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 concerning the doubtless motivations for this determination past the simple refurbishment.
Per DisneyWorld.com, the entire stage reveals in entrance of Cinderella Fortress have been canceled from now by July 27, 2024. At this level, they’re scheduled to renew on July 28. Nonetheless, we’d view that as very a lot tentative for the explanations mentioned under.
There are at present 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 offered 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 total 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 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–Competition of Fantasy Parade, Disney Journey Associates Cavalcade, and the Fortunately Ever After nighttime spectacular all stay on the schedule.
The official reason behind the closure is unclear, as nothing has been introduced by Walt Disney World. Usually, refurbishments are scheduled at the least a couple of weeks forward of time except there’s pressing upkeep that have to be addressed. It’s potential 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 Social gathering. It additionally could possibly be work that must be executed sooner or later, and Disney views proper now as handy timing for causes we’ll talk about under.
To the most effective of our recollection, the Cinderella Fortress Forecourt Stage was final refurbished in Winter 2021. Right here’s our picture from late February of that yr:
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 in the course of 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 is likely to be exactly what’s occurring right here, albeit with a special scale, scope and timeline. There have been some experiences from Forged Members that the stage is being refurbished, and it’s potential there’s work that must be executed earlier than Social gathering Season begins. Possibly 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 as a consequence of some mixture of the next:
- Value financial savings in disguise
- Decrease summer time 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 one in all 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 size or scope of this venture is, or why it’s occurring.
Often when there’s an leisure reduce–just like the latest ones at Disneyland–we rise up in arms about it. We’re staunch advocates of reside performers within the parks, and imagine they imbue the areas with vitality, 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 short-term closure. Assuming that is being executed for a mix of the above causes, I fully get it. Have you ever tried to observe a stage present this time of yr? 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 tip, as sweat from my brow had combined with sunscreen and was dripping into my eyes. Zero star expertise, not beneficial.
I’m actually shocked Walt Disney World hasn’t cancelled extra leisure as a consequence of climate over the previous two summers, as this can’t be protected for the costumed performers or for company who camp out within the scorching solar to observe.
Even setting apart security, I’m wondering what visitor satisfaction scores are for Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire from June by July. My guess is pretty low, because the payoff simply isn’t there for climate you need to 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 believe 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 doubtless return. If not, the closures will in all probability be prolonged.
There’s often a “final hurrah” for summer time 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 convey again Let the Magic Start and Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire proper in the beginning of the low season. (That’s, except the driving drive 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 time climate. Florida has at all times been scorching and humid, certain, however it solely appears to be getting (incrementally) worse. We’ve shared our perspective on this not too long ago in Largest Lesson We Discovered 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 under 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 many years–however hopefully is included into these $17 billion enlargement plans.
Within the close to time period, there are answers. The large one can 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 time 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 unfastened understanding of what the “get moist” occasions had been all about. I simply knew I ought to put on a poncho and canopy my digital camera 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 sporting a banana crown dumps a literal bucket of water on company. You may suppose I’m making this up or exaggerating, however right here’s proof:
The summer time festivals at Tokyo Disney Resort are, actually and figuratively, bananas. Though the fruit-themed one was fulfilling, my favourite was Pirates Summer time, which featured the identical hoses and buckets of water thrown on company, but additionally enormous steins and different appropriately-themed water conveyance mechanisms for soaking the crowds. Natsu Matsuri and Donald’s Sizzling Jungle Summer time had been two different favorites.
Like all different leisure at Tokyo Disney Resort, these summer time leisure choices are actually scaled again. However they nonetheless do the “get moist” model of sights and have calvacades that drench company. This yr, there’s Baymax’s Mission Cool Down Parade and Splash Mountain Get Soaked, amongst different issues.
It will be superior to see Walt Disney World do one thing comparable. I actually surprise what’s stopping them. Does it come all the way down to value, or are there fears of visitor backlash over individuals getting too moist? It’s one factor with a water trip, as the character of the beast is plainly understood and you need to voluntarily get in line for these. Speaking leisure is trickier, and it’s straightforward for company to inadvertently get soaked whereas passing in entrance of Cinderella Fortress or no matter.
It’s potential that this works at Tokyo Disney Resort as a result of company are usually increased information and fewer oblivious to their environment, whereas Walt Disney World has the next variety of first-timers and one and executed company. 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 really 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 time season–and maybe past? Superb with this specific leisure closure given the circumstances, or nonetheless suppose it units a harmful precedent? Would you prefer to see Walt Disney World adapt to hotter summer time climate with ‘get moist’ leisure? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions—even if you disagree with us—is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
