18/02/2022
Considering a Disney trip this Spring or Summer? Here are the latest operational updates for all things Disney.
Let me know if you would like to put together pricing for your family trip to Disney.. I'd be glad to help out!
WDW, as of today:
𝘈𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯
★ 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.
‣‣★ Hollywood Studios closes at 5:00 p.m. on April 6. There's no confirmation of any of these, but my best guess is that it's either a media event for the reopening of Fantasmic, or a corporate rental by McDonald's.
‣‣★ The Magic Kingdom closes early (probably at 4:30 PM) for cast member appreciation events on May 3 and 15.
‣‣★ The Special Olympic Games has indicated that it will have a special evening at Walt Disney World on Thursday, June 9, 2022. It isn’t clear if this will affect park hours or park access for others.
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 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 just refilled the moat, which indicates they're pretty far along in the refurbishment.
★ 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.
𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴
‣‣★ Festival of Fantasy Parade returns March 9. Scheduled cavalcades continue at some parks, including the brand-new “Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade!” featuring Nick and Judy from “Zootopia,” Baloo and King Louie from “The Jungle Book,” José Carioca and Panchito from “The Three Caballeros,” plus Merida, Moana, The Incredibles, and more – including the Magic Kingdom debut of Miguel from “Coco” in his mariachi best. At Destination D 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 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. There are indications that Disney is beginning to move away from some of the adaptations and back toward the original show for at least one of these.
‣‣★ “Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire” will make its debut on the Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage Feb. 25. The show, newly enhanced for the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration, will incorporate favorite scenes inspired by “Frozen,” “Tangled,” and “The Princess and the Frog” – plus a new opening and a new finale with Mickey Mouse and all his friends in their sparkling, EARidescent fashions. Presented multiple times a day, the show will also include an all-new, original song entitled “Where the Magic Feels Like Home.” “Let the Magic Begin” on the castle stage in the Magic Kingdom continues as the opening stage show.
★ 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 “The Big Blue and Beyond” is coming in 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.
★ Q-1 visas remain unavailable due to the pandemic, so International exchange cast members cannot return to EPCOT or Animal Kingdom theme park at this time, limiting country-specific entertainment.
★ Distanced character greetings continue instead of photo and autograph sessions with characters. Some adapted, still distanced, personal character greetings have returned.
★ Jedi training has not yet reopened.
𝘈𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴
‣‣★ WDW face coverings policy has changed. See the official Disney website for details.
‣★ Disney is currently not using virtual queuing for any attractions.
★ 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.
★ Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is open in EPCOT.
★ Construction on the new Journey of Water attraction in EPCOT is well underway.
★ Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, officially announced on November 20, 2021, that Guardians of the Galaxy Galactic Rewind roller coaster will open Summer 2022.
★ 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.
★ Effective July 16, 2021, Rider Swap allows only the waiting guardian and one other to ride.
‣‣★ Expedition Everest is down for a major refurbishment through mid-April. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is undergoing a short refurbishment through February 18, 2022.
‣★ Typhoon Lagoon has reopened as Blizzard Beach went down for its annual refurbishment.
𝘍𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘴
★ The EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival will run March 2 through July 4.
★ My wild guess for the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is 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, Hoop-Dee-Doo, ESPN Club have not yet reopened.California Grill, Narcoossee, Citricos, Yachtsman Steakhouse, Toledo, Flying Fish, Jiko and almost all other restaurants have reopened.
★ Adapted character dining experiences may be found at Garden Grill, Chef Mickey’s, Topolino’s Terrace (breakfast only), Hollywood and Vine, Tusker House, Storybook Dining at Artist Point. At Cinderella's Royal Table and Be Our Guest, a single character 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.
‣★ 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 does appear to be some system testing within MDE related to the Dining Plan.
★ 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.
𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
★ All monorails, the Skyliner, and Friendship 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.
★ 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, as are boats to and from Disney Springs on the Sassagoula River, serving Old Key West and Port Orleans.)
‣‣★ 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 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.
★ All-Star Sports Resort reopens March 31, 2022.
★ 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. Most likely it will last for years.
★ DVC pool hopping is suspended.
𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴
★ Harmony Barber Shop, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, etc., have not yet reopened.
