NEWS: Disney Releases Dates & Details on Disney100 Celebration

Walt Disney World will soon join the global celebration of The Walt Disney Company’s 100^th Anniversary – 10 decades of creativity and innovation. EPCOT will host this celebration at Walt Disney World, and we’ve got the dates along with some new details of the celebration. Learn more below.

Here are all the details from Disney Cast Member Vanessa de la Vina:

The celebration of The Walt Disney Company’s 100^th anniversary is underway, and I’m excited to share that Disney100 will ramp up at Walt Disney World Resort beginning late September! Throughout the year, we’ve been celebrating the fans and storytellers who have sparked the joy that is Disney over the last century. It’s been so fun to see all of the special surprises at Disney parks across the globe helping fans and families relive beloved Disney memories and experience new, heartwarming stories.

You may have heard that EPCOT will be the center of the Disney100 celebration at Walt Disney World, marking not only a century of magic and innovation, but also ushering in the future as the multi-year transformation of the park wraps up.

So, what’s in store for this limited-time celebration at EPCOT? Keep reading to learn more about what you’ll find starting September 22!

Have you taken a selfie with any of the Disney100 backdrops located at all four theme parks and Disney Springs? You’ll be able to snap a photo with a new platinum Mickey Mouse sculpture in World Celebration with Spaceship Earth in the background. And don’t forget about the dazzling Disney100 Magic Shots and PhotoPass offerings currently available across Walt Disney World.

Be sure to check out the all-new mural at the heart of World Celebration to see how many of the 100 Disney characters you can find in the incredible scene. This expansive mural located along the walkway to World Showcase will feature some of your favorite characters hidden throughout the various neighborhoods of EPCOT. The rest of World Celebration will also be decked out in Disney100 platinum banners and décor.

Mark your calendars because you’ll be able to meet, hug and snap a photo with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in their platinum best in the Imagination! pavilion. They won’t be the only ones sparkling in honor of the celebration. Spaceship Earth will light up each night with special colors and lights accompanied by the Disney100 anthem, a unique rendition of “When You Wish Upon a Star.”

My favorite part of any celebration is the food, and this one won’t disappoint! Sip and savor the tastes of the Disney100 celebration with limited-time food & beverage locations during both the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival and the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays! I can’t wait to sample all of the culinary delights and delectable drinks that evoke new and timeless Disney memories. Check out the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival foodie guide for the full menus.

That’s not the only exclusive food and beverage you’ll be able to enjoy during the celebration! You won’t want to miss out on the purple metallic Mickey Balloon Premium Popcorn Bucket available only at EPCOT during Disney100.

We can’t wait to welcome you to EPCOT to see the ongoing transformation of the park and join the excitement of the Disney100 celebration at Walt Disney World from Sept. 22 to Dec. 31, 2023. And stay tuned for details about even more new experiences debuting during the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival and EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays.

RELATED ARTICLE: UPDATE: Everything Yet to Come at Disney World in 2023

by Chad and Cindy Nykamp

In 2023, Walt Disney World Resort is the place to embrace thrills of all kinds. Exciting new experiences set to debut this year include one of the fastest coasters at any Disney theme park, a new restaurant to savor, the continued transformation of EPCOT, returning nighttime spectaculars filling night skies throughout the resort, and so much more. Learn more below.

1 – New and Returning Character Greetings – All Year

New and returning character experiences are sure to thrill guests of all ages. Fans of Figment will get the chance to hug the long-time EPCOT icon at the Imagination! pavilion beginning in late summer, though no specific date has yet to be announced. Mickey Mouse and friends will also have a new home at Communicore Hall, opening later this year as part of the EPCOT transformation. And, at Magic Kingdom Park, Mirabel from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ hit film “Encanto” will greet guests in Fairytale Garden surrounded by whimsical décor inspired by La Familia Madrigal. These new experiences follow the return of several Magic Kingdom character experiences including Pete’s Silly Sideshow, Enchanted Tales with Belle, Ariel in her underwater grotto, and the return of character dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table.

2 – EPCOT Transformation Continues – Late 2023

This fall will bring even more exciting experiences as part of the multi-year transformation of EPCOT. Guests will be able to explore the wonders of water when Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana opens. This fun interactive outdoor trail offers a chance to play and interact with water as it travels from the sky to the oceans and back again. Along the way, guests learn about the importance of water and discover its playful personality – just as Moana did on her heroic voyage.

Fall will also see the completion of the new World Celebration neighborhood. As the hub of the park, it will feature different gardens that change with the seasons. It will also be home to the new Communicore Plaza and the new Communicore Hall, the latter offering a place to meet Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. World Celebration will also anchor the park’s renowned festivals. It is also where guests will discover Dreamers Point, an inspiring overlook showcasing a statue of Walt Disney called “Walt the Dreamer.”

Guests will be treated to the debut of an all-new EPCOT nighttime spectacular later this year. A dazzling display of music, pyrotechnics, lasers and lighting, the show will feature an original composition and evocative selections from the Disney songbook – all woven together to remind us that we are more alike than different.

3 – Disney100 Celebration – Late 2023

Later this year, Walt Disney World Resort will join the global celebration of The Walt Disney Company’s 100th Anniversary – 10 decades of creativity and innovation. Look for more details to come as EPCOT prepares to host this unforgettable celebration at Walt Disney World.

4 – Popular Ghost Coming to Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom

Also, at the D23 Expo 2022, Josh D’Amaro shared the news that the popular Hatbox Ghost from the attraction at Disneyland will materialize at Magic Kingdom sometime in 2023. I guess there really was room for one more ghost! We’re hoping for more details on this soon!

5 – New Holiday Event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

This holiday season, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will host a brand new nighttime party, Disney Jollywood Nights, on ten select evenings from November 11-December 20, 2023. The separately ticketed event, which takes place 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m., invites guests to experience a glamorous evening full of merry mashups, delicious tastes and sips, iconic throwback characters, and a holiday vibe full of glitz and sparkle. For an extra dose of cheer, the party wraps with the return of the nighttime spectacular, “Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!” The event has a more entertainment-heavy focus giving guests a whole new holiday feel, when compared to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

6 – More Disney Dining Options – Throughout the Year

Later this year, more dining delights will debut, including Summer House on the Lake at Disney Springs and The Cake Bake Shop at Disney’s BoardWalk. Also, coming to Disney’s BoardWalk is a Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs kiosk!

7 -Experiencing Walt Disney World Theme Parks

To experience all that Walt Disney World theme parks have to offer, guests need both valid park admission and a park reservation on the same date. Guests can visit DisneyWorld.com for more information about planning their visit.