On October 1st, 2016, the Magic Kingdom, celebrated its 45th anniversary. Thousands of excited guests were in attendance to celebrate the milestone and watch the special anniversary ceremony at the Cinderella Castle stage.
A plethora of Disney characters appeared on stage to kick off the ceremony, and they were quickly accompanied by Walt Disney World Resort President, George Kalogridis, who was received by an audience eager for his words. Mr. Kalogridis gave a moving speech about the past, present and future of the resort, but his allusion to upcoming announcements for the park was the moment that was met with the most enthusiasm. The ceremony closed with a new rendition of the classic Disney song, When You Wish Upon a Star, and attempted to hit its zenith with an explosion of streamers. However, a defective banner that struggled to free itself on its cue possibly robbed the park of its climatic ending.
Regardless of its imperfections, the crowd cheered wildly as the ceremony was closed out, and the Magic Kingdom ushered in another year.
WATCH: Magic Kingdom’s 45th Anniversary Ceremony w George Kalogridis