Disney Fans Are Super Confused About THIS — Let’s Straighten It Out

Disney4me · February 5, 2023

Sit down, we’re about to unravel one of the weirdest and most CONFUSING things going on in the Disney parks right now.

Magic Kingdom

If there’s something Disney loves to do, it’s celebrate. They celebrate just about anything and everything — holidays, months dedicated to certain events or groups (like Earth Month or Black History Month), character birthdays, movie anniversaries, and SO. MUCH. MORE. But when those anniversaries and celebrations collide, it can become a confusing mess. That might be what some of you are experiencing right NOW.

Right now, you may have noticed that Disney seems to be simultaneously celebrating a 100th Anniversary, 50th Anniversary, and 25th anniversary. Why is there 100th Anniversary merchandise, when the 50th Anniversary celebration is still going on in Disney World, and on top of that, there’s 25th Anniversary merchandise being released in the parks? What year is it? Are we in the Twilight Zone?!

Slow down, take a breath — we’ve got you covered. Let’s break down what’s happening.

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100th Anniversary merchandise

First — the 100th Anniversary. In 2023, Disney is celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Walt Disney Company. So this is not tied to the anniversary of any of Disney’s theme parks, but rather is a celebration of the fact that the Walt Disney Company itself was founded 100 years ago — in 1923.

This is a HUGE anniversary for the Company as a whole and is being celebrated in Disneyland with new fireworks shows, treats, and more, at Disney World mainly through the release of merchandise, and in other places too (with a special 100th Anniversary exhibit and more). Plus, you can get tons of 100th Anniversary merchandise online too.

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Hello Gorgeous!

So again, remember that this is a celebration that spans various parks but is not focused on the parks themselves — instead, it is focused on the Walt Disney Company as a whole, its start in 1923, and its 100 years of animation and “wonder.” This has been referred to as a year-long celebration — note that it began in January of 2023.

See our FULL PAGE on the 100th Anniversary (and ALL the ways you can celebrate!) here!

Next — the 50th Anniversary. The 50th Anniversary is tied to the celebration of a specific park/resort — Walt Disney World. Magic Kingdom and select other spots in Walt Disney World opened on October 1st, 1971. 2021 marked the 50th Anniversary of Magic Kingdom’s opening and the opening of the Walt Disney World Resort as a whole (though there wasn’t all that much available back in 1971!).

If the 50th Anniversary technically happened in 2021, why is it still going on now?! Good question — it’s because, as we mentioned above, Disney reeeeaaaallllly likes to celebrate. Though the celebration began in October of 2021, it was planned as an 18-month extravaganza, so it’s still going on now and won’t end until March 31st, 2023.

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50th Anniversary Grand Finale Ears

The majority of this celebration is in Disney World, which makes sense since Disney World is the one celebrating 50 years of being open. You’ll find special, limited-time treats, 50th Anniversary merchandise, 50th Anniversary statues (which interact with MagicBand+), and more all to celebrate the special occasion.

And you can find tons of 50th Anniversary items online too!

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Chip ‘n Dale 50th Statue

Confusingly, some 50th Anniversary merchandise has also popped up in Disneyland (because Disney just loves to celebrate EVERYWHERE!), but know that the 50th is a celebration specific to Disney World’s opening in 1971 (not anything related to Disneyland or the Company as a whole).

See our FULL PAGE on the 50th Anniversary of Disney World here!

Finally, we reach that weird 25th Anniversary merchandise you may have seen in Disney World. Wait…if 2021 was Disney World’s 50th Anniversary, wasn’t the 25th Anniversary a while ago? Like over 25 years ago?! Yes…allow us to explain.

WDW 25th Anniversary Mug

Disney World (Magic Kingdom and a few other spots) opened in 1971. That meant that the Resort celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 1996, and celebrate it did. That anniversary is what brought the iconic (both famous and infamous) Birthday Cake Castle design to Disney World.

So what on earth is 25th Anniversary merchandise doing in Disney World right now? Well, look closely at the keychain below. Notice anything? There’s a 50th Anniversary design on the top left of the item! That’s right — they’re stacking anniversaries within anniversaries, like an anniversary inception!

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25th Anniversary merchandise TOO?!

Basically, during the 50th Anniversary Disney released a line of merchandise called The Vault Collection. This celebrates 50 years of magic at Disney World with retro-themed items, some of which have designs that are right out of the archives. The collection is meant to take you back in time through Disney World’s history. And part of that history includes…you guessed it, the 25th Anniversary.

Basically, Disney knows how popular and controversial the Birthday Cake Castle is, and what better way to celebrate Disney World’s history than throwing it back to some of its most…umm…iconic moments! Plus, it gives them the chance to release other 25th Anniversary designs (not necessarily super specific to the Cake Castle) and satisfy all of those nostalgic fans out there.

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Main Street Cinema

So…let’s go over the basics:

100th Anniversary — Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Walt Disney Company’s formation in 1923 (celebrations are across the parks and in other spots too)
50th Anniversary — Celebrates Walt Disney World’s opening in 1971 (mainly in Disney World but you can find items online and in Disneyland too)
25th Anniversary — Celebrates Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary by releasing nostalgic, vintage-inspired 25th Anniversary items, giving folks a chance to celebrate a big part of Disney World’s history

And there you have it! Now, just tack on the 25th Anniversary of Titanic, the 20th anniversary of Finding Nemo, the 25th Anniversary of Mulan, and MORE and you’ve got a look at just how many big events Disney will be celebrating in 2023 (and beyond). How will YOU be celebrating?