When my family and I visit Magic Kingdom Park, we like to get there early. Not only is it a great time to catch the most popular attractions with little or no waiting, but we get to see one of our favorite shows – the Magic Kingdom Welcome Show.
This once-a-day happening takes place in front of Main Street Station 10 minutes before the park is even open. The gathering crowd is greeted cheerily by some of the citizens of Main Street, U.S.A., led by Mayor Weaver (or sometimes Chief Smokey Miller or Scoop Sanderson), who all serenade us with a chorus of “Good Morning.” Before long, one of the steam locomotives of the Walt Disney World Railroad comes puffing down the track to “Casey, Jr.” The Engineer waves enthusiastically from the cab, excited to see everyone and to be bringing in a trainload of many of our favorite Disney characters.
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According to Show Director Tara Anderson, “We have the Mayor and the other citizens and the characters, but we really can’t open the park until we have the help of the guests. They make that magic that truly opens the park.”
The excitement on my boys’ faces as Mickey and the gang come riding in on the train is absolutely priceless. When they get to join in the countdown to launch the pyro and streamers to officially open the park, it’s one of those quintessential Disney moments that just gives you goose bumps. Next thing you know, we’re off to fly with Peter Pan, explore the Hundred Acre Wood with Winnie the Pooh or get caught up in any number of other adventures.
It’s a great way to start the day!
Comments
I’ve been to WDW so many times and I haven’t seen the show. I won’t miss it on our next trip.
Can you tell me if the show is performed earlier when the park opens earlier for Extra Magic Hours?
I have only seen the show once, but that was for the 40th anniversary of Walt Disney World! That was a special day for both me and my wife. The crowd was huge, but it was worth every minute of it.
I loved seeing this for the first time when I was 35 years old. It just goes to prove, it doesn’t matter how many times you have been to the parks, or how old you are…there is always Disney Magic waiting for you.
Love the Welcome show…usually watch this and also the Trolly show on Main Stree USA…. Makes “Walking down Main Street USA” always special….
Even if going to the MK is a once in a lifetime trip you should be sure to catch these two shows as memories of them will last a lifetime!
I love this show! It’s also the only Magic Kingdom in the world to have an opening of that scale too! As for David’s comment, there’s still 7think lands (sorta): 1) Main Street 2)Adventureland 3)Liberty Square 4) Frontierland 5)Fantasyland 6) Tomorrowland 7) Storybook Circus. Ok, so that last one is a work in progress. =)
I love the opening show! The rope drop is the best way to start off the day!
This is one of my favorite shows in the whole resort. It really makes me feel like I’m stepping into the magic. I’ve seen different videos on YouTube of this show and it makes me want to go back every single time!!
First of all, this is a great show! However, I’m curious – are they going to be changing the show soon? The castle no longer leads the entrance way to 7 lands and more…
The 1st time I saw this show I cried like a baby. It really was a dream com true!
It is a wonderful show. We enjoy it it each visit. It was even more magical in Oct 2010 when we were chosen to be the family to open the park. We still talk about this experience today. My daughter, she was 5 at the time, still talks about the next time we open park.
The first time we went to WDW I didn’t know about this but between the first trip and the second I saw a mention of it here, on the Disney Parks blog.
The kids absolutely loved it and I thought it was a great way to kick things off.
At least when we were there, those first 30-60 minutes of the day in the Magic Kingdom are very strange because there was no one in the park yet. I remember walking around future land and we were the only people there. We got to the princesses when they opened their doors and my daughter got extra time with all three and got a picture with all three together just because there was no one else waiting so … why not? (Another example of how Disney cast members focus on the guest!)
I love Magic Kingdom first thing in the morning, last thing at night … oh yeah, and everywhere in between too.
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