Disney World Celebrates Cast Members with an Amazing Nighttime Show

You’ll see on May’s Magic Kingdom hours, some nights close very early. Take a look at how Disney celebrates it’s amazing cast members here.

Cast Member Party

Imagine a party where Magic Kingdom Park closes early just to celebrate Walt Disney World cast members and their years of service. For decades, honoring service anniversaries has been a tradition many look forward to year after year.

This is a night where honorees gather with their loved ones to celebrate their accomplishments. At this gathering, Disney will observe fifty years of magic in a once-in-a-lifetime party.

Taking place at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts around the globe, Service Celebrations are festivities honoring cast members with milestone anniversaries. This starts with cast members having 10 years of service. At Walt Disney World Resort, Service Celebrations date as far back as the early 1970s.

This month, Walt Disney World Resort will close Magic Kingdom Park early not once but twice to honor cast member anniversaries from 2020 and 2021. On these 2 special evenings, May 3 and 15, it’s all about these special cast members.

Both of these evenings Disney’s Magic Kingdom closes at 4:30pm.

“Service Celebrations are a time-honored tradition that are unique to the Disney cast member experience. It’s an honor and privilege to be part of the team that brings these celebrations to life each year.” -Dar Steward, vice president, learning and development, organizational development, workforce solutions

Planning for a Service Celebration is a year-round endeavor. The cast activities team works with dozens of cast members from all different lines of business. Cast members from food and beverage and entertainment to transportation, to security and beyond, put their heads together to produce a magical evening.

Special Festivities

This includes access to nearly all attractions at Magic Kingdom Park, rows of delicious buffet-style dinner and desserts and multiple DJ parties and character greetings throughout the park.

“It’s a lot of work bringing these events together. However, watching all of our plans come to life and seeing everyone enjoying themselves always makes me teary-eyed with happiness.” -Rebecca Godsil, a project manager behind Service Celebrations and 15-year cast member.

Last night, May 3, was the first Cast Member celebration. Not only did everyone enjoy food, characters, and parties throughout the evening, they were also give a spectacular fireworks display. They enjoyed the following beloved shows: introduction of Fantasy in the Sky, Wishes, and Happily Ever After.

Afterwards, Cast Members watched the entire Enchantment show, too! Which of these shows is your favorite?

What do you think about these Cast Member celebrations? Is it heartwarming, or should Disney do more? Please share your thoughts with us below or on our Facebook Page.