You’re invited to The Most Magical Party of All

Can you believe it’s been almost 20 years since Hong Kong Disneyland (HKDL) opened?

I still remember when they first made the announcement. They’re building a Disneyland so close to us? It was such exciting news.

Just months after Hong Kong Disneyland first started welcoming guests in September 2005, my family went, a lively group of almost 20 people—from grandparents to grandkids—who flew from Manila, eager to experience the magic. Since then, I’ve gone back so many times that I’ve lost count. It’s A Small World coming to Hong Kong, the addition of Toy Story Land, the birth of my favorite Duffy and all his adorable all his friends, the opening of the newest hotel Disney Explorers Lodge, the introduction of Mystic Manor, the launch of The Iron Man Experience, the unveiling of the Castle of Magical Dreams, the creation of the nighttime spectacular “Momentous,” the debut of World of Frozen, plus new parades, great shows, and seasonal offerings—there were always new reasons to keep coming back.

Last week, Super, along with journalists, content creators, and Disney fans from all over Asia and the United States, returned to the Happiest Place on Earth to get a sneak peek at the 20th anniversary festivities. To celebrate two decades of magic, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is throwing “The Most Magical Party of All”—and you’re invited. It will be a yearlong celebration across the resort, starting on June 28.

“Hong Kong Disneyland’s 20th anniversary celebration is a party from day to night,” said Paul Rivet, executive director of entertainment at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.

Things will kick off at the beautiful Castle of Magical Dreams where guests can enjoy “Disney Friends Live: Party at the Castle!”

Rivet said, “It’s a 15-minute concert-style show to get everyone in the party spirit. Think vibrant pop songs, fun, immersive moments, and of course, your favorite Disney characters all in one magical performance.”

Guests will get to see Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Duffy and Friends, and some beloved Disney Princesses in the show.

“Aurora, Tiana, and Belle will make a stunning appearance in their never-before-seen party attire. Throughout the show, you can enjoy not only the upbeat 20th anniversary anthem ‘The Most Magical Party of All’ but two more brand new original songs specially written for this show, performed by our talented live vocalists,” said Christie Evangelisto, creative director of entertainment at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.

We got a taste of the fun, energetic performance that beautiful morning at Hong Kong Disneyland. And it was just the start of our party preview.

Longest parade in park history

Hong Kong Disneyland is known for great parades and for their 20th anniversary, they are introducing “Friendtastic!”—the largest parade in the history of the park.

“Friendtastic!,” one of the centerpieces of this milestone celebration, will last around 30 minutes and will feature 11 new floats, over a hundred performers and more than 30 Disney characters.

It starts with the Mickey and Friends float, followed by “Zootopia,” “Big Hero 6,” “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Turning Red,” “Inside Out,” “Up,” “Encanto,” Duffy and Friends, and the Disney Princesses.

Rivet said, “All of these floats are exclusive to our park. We are thrilled to present several firsts in Hong Kong Disneyland parade history—including the very first Duffy And Friends-themed float along with the ‘Encanto’ themed float.”

That morning, we got to see three of the 11 floats. Aboard a glorious float of swoops, swirls, floral accents, and gold were Mickey, Minnie,

Daisy, Donald, and Goofy as a band—with Mickey live-drumming. We love the little touches—how they pay homage to Hong Kong by incorporating its emblem the bauhinia flower, how each character’s section is dotted with symbols that represent them, and how their costumes match the float.

Mickey and Friends aren’t the only ones getting special outfits for the parade. You’ll also get to see Duffy and Friends and the Disney Princesses in new looks designed to go with their floats.

The “Encanto” float took our breath away. According to Evangelisto, it’s the largest float in the parade. But it’s not just the size, everything about it was stunning: the colors, the details, the surprises.

Evangelisto said, “Casa Madrigal will come to life with vibrant animations including dancing tiles, flapping shutters and glowing doors.”

Red Panda Mei, who is making her debut appearance at Hong Kong Disneyland, made everyone smile as she danced and waved from her “Turning Red” float which had a giant corkboard of memories wrapped around it.

Also making their debut in this parade are Isabela from “Encanto” and Officer Clawhauser from “Zootopia.”

Each float was accompanied by fantastic performers dressed in vibrant colors. Evangelisto said, “We put great effort into every dancer’s costume to complement the custom-made floats and Disney stories. For the ‘Encanto float,’ our dancers are dressed in Colombian-inspired outfits, incorporating traditional elements into the design and colors.”

Visuals are just one part of it. Rivet said, “We all know that music is the heart and soul of any party, and this will be no exception. We’ve created four original songs just for the parade, and each float will bring its own energy with a unique lively score and dynamic choreography.”

We got to hear one of the songs and we have to say, it’s a total bop. It’s called “I Got You,” it’s been stuck in our head for days, we’re obsessed and we can’t wait for it to be on Spotify so we can add it to our playlist.

‘Momentous’

Since it debuted in 2022, the “Momentous” Nighttime Spectacular has been a must-not-be-missed HKDL experience (and one that makes us cry every single time). And yes, it will be part of the festivities. “No celebration is complete without The Most Magical Show on Earth,” said Rivet. “And to make the 20th anniversary extra special, we’ll be presenting ‘Momentous Party in the Night Sky’ created exclusively for this milestone celebration.”

Evangelisto calls it “an immersive 360-degree spectacle like no other.”

They are using multimedia elements including 3D projection mapping, drones, illuminated water projections, choreographed water fountains, flames, lasers, theatrical lighting and pyrotechnic effects, to create a memorable show that you won’t just see at the Castle of Magical Dreams—the magic will spill all the way down Main Street, USA.

Rivet said, “First to appear will be the Fairy Godmother who magically transports the mechanical clock of the Nighttime Spectacular into the night sky. The clock’s chimes remind Mickey that it’s time to get ready for The Most Magical Party of All. Mickey then calls on a few more magical friends, including Tinkerbell, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather to help decorate the Castle of Magical Dreams.”

Evangelisto continued, “Mickey Mouse then calls on his friends Miguel from ‘Coco’ as well as Tiana, Louis, Ray, and Naveen from ‘Princess and the Frog’ for some musical inspiration.”

Then, with the help of Genie, even more Disney friends will join the celebration. Rivet said, “Fairy dust will come together to form a giant 2 and a Mickey head in the sky, creating our signature 20th anniversary logo. This special moment perfectly blends the celebratory spirit of the 20th anniversary with the soaring emotions of ‘Momentous,’ allowing guests to take home heartfelt memories that linger long after the day-to-night party.”

Fashion show

Of course, your Disney friends have fabulous new party outfits for the celebration and we got a first look at them at the “20th Anniversary Magical Red Carpet Party.”

Our favorite Disney characters plus HKDL ambassadors and cast members strutted down the red carpet in a one-day-only fashion show at Main Street, USA as the crowd cheered. It was so much fun. (Seriously, we’d love for Disney fashion shows to become a regular thing at HKDL—it was a blast.)

One of the people who hit the runway was Michael Moriarty, managing director of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. He looked super cool in his special Disney jacket. Moriarty said, “We’re thrilled to kick off ‘The Most Magical Party of All’ on June 28! Our incredible cast members are putting their all into getting everything ready for the yearlong party. This milestone celebration will be filled with immersive entertainment, extraordinary moments, and boundless Disney magic and surprises—we cannot wait to welcome everyone from around the globe to HKDL’s most unforgettable celebration yet!”

What’s a party without a feast? There will be 80 new food and beverage options that you can enjoy at the park and at the resort hotels including afternoon tea party sets, special dinner menus, fresh pastries, fun drinks, vending cart snacks, meal combos, a giant sundae, and other sweet treats.

Want to bring home party favors? Of course you do—and you’ll be spoiled for choice. There will be over 300 all-new exclusive 20th anniversary-themed merch, from apparel and accessories that you can wear at the park to plushies, bag charms, collectibles and cool collabs with other brands. (We love the Hong Kong Disneyland Artist Collection by Daichi Miura—so chic.)

Want a free souvenir? Filipino guests who will purchase a 1-Day Ticket until July 26 will get a complimentary 20th Anniversary SouvenEar Mini Party Hat. Another great memento is the free digital party photo that will be taken by Disney PhotoPass photographers and can be claimed via the Disney PhotoPass Mobile App.

Those staying at the resort hotels can continue the celebration in private with the 20th Anniversary Magical Party Room Pack. If you’ve never tried staying at a Disney hotel, this would be a good time—lots of fun to be had there (you can customize your own 20th anniversary keepsakes) plus you get to have wakeup calls from Mickey Mouse.

What we got was just a little taste of the celebration and we already had a blast. Imagine how much more fun it will be once the real party starts on June 28—it’s going to be magical.

Book tickets through www.hongkongdisneyland.com, Agoda, Constellation, Klook, Rakso and Traveloka.