The iconic Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse characters stand in front of Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom Park.

Shaking off the shackles of a pandemic that sent business and corporate travel reeling, planners looking for rainbows will find one road to industry recovery paved in pixie dust.

Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is marking its 50th anniversary with “The World’s Most Magical Celebration.” The 18-month event kicked off October 1, offering boundless opportunities for meetings professionals looking to create unforgettable conventions, business meetings or incentive programs.

For a celebration so special, Disney is poised with a slate of new attractions, nighttime spectacles and other magical experiences. Best of all, the team at Disney Meetings & Events (DisneyMeetingsandEvents.com) stands ready to help planners tap it all and connect attendees to organizations and each other. And Disney can make that happen, whether the group is meeting in-person, virtually or as part of a hybrid event.

Corporate travel planners strike gold choosing Walt Disney World, which offers affordability, a diverse portfolio of resort and convention hotels, world-class theme park events and magical, in-park settings ready made for group functions. Incentive planners rave about the allure of the destination and how it motivates performance.

Disney Meetings & Events offers another Disney Difference — a single point of contact for everything a meeting calls for, from venue space and resort rooms, event transportation and catering, to entertainment and networking events. The Disney team can even help with event-exclusive merchandise.

“We’re encouraged by the broad interest we’re seeing across the board with associations, corporate groups and incentives,” says Maryann Smith, vice president of sales, services and events at Disney Destinations. “Planners and attendees are eager to travel again and to engage with one another.”

And what better time for planning a meeting or convention and returning to travel than with Walt Disney World Resort’s 50th anniversary celebration in full swing? Here’s a snapshot of all that’s new and coming to “The Most Magical Place on Earth.”

Maryann Smith, vice president of sales, services and events at Disney Destinations. The resort is touting its benefits as a meetings destination.

All That Glitters

Shining at the center of it all, Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom Park welcomes guests with gleaming gold bunting, sparkling golden embellishments, a 50th anniversary crest and other enhancements inspired by the art of Disney legend Mary Blair.

Expanded EPCOT France Pavilion Serves up New Attraction, Restaurant

The recently opened “Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure” invites guests into the flavorful world of Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award-winning film “Ratatouille.” In this family-friendly attraction, guests feel as if they have shrunk to the size of Chef Remy and are scurrying through Gusteau’s famous restaurant.

Also new to the expanded France pavilion is a delicious restaurant, La Crêperie de Paris, offering both table- and quick-service options. The attraction, restaurant and pavilion expansion are all part of the historic transformation of EPCOT currently underway, bringing a breadth of new experiences to the park as a celebration of curiosity, discovery and the magic of possibility.

EPCOT Nighttime Spectacular “Harmonious” Reimagines Disney Music

“Harmonious,” one of the largest nighttime spectaculars ever created for a Disney theme park, bursts on, around and above World Showcase Lagoon. “Harmonious” features new interpretations of classic Disney songs in more than a dozen languages, performed by a diverse group of 240 artists from around the world. EPCOT guests will marvel at this grand, powerful tribute to the unifying power of story and song, embracing new technical magic that incorporates pyrotechnics, choreographed moving fountains, lighting, massive LED panels and media in new ways. Groups can take advantage of numerous private viewing locations to host unforgettable dessert parties with a fireworks backdrop.

“Disney Enchantment” Lights up Nights at Magic Kingdom Park

Joining “Harmonious” is another new nighttime spectacular, “Disney Enchantment” at Magic Kingdom Park. This evening extravaganza takes guests on a journey filled with adventure, wonder and empowerment. Inspiring everyone to believe in magic, “Disney Enchantment” features stunning fireworks, powerful music, enhanced lighting and, for the first time, immersive projection effects that extend from Cinderella Castle down Main Street, U.S.A.

Beacons of Magic Shine at Walt Disney World Theme Parks

During the 50th anniversary celebration, icons at Walt Disney World theme parks transform at night into magnificent Beacons of Magic, coming to life with their own EARidescent glow.*

• Cinderella Castle illuminates Magic Kingdom Park with a dazzling radiance and pixie-dust sparkle.
• At Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, a warm light emanates from the Tree of Life as fireflies gather to usher in the magic of nature.
• The Hollywood Tower Hotel at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is awash in a brilliance evoking the golden age of imagination and adventure.
• And at EPCOT, new lights shine across the reflective panels of Spaceship Earth, connecting to one another like stars in a nighttime sky and creating a mesmerizing symbol of optimism.
• *Beacons of Magic available nightly at select theme parks. See DisneyWorld.com/50 for details.

Disney is offering a slate of new attractions, nighttime spectacles and other experiences for attendees to enjoy during events.

“Disney KiteTails” Takes Flight at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

New daytime entertainment is stirring at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, as “Disney KiteTails” comes alive several times daily at the Discovery River Theater. Performers fly windcatchers and kites of all shapes and sizes, while out on the water elaborate three-dimensional kites — some stretching to 30 feet — depict Disney animal friends, including Simba, Zazu, Baloo and King Louie. These colorful creations dance through the sky to the beat of favorite Disney songs in an uplifting, vibrant experience for the whole family.

“Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind” Debuts in 2022

One of the most highly anticipated new experiences at Walt Disney World Resort will debut in 2022 as part of the 50th anniversary celebration. As part of the historic transformation of EPCOT, “Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind,” will be the park’s first “other-world” showcase pavilion. The family-friendly adventure features a new storytelling coaster that rotates 360 degrees to focus guests on the action, including the first reverse launch on a Disney coaster. Guests will learn more about the treasures Xandar has to share — until the moment when the Guardians of the Galaxy arrive, and an intergalactic chase through space and time begins!

Golden “Disney Fab 50 Character Collection” Sculptures Appear Across Theme Parks

New “Disney Fab 50 Character Collection” golden sculptures are spread across the four Walt Disney World theme parks in honor of the 50th anniversary. Fifty characters are featured in total, including Miguel and Dante from Disney and Pixar’s “Coco” at EPCOT; BB-8 and R2-D2 from “Star Wars” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios; Simba, Timon and Pumba from “The Lion King” at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park; and Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse — dedicated to Walt Disney World cast members — at Magic Kingdom Park.

Celebratory Food and Drinks Look to the Past for New Inspiration

During its 50th anniversary celebration, Walt Disney World once again demonstrates how food and drinks can be key ingredients for a fun day at The Most Magical Place on Earth. New menu items for the celebration offer nods to the resort’s past, while pushing culinary adventures to exciting new places. These include theme park classics and some of Walt Disney’s favorite items, along with novel dishes and sips full of color, whimsy and a touch of EARidescent shimmer.

See these characters in the “Disney Fab 50 Character Collection” as golden sculptures.

“Drawn to Life” Presented by Cirque du Soleil and Disney

“Drawn to Life,” the new family-friendly show that debuted at Disney Springs on November 18, is an original creative collaboration between Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering. All-new during The World’s Most Magical Celebration, “Drawn to Life” is a live acrobatic journey telling the story of Julie, a determined girl who discovers an unexpected gift left by her Disney animator father: an unfinished animation. As she dives into the inner world of animation guided by a surprising pencil, Julie embarks on an inspiring quest filled with her childhood Disney memories, brought to life through Cirque du Soleil’s innovative design and dazzling performances. For more information, visit cirquedusoleil.com/drawntolife.

Space 220 Restaurant at EPCOT: The “Height of Dining”

In an expansion of the Mission: SPACE pavilion at EPCOT, the new Space 220 Restaurant is a culinary experience offering the celestial panorama of a space station, including daytime and nighttime views of Earth from 220 miles above the planet’s surface. Guests board a space elevator for a simulated journey to the Centauri Space Station, where they experience the “height of dining.” Once they arrive, guests enjoy meals and drinks while taking in views that are truly out of this world.

Walt Disney World Resort is celebrating its 50th Anniversary with an 18-month event that kicked off October 1. Photo by Kent Phillips / Disney

Original Walt Disney World Resort Hotels Add New Pixie Dust

As Walt Disney World celebrates its 50th anniversary, Walt Disney Imagineering is continuing to enhance the storytelling at the meeting destination’s two original Disney Resort hotels, part of the Disney Resorts Collection. The iconic A-frame tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort — Disney’s first convention resort in Florida — is being completely refurbished, blending a sleek Monorail motif evoking Tomorrowland with some favorite characters from Pixar Animation Studios’ “Incredibles” films.

Guest rooms were recently reimagined at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort with a color palette inspired by the Pacific Ocean and its necklace of islands. Their fresh new look draws on the details, textures and patterns found in Disney’s “Moana,” with characters and references to the film’s rich storytelling.

 Walt Disney World Transportation Features New Magic

Groups traveling across Walt Disney World Resort will find that getting around is half the fun. Many of the unique and convenient forms of complimentary transportation received special 50th anniversary décor for the celebration. Guests may ride in sparkling style with new artwork added to select Disney Skyliner cabins, Disney motor coaches and a golden Monorail train. Each Monorail train also features special nighttime enhancements for the 50th anniversary, with the addition of glowing lights that match each train’s specific color spreading magic everywhere the train runs across Walt Disney World.

Mickey, Minnie and Friends Dress for the Occasion

Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto and Chip ‘n’ Dale — otherwise known as the “EARidescent 8” — dress in sparkling new looks, custom-made for this special occasion. Highlights of these celebratory designs include beautifully embroidered impressions of Cinderella Castle backed by fireworks, as well as a brocade in multi-toned, EARidescent fabric — all punctuated with pops of gold. Disney characters will also make appearances at Disney Resort hotels, dressed in their EARidescent best.

To learn more or to book a meeting, visit DisneyMeetingsandEvents.com, or call 321-939-7129. C&IT