Mickey’s PhilharMagic has been entertaining guests since 2003. Now the rumor has begun that Disney is looking to update the show’s content during 2021. Which obviously makes sense considering it is Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary. Even if Jim Hill didn’t mention a possible update to Mickey’s PhilharMagic. Most hardcore Disney parkgoers would recognize Mickey’s PhilharMagic would eventually be updated. The rumor makes a ton of sense, and it is odd that there hasn’t been more attention to it. Especially since Disney could add new properties like Tangled, Frozen, and Moana into the mix. Those are some of the properties that are rumored. Yet anything could happen with this rumor.
WDWMagic message boards have been rumoring this for a while. The change would update an already beloved show. Even though some of the charm of Mickey’s PhilharMagic was seeing the Disney 2D animated era films in the (at the time) new 3D animation. Yet, infusing it with new properties could make it a good show.
So here are my current thoughts on this rumor. Even though this rumor is so far away from even happening. This rumor doesn’t upset or bother me. This one isn’t really bizarre. It’s not heart wrenching like Indiana Jones replacing DINOSAUR (which hopefully doesn’t happen).
What really sums it all up is the fact it would be cool to see Elsa, Flynn Rider, or Moana interact with Donald Duck. We also thought the same thing with Soarin’ when it was rumored for years they would eventually convert to Soarin’ Around the World. “Wouldn’t it be so cool to see the Eiffel Tower?” In reality, the original version was better and the new update’s attraction faded away.
Disney could even entirely scrap the PhilharMagic theme. Which would be a shame but it depends what’s been pitched in Blue Sky. Disney has a lot of animated films so it would all depend on how they wanted to tell the story. Maybe they replace Donald Duck? Which at one point in time would be unthinkable. Back when the attraction was first conceived Imagineers originally had Tinker Bell as the character who kidnaps Mickey’s Sorcerer’s hat. Disney CEO Michael Eisner changed it to Donald Duck.
I’m excited to see this rumor evolve. I love Mickey’s PhilharMagic, and unlike most modern Disney fans I do enjoy Imagineering’s updates. I would love for them to keep the original storyline. I love the ode to the power of the Sorcerer’s Hat.
Zach Perilstein is the Editor-in-Chief of the Boardwalk Times
