This is just a quick roundup of Disney news (and some rumors) that you should be aware of if you’re planning any Walt Disney World trips in the near future. There’s some good, some bad, and some downright ugly!
The big news is the huge price increases on annual passes for the Florida parks. All levels of passes have gone up, with the Platinum jumping from $894 to $1119! The annual pass used to be a good idea if you were spending more than 10 days at Disney, but it’s looking less like a smart move. Of course, the reason the AP prices went up is due to the announcement that Platinum and above passholders will be able to preview Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge before the official opening date of August 29th. Emails will be sent out and passholders can attempt to make a reservation, but competition will be fierce to get those coveted spots. Overnight parking at the hotels has also increased, as well as prices for the Disney Dining Plan for 2020.
As far as new things coming to Walt Disney World in the near future, there are several exciting additions. The new space-themed restaurant is opening at Epcot later this year next to the ride Mission Space. This is going to be a completely unique experience that has definitely piqued my interest. A new fireworks show is coming to Epcot as well, as Illuminations ends its run at the end of the summer. The gondolas that are set to bring guests from certain resort hotels to Hollywood Studios and Epcot are currently testing and should be ready to roll by fall of this year! And of course, the biggest single-themed land in the park’s history will be opening at the end of summer. Galaxy’s Edge is more than 14 acres and will have a full size Millenium Falcon for guests to ooh and ahh over. The crowds will be massive and if you’re planning on visiting the parks this fall, having a good touring plan is vital. Hollywood Studios will be having extra extra magic hours starting at 6 am for most of the latter part of the year. If you want to catch a glimpse of the Falcon, I suggest getting there at least an hour before that.
The recent rumor that’s been circulating around social media is that the classic attraction Country Bear Jamboree will be changed permanently to a Toy Story-themed show featuring Woody, Jesse, and the gang. I’ve seen reactions ranging from horror to sheer joy, as many have really strong feelings one way or another about this Magic Kingdom attraction that has been around since opening day. It is still a rumor, but my suggestion is to catch it if you’ll be visiting in the next few months, as it might be gone soon so the new attraction will be done in time for the 50th anniversary of Magic Kingdom, in 2021. Another rumor is that it appears that Fastpass tiers will be changed at Hollywood Studios to try to redistribute crowds around the park once Galaxy’s Edge opens. It’s also looking like evening extra magic hours at Magic Kingdom might be a thing of the past as they have been removed on dates in the fall. As with all rumors, time will tell. Change is necessary but is it in favor of the guests’ experience? That I’m not sure of.
The Budget Disney Diva 