Walt Disney World Turns 55 Today With a Note From Joe Schott in the App, Castle Remarks and Five Free Stickers

Joe Schott with Mickey, Minnie and friends on the Cinderella Castle stage on the 55th anniversary morning. Photo: WDWMagic

Happy birthday, Walt Disney World. Magic Kingdom welcomed its first guests on October 1, 1971, which makes today the resort's 55th anniversary. Resort president Joe Schott marked the day with a thank-you message in the Disney World app.

WDW News Today reports the message popped up when the app was opened. It reads: "Happy Anniversary, Walt Disney World. Today, we celebrate 55 years of The Most Magical Place On Earth. Thank you for including Walt Disney World in your lives. Here's to the memories we've made together and all that's still to come. Wherever your journey takes you today, make it a magical one!"

Joe Schott beside his 55th anniversary message from the Walt Disney World app. Image: WDW News Today

A few words at the castle

Schott replaced Jeff Vahle as president of Walt Disney World earlier this year. WDW News Today describes him as a 40-year veteran of The Walt Disney Company who started out as a Jungle Cruise Skipper at Walt Disney World.

He was also booked for an in-person moment. Disney's announcement, as quoted by Blog Mickey (WDW News Today ran the same wording), said: "For those planning to attend, the morning will kick off with President of Walt Disney World, Joe Schott, sharing some brief remarks at 8:50 am at Cinderella's Castle in Magic Kingdom Park."

Disney's own word there is "brief." Blog Mickey said ahead of time that it did not expect "a ceremony, show, or other big moment" to go with the remarks, and called it a nice moment for guests who were planning to be in the park anyway.

The remarks went ahead as planned. WDWMagic reports that Schott came out on the castle stage shortly before 9 am to address guests. Characters on stage with him included Mickey and Minnie, Donald and Daisy, Goofy and Pluto, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Jasmine and Aladdin, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, and Tiana and Naveen. Blog Mickey described it as "a brief celebration moment." Both outlets posted video, but neither written report summarized what he said.

Joe Schott on the Cinderella Castle stage this morning, with Mickey, Donald and friends coming out behind him. Photo: WDWMagic

Five free stickers at Magic Kingdom

WDW News Today found cast members at Magic Kingdom handing out five different 55th anniversary sticker designs, and says guests can find cast members to get them. It did not say how long the giveaway will run. The designs:

• Cinderella Castle with Mickey touches and a "Magical 55 Years" banner
• Mickey in a red and white hat with "55 Years of Magic" and the Walt Disney World logo
• Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, Donald, Goofy and Pluto parading past the castle under "Walt Disney World 55 Magical Years"
• Mickey and Minnie with "55 Magical Years" in red and yellow
• A vintage costumed Mickey in front of Cinderella Castle, Spaceship Earth, the Hollywood Tower Hotel and the Tree of Life

Two of the five free sticker designs, photographed at Magic Kingdom today. Photo: WDW News Today

The character parade and Mickey and Minnie designs. Photo: WDW News Today

Opening day cast still on the job

Disney's own anniversary story this week put cast members front and center. On Monday, the Disney Parks Blog introduced two cast members who have worked at Walt Disney World since opening day and had them model the 55th anniversary collection.

Frank, an opening day cast member, in the 55th anniversary hoodie. Image: Disney

Frank is an Entertainment Readiness Manager with Disney Live Entertainment. "Walt Disney World is a place where someone can find a first job, fall in love with the company, and work there for most of their life," he told the blog. Earliene is a merchandise hostess at Disney's Contemporary Resort. "Ah, opening day, I was so thrilled! At the time, I had no idea that I would remain at Disney this long," she said.

According to the post, "The 55th Anniversary Merchandise Collection is available now at Emporium and Creations Shop at Walt Disney World, while supplies last, with select items also coming soon to DisneyStore.com." WDW News Today notes the collection also includes special edition pins and a Cinderella doll, and that a 55th anniversary MagicBand+ is available online and at Walt Disney World.

A lower-key birthday than the 50th

Inside the Magic calls the 55th "a more modest affair by comparison" with the 50th. It points out that the 50th anniversary celebration, "The World's Most Magical Celebration," began on October 1, 2021 and ran for 18 months. Beyond today's app message, castle moment and stickers, the 55th has mostly meant merchandise. That includes limited edition pins for two hotels that opened the same day as Magic Kingdom, Disney's Contemporary Resort and Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, according to WDW News Today. D23 also has a ticketed event, D23 Spotlight Series: 55 Magical Years of Storytelling, which its event page lists as sold out, on Sunday, October 4 at Disney's Contemporary Resort, with a session from Disney Legend Joe Rohde and a Walt Disney Archives look at the Carousel of Progress. Blog Mickey had already said it "anticipated a more relaxed, scaled-back anniversary this year."

As of this writing, we have found no announcement of a multi-month celebration like the 50th's.

Sources

• WDW News Today, Walt Disney World President Joe Schott Addresses Guests with 55th Anniversary Message Through the App
• WDW News Today, Walt Disney World President Joe Schott to Deliver 55th Anniversary Remarks at Cinderella Castle Tomorrow
• WDW News Today, Cast Members Hand Out 5 New Walt Disney World 55th Anniversary Stickers at Magic Kingdom
• Blog Mickey, Disney World President to Deliver Brief Remarks In Front of Cinderella Castle for 55th Anniversary
• Disney Parks Blog, Walt Disney World Opening Day Cast Celebrate 55 Years of Memories
• WDW News Today, D23 Announces Walt Disney World 55th Anniversary Event Featuring Carousel of Progress Presentation
• D23, D23 Spotlight Series: 55 Magical Years of Storytelling
• WDW News Today, Limited Edition 55th Anniversary Contemporary and Polynesian Resort Pins Debut at Walt Disney World
• Inside the Magic, Disney World President Addresses Resort Guests Visiting Magic Kingdom
• WDWMagic, Walt Disney World 55th Anniversary Castle Stage Moment
• WDWMagic, Walt Disney World 55th Celebration Moment Held at Cinderella Castle
• Blog Mickey, VIDEO, PHOTOS: Walt Disney World 55th Anniversary Moment

Image credits: WDWMagic (castle stage photos); Disney (opening day cast member photo); WDW News Today (app message and sticker photos).