It’s no secret that the Walt Disney World Resort is undergoing major change, and thousands—if not millions—of guests have just been notified of a new world for next year.
Let’s get up to speed: the Walt Disney World Resort is perhaps undergoing its most significant overhaul (the opening of new theme parks aside). At Magic Kingdom, work is underway to bring the Cars franchise to Frontierland. The addition of the Cars land—named Piston Peak National Park—comes at a cost, with classic attractions like Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America shutting down on July 7.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, work is already in progress to demolish the DinoLand U.S.A. area and replace it with a Tropical Americas land called the Pueblo Esparanza. This themed location will feature the Encanto and Indiana Jones franchises and include two signature attractions based on each.
Then, over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Grand Avenue as guests knew it is no more, with places like Muppet*Vision 3D, PizzeRizzo, and Mama Melrose’s shutting down permanently as Disney Experiences works to bring Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. franchise to the park. The arrival of Monstropolis will also include Disney’s first-ever suspended coaster based on the iconic door sequence at the end of the 2001 animated movie.
All that to say, change is happening in droves at the Orlando Disney theme parks.
And yet, Disney has notified guests that they should book a vacation now to “experience a whole new world in 2026.”
In an email sent to its guests in the United Kingdom, the Walt Disney World Resort shared its current booking offers, which include the popular free dining plan and cheaper ticket bundle offers, and gave an update on what guests can expect when they return to the resort next year.
Anchoring this “new experiences” email was the four new entertainment offerings hitting the parks this summer. In Magic Kingdom Park, the Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away parade will officially debut on July 20, with two showtimes of 9 p.m. and 11 p.m., while over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the Zootopia: Better Zoogether! will begin performances “this winter.” The Zootopia show replaces the former It’s Tough to be a Bug! attraction inside the Tree of Life Theater.
Then, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, two new shows opened this summer: The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure and Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After. The former takes over the previous show that was performed in that same space, while the latter replaces Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy at the theme park.
It is interesting that Disney is pushing these new experiences and pitching them as a “whole new world,” considering that many of its beloved attractions—like Big Thunder Mountain—will be closed until next year. In fact, some guests are so concerned about the level of disruption at the parks that they are considering cancelling their plans until more is reopened at the resort.
How do you feel about all the closures and changes at the Walt Disney World Resort? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!
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