Walt Disney World's 55th anniversary collection is in stores now, modeled by two opening-day cast members

By entgrove · September 29, 2026

The Walt Disney World 55th anniversary merchandise collection is on sale now at the Emporium in Magic Kingdom and Creations Shop at EPCOT, while supplies last, with select items coming soon to DisneyStore.com. Disney showed it on Frank and Earliene, two cast members who have worked at the resort since October 1, 1971. No prices were given.

The Walt Disney World 55th anniversary merchandise collection is on sale now at the Emporium in Magic Kingdom and Creations Shop at EPCOT, while supplies last. Disney introduced it on two cast members who have worked at the resort since it opened on October 1, 1971, and said select items are coming soon to DisneyStore.com.

The anniversary line is out of preview and on the shelves

Disney now says the collection is in stores. The line surfaced in stages over the late summer: a hoodie, a t-shirt and an ear headband first, then a Mickey Mouse plush dressed for Main Street, U.S.A. and a backpack covered in park patches at the start of September. When GenieGrove covered that second wave in A Main Street Mickey Plush and a Four-Park Patch Backpack Join the 55th Anniversary Line, neither a release date nor a price had been announced. The anniversary pins were listed for release on September 15, covered separately in Walt Disney World's 55th Anniversary Pins Arrive September 15, Starting at $21.99.

Disney's announcement settles the date question. The collection is available now, and the photo shoot adds pieces missing from that earlier coverage: a tumbler, a matching cap and a red t-shirt, with a mug and a zip-up listed alongside them. Disney names two stores, the Emporium on Main Street, U.S.A. and Creations Shop at EPCOT, and it still has not published a single price.

Frank has worked at Walt Disney World since opening day

The first model is Frank, an Entertainment Readiness Manager with Disney Live Entertainment. Disney did not give his surname. He was one of the cast members who walked through the gates on October 1, 1971, and welcomed the resort's first guests, and he has held a string of roles since.

He described Walt Disney World as a place where people can spend a whole career.

"Walt Disney World is a place where someone can find a first job, fall in love with the company, and work there for most of their life. You can't find that just anywhere, so it means a lot to a lot of people."

With the backpack on, Frank reflected on how long it has been. He said it is hard to believe he has been there since opening day, and added: "It's true that time does fly. I've held a lot of different roles here at Disney, and it's been wonderful."

In the third shot he is wearing the tee and cap with the tumbler in hand. His plan for the anniversary itself is simple: "To celebrate, I am going to go to work every day and have a good time. I have an amazing team and couldn't ask for anything better!"

Earliene, a merchandise hostess at the Contemporary, also started on opening day

The second model is Earliene, a merchandise hostess at Disney's Contemporary Resort, who has also been with Walt Disney World since opening day. The Contemporary opened alongside Magic Kingdom in October 1971, so she works at one of the two original resort hotels. She models the red 55th anniversary tee.

Of opening day, she said:

"Ah, opening day, I was so thrilled! At the time, I had no idea that I would remain at Disney this long, but when you come on board it's like falling in love with a whole different world... it's just something you never want to leave or give up. I just love it. I love my Disney World."

Wearing the blue ear headband, she said it was hard to name a single highlight: "Mickey and I have had a great journey, and it's hard to pick a favorite moment... I just really enjoy being here, having fun with guests and seeing kids having the time of their lives. It's a joy that makes you feel so good, doing what we do."

Like Frank, she plans to mark the anniversary by doing her job: "To celebrate 55 years, I'm going to continue doing what I do best, making sure my guests are completely satisfied and enjoying their vacation with us!"

What else is in the 55th anniversary collection

Besides the pieces Frank and Earliene model, Disney lists a mug and a zip-up and says there is more in the collection than it showed. The full set of pieces Disney has now named is below.

• Blue hoodie with a Walt Disney World logo and park patches
• Zip-up
• Light blue tee with Mickey Mouse in front of Cinderella Castle
• Red tee with a small Mickey Mouse design
• Cap
• Blue ear headband
• Park-patch backpack
• Tumbler
• Mug
• Mickey Mouse plush in Main Street, U.S.A. costume

The designs shown draw on Cinderella Castle, Mickey Mouse and the four parks rather than on any current film. That fits a milestone that belongs to the resort: Walt Disney World opened with Magic Kingdom, the Contemporary and the Polynesian in 1971, and EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom followed in 1982, 1989 and 1998.

On sale now at two stores, with prices and the online date still unknown

What is settled: the collection is in the Emporium and Creations Shop today, and Disney is selling it while supplies last. What is not: any price, which pieces will go to DisneyStore.com, and when. Disney's wording is only "coming soon."

The anniversary itself falls on Thursday, October 1. Three days later, on Sunday, October 4, D23 holds its 55 Magical Years of Storytelling event at the Contemporary, where Earliene works. That event is covered in Imagineers Will Reveal Carousel of Progress Refurbishment Details at a $59 D23 Panel on October 4. Guests in the parks that week who want a specific piece should look for it at the Emporium or Creations Shop, since there is no guarantee it will reach DisneyStore.com.