Magic…For a Limited Time?

Disney Parks. You don’t need much to get people through their gates.

But for those who do go through those gates often, you’ll know that there needs to be some incentive every now and then to keep the Disney magic “fresh”.

Well, Disney has heard that plea loud and clear folks and it sure looks like we’ll be headed back to the days of ‘Year of a Million Dreams” and some unexpected surprises!

This past week, Disney announced their new marketing campaign for 2013 called “Limited Time Magic”. As the name suggests, Disney Parks around the world will have the opportunity of hosting very special, limited time experiences…and they sure do mean limited. As part of the announcement, they put a 3-story tall ice castle in the middle of Time Square in New York City which will soon be gone due to the warm weather there right now.

What an incentive, right folks! Aside from the giant ice castle, Disney also announced some of the other limited time festivities coming to the Disney Parks in 2013. They include –

• True Love:Celebrate romance and enchantment throughout Valentine’s Week with special moments and entertainment geared to lovebirds. Disney Princes join their Princesses to meet park guests in special settings, prix fixe menus turn up at select restaurants and Valentine’s collectibles will be offered for the week.

• Independence Week:It’s red, white and blue as Disney Parks salutes America with a 4th of July Fireworks Party — for an entire week, with patriotic lighting bathing the Disney castles on both coasts. Mickey Mouse appears in his patriotic finest and guests will find special USA shirts, Ear Hats and other limited-edition souvenirs.

• Long Lost Friends Week:Lesser-known Disney characters will move from the shadows to the spotlight meet-and-greets on both coasts. Photo opps with characters that could include Flik, Clarabelle Cow, Remy, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum will surprise and delight guests. And Disney guests even have the chance to vote online for which characters they want to see.

• Pirate Week:Why talk like a pirate one day when you could celebrate these scalawags all week long? The adventures of Jack Sparrow come to life like never before during a bicoastal buccaneer bash in which Disneyland and Walt Disney World become pirate-palooza: pirate bands, pirate meet-and-greets and more.

• Dapper Dans Sing Boy Bands:The Dapper Dans, the iconic quartet fromMain Street, U.S.A., will add a special finale to their show, claiming the title of the “Original Boy Band” and delivering a medley of hits from One Direction, *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.

• Unleash the Villains:Friday the 13th in September 2013 is a special day, soDisneylandpark andDisney’s Hollywood Studiosare staying open until the 13th hour (1 a.m.). Maleficent, Captain Hook, Jafar and other Disney Villains host a dance party, complete with limited-edition collectibles and other nighttime mischief.

• Golden Horseshoe Revue:The fabledFrontierlandshow returns to Disneyland park for one month only, bringing back the corny jokes and enduring songs that were often enjoyed by Walt Disney himself.

For any Disney fan/not-so Disney fan, expect great things. We’re hearing great things and it all will soon be revealed in January of 2013!

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What do you think, folks? Will these limited time specials get you through the gates in the coming year? Sound off in the comments below!