Walt Disney World News Archives

Walt Disney World Resort – New in 2023

After a few years of construction at Walt Disney World, several new additions and closures are coming to the Most Magical Place on Earth!

New in 2023: Walt Disney World

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Splash Mountain

In preparation for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World Resort will be closed starting Jan. 23, 2023, so we can begin the next phase of this attraction’s development.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure 2023 2024 Walt Disney World

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will have riders joining Princess Tiana and jazz-loving alligator Louis during Mardi Gras season as they prepare to host a one-of-a-kind celebration for the people of New Orleans.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will debut at the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort in 2024, and I will be bringing you all updates along the way!

Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary

Fans of the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebrations and treats will want to soak in all the fun before March 31, 2023.

Disney’s Enchantment has been illuminating the night sky over Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom for over a year. The spectacular evening will dazzle guests for the last time this Spring.

While we don’t have many details about the show’s replacement, we do know (and are stoked) that the “Happily Ever After” anthem will be returning as part of the updated spectacular.

Harmonious at EPCOT will also be coming to a close at the end of March, and the rumor is that EPCOT Forever will return for a short run.

Disney 100 Years of Wonder

Disney100 will be the largest cross-company global celebration in the 100-year history of The Walt Disney Company. It will bring new décor, specialty food and beverages, character experiences, merchandise, and more to parks around the world and beyond.

The celebration will be based at Disneyland, and the fun will begin at the Walt Disney World Resort on April 1, 2023.

D23 Expo 2022 Walt Disney World Announcements

TRON Lightcycle / Run

The MUCH anticipated TRON Lightcycle / Run will take riders into the Grid at the Magic Kingdom in 2023!

Lean forward into the ultimate race of survival! Leave the real world behind and join Team Blue in an epic quest across the Grid—the dark, computerized world with no horizons from TRON. Here, there’s no limit to the excitement.

Climb aboard your Lightcycle and take off on a high-speed adventure, racing against the Grid’s most menacing Programs. Surge past your fierce opponents as you attempt to cross through 8 Energy Gates and secure your team’s victory—so you can survive to race another day.

Walt Disney World has previously announced that TRON will open in Spring 2023, and I have my fingers crossed for an April 2023 opening since that is my Birthday month!

Woody's Roundup BBQ Disney's Hollywood Studios 2023

Roundup Rodeo BBQ Restaurant

Roundup Rodeo BBQ at Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is set to welcome guests for delicious barbecue and toy-sized fun in Spring 2023 to welcome guests for delicious grub and toy-sized fun.

Using his imagination, Woody’s Roundup toys, and other playthings, Andy has built a rodeo restaurant for all his pals to enjoy barbecue-inspired comfort foods served family-style, with platters of house-smoked meats, a roundup of sides, and some miniature sweet surprises along the way.

The restaurant will be the world’s first “Toy Story” table service restaurant!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom 25th Anniversary

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will celebrate its 25th Anniversary on April 22, 2023.

While nothing has been officially announced, we will surely see some commemorative merchandise, art, and treats.

However, I am going to keep my fingers crossed for some big announcements! As soon as I know more, you know that I will be screaming it from the top of Expedition Everest!

Journey of Water

Stroll along a self-guided outdoor trail where you can play and interact with water as it travels from the sky to the ocean and back again. Along the way, learn about the importance of water and discover its playful personality—just as Moana did on her heroic voyage.

Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, is scheduled to open in 2023 within World Nature — the EPCOT neighborhood dedicated to understanding and preserving the beauty and balance of the natural world.

Dreamers Point

Get ready to find inspiration inside World Celebration, the EPCOT neighborhood offering experiences to connect us to one another—and to our world, when the lush gardens of Dreamers Point open in late 2023.

Dreamers Point is located behind Spaceship Earth, and will also be home to the newest statue of Walt Disney.

Figment Meet and Greet

Imagination has always been a core theme at EPCOT, and guests will once again be able to meet their favorite Royal Purple Pigment Figment in late 2023.

Hatbox Ghost Arrives at the Haunted Mansion

A fan favorite, the Haunted Mansion, will welcome a new happy haunt as the Hatbox Ghost materializes in 2023.

The new Haunted Mansion movie releases on August 11, 2023, and wouldn’t that be an amazing promotional tie-in???

Disney Vacation Club Reveals Upcoming Updates

Disney Vacation Club Grand Floridian Updates

Celebrated for its 1890s Victorian architecture and elegance, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a favorite resort of Disney Vacation Club Members, and I am excited to share a first look at the rooms members will call home beginning in the summer of 2022.

The expansion will add approximately 200 proposed resort studios, a Disney Vacation Club room type unique to The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

At the same time, existing villas including deluxe studios, one- and two-bedroom villas, and three-bedroom grand villas will be enhanced.

The planned expansion and enhancements will provide guests with even more opportunities to make magical vacation memories together with Magic Kingdom Park close by.

The proposed new resort studios will feature two queen-size beds and a day bed with room for up to five guests.

There is a room for every type of traveler at The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney Vacation Club Members can access them all. The existing villas will also receive exciting enhancements.

Disney Vacation Club Grand Floridian Updates Living Room

The deluxe studios at the resort can also accommodate up to five guests and will feature a queen-size bed, a pull-down queen-size bed that tucks away seamlessly into the wall, and a charming pull-down bunk-size bed – perfect for the little ones.

For an even grander stay, families staying in spacious one- or two-bedroom villas will enjoy the comforts of home while staying inside the magic. These accommodations offer full kitchens and large living areas as well as added conveniences – like modern appliances, a farmhouse sink, and a washer and dryer. Living areas will feature a new pull-down queen-size bed along with a pull-down bunk-size bed that folds away to be hidden beneath the media center.

Disney Vacation Club Grand Floridian Updates Bedroom King

For larger families and multi-generational vacations, guests will enjoy plenty of room and comfort in the three-bedroom grand villa. These spacious accommodations sleep up to 12 guests, with two bedrooms that include two queen-size beds each, along with a primary bedroom that features a king-size bed. Three-bedroom grand villas also boast a dining area and expansive living room. Charming accents in the rooms include Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Victorian-themed silhouettes and other artwork featuring Mary Poppins and Dumbo.

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa sits on the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon and is located in the heart of the magic. Close by, guests can enjoy the monorail, buses, and water taxi services directly from the property to travel throughout Walt Disney World Resort. The resort also steps away from the excitement via a new walkable promenade leading to and from Magic Kingdom Park. And just in time for the 50^th Anniversary Celebration of Walt Disney World Resort, guests and Disney Vacation Club Members staying at Walt Disney World Resort properties, including Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, will enjoy 30-minute early entry to every theme park, every day starting October 1.

To learn more about the enhancements at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, visit VillasAtGrandFloridian.com.

For more theme park news and updates, make sure to follow @onthegoinmco on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube!

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Update

During ‘The World’s Most Magical Celebration’ Press Conference, Walt Disney Imagineering announced that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, will debut in 2022.

This pavilion does have a different spin…if you will, as our friends from Xandar are opening the first “other-world” showcase pavilion at EPCOT next year, inviting us on an intergalactic chase through space and time!

Imagineers Tom Fitzgerald (left) and Scot Drake (right) shared a new look inside the Wonders of Xandar pavilion currently under construction. Here they are in the Galaxarium, which when completed will feature a planetarium-type presentation where the Xandarians show us their world, their people, and their advanced technologies.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is a family-friendly adventure, featuring a totally new type of roller coaster experience that is being developed by Imagineering for this attraction – a storycoaster that rotates 360 degrees so guests are always focused on all the action as they help the Guardians save the galaxy.

Not only that but Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will also feature the first reverse launch on a coaster in Disney history, and is one of the longest enclosed coasters in the world.

It’s a massive experience that will match the scale and adventure of the Guardians of the Galaxy films.

As part of the ongoing transformation of EPCOT, Imagineering is infusing the park with more ways to dream, to be inspired, and to connect with our world – or other galaxies, in this case.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is going to be a big step in that direction, and I can’t wait to experience it.

For more theme park news and updates, make sure to follow @onthegoinmco on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube!

First Voyages on Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser in 2022

Let’s just jump into the news! The inaugural voyage of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World Resort will depart March, 1, 2022!

If you want to step aboard, general bookings for this immersive adventure in a galaxy far, far away will open less than one month from now, on October 28, 2021.

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is a first-of-its-kind vacation experience that goes beyond anything Disney has created before. You’ll become the hero of your own Star Wars story during this two-night adventure, traveling the galaxy in style aboard the Halcyon starcruiser and eventually making your way to the Outer Rim for a planetside excursion to Batuu. You choose how to make your way in the galaxy – maybe as a member of the Resistance, or by learning the ancient ways of the Jedi lightsaber. Maybe you prefer loyalty to the First Order or the excitement of living life like a smuggler? The decisions are up to you.

Catch up on the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser News

Imagineer Ann Morrow Johnson provided a first look at the starcruiser’s bridge as part of this special announcement.

Disney Imagineers sat down for an in-depth discussion about Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser in this video, sharing all sorts of new details about the experience, including the characters you may meet, the food you may eat, and much more.

The first commercial for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser gives you a first glimpse at what life on the ship may be like.

There are all sorts of juicy details in the promotional poster for Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, so be sure to check out this breakdown.

For more information about all this and more, head over to starwarsgalacticstarcruiser.com, where you can also sign up to receive updates as they become available.

For more theme park news and updates, make sure to follow @onthegoinmco on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube!

Walt Disney World News Round-up

While the Walt Disney World Resort is preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary with “The World’s Most Magical Celebration,” new changes and additions are coming to the resort!

New Walt Disney World Annual Pass Options

The Walt Disney World Resort Annual Passholders program will return on September 8th with four new Annual Pass options, ranging in price from $399 to $1299 plus tax.

Walt Disney World News Roundup September 2021

These new passes allow holders to hold more park reservations, customize passes by adding water parks and Disney PhotoPass and continue to offer benefits such as Park Hopper, standard theme park parking, and discounts on merchandise and dining.

To enter a theme park, each Passholder must have a theme park reservation in addition to a valid pass. Park reservations are limited and are subject to availability and applicable pass blockout dates.

These new Walt Disney World Annual Passes are available online and in-person, with monthly payment plans available for Florida Residents with valid ID.

Disney Genie Debuts

Disney Genie, a complimentary and convenient new digital service designed to create your best Disney day, will launch at the Walt Disney World Resort this fall.

Built right into the My Disney Experience app, the Disney Genie service will create an itinerary designed to maximize the Magic you can create during a day in the park. Each personalized plan includes the best time to visit specific attractions, foodie experiences, and entertainment, to general interests like Disney princesses, villains, Pixar, Star Wars, thrill rides, and more.

With the launch of Disney Genie, the FASTPASS and FastPass+ services will be retired to create two new options.

Disney Genie+ service, available for purchase at $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World Resort, will let guests choose the next available time to arrive at select attractions and experiences using the Lightning Lane entrance. Disney Genie+ will also include Disney parks-themed audio experiences and photo features to capture your memories with augmented reality lenses.

Individual attraction selections, available for purchase on a per ride and per person sliding scale, allows guests to arrive at up to two highly demanded attractions each day using the Lightning Lane entrance. Attractions included for individual selection include the likes of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom Park and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and these individual attraction selections will not be not included with Disney Genie+.

Disney Enchantment lights up the Magic Kingdom

“Disney Enchantment,” an all-new nighttime spectacular, will debut in Magic Kingdom Park on October 1, and new details have been announced.

This all-new spectacular will feature captivating Disney music, enhanced lighting, immersive projection effects that extend for the first time down Main Street, U.S.A., and an original song, entitled “You Are the Magic,” by seven-time GRAMMY-winner Philip Lawrence.

In “Disney Enchantment,” audiences will join dreamers like Tiana, Miguel, Rapunzel, and brothers Ian & Barley from “Onward” as they embark on an incredible journey with adventurers such as Moana, Raya, and Judy Hopps. Joe Gardner from Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” goes into “the zone” to discover a whimsical world inspired by the style of legendary Disney artist Mary Blair. And beloved characters from classic stories like “Beauty and the Beast” and “Alice in Wonderland” to contemporary tales including “Luca” and “Wreck-It Ralph” join the adventure. Everything builds to Tinker Bell taking flight, spreading shimmering gold pixie dust, and empowering everyone to believe in themselves and the ‘magic all around us.’

“Since opening day in 1971, dazzling fireworks shows have provided that perfect exclamation point at the end of a fantastic day at Magic Kingdom Park,” said Mark Renfrow, Show Director, Disney Live Entertainment. “From ‘Fantasy in the Sky’ and ‘Wishes’ to holiday spectaculars and ‘Happily Ever After,’ each new show has raised the bar, and the best is yet to come! I can’t wait for everyone to see what we’re creating with ‘Disney Enchantment.'”

Characters Soar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, “Disney KiteTails” takes the magic of nature and Disney storytelling to new heights in the Discovery River Amphitheater, near Dinoland U.S.A. beginning October 1, 2021.

The show’s original, worldbeat arrangements of favorite Disney tunes will fill the air, and a show of three-dimensional kites depicting familiar characters from “The Lion King” or “The Jungle Book” will soar above the water.
“Disney KiteTails” takes place several times a day. word

New Restaurant Opens at EPCOT

It was announced that the Space 220 restaurant, located adjacent to the Mission: SPACE attraction, will open on September 20, 2021.

This immersive and highly themed dining experience is out of this world!

Guests board two “Space Elevators” that will transport them 220 miles above Earth to the Centauri Space Station to experience amazing views and culinary masterpieces from Executive Chef Marc Kusche. The Space 220 restaurant’s upscale, contemporary fare menu includes a two-course prix fixe menu for lunch and a three-course prix fixe menu for dinner.