A long time in the past, Walt Disney stated that Disneyland — the one park open on the time — would by no means be accomplished and would proceed to develop so long as there was creativeness left on this planet. And boy, was he proper — probably in methods he could not have dreamed of so a few years in the past.
Whereas the parks have all the time been alive, evolving locations, and never frozen museums, the tempo at which main change has occurred on the U.S. Disney parks has been nearly inconceivable because the 2020 pandemic-related shutdowns. Like all the pieces else, the parks needed to adapt when life modified so abruptly, however they needed to do it at a scale and on a public stage that was matched by just a few different industries.
Since Disney World has been reopened for greater than three years, you’d suppose these pandemic modifications had been nicely behind us, and in some methods, you would be right. However in different methods, the trail again to “regular” (or the brand new model of regular) has been nearly 4 years within the making.
As of this writing in late December 2023, park reservations have been the norm because the reopening, the once-popular Disney Eating Plans nonetheless have not returned, park hopping earlier than 2 p.m. hasn’t been doable, and whereas paid Genie+ changed free FastPass in late 2021, the power to prebook some expedited rides the way in which you would with the outdated free system hasn’t debuted with the paid system.
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In different phrases, the fingerprint of the pandemic’s major and secondary impacts are nonetheless felt at Disney, particularly when you have “fond recollections of the previous.”
However, primarily based on what we all know, 2024 is shaping as much as be the yr that a few of what we now have missed from the “earlier than instances” at Disney World will come again in a modern-day means. There are additionally some new issues to get pleasure from at Disney World debuting subsequent yr, although those that have gotten used to the tempo of main attraction openings annually may be a bit dissatisfied as 2024 will usher in not less than a number of years of refreshes and revamps, quite than main all-new sights, influenced by the pullback in new investments that occurred in the course of the pandemic.
Here is what we all know that will likely be new (or new once more) to get pleasure from at Disney World in 2024.
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Tiana’s Bayou Journey
The most important (and probably solely) “new” attraction to Disney World in 2024 will likely be Tiana’s Bayou Journey, first introduced in 2020.
This isn’t an all-new attraction in that it was constructed from the bottom up, however it’s a huge reimagining of the trip that was once generally known as Splash Mountain. So, whereas the practically 50-foot splashdown will stay, the theming, know-how, music and extra will likely be all-new as Tiana will get her first attraction.
Splash Mountain closed at Disney World in early 2023 and is scheduled to reopen as Tiana’s Bayou Journey in what Disney describes as late 2024.
Here is what Tiana’s Bayou Journey appeared like as of late-2023.
New ‘The Little Mermaid Present’
The Animation Courtyard theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios has stood darkish since Disney reopened in June 2020. The theater was once residence to the “Voyage of The Little Mermaid” present, however a totally reimagined model of the manufacturing will open within the fall of 2024. “The Little Mermaid — A Musical Journey” will showcase Ariel’s dream to be a part of the human world with new set items and particular results, in addition to basic songs from the movie.
New Star Excursions scenes
That is maybe a small comfort for Star Wars followers who skilled the closure of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser (aka the Star Wars Lodge) in 2023, however in 2024, there will likely be extra tales and characters added to the basic Star Excursions attraction at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios (together with at another Disney parks with the identical attraction).
The Nation Bears Jamboree will get new tunes
Situated inside Frontierland inside Disney’s Magic Kingdom, the basic Nation Bears Jamboree present that includes animatronic bears will lastly study some new tunes in 2024. Anticipate to listen to a Nashville-style tackle some Disney favorites, comparable to “The Naked Requirements,” when the brand new present debuts subsequent yr.
Zootopia-themed attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Throughout 2023’s Vacation spot D23 fan occasion, Disney introduced that the “It is Robust to Be a Bug” sights situated contained in the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will likely be changed by a “Zootopia” storyline.
At the moment, this attraction is a 3D movie that includes characters from “A Bug’s Life” with a number of 4D results and animatronics blended in. Disney didn’t announce an official date for this makeover, however it’s prone to open someday in 2024.
Epcot’s transformation will (lastly) be full
After being underneath development for greater than 4 years, Epcot visitors have gotten used to navigating round development partitions. Whereas many partitions are actually down, it seems like 2024 would be the yr the final of the partitions are eliminated, and Epcot’s transformation will likely be full.
On Dec. 5, 2023, Epcot opened a brand new space known as Dreamers Level within the World Celebration Neighborhood on the entrance of the park. The world contains a bronze “Walt the Dreamer” statue and World Celebration Gardens, a landscaped space the place visitors can collect and hook up with the opposite areas of the park. On this similar day, Epcot debuted its latest nighttime spectacular, Luminous — A Symphony of Us.
This was a giant step ahead, however there are a number of extra modifications but to return. In 2024, CommuniCore Corridor and Communicore Plaza — Epcot’s devoted pageant areas — needs to be full. With an out of doors live performance space and indoor area for cooking demonstrations, character meet-and-greets and extra, this space will remodel the park’s annual festivals held all year long.
New DVC property: cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
Whereas 2024 will likely be gentle on new sights at Disney World, there will likely be some new rooms the place you’ll be able to lay your head. Coming in the summertime of 2024, the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort will develop into Disney Trip Membership’s seventeenth property.
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These cabins (that are being constructed offsite) will sleep as much as six folks in a configuration that has twin-size bunk beds within the major bed room, together with the first queen-size mattress and a Murphy mattress in the lounge. There will likely be a full kitchen with all the standard inclusions.
A few of the cabins will likely be dog-friendly, and all can have a 65-inch TV, private patio and charcoal grill.
Pricing has but to be introduced, however this will likely be a enjoyable new option to get pleasure from all of Fort Wildnerness with out having to camp, personal or hire an RV. These new DVC cabins will change the present cabins at Fort Wilderness.
New tower at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
This new tower and its room sorts will likely be an enormous profit for these searching for room configurations because the present buildings on the Polynesian solely supply one-room studios or dear overwater bungalows.
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Disney Eating Plans return
There are each full-service and quick-service eating plans, and count on TPG to interrupt down “is it value it” because the plans make their return within the coming weeks. However for individuals who want to know an all-in worth for his or her Disney World trip upfront — and who know they’ll make full use of included meals, snacks and drinks — this will likely be a welcome change to the outdated regular.
Park hop everytime you want
If in case you have a ticket sort that means that you can go to a number of parks in someday — AKA “park hop” — you may as soon as once more be capable to try this at no matter time you want, starting on that very same day, Jan. 9, 2024. Which means that as a substitute of ready till 2 p.m. within the afternoon (after visiting your first park of the day), you’ll head to your second park at no matter time you want.
No want for park reservations on most tickets
Park reservations aren’t completely going away in 2024, however starting on Jan. 9, you’ll skip the park reservation step in case you purchase date-based tickets to the Disney World theme parks. This additionally means you will not have to totally commit to precisely which of the 4 Disney World theme parks you’ll go to on every day of your trip upfront.
This simplifies issues and eliminates a step within the course of for a lot of guests. Nevertheless, be aware that these with an annual move will nonetheless must make park reservations for some dates, although there will likely be some smaller-crowd “good to go” dates the place reservations should not wanted for passholders. Moreover, passholders can already go to any Disney World theme park with out a park reservation starting every afternoon at 2 p.m. (besides Magic Kingdom on weekends).
Prebook some Lightning Lanes in 2024 (most likely)
Disney has heard that ache level and introduced coming modifications to the system in Might 2023, “We’ve heard from visitors that they want methods to plan with Disney Genie+ service and particular person Lightning Lane choices earlier than the day of their park go to, and we would like you to know we’re engaged on methods visitors might do that for visits in 2024.”
There aren’t any particulars but out there about how Disney will permit for advance planning with Lightning Lanes, and presumably some variety of advance Lightning Lane reservations, however it’s anticipated that Disney will comply with via with what it has publicly stated and make some tweaks to how this system works sooner or later in 2024.
New Cake Bake Store and restaurant
Disney’s website signifies that the restaurant will serve breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, desserts and cocktails. Based mostly on a peek on the menu at another Cake Bake Store places, I would count on to see choices round afternoon tea, salad, quiche, crab muffins, sandwiches and extra.
Backside line
What is going to make a 2024 journey to Disney World further particular and completely different from the previous couple of years is that it is going to be as shut because it has been to the extra carefree pre-pandemic methods of having fun with Disney than we now have seen in years.
And whereas the Tiana-themed trip and a few new lodging choices will likely be huge additions to Disney World subsequent yr, 2024 will begin what is going to probably be a number of years of a smaller listing of latest sights and experiences than we have had shortly from Disney World as a result of quick listing of initiatives that started development in 2020 and the next unsure years.
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