model of points of interest and have calvacades that drench friends. This 12 months, there’s Baymax’s Mission Cool Down Parade and Splash Mountain Get Soaked, amongst different issues.
It might be superior to see Walt Disney World do one thing comparable. I actually surprise what’s stopping them. Does it come right down to value, or are there fears of visitor backlash over folks getting too moist? It’s one factor with a water trip, as the character of the beast is plainly understood and you must voluntarily get in line for these. Speaking leisure is trickier, and it’s simple for friends to inadvertently get soaked whereas passing in entrance of Cinderella Fortress or no matter.
It’s doable that this works at Tokyo Disney Resort as a result of friends are usually increased data and fewer oblivious to their environment, whereas Walt Disney World has the next variety of first-timers and one and achieved friends. I hope that isn’t the case, and that Walt Disney World provides “get moist” leisure a shot. Or, on the very least, schedule extra after the solar goes down and it’s truly nice to observe stage reveals in unshaded areas!
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Your Ideas
What do you consider Walt Disney World cancelling Let the Magic Start and Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire for the remainder of the summer season season–and maybe past? High-quality with this specific leisure closure given the circumstances, or nonetheless assume it units a harmful precedent? Would you prefer to see Walt Disney World adapt to hotter summer season climate with ‘get moist’ leisure? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions—even while you disagree with us—is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
