A massive new attraction opens next week, with another perhaps just months away. And all of that means that changes need to be made to manage crowds. We’ll take you to the parks to investigate the new E-Tickets, look at how Disney is attempting to restrain an out of control Genie, ponder some projects which appear to have disappeared, and explore the latest news from all 4 parks and Disney Springs! There’s a lot to cover today from Disney’s vacation kingdom…
Putting Genie Back in the Bottle
Recent changes to Genie+ will help control the runaway use of the service, which has resulted in extra long standby waits for everyone else.
Beginning June 8th, guests will only be able to purchase Genie+ on the day of their visit. They were previously allowed to add on the service in advance… though, the scheduling of attractions was always done the day of. Any tickets purchased through the end of 2022 already including Genie+ will remain. Therefore, it will be some time before we see what the effects of this change will be.
CHOOSE WISELY: Purchasing Genie+ the day of your visit, plus Individual Lightning Lane selections, and/or Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Virtual Queue (if at Epcot for the day), as well as selecting your first Genie+ selection at 7:00am is going to be cumbersome. One would think that adding a paid service to your tickets would make your experience and park day easier… but that’s not always the case.
Disney is also hinting that Genie+ may be limited in availability in the future. There are currently no limits on the number of guests allowed to buy the service each day. Unfortunately, the Genie+ service is too popular for its own good. Disney now warns guests that they may only be able to enter 2 or 3 Lightning Lanes in a day. And if you don’t make your first selection early in the morning, you may not even be able to do that many.
How do you feel about Disney Genie?
Individual Lightning Lane Changes
In related news, there are changes to which attractions offer Individual Lightning Lane (the skip-the-line option which costs extra and is not included in Genie+). Initially, each park had two Individual Lightning Lane rides each. However, since the end of February, that was reduced to only one Individual Lightning Lane attraction in each park. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is set to open to the public on May 27th with an Individual Lightning Lane option (in addition to Virtual Queue). So, starting May 31st, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will be moving from an Individual Lightning Lane to a regular Genie+ attraction.
At that point, the Individual Lightning Lane selections will be Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (Magic Kingdom), Avatar Flight of Passage (Animal Kingdom), Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (Epcot), and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Hollywood Studios).
Everything’s Coming Up EPCOT. We have a slew of news items for you today from Walt Disney World’s 2nd park…
A Huge Hit for EPCOT
The park’s newest attraction and first roller coaster – Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – officially opens on May 27th. But the attraction has been in previews for media, passholders, and cast members all month.
This coaster is incredibly fun. Whether you agree it fits into EPCOT’s overall theme or not, this E-ticket attraction is going to be a huge hit.
While the coaster is destined to be the top draw in the park for the foreseeable future, there will be no standby queue available to guests. To experience WDW’s latest and greatest attraction, you’ll need to secure a virtual queue boarding time or purchase an Individual Lightning Lane pass.
How to secure a Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Virtual Queue spot (beginning May 27th)
Guests will need to use their My Disney Experience app to secure a boarding group for the ride, no more than once per day. A standby queue will not be available. Individual Lightning Lane (extra cost) will be available for purchase, though no price has been announced yet.
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- The virtual queue opens at 7am, and again at 1pm each day. You’ll need an EPCOT park reservation to book at 7am and can join from outside the park. However, if you are shooting for the 1pm selection opportunity, you will need to be physically inside EPCOT to make the selection.
- Deluxe Resort Guests Perk: On nights when there are Extended Evening Theme Park Hours at EPCOT, Deluxe Resort guests will have the extra opportunity to enter the virtual queue at 6pm to achieve a boarding time during the Extended Hours period. Included guests do not need to be present at EPCOT to enter the queue.
(Remember, Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane selections open at 7:00am each morning for resort guests, and that means you’ll need to make some choices. EPCOT’s most popular attractions, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Frozen Ever After, all book up shortly after 7am. So, while you are grabbing a spot for one, best times for the others may fill up.)
For more info, photos, and video on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, check out our coverage below:
As great as the Guardians coaster is, many of EPCOT’s other ambitious plans have either slid off the radar or have been scaled back…
EPCOT Scaled Back Plans
Earlier this month, Disney revealed their latest plans for EPCOT’s central hub – recently dubbed World Celebration (the center section of the old Future World). Sadly, the ambitious multi-level festival center project has been officially cancelled.
Instead, trees and seasonal gardens will be installed between the two halves of CommuniCore Plaza, in addition to a new space and stage to the side of the plaza where guests can enjoy music and festival-related entertainment.
Read more about the recently announced EPCOT changes here:
What else is coming to EPCOT? Moana – Journey of Water, to be located just next to the new CommuniCore area, across from the Land pavilion, is still on track to open soon (no opening date has been announced yet). However, Disney has gone silent on the Play Pavilion (former Wonders of Life), as well as the major Spaceship Earth refurbishment, and the Mary Poppins area for the U.K. pavilion – which were all announced at the last D23 Expo in 2019. And then there are all the EPCOT projects which were hinted at but never officially announced, such as a Coco retheme for Mexico’s Gran Fiesta Tour, a Brazil Pavilion for World Showcase, the inevitable Imagination Pavilion overhaul, or the Dr. Strange show. Some of these projects may just be delayed, while others may be scaled back, replaced, or canceled entirely. Any predictions for what Disney will announce at D23 Expo 2022 in a few short months?
Flower Power
The International Flower & Garden Festival continues all the way through July 4th, before Food & Wine moves in on July 14th. Since Flower & Garden has continued for so long this year, many of the gardens are in full bloom. In the past, the festival would be shutting down just as the gardens were starting to look their best. Now we can enjoy the blooms, floating gardens, and fresh dishes for a much longer run!
Connections Cafe & Eatery
EPCOT’s former Electric Umbrella restaurant has been transformed. The new Connections Cafe & Eatery has a giant Starbucks on one side and a quick service restaurant on the other. We had a moment to catch a quick meal and really enjoyed the hand-breaded chicken sandwich as well as the mango-coconut dairy free shake.
They’re even using special plates right now. Should we take bets on how long it will be until they switch to disposable plates?
Wild News for Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, KiteTails will be dropped as a regular show after May 26th. It won’t even make it to the end of the 50th-anniversary celebration, which it was created for. However, we may still see the kites on the lagoon periodically as ambiance.
Expedition Everest is back open after a lengthy refurb. While the coaster tracks and sets have been cleaned up, the Yeti is still living in the disco era… frozen in place with just some strobe lights to give a sense of movement.
While we’re here, let’s hop over to the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail – we have to share this clip of a baby Western Lowland Gorilla from our park visit last week. How sweet!
STILL a half day park…
Animal Kingdom is currently scheduled to close at 8PM each evening. Guests tend to visit this park early in the morning and with few major attractions, there isn’t much to keep guests in the park at night. However, the newest Avatar land looks its best after dark. So, to allow guests to see the land at night without having to keep the whole park open, Disney has been staffing the outdoor areas of Pandora: The World of Avatar for an additional 2 hours after the park closes so guests can enjoy the bioluminescent. This park REALLY needs some night life to help make it a full day experience.
You can occasionally spot Kevin walking through the Asia/Discovery Island areas, in addition to daily meet and greets near the Character Landing on Discovery Island. Isn’t she beautiful?
Also, just a quick reminder that Satu’li Canteen is perhaps the best quick-service meal in the park. Have you given it a try?
Magic Kingdom
With Cosmic Rewind officially opening at EPCOT in just a few days, we’re looking ahead to the next E-ticket attraction for Walt Disney World. TRON Lightcycle Run construction has been moving especially fast lately with some visible milestones. Including this video of the coaster’s first launch, and the ride has been seen actively testing over the last week:
@disneyparks 🚨FIRST LAUNCH TEST!🚨 at TRON Lightcycle / Run! 🏍🎢 #Disney #DisneyParks #DisneyWorld #MagicKingdom #DisneyCastLife #Imagineering #TRON #RollerCoaster #RidePOV #BTS
The side doors to Tomorrowland Light & Power Co. (Space Mountain’s exit through the gift shop) have been blocked off to widen the pathway for accommodating TRON traffic.
There has been no official TRON opening date announced, but at this rate, we just might see it open before the year’s end!
The Harmony Barber Shop is returning to Main Street on July 31st. Reservations will be available starting June 28th. This follows the reopening of the Grand Floridian Spa this past January.
And the news lots of little ones have been waiting for …Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is returning… though no specific date has been given.
Hooray for Hollywood… Almost
While no exact date has been announced, Fantasmic! will be returning to Disney’s Hollywood Studios sometime in 2022 (The west coast version returns to Disneyland next week on May 28th!). However, we do know that the Pocahontas scene is being replaced with a new sequence that will feature Mulan, Elsa, Aladdin, Pocahontas, and Moana, all in the heroic moments of their own journeys.
Disney Springs
A new ice cream shop has popped up in Disney Springs, and fans of Downtown Disney’s Salt & Straw in Anaheim can now get a scoop (or two) here at The Walt Disney World Resort as well. Located on the West Side of Disney Springs, the family-run Salt & Straw is known for its unique flavors of handmade, small-batch ice cream incorporating local and organic ingredients.
With classic flavor menu staples and a rotating monthly seasonal menu, there’s something for everyone. View the Disney menu here. (Chloe’s personal favorite is the Arbequina Olive Oil!) They’ve also already collaborated flavors with their Springs neighbor, The Salty Donut… but keep your eyes peeled for a Gideon’s Bakehouse ice cream flavor in the future! YUM!
Speaking of those famous cookies… Congratulations to Gideon’s Bakehouse who won a Themed Entertainment Association award for the incredible theming of their Disney Springs location!
To say we are fans of these amazing cookies and cakes is an understatement. One of our staff members (Photomatt we are looking at you) even makes same-day round trip flights to Orlando just to load up on these cookies!
Walt Disney World 2023 Packages Begin Booking on June 8th!
There’s always a frenzy when the next year’s packages are released, and that happens on June 8th! But don’t stress, we’ve partnered with Get Away Today to answer your questions and help you book tickets, hotels, and packages. And MiceChat readers get special services and assistance booking dining, events, and more.
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Visit getawaytoday.com or call 855-GET-AWAY and one of their travel experts would be happy to help you. When calling, always be sure to let them know you are a MiceChat readers so you get the best possible deal.
Let’s Hear From You!
Are you a Genie fan or foe? Will the small tweaks to the system make a difference? Are you ready to save the Galaxy? With a Guardians + TRON combo be a major vacation draw? Let us know your thoughts on any of the news items today. We appreciate your support!
EDITED BY: CF & LG
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