New Yorkers awoke to a three story tall ice castle looming in the middle of Times Square. There wasn’t an overnight ice age renaissance, but instead it was all part of the huge announcement on Good Morning America for Disney’s 2013 promotion. Limited Time Magic will be miniature week long celebrations held at all Disney parks each week, all year long. Like the ice castle (a replica of Cinderella’s Castle at Walt Disney World in Orlando), the time of each celebration will be short, but the fun and memories that they will provide will last a lifetime.
Each week, The Disneyland Resort in California and the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando will feature extra sprinklings of Pixie Dust induced magic that will last just a short time. The promotion is described as “52 weeks of magical surprises”. Beginning in January 2013, each week will celebrate something different. You may have special themes for the week of Valentines Day, there will be a Villains week, and other special surprises that Disney wants to keep hidden for now.
According to the official Disney Parks Blog here’s just a tidbit of what you can expect at this year long magical celebration:
- True Love: Celebrate romance and enchantment throughout Valentine’s Week with special moments and entertainment geared to lovebirds. Disney Princes join their Princesses to meet park guests in special settings, prix fixe menus turn up at select restaurants and Valentine’s collectibles will be offered for the week.
- Independence Week: It’s red, white and blue as Disney Parks salutes America with a 4th of July Fireworks Party — for an entire week, with patriotic lighting bathing the Disney castles on both coasts. Mickey Mouse appears in his patriotic finest and guests will find special USA shirts, Ear Hats and other limited-edition souvenirs.
- Long Lost Friends Week: Lesser-known Disney characters will move from the shadows to the spotlight meet-and-greets on both coasts. Photo opps with characters that could include Flik, Clarabelle Cow, Remy, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum will surprise and delight guests. And Disney guests even have the chance to vote online for which characters they want to see.
- Pirate Week: Why talk like a pirate one day when you could celebrate these scalawags all week long? The adventures of Jack Sparrow come to life like never before during a bicoastal buccaneer bash in which Disneyland and Walt Disney World become pirate-palooza: pirate bands, pirate meet-and-greets and more.
- Dapper Dans Sing Boy Bands: The Dapper Dans, the iconic quartet from Main Street, U.S.A., will add a special finale to their show, claiming the title of the “Original Boy Band” and delivering a medley of hits from One Direction, *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.
- Unleash the Villains: Friday the 13th in September 2013 is a special day, so Disneyland park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are staying open until the 13th hour (1 a.m.). Maleficent, Captain Hook, Jafar and other Disney Villains host a dance party, complete with limited-edition collectibles and other nighttime mischief.
- Golden Horseshoe Revue: The fabled Frontierland show returns to Disneyland park for one month only, bringing back the corny jokes and enduring songs that were often enjoyed by Walt Disney himself.
And that’s just a fraction of the surprises that await guests next year as they make Disney parks their vacation destination.
Disney wanted to make a lasting impression, so they constructed a fleeting winter wonderland right in the middle of Times Square. They used over 45,000 pounds of ice to build the 3 story castle, which will stay where it’s at until nature decide it’s time for it to go. For more pictures, visit the official Disney Parks Blog.
Limited Time Magic kicks off January 1st 2013 and will feature tons of new surprises every week! Stay tuned for the latest information.
For more, including tickets, visit the official Disney website!
