With Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration underway, the parks aren’t the only place to join in on the festivities! Even your favorite DVC resorts are taking part in the celebration. Let’s take a look around some of the DVC resorts to see what kinds of special offerings they have.
Treats
Walt Disney World’s bakeries seem to come up with specialty cupcakes for every holiday and occasion, and the 50th anniversary celebration is no exception. Nearly every resort has its own take on a celebration cupcake with the ubiquitous EARidescent color scheme. The 50th anniversary Mickey EARidescent cupcake from Gasparilla Island Grill at the Grand Floridian had vanilla cake with a lemon curd filling, and a blueberry mousse dome in lieu of buttercream. It was almost too pretty to eat, but the cake was very moist and rather buttery. The lemon curd and blueberry mousse added a bit of tartness to balance out the sweetness of the cake.
Then there are some classic treats that got a little fancied up for the 50th, such as my favorite peanut butter pie that can normally be found at Contempo Cafe at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. This 50th anniversary peanut butter banana pie has the same buttery crust but has a hint of banana and a nice layer of chocolate on top along with some chocolate decorations. The peanut butter flavor is more subtle in this version of the pie, but it was still a good treat.
Even my basic Mickey Mouse sundae at the BoardWalk Ice Cream Shop was given the EARidescent treatment with specially colored Mickey sprinkles. It was adorable!
Scavenger Hunt
Many of the DVC resorts, including the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Beach Club, and BoardWalk, have a Magic Kingdom Attractions Scavenger Hunt that is themed after the old ticket books that were used when Walt Disney World first opened in 1971. I found the scavenger hunt by inquiring at the front desk of the Beach Club. The clues on the back of the sheet describe eight opening day attractions. By searching around the resorts, you’ll find signs that match these attractions to their ticket type (A, B, C, D, or E). Those letters are then used to complete the phrase on the bottom of the page. While there is no prize for the game, it is a fun way to explore the resorts and learn a little Disney history.
Merchandise
Alex and Ani jewelry, pins, and lanyards at the Boutiki at the Polynesian 
Men’s shirt, ear hat, chocolates, popcorn, pens, Minnie ears, and calendar at Bay View Gifts at the Contemporary 
Wishables at Bay View Gifts at the Contemporary 
Kids’ t-shirt at Bay View Gifts at the Contemporary 
Adult sweatshirt at Bay View Gifts at the Contemporary 
Kids’ hats, hoodie, jacket, fanny pack, and ear hat at Bay View Gifts at the Contemporary 
Cardholder, patch, hat, adult t-shirt, kids’ t-shirt, and onsie at Bay View Gifts at the Contemporary
The best selection of 50th anniversary merchandise is at the Emporium at Magic Kingdom or World of Disney at Disney Springs, but some of the resort gift shops do offer a small selection of merchandise. Bay View Gifts at the Contemporary had one of the larger selections out of the resort gift shops, with several t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, ears, and more. Other gift shops, such as Boutiki at the Polynesian only had a few 50th pins and Alex and Ani jewelry. Then over at the BoardWalk Screen Door General Store and Beach Club Marketplace, there was nothing in terms of merchandise–just treats.
Decorations
Throughout the resorts, there were subtle nods to the 50th, such as banners and welcome mats with the anniversary logo. Even some of the window displays at the Grand Floridian were decorated for the 50th.
Electrical Water Pageant
If you are staying at one of the Magic Kingdom DVC resorts like the Grand Floridian, Bay Lake Tower, the Polynesian, Copper Creek, or Boulder Ridge, you’ll notice that the nostalgic favorite Electrical Water Pageant has a nice new addition. In honor of the 50th anniversary, there is a new castle float. You can even hear the 50th anniversary theme song, “The Magic Is Calling,” play during this new part of the pageant.
If you’ve already visited during the 50th anniversary, what is your favorite part of the celebration at the resorts?
