Top New Rides and Attractions Coming to Walt Disney World in 2022

There’s an interesting slate of new rides and attractions coming to Walt Disney World in the coming years. And with 2022 just days away, now is the perfect time for us to leave 2021 behind and look to the future. Take a look and let us know if it’s enough to start planning your next Disney trip!

Here’s what’s (hopefully) opening in 2022 at WDW:

TRON Lightcycle Run 

While Magic Kingdom’s newest coaster was supposed to open in Spring/Summer 2021, it has been pushed back. Now the estimated opening date is 2022, or even possibly 2023. This roller coaster will replicate the one in Shanghai Disneyland and we expect it to be one of the most popular rides in all of Walt Disney World upon completion. With Space Mountain and TRON Lightcycle Run side by side, Tomorrowland will host a dynamic duo of coasters!

Princess and the Frog Attraction

Splash Mountain is closing to welcome a new Princess and the Frog attraction. It will remain a log flume ride just like Splash Mountain, but will now take place in the Louisiana Bayou. The ride will feature Tiana and Louis as they take you on a fun musical journey of what happens just after the big kiss in the film. There is no set opening date for this ride yet, but prospective dates show 2022. Any attraction name ideas?

For more about this overhaul of Splash Mountain, be sure to check out our coverage below:

UPDATED: Splash Mountain’s Upcoming Princess and the Frog Reimagining

Walt Disney Railroad

If you’ve been to the Magic Kingdom recently, then you may have noticed a lack of a certain train making its way around the Magic Kingdom. It closed in 2019 to accommodate TRON Coaster construction, and despite the reopening of the parks, it has not returned. Currently, the Railroad’s refurbishment schedule is only listed through early March on Walt Disney World’s website. A late 2022 reopening is possible, depending on the construction progress of TRON and the tunnel needed to pass through the new coaster’s area. Three whole years without the Railroad at Magic Kingdom… we sure hope it returns soon!

New EPCOT Neighborhoods

EPCOT will see the most changes in the next year, with new attractions, eateries, and areas debuting in time for this unique park’s 40th anniversary.

The news of the massive redevelopment of Future World to make a new area of the park divided into four neighborhoods was put on hold due to the park shutdown and subsequent shifting of priorities. Paired with World Showcase, the three new neighborhoods which replaced what was Future World are World Celebration, World Nature, and World Discovery.

While these new neighborhood names officially debuted on October 1st, 2021 for WDW’s 50th anniversary, three of the four areas are filled with ongoing construction projects. However, we will start seeing some of the changes to these areas as early as 2022 and beyond. You may have already seen a few of these new changes if you’ve been to the park this year… such as Awesome Planet in The Land pavilion, which takes you through an earth exploration, and the new France expansion area, including Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.

We’re looking forward to the replacement of the Electric Umbrella restaurant in one of the old Communicore buildings. 

Wondrous China

A new film coming to EPCOT’s China Pavilion. The Circle-Vision 3D experience is titled Wondrous China. This film will replace the old version with new scenes. There is no opening date just yet, but it’s expected to debut in either 2022 or 2023.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind 

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will be EPCOT’s very first roller coaster… it only took 40 years to get on. Since Disney’s original announcement at D23 in 2019, this project has seen many delays and was supposed to open in time for the 50th anniversary of Disney World in October. The latest promise is that the attraction will open in the summer of 2022. 

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…And a Few Returning Favorites!

In addition to all of these new attractions, some favorites will finally return in 2022 after extended closures.

• At Magic Kingdom, Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire castle show will return early next year, with new themed sequences, plus a new opening, finale, and song. The Festival of Fantasy parade will also return in early 2022.

• At Disney’s Animal Kingdom park, Finding Nemo: The Musical returns in a modified form as Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond! 

• At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the popular nighttime spectacular Fantasmic! returns sometime next year with new show sequences. 

A Few Missing Things…

But we’re still waiting to hear about things that were promised and then just sort of disappeared…

• Like the Festival Pavilion in World Celebration at EPCOT.

• Or the highly anticipated Mary Poppins attraction for the United Kingdom Pavilion. 

• Or the hinted at addition of COCO to the boat ride in the Mexico Pavilion (Gran Fiesta Tour). 

• Or any of the possible World Showcase pavilion expansions, such as Brazil which seemed so likely just a couple of years ago and now seems so distant.  

Let’s Hear From You

There are lots of new rides and attractions making their way to the parks in the next year or two. Which new attraction are you most looking forward to? And what’s no longer on the short range forecast that you wish would get back on track?

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