Though last weekend saw the start of Mickey and Minnie’s Surprise Celebration at Magic Kingdom, it looks like Disney is keeping the unexpected excitement going at this park, with some new and returning experiences happening at this park right now. From the long-awaited return of a fire-breathing dragon at the Festival of Fantasy parade to the re-introduction of some long-lost friends near the front of the park and even the re-introduction of a time-honored tradition, here are all the surprises Disney has in store for guests visiting the Magic Kingdom!
1. Maleficent returns to the Festival of Fantasy with her entourage
Image: Disney
Last May, Disney followers may remember there was an unfortunate incident during the Festival of Fantasy Parade where the Maleficent float caught fire. Thankfully, no one was hurt during the accident, but the Maleficent parade float was badly damaged in the blaze, and had to be taken out of the parade as a result. Shortly after, Disney made a statement assuring guests that Maleficent would return to the Festival of Fantasy soon, but as 2018 turned into 2019, some became skeptical since it had been over seven months since the dragon’s firey accident.
However, as of this week, the dragon Maleficent has made her triumphant return to Disney’s Festival of Fantasy parade at the Magic Kingdom. The new and improved float looks largely the same was it did previously, but now includes enhanced safety features for the flame effects so history doesn’t repeat itself. And now that Maleficent is back, Prince Phillip, the faries (Flora, Fauna and Merryweather), and the dark ravens have all also returned to the parade lineup, restoring this segment to its pre-accident glory.
2. Daily Pin trading experiences come back to the Magic Kingdom
Image: Ricky Montalvo, Flickr (license)
Though Pin Trading at the Magic Kingdom used to be all the rage, thanks to “Scoop” and other Main Street characters, this type of experience declined in popularity in recent years, and official pin trading events at this park were quietly discontinued.
However, as of this week Disney has brought daily Pin Trading back to the Magic Kingdom, with guests now able to head to Curtain Call Collectibles, (next to the Town Square Theater) to trade during an official Disney event with Cast Members from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM. If this brief daily event proves to be popular, we could see Disney expanding this back to an hour or even multiple times a day, so if you are a pin trading fan, you’ll definitely want to check out this new option at the Magic Kingdom if you are able.
3. Long lost friends appear at the flagpole as part of Mickey and Minnie’s Surprise Celebration
Last week, it was announced that as part of the yearlong Mickey and Minnie Surprise Celebration, a number of “long lost friends” would be meeting guests at the flagpole on Main Street USA. And now that this new event has completed its first week, here’s what looks like current weekly schedule for this new experience:
Monday – Robin Hood and Little John (From Robin Hood)
Tuesday – Gideon and Foulfellow (From Pinocchio)
Wednesday – Remy and Emile (From Ratatouille)
Thursday – Prince John and Friar Tuck (From Robin Hood)
Friday – Judy and Nick (From Zootopia)
Saturday – Phineas and Ferb (From Phineas and Ferb)
Sunday – Chicken Little and Abby Mallard (From Chicken Little)
Image: Disney
Of course, this lineup is subject to change and Disney may make adjustments depending on the popularity of these characters, but for now, this is what is scheduled for the foreseeable future. Guests who want to see some of these long lost friends can head to the flagpole area of Town Square on Main Street USA between 11:30 AM and 4:45 PM from now until September 30th, 2019, when Mickey and Minnie’s Surprise Celebration (and this limited time character experience) is scheduled to come to a close.
Though a visit to the Magic Kingdom is always magical, these new and returning additions are definitely welcome surprises, and we can’t wait to see what Disney debuts next at the Magic Kingdom as part of this year’s surprise celebration!
