Starting this coming January, Walt Disney World will debut a collection of live entertainment — shows, parties, Disney character interactions and more — most of which will run throughout the better part of 2019, and some even longer!

Magic Kingdom
Everything kicks off on January 18 with Mickey & Minnie’s Surprise Celebration at Magic Kingdom. New entertainment, merchandise and specialty food and beverage will be on offer, all to honor Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as true originals.  As part of the celebration, the Move It! Shake It! Dance and Play It! parade will transform into “Move It! Shake It! MousekeDance It! Street Party,”  which will make it way up Main Street, U.S.A. several times each day. The procession stops at Cinderella Castle, where Mickey and Minnie, along with the likes of Donald and Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Max, and Chip ’n Dale encourage guests to join in a dance party. Singing hosts perform modern takes on “Mickey Mouse Club” melodies and more.

Main Street, U.S.A. residents, including the Dapper Dans and the Casey’s Corner piano player, will join in this Surprise Celebration, honoring Mickey and Minnie with special musical moments throughout the day from Jan. 18 to Sept. 30. Also, other surprise, limited-time magical experiences will surprise guests all over Magic Kingdom.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios marks its 30^th anniversary on May 1, 2019, which means that park will also be doing some celebrating.

Beginning Jan. 18, Pixar Place will transform into a Metroville city block from Pixar’s Incredibles films. Super suit designer Edna Mode will greet guests while displaying some of her greatest creations. In addition, guests will have the chance to search for the youngest Incredible, Jack-Jack. There will also be an opportunity to hang out with Mr. and Mrs. Incredible and Frozone, who will make appearances throughout the day during a party featuring lively music, dancing, and interactive games.

Also starting Jan. 18, Mike and Sulley from Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. will return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, greeting guests at the Walt Disney Presents attraction.

Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy will add to the fun when it opens in Spring 2019. This new show experience welcomes guests to the world of Pixar’s Cars films, bringing them face to face with racing legend Lightning McQueen.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Walt Disney Pictures’ “The Lion King” is 25 years old in 2019, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be observing the anniversary of the classic animated film in several ways.

Each day from Jan. 18 to Sept. 30, guests can join in the “Hakuna Matata Time Dance Party,” with Timon and Rafiki hosting games inspired by “The Lion King.”

During that same timeframe, guests will have the chance to try out new 3D photo opportunities at the park. These backdrops will allow guests to re-create iconic “Lion King” moments ideal for sharing on your Instagram account and other social media.

Epcot
The fun at Epcot also begins on January 18, with the Epcot International Festival of the Arts. Through February 25,  guest will be able to experience the arts in three ways: through beautifully prepared cuisine, visual art and a lineup of Broadway-caliber live entertainment.

This year, the Disney on Broadway Concert Series expands to seven days a week during the festival. Each week, different pairs of Disney on Broadway stars will take to the America Gardens Theatre stage to sing favorite songs from award-winning Disney on Broadway productions. The lineup will rotate regularly.

Shortly after the Festival of the Arts winds down, the  2019 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival returns, running March 6 to June 3 this year. The event again will feature outdoor kitchens, as well as dozens of Disney-themed topiaries and amazing plantings. Like the Disney on Broadway series, the Garden Rocks Concert Series expands to seven days a week in 2019 also,  with a mix of new and returning artists. With three concerts per day for all 90 days of the festival, a total of 270 Garden Rocks concerts will be performed at the America Gardens Theatre.

That’s not all — Epcot will announce additional summertime experiences soon.

Finally, Epcot will see the end of its long-running nighttime spectacular IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth in the second half of 2019. This gives Epcot the opportunity to introduce an all-new evening show once IllumiNations concludes its run.

“Whether you grew up with Mickey and Minnie, ‘The Lion King,’ ‘Cars’ or another classic story, you are going to love what all four of our theme parks have to offer in the coming year,” said George A. Kalogridis, president of Walt Disney World Resort.