| Disney Enchantment | |
| Location: | Magic Kingdom |
| Status: | Operating |
| Soft Opened: | [1] |
| Opened: | (original) January 11, 2024 (updated; After-hours events only) |
| Closed: | (original) June 27, 2024 (updated; After-hours events only) |
| Previousattraction: | Happily Ever After (original) |
| Replacement: | Happily Ever After (updated) |
| Type: | Multimedia and pyrotechnic show |
| Designer: | Disney Live Entertainment |
| Music: | "You Are the Magic" performed by Kayla Alvarez and Phillip Lawrence |
| Duration: | 15 minutes (original) 18 minutes (updated) |
| Virtual Queue Status: | available |
| Accessible: | yes |
| Custom Label 1: | Sponsor |
| Custom Value 1: | PANDORA |
| Custom Label 2: | Narrator |
| Custom Value 2: | Angela Bassett[2] |
| Custom Label 3: | Show host |
| Custom Value 3: | Mickey Mouse[3] |
Disney Enchantment is a fireworks and projection mapping show that debuted at the Magic Kingdom on September 30, 2021, as part of Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary celebration.[4] Similar to its predecessor, Happily Ever After, the show features fireworks, projection mapping, lasers, and searchlights set to Disney music that extend from Cinderella Castle down to Main Street, U.S.A. The music also includes a new original song "You Are the Magic" performed by Phillip Lawrence (who also co-wrote with Davy Nathan) and Kayla Alvarez.[5]
The original version of the show received heavy criticism from guests and fans alike due to a significant lack of the history of Walt Disney World within the show. Given the criticism of the original version, an updated version of the show debuted on August 22, 2022, with a new opening sequence featuring Walt Disney, Roy O. Disney, Mickey Mouse, and classic park attractions.[6]
On September 11, 2022, at the D23, Disney announced that the show's predecessor, Happily Ever After, would return in 2023. Disney later confirmed on January 10, 2023, that Disney Enchantment would play for the final time on April 2, 2023, two days after the end of Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary celebration with Happily Ever After taking back its place the night after. In October 2023, Disney Parks announced that Disney Enchantment would make a limited return during after hours events at the Magic Kingdom beginning on January 11, 2024.
The show begins with an opening fanfare that includes the movement of searchlights across Cinderella Castle and the park hub, ending with two large firework bursts. The narrator welcomes the audience to "a most enchanted kingdom” where “once upon a time, it all began with a dream.”
An instrumental version of “When You Wish Upon a Star” plays as historical footage and images from the announcement of Walt Disney World's construction in Florida, including Walt Disney from EPCOT film appear across the castle. A large blueprint canvas is then spread out across the castle, cycling between stylized characters, designs, and music from select attractions:
After showcasing of the attractions, Roy O. Disney's opening day speech and dedication follows, the castle slowly transforming into its original color scheme to complement its history and Partners statue was illuminated in the segment. As Roy's dedication ends, a large swarm of Mickey-shaped balloons begins to float from beneath the castle, ascending into the sky. Mickey Mouse, holding onto the final set of balloons, appears and lets go of them, leaping down onto the castle balcony and greeting the guests, reminding them that “they are the magic”.
As You Are the Magic starts to play, a wishing star on the tallest tower transitions the castle into a deep shade of blue. Swirling pixie dust begins to envelope the castle and turrets, illuminating the trimmings in gold. As wishing star fireworks surround the castle, it soon becomes full of color, while showing silhouette animations of various Disney characters. The silhouette of Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother waves her wand, swirling the dust around the central plaza until the Castle becomes a shade of royal purple and gold.
As an instrumental version of The Second Star to the Right plays, the narrator then beckons the audience to “answer the call” of the “magic of dreams come true”, telling them that they’ll be surprised at what they’ll find as long as they believe and let their dream guide them.
Songs featured: "Be Our Guest", "Under the Sea", "You've Got a Friend in Me", "The Silly Song", "I've Got No Strings", "A Whole New World", and "You Can Fly".
The narrator returns to intone that the Magic Kingdom will continue to serve as “a beacon to those with a wish in their heart”, reminding all who enter that “anything is possible” with the magic within themselves. A pixie begins to fly from the center of the castle and up to the tallest tower. It’s revealed to be Tinker Bell, sprinkling her pixie dust over the castle and Main Street, transforming them into gold.
The reprise of You Are the Magic plays, crescendoing in a beautiful array of fireworks and lights. Mickey Mouse walks out onto the castle balcony once more, amazed at the display, before bidding the audience goodbye.
The original version of the show received mixed to negative reviews; some praised it for its technological advancements while others criticized it for not being focused on the attractions past and present of Walt Disney World, Disney movies, or the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World, when it debuted.[7] [8] It was also noted for not having much of a "story element."[9]
'Disney Enchantment's' original edition did not acknowledge the Magic Kingdom or even the Walt Disney World resort, causing mass disappointment for guests who had experienced Disneyland's 50th Anniversary spectacular, "Remember...Dreams Come True", which remains Disney's only fireworks spectacular to fully focus on the past and present of a Disney Park's history rather than animated properties.
The general consensus was that the original version of the show was not an improvement over Happily Ever After, with some reviewers calling the original Disney Enchantment a "bootleg" version and opining that it "fails as a successor."[10] [8]
After Disney Enchantment was revamped to include nostalgic elements of Walt Disney World's history, the updated show received mostly positive reviews from visitors, as while the new additions to the show truly celebrate Walt Disney's vision and 50 years of the Walt Disney World Resort, some argue that the changes could have been implemented sooner.
On October 24, 2023, Disney Parks announced the return of Disney Enchantment in a limited role, running during separately ticketed after-hours events taking place in the Magic Kingdom during 2024.[11] The performance of Enchantment will be in addition to the scheduled performance of Happily Ever After at the conclusion of the park's regular operating hours.[11]