Massive changes are taking place at Walt Disney World in preparation for the resort’s 50th-anniversary celebrations. Between relaxed safety restrictions, more dining venues reopening, and NEW spectaculars lined up for the 50th anniversary, things are shaping up to bring the magic back to the resort. We’ll show you all the latest news, plus we’ll take you on a visit to the Magic Kingdom for a quick look at a few updates.
Boom, Boom, Sparkle!
On July 1st, fireworks return to Walt Disney World! After nearly 16 months of no fireworks at WDW, Happily Ever After will once again light up the skies over Magic Kingdom, while EPCOT Forever will shine over World Showcase Lagoon at EPCOT. Both shows will perform nightly from July 1st through September 30th. Then, it’s time for two brand new nighttime spectaculars to replace them!
For the resort’s 50th anniversary, October 1st will bring the premiere of Disney Enchanted at Magic Kingdom, as well as Harmonious at EPCOT! Disney recently shared first-look concept photos of these shows… let’s just say, the hype for the return of fireworks (old and new), is REAL!
To read more about what’s coming to Walt Disney World for their golden anniversary, check out our coverage below:
Walt Disney World 50th: Sparkling New Entertainment On The Way!
But, could this be the last run of Happily Ever After? Its predecessors, Fantasy in the Sky (1971-2003) and Wishes (2003-2017), had long runs. Happily Ever After could become the shortest running fireworks spectacular in Magic Kingdom history.
While we have yet to experience Disney Enchanted (which looks incredible so far!), we’re already missing those vibrant projections, perfectly synced fireworks, and the catchy, moving song of Happily Ever After! Perhaps it will return for an encore performance when the 50th anniversary is over.
More Dining Locations Reopening
I haven’t spoken these words in a long while… Corn Dog Nuggets & Cheese Sauce, Ice Cream Sundaes piled high with extra Peanut Butter sauce… Hooray! Casey’s Corner and Main Street Ice Cream Parlor are officially reopening at Magic Kingdom!
The following dining locales around Walt Disney World resort will reopen very soon:
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- Eight Spoon Cafe at Animal Kingdom; now open!
- Casey’s Corner at Magic Kingdom; June 30th
- Dino Diner at Animal Kingdom; July 4th
- Main Street Ice Cream Parlor at Magic Kingdom; July 7th
- Citricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa; July 15th
- Trails End at the Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort; July 17th
Over at the Grand Floridian, you’ll soon be able to dine “underneath the London sky”, as a reimagined Citricos will pay homage to the whimsy and elegance of Mary Poppins Returns.
New dining and cocktail menus were crafted for the restaurant by Chef Andres Mendoza, Pastry Chef Kristine Farmer, and Sommelier Israel Perez. Citricos will reopen on July 15th at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, reservations may be made beginning July 1st.
With the return of more dining options, the benefits are multifaceted. More open restaurants around the resort means that more Cast Members are headed back to work. Additionally, parkgoers are more easily spread out to enjoy food without the headache of long lines and overcrowding from just a handful of open eateries. As more things return to normal, we also hope to hear of more Entertainment Cast Members being called back. We especially miss those live show performances, as well as pop-up acts like the Citizens of Hollywood.
Salt & Straw Coming to Disney Springs!
Last week, Disney Springs announced Salt & Straw is coming to the complex sometime next year. Our mouths are already salivating.
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Known for their traditional and unique ice cream flavor combinations, Salt & Straw is a family-run parlor from Portland, Oregon. While the creamery has been well-loved in Anaheim’s Downtown Disney District since 2018, this will be the 3rd location in the state of Florida, with the other two located in Miami.
Here’s a little taste of what you can expect. This is their current menu in the Downtown Disney Anaheim store:
- Rad Readers Series – Goosebumps: Monster Blood – Streaks of citrusy, shiny Green Goo suspend hunks of deep red Strawberry Bark. Each bite will hit you with a surprising POP as it explodes in your mouth.
- Rad Readers Series – Twins: A Matching Pear with Twinnamon Swirl – House-made Cinnamon-laced Cream Cheese throughout a sweet and fragrant Pear Ice Cream.
- Rad Readers Series – Smile: Words & Pictures – Yellow and pink Almond-infused Sponge Cake and Stracciatella in a Vanilla Ice Cream base.
- Rad Readers Series – Amulet: Fruit of the Gadoba Tree – Cacao Nibs in Sweet Cream with dollops of juicy “Gadoba” Fruit.
- Rad Readers Series – Geronimo Stilton & The Frosted Frozen Feast – Salted Caramel paired with Parmesan-steeped Cream, made rich with Mascarpone Cheesecake and crumbles of buttery Cracker Crust.
- Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons
- Double Fold Vanilla
- Chocolate Gooey Brownie
- Honey Lavender
- Salted Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Sightglass Coffee Cashew Praline
- Roasted Strawberry Coconut (v, gf)
- Freckled Mint TCHO-colate Chip (v)
- Pear and Blue Cheese
- Arbequina Olive Oil
Salt & Straw will be a welcome addition to Disney Springs. Ice cream is always a good idea for the Florida heat!
Between Gideon’s Cookies, Amorette’s Patisserie, Vivoli il Gelato, Sprinkles, Erin McKenna’s Bakery, and many more options… how in the Disney World are we supposed to choose a dessert destination?! What would you choose?
Magic Kingdom Meanderings
With TRON construction updates, Jungle Cruise changes, a Citrus Swirl stop, and staring at the glorious Cinderella Castle between it all, we spent a good half-day at Magic Kingdom before the clouds opened up for some classic Florida summer drenching.
Signs for the Monorail and Ferry Boat have received the new blue hue upgrade in time for the 50th; these were previously “Disney Purple”:
With the recently-relaxed mask policies for vaccinated guests at Walt Disney World, face coverings are only required for all guests (both vaccinated or otherwise) while on Disney transportation. Some of the last few “masks required” A-frame signs on the property can be seen here, leaning behind trash cans:
While passing through Disney’s Contemporary Resort, all nine floors of the tower rooms have been tarped up for room renovations.
What was going on behind those scrims was a mystery, up until this week! Disney dropped the first look into the reimagined Mid-Century Modern rooms with some “Incredible” touches:
Blending a “sleek Monorail motif” and favorite characters from Disney/Pixar’s Incredibles, the reimagined rooms are receiving an enhanced “retro-modern aesthetic evoking Tomorrowland… with a dash of something Incredible, too”. The renovations are part of the resort’s 50th celebration, as the Contemporary Resort also turns 50 on October 1st!
Beginning in mid-July, renovations in the first-floor lobby begin, which will feature modern art pieces and historical photographs of the Contemporary’s development. The resort’s lobby restaurant, The Wave… of American Flavors, will also close mid-July for a reimagined dining experience, and is set to reopen in time for the 50th-anniversary celebration. (Hmmm… perhaps an Incredibles Character dining experience?) Additionally, once the tower’s room renovations are complete, the rooms of the Garden Wing will also be renovated to match the newly themed tower rooms.
But what do you think of the new look? Do these rooms live up to the Deluxe accommodations one would expect of the Contemporary experience and price?
On to the park!
The clouds look intimidating, but there’s still sunshine!
The Main Street Train Station is still hiding behind a scrim, while the WDW Railroad has been down since December of 2018 due to TRON construction in Tomorrowland. This quintessential attraction and method of transportation around the Kingdom is sorely missed.
Stepping into Town Square, there weren’t too many guests within view.
Looking down Main Street U.S.A., the view [and sky] only gets brighter!
The sweet smell wafting from the Confectionary was missing, as the shop is closed for renovations.
Signs direct guests to the Main Street Cinema, where Confectionary sweets and treats can be purchased for the time being.
A quick glimpse at Cinderella Castle decked out in 50th decor (A large “50” plaque will be installed over the clock soon):
And onto Adventureland… Kungaloosh!
Before hitting any rides, we need some fresh Citrus Swirl goodness! This is my go-to summertime Magic Kingdom snack. Or any time, really…
Pirates of the Caribbean was listed at 10 minutes… a walk-on wait for a swashbuckling voyage? Aye aye!
Afterward, we made way for Jungle Cruise to see how the gradual changes are coming along. Back in January, Disney announced that both of the U.S. versions of the Jungle Cruise will receive a major overhaul. While Disneyland’s version has remained closed during the refurbishment, Disney World’s has stayed open with scenes and props actively being removed and updated. The skippers have also made up a few clever jokes to go along with the blatant construction going on!
The queue snaked around the attraction’s promenade but was only listed at 45 minutes for most of the day:
Say goodbye to all those lovely people on the dock! Well, except that one…
First, we noticed the Pygmy welcoming party scene still exists and has received some friendly changes.
The skulls, spears, and attacking natives have been removed. The carved wooden heads of Mickey, Donald, and Goofy have also been removed from the boats on shore. A “Baits & Boats & Bites” shack can now be seen, offering water rentals and island delicacies for weary travelers.
Leading to the Hippo pool, recently-added travel trunks, crates, and buckets can be seen floating along the river:
The sunken Jungle Cruise boat was also recently added to this scene:
New animatronic characters have been added to the Trapped Safari scene, and are now moving:
The back end of a plane crash still sits along the river. Did you know the front half was part of the Great Movie Ride’s Casablanca scene? A small connection to the now-defunct attraction!
…But be careful, Ginger snaps!
Don’t worry, these bathing elephants still have their trunks on! These cuties always make us smile:
Additional areas are still covered up while Imagineers work on the new installations.
Including where Trader Sam once stood, towards the end of the journey.
Our skipper was clever with construction jokes – “Oh don’t worry, that’s just another Starbucks they’re building around the corner!” and “Here are some of my favorite flowers; the hibiscus, the low-biscus… and you want to know about all that construction? That’s none of your biscus.”
While Disneyland’s version is on track to re-open on July 16th, WDW’s version will take a little longer, but should be completely show-ready in time for the 50th-anniversary celebration, kicking off October 1st.
Back out in Adventureland, crowds are looking more and more “normal” without face coverings and minimal distancing:
Passing the castle once more…
The Main Street Philharmonic paraded around the hub, playing grand old Disney tunes:
Time for Tomorrowland!
Oddly enough, the two attraction buildings immediately past the land’s entrance sit empty. No word on what will replace the once-was Stitch’s Great Escape, while Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor remains closed since last year. The FastPass+ kiosks lining the left side are also going unused…
Recently added are signs reading “Pardon Our Dust”… while there are no attractions here? It’s got us scratching our heads. But also, the land’s pavement is gradually being sliced up; gear imagery is being replaced with a more simplistic design. They’re working on a greater, bigger, more beautiful tomorrow, and we can’t wait to see what else is in store!
Now that the PeopleMover is back open, this is a MUST-DO on any trip to Magic Kingdom! Plus, those views of TRON construction keep us Nosy-Nellies satisfied.
Over the last month, work has really ramped up outside TRON Lightcycle Run. Blue safety netting has been added to the canopy in preparation for the LED panels installation.
You can really see how close Tomorrowland’s two coasters are:
While TRON construction is powering on, an official opening date has yet to be announced for Magic Kingdom’s newest attraction.
Over in Fantasyland, I feel like you can gauge just how busy the park is by looking at conditions behind Cinderella Castle:
For a day at the Kingdom with recently-increased capacity, the crowds were really manageable. Maybe the rain clouds scared some guests away?
No matter what time of day it is, Cinderella Castle is ever gleaming!
Before heading out, we stopped by the Emporium to see what’s new. A Tropical Summer collection is front and center with new apparel, accessories, and home goods!
Fresh finds! Loving the palm leaf patterns!
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Let’s Hear From You
That’s all for now, so thanks for joining me! What do you think of the drastic changers happening around Walt Disney World? Are you excited about the return of fireworks around the resort? Where will you be eating first from the newly reopened/reopening restaurants around the resort? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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