This is the very first moment of Happily Ever After, the projections washing Cinderella Castle in blue and gold, the narrator's introduction just beginning, the whole of Main Street holding its breath. I made it in August of 2021, on the last night of our trip.

At the time, I thought it was goodbye. Disney had announced that Happily Ever After was being retired to make way for a new show when the 50th anniversary began, and they'd called it permanent. This was billed as the last chance, ever. I didn't know when I'd be back, but I knew it wouldn't be before the change. So I made sure I was front and center, if this was the last time I'd see this show, I was going to watch it from the best seat in the house and bring it home with me.

Look closely, and you'll see something rare: the castle is already wearing its 50th anniversary decorations, the golden crest gleaming at its heart, even though the celebration hadn't started yet. That pairing, Happily Ever After playing on the anniversary castle, only existed for a few short weeks. Once the celebration started, the show was gone, replaced for a year and a half. By the time it returned, the anniversary had ended and the gold was being taken down. This exact combination happened in one narrow window, and it never will again.

After I got home, I added the second star to the right of the castle. There wasn't a practical reason; I just felt that a night like that, a goodbye like that, deserved a little extra magic. As it turned out, the goodbye wasn't permanent; the show came back, and I've watched it many times since. But this frame still holds the feeling of that last night, when I thought I was saying farewell to something I loved.

Looks best on metal. The deep black, star-flecked sky and the luminous projection on the castle are exactly what high-gloss metal was made for, the colors glow and the blacks stay rich. Acrylic delivers the same brilliance and depth.

Formats & options

• Fine Art Paper — print only, with a 2" mat, framed, or matted and framed.
• Metal — single premium option, ready to hang. (Recommended for this image.)
• Acrylic — single premium option, ready to hang.

Framed paper prints, metal, and acrylic all arrive ready to hang. Every piece is produced on archival materials built to last. The dramatic vertical composition makes it a natural statement piece for a feature wall or entryway.

FAQ

What's the "50" on the castle?
That's Cinderella Castle's 50th anniversary crest. The castle was decorated for Walt Disney World's 50th celebration weeks before it officially began.

What show is this?
Happily Ever After, captured at its opening moment. It was paused during the 50th anniversary and replaced by another show, then returned in 2023, but this image captures it running on the already-decorated anniversary castle, a combination that only existed briefly in 2021.

Is that star real?
The second star to the right was added intentionally, as a personal tribute to what I believed at the time was the show's farewell. Everything else is as captured.

When and where was this taken?
At Magic Kingdom, in front of Cinderella Castle, in August 2021.

Which format do you recommend?
Metal, for the way it makes the castle glow against the black sky. Acrylic is an excellent alternative.

Is it ready to hang?
Framed paper prints, metal, and acrylic all ship ready to hang. The print-only paper option is for your own framing.

How is it printed?
My prints are all made to order, typically within 6 business days.