This is a BIG year for the Walt Disney Company.

100th Anniversary at Magic Kingdom

The company is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and that celebration is HUGE. It started in January in Disneyland, but it has made its way to Disney World, too. The anniversary has brought in NEW snacks at the parks, as well as TONS of merchandise, but some announcements about the 100th anniversary surprised us!

These were the announcements we did NOT expect.

EPCOT would serve as HOST for the Celebration at Disney World

We were surprised when Disney announced that the main HOST for the 100th Anniversary Celebration in Disney World would be EPCOT. We might have expected Magic Kingdom, but EPCOT is going to be getting a new 100th anniversary nighttime show PLUS a new lighting scheme for Spaceship Earth.

©Disney

EPCOT is also where you’ll get to meet Mickey and the gang all dressed up in their platinum 100th anniversary outfits. There will even be a platinum Mickey Mouse statue to greet guests at the park.

Learn more about how EPCOT will host the celebration

Character Meet and Greets at Disney World Hotels

Folks who stay in a Disney World hotel might get a nice 100th anniversary surprise in the form of characters showing up at the hotels IN their 100th anniversary outfits. So be sure to look for those special character buses. These meetings are not on a set schedule, so they can turn up at any time!

Looking Good Donald!

When we got a chance to witness these hotel character sightings, they only stayed for about 20 minutes, so you’ll have to be in the right place at the right time to catch them.

See more photos of characters at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Monthly Celebrations at Disney World

Disney World surprised us again by announcing monthly celebrations in Disney World based on specific themes. It all started in April with “Disney’s conservation efforts and the 25th Anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.” Here are the other themes:

• May: “All things from a galaxy far, far away will be featured with an emphasis on Star Wars”
• June: “The delightful Pixar Characters will take fun to infinity and beyond”
• July: “Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and friends will provide ‘swell fun’ for all”
• August: “The Disney Princesses and beloved Frozen Characters take the throne”
• September: “Super Hero adventures take flight!”

Happy 25th, Animal Kingdom!

Much of these themes will be carried out through existing experiences like Movies Under the Stars at Disney World hotels, character caravans, parades, and more.

Here’s More on The Monthly Celebrations

Walt Disney Archives Traveling Exhibition

You don’t have to go to Disney World or Disneyland to celebrate the company’s 100th anniversary, though. You can see rare pieces of Disney history through a traveling exhibition that will include TONS of Disney artifacts from the Walt Disney Archives. The Disney 100 — The Exhibition opened in February in Philadephia, but it will be making its way across the world to give everyone a chance to see it.

©Disney

There will be two Disney100 exhibits traveling to different cities around the world, including Chicago, Kansas City, and other locations across the U.S. A second exhibit will begin in Munich, Germany, and will travel to London and other international cities. Each exhibit will have 250 items on display PLUS a hologram of Walt Disney!

Learn More About The Exhibit

We’re excited about everything the 100th anniversary will bring all over the world and we’ll keep you updated on how you can get in on the big anniversary, too! So stay tuned to DFB for more!

Have you checked out the latest Disney-themed t-shirts in our store? Click here – you’ll want to pick some up before your next Disney trip!

Everything You Need To Know About Disney’s 100th Anniversary Celebration

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How are you celebrating Disney’s big anniversary? Let us know in the comments!