If you’re heading to Magic Kingdom this week, don’t be surprised if things look a little…different near Cinderella Castle.
Disney has officially begun preparing for the upcoming private Dave Matthews Band concert taking place inside Magic Kingdom on May 13, and guests are already spotting major event infrastructure appearing throughout the park.
According to reports from WDWMagic and photos shared online, crews have started installing staging, lighting, and production equipment in front of Cinderella Castle ahead of the private after-hours event tied to the SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference.
The concert will feature the Dave Matthews Band performing exclusively for conference attendees during a full park buyout on the evening of May 13th.
And honestly? Seeing a full concert setup inside Magic Kingdom is always a little surreal.
Magic Kingdom Will Close Early on May 13
Disney previously confirmed that Magic Kingdom will close early to regular day guests at 5:30PM on Wednesday, May 13 to prepare for the private event.
The SAP conference celebration is scheduled to run later that evening and will reportedly include:
- Access to select Magic Kingdom attractions
- Food and entertainment offerings
- Private event experiences
- The Dave Matthews Band concert in front of Cinderella Castle
Private park buyouts like this aren’t completely unusual at Walt Disney World, but full Magic Kingdom buyouts remain relatively rare compared to EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios events.
Photos and videos shared online show production trussing, staging equipment, lighting towers, and other concert-related setup beginning to take shape around the castle hub area.
While daytime guests can still enjoy Magic Kingdom normally before the early closure, the growing event footprint is becoming harder to miss as crews race to finish setup before Wednesday night’s event.
This Could Mean Lower Crowds During the Day
Interestingly, many Disney fans are predicting that May 13 could actually end up being one of the lowest daytime crowd days at Magic Kingdom this month due to the early closure.
Guests hoping to prioritize rides over nighttime entertainment may actually benefit from shorter wait times earlier in the day, before the park closes for the private event.
Still, visitors planning to see nighttime offerings like Happily Ever After should definitely double-check park hours before visiting.
We’ll continue watching for more updates and photos from the Magic Kingdom concert setup, so be sure to check back soon for more Disney World news, entertainment updates, construction coverage, and theme park announcements.
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