10/04/2022
At WDW as of today…..
WDW, ad of today……
Admissions
‣★ The Magic Kingdom closes at 4:30 p.m. for cast member appreciation events on May 3 and 15.
‣★ According to a notice from Disney, Epcot will be closing early on June 5th, and Harmonious will not be presented that night. It is confirmed now that this is for an event for the IPW trade show. The event begins at 7:30 p.m., but day-guests will probably be cleared from the park before that.
‣★ The Special Olympic Games has indicated that it will have a special evening at Walt Disney World on Thursday, June 9, 2022. Rumor is that Animal Kingdom park will close at 4:00 p.m. Some resorts may also be cordoned off.
★ Sales of most annual passes are currently suspended. Renewals unaffected.
★ Park pass reservations required in addition to admission. Officially, the park pass reservation system is here to stay.
𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘴
★ At the Magic Kingdom, the new permanent fireworks show is Disney’s Enchantment. (Public) dessert parties and fireworks cruises have returned. Special fireworks dining packages are offered at California Grill.
★ At EPCOT, the new permanent fireworks show is Harmonious. Private dessert parties and fireworks cruises have returned. Special fireworks dining packages are offered at Rose and Crown and Spice Road Table.
★ At Hollywood Studios, Disney Movie Magic and Wonderful World of Animation (projection shows with some pyrotechnics) are presented in Hollywood Studios each night. It is not clear whether Star Wars Galactic Spectacular will return.
★ Fantasmic will return in 2022; the theater is currently undergoing major renovations. Disney had refilled the moat, but then drained it again.
‣‣★ At Animal Kingdom park, Tree of Life Awakenings is a projection show that celebrates the eternal balance and harmony that exists in all living things. Also, KiteTails, live daytime entertainment, is being performed in the theater that used to host Rivers of Light, now as shorter and more frequent performances, supplemented by character flotillas.
𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴
‣★ The Festival of Fantasy Parade has returned and will be presented twice each day. Scheduled cavalcades continue at some parks, including the brand-new “Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade!”. At Destination D last year, Disney announced that cavalcades are here to stay (continue to be presented alongside parades).
‣‣★ Enchanted Extras Keys to the Kingdom, Caring for Giants, Wild Animal Trek, Up Close with Rhinos, Savor the Savanna, Starlight Safari have returned.
★ Adapted versions of live stage shows currently operating include: The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, Celebration of the Festival of The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast Live On Stage.
‣★ Disney officially announced via tiktok that the Tumble Monkeys will return to Festival of the Lion King this summer. Also, in early February, they put out a job req for an aerialist, so it is likely that she will be flying again soon.
‣★ “Let the Magic Begin” on the castle stage in the Magic Kingdom continues as the opening stage show. “Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire” is now being presented on the Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage, multiple times a day.
★ Other live stage entertainment currently operating: Feathered Friends In Flight!, Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, Turtle Talk with Crush.
★ Other continuing and returning live entertainment includes: Dapper Dans on Main Street USA; the piano in front of Casey’s Corner in the Magic Kingdom; the JAMMinators and Alberta Bound on the Mill Stage in Canada; Voices of Liberty in the rotunda; Mariachi Cobre in the American Gardens Theater; Sergio, the juggler in Italy; drummers in Japan in Epcot; live music in Africa and Asia in Animal Kingdom park; Yeehaw Bob (and Mickey Beignets) at Port Orleans; Jellyrolls. DiVine at Animal Kingdom; Tam Tam drummers in Harambe in Animal Kingdom.
★ Drawn to Life presented by Cirque du Soleil & Disney is now being presented.
‣‣★ A reimagined Finding Nemo musical called “The Big Blue and Beyond” is coming “in the coming months” (spring or summer 2022), taking place in the timeline of the film Finding Dory. The theater will be themed as the Marine Life Institute and the show will feature the fish from Dr. P. Sherman’s office. Still puppetry.
‣★ Disney officially announced through its official IG that International exchange cast members will return to EPCOT and/or Animal Kingdom theme park soon, so we can hope to see more country-specific entertainment and cultural interaction soon.
‣‣★ Distanced character greetings continue instead of photo and autograph sessions with characters until April 18 when Disney “will start reintroducing traditional character greetings... While not all locations will be available immediately, we anticipate reopening in phases throughout the spring and early summer.”
★ Jedi training has not yet reopened.
𝘈𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴
‣★ WDW face coverings policy has changed, and has changed again (slightly) as of March 15. See the official Disney website for details.
‣‣★ Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind roller coaster will officially open in EPCOT May 27, 2022. The official opening will be preceded by cast member, cast member family and friends, and passholder previews, as well as a Media Event, which will likely take place May 4-6.
★ Disney is currently not using virtual queuing for standby entry to any attractions. (That might change with the opening of Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind.)
★ Expedition Everest is down for a major refurbishment through late-April.
★ Disney Genie service began October 19, 2021. On November 23, 2021, Disney fixed the bug that was leveraged for the main Genie+ stacking hack. FastPass will not return.
‣★ Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, Frozen Ever After, and Space Mountain will be treated as Genie+ attractions (rather than ILL attractions) through August 7. There are new Genie+ options for Festival of Fantasy parade viewing and for Disney Stars at Red Carpet Dreams.
★ Construction on the new Journey of Water attraction in EPCOT is well underway.
★ Construction on the Tron roller coaster continues, with no announced opening date or year. The Magic Kingdom Railroad is currently not operating due to Tron construction, but engine testing has begun.
★ Effective July 16, 2021, Rider Switch allows only the waiting guardian and one other to ride.
★ Typhoon Lagoon has reopened as Blizzard Beach went down for its annual refurbishment.
𝘍𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘴
★ The EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival will run through July 4. Disney has now confirmed my earlier wild guess for the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival; it will run from July 14 through November 19.
★ RunDisney events are now again in person.
𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴
‣‣★ Victoria & Alberts, Takumi-Tei, Monsieur Paul, 1900 Park Fare, Akershus, Marrakesh, Garden View Lounge have not yet reopened. Hoop-Dee-Doo reopens June 23. No date has been shared, but the Connections eatery in EPCOT should be opening soon. The menu was recently shared. All other dining that will be reopening has already reopened, including California Grill, Citricos, Yachtsman Steakhouse, Toledo, Flying Fish, and Jiko.
★ Adapted character dining experiences may be found at Garden Grill (EPCOT), Chef Mickey’s (Contemporary Resort), Topolino’s Terrace (breakfast only) (Riviera Resort), Hollywood and Vine (Hollywood Studios), Tusker House (Animal Kingdom park), Storybook Dining at Artist Point (Wilderness Lodge Resort). At Cinderella's Royal Table (Magic Kingdom), Cinderella greets guests at a distance as they arrive, and at Be Our Guest (Magic Kingdom), the Beast does an occasional greeting to the whole dining room.
‣★ Space 220 Lounge and La Crêperie de Paris are now offering reservations for full-service dining. Reservations are no longer offered for Spice Road Table at EPCOT.
‣‣★ On May 5, Space 220’s operating hours end at 2:30 PM. One possibility is that Space 220 will be used as part of the Media Event for the opening of Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind, which will be occurring May 4-6.
‣‣★ Narcoossee will be closed for refurbishment as of June 18.
★ Several restaurants have resumed self-service buffets: Boma, Biergarten, Cape May Cafe, Crystal Palace, Ale & Compass.
★ The DVC lounge at Bay Lake Tower (Top of the World) has not yet reopened.
★ Most Disney-run restaurants are operating under adapted protocols backstage, so we can expect smaller menus and simplified menu items to continue for a while longer.
★ The dining plan will be offered again but Disney has said nothing else about that for over six months.
★ There is no indication whether Tables in Wonderland will return.
★ Roundup Rodeo BBQ, a new full service restaurant in Toy Story Land, will open in 2022.
‣★ The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers, a new table service restaurant and bakery, is expected to open on the BoardWalk in 2023. Simultaneous with this announcement, ESPN Club was removed from the WDW website.
𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
★ All monorails, the Skyliner, MK ferryboats, MK resort-to-park boats, EPCOT and EPCOT resorts Friendship boats, and Disney Springs resort boats are operating. Buses are operating between Disney resort hotels and Disney theme parks, as applicable.
★ Parking lot trams are operating at the Magic Kingdom, and will return to other parks in 2022.
‣★ Disney officially announced via TikTok that Minnie Vans will return this summer.
★ According to Disney’s official website, buses 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙨 to Disney Springs are not operating at all at this time. (Buses between Disney resort hotels to Disney Springs are operating.)
★ Mears Connect replaced Disney's Magical Express: $16 for adults, $13.50 for children, one way. Sunshine Flyer competes with it: $17 for adults, $12.50 for children, one way. Sunshine Flyer operates until 10:00 p.m. In addition, Disney is now reselling Mears airport connections as part of Disney packages.
★ Brightline train has nothing to do with Magical Express. It is an Intercity train from Miami eventually to Orlando Airport, and the connection between Orlando airport and Disney is up in the air, and at best will open in 2028 or later.
𝘏𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘭 𝘉𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴
‣‣★ All Disney resort hotels have reopened and are operating. Warnings about limited housekeeping service have been removed from the WDW website, indicating a gradual return to normal housekeeping service. During your stay, your room will receive a light cleaning service every other day.
★ All parks now open 30 minutes early for Disney resort guests. Not all Good Neighbor hotels are eligible.
★ Select parks on select nights will remain open for Deluxe Disney resort guests. (Of the Good Neighbor hotels, only Swan and Dolphin, and Shades of Green, are eligible.)
★ No bounce back offers are being offered.
★ The Grand Floridian spa reopened. No other Disney resort hotel spas have reopened or are scheduled to reopen.
★ All Disney resort hotel club levels have reopened.
★ As of July 25, 2021, Disney will no longer transfer perishables between hotels, for guests with split stays.
★ Souvenir Pick-Up (at the front of the park) and Resort Hotel Delivery for purchases of park merchandise are both currently unavailable. Home Delivery shipping service is available for a fee.
★ DVC 50% borrowing limit remains in effect with no end date in sight.
★ DVC pool hopping is suspended.
‣★ A new accommodations building will replace the luau cove at the Polynesian Resort, evidently the next DVC property after the current conversion of Big Pine Key at the Grand Floridian to DVC, which is currently underway.
𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴
★ Harmony Barber Shop, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, etc., have not yet reopened, though there are rumors that BBB may reopen soon.
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Updates are marked: ‣‣ or ‣ (the difference between the two being just how long since the last update that item was added/updated).
