It has historically been one of the most interesting places to find Disney World leaks. But how accurate are the WDWMagic Forums post-pandemic?
Yesterday I had a request come in from WDW Pro to do an interesting project. I was tasked with auditing a site’s forums known for Disney World leaks and rumors!
Over on the WDWMagic Forums, where a number of leaks can sometimes drive press coverage of potential future Disney World projects, the forums have a thread that documents all the rumors since mid-2020. Maintained by a user named “Mister Penguin,” the thread is used to keep track of the rumors from the site’s “trusted insiders.” If you’ve been following our own WDW Pro for any length of time, you know that he posted on the WDWMagic Forums for perhaps a year before going to write for Pirates and Princesses and then That Park Place. Although he doesn’t write very often on the WDWMagic Forums anymore, he maintained an at least better 80% accuracy rating for leaks while writing there in 2020. That was especially impressive given that it was during the fast-changing pandemic era.
So the WDWMagic Forums have been a historically great place to find new, legit rumors. But how are they doing over the last three years?
To find out, I went through the entire thread and color-coded the various rumors they had collected. Green represented an authentic leak they had before it was announced. Yellow represented a statement that just reflected already-known info. Red was used for rumors that were false. And I left some things black that I just wasn’t sure about or didn’t fit neatly into any category. I’m sure I didn’t do perfectly, but I think this is a pretty good reflection of the accuracy you might find on the forums there.
Now an important note:
The WDWMagic site is separated into multiple parts. The news home page is excellent and is almost never incorrect. In fact, when we feature articles from around the web covering Disney World stuff, WDWMagic is almost always one of the sources we highlight. The website in that regard is fantastic. However, what I found in auditing the forum rumors over the last two years according to the “trusted insiders” was that minus one or two individuals, most of it was just silliness. That’s not to say you wouldn’t find some amazing leaks there. For example, a leak about Mickey’s Philharmagic appears to have happened on WDWMagic Forums earlier than anywhere else. The problem is that discerning which leaks are real and which leaks are nonsense makes the forums a better source for speculation (in the last two years) than likely leak source. Does that mean people should stop reading information from over there? Of course not. It just means maybe a bit more salt is needed when reading what the “insiders” have to say.
The audit is available down below. Make sure to check out the forums and decide for yourself sometime!
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom 50th Anniversary (Oct 1, 2021)
- Called: The World’s Most Magical Celebration
- Timeline:
May 2021 to the end of 2022.[here]- COVID has obviously changed the timeline to Oct 1, 2021 to Spring of 2023 (a year and a half)
- Official closure announced: March 31, 2023 [link to 50th closure announcement].
- Altho, it seems the will to keep up the 50th celebration is waning. E.g., in 2022, the Holiday Parties will return which will keep day-guests from seeing Disney Enchantment which was supposed to be the special 50th fireworks show.
- COVID has obviously changed the timeline to Oct 1, 2021 to Spring of 2023 (a year and a half)
- 50th new fireworks show: Disney Enchantmentstarting Oct 1, 2021
- Will include projections on Main Street (construction for that taking place August 2021)
- HEA status
- there will be an eventual replacement for “Happily Ever After” (which replaced “Wishes”)
although… there may be rumblings that since HEA was so well received, they might just update and upgrade it instead of a brand new show. [here]Nopemore rumblings it will be HEA with a 50th tag [here].Nope- HEA was suspended because of COVID, and is now back for Summer 2021 until the Oct 1 50th celebration
- Disney said HEA was going away to replaced by Enchantment. But it can always come back, or Enchantment can be semi-permanent. [here]
- And it seems HEA will be on the way back when the 50th is over (perhaps Spring of 2023). [here]
- It seems the 50th Replacement, Disney Enchantment (DE) will go away when the 50th ends (which is March 31, 2023). HEA is a likely replacement [here]
Have something new in each park by the 50th other than the stuff already publicly announced to include all the announced projects (minus Main Street Theater) as of March 2018, plus one more at Epcot (UK ride?), impressive entertainment package at all 4 parks, and a lot of ride refurbs. [here]Not so much thanks to COVID.“50 Things” marketing campaign will take place to list 50 new things added to the parks in celebration of the 50th [from a “Spirit thread”].Nope- Castle will get extensive refurbishments [here] and [here]
- The new paint job for the castle (pink walls) is a permanent art direction for the castle and not just the 50th overlay, which can still come later. [here]
- Possible that the current pink/salmon paint job is not liked by execs since the concept art sold them on a much softer use of pink, which may mean a change earlier than the usual paint maintenance [here]
Festival of Fantasy Parade will likely not be replaced by brand new 50th parade, but only get a float or two for the anniversary [here]NOPE- Due to staffing and COVID, FoF not expected to return until 2022 [here]
- The MK Halloween and Christmas Parties
The usual Halloween and Christmas parties will be back not only in full force in 2021, but with upgrades [here]Nope.- MNSSHP will not happen in 2021. Replaced by Halloween-themed Disney After Hours “Boo To You” events.
- MVMCP will not happen in 2021. Replaced by Disney After Hours “Very Merriest” events.
So as not to take away the 50th fireworks from day-guests, the Halloween and Christmas Parties will likely not be back until 2023. [here]NOPE- OR… WDW realizes Disney Enchantment ain’t that beloved nor that explicitly 50th-related, and so, the Party Nights return in 2022.
Night Time Parade
Get a new night time parade back eventually. [here]Festival of Fantasy didn’t turn out to work well at night, so, not used. Though, an iteration of Move It Shake It was moved to early evening.But there will definitely be a new night time parade for the 50th in 2021. [here] [here]Definitely planned for the 50th. Big budget. Some Paint the Night tech and some new tech. [here]The song “Trip a Little Light Fantastic” may make an appearance [here]Still the plan, but not ‘greenlit’ yet [here]However, ‘outside sources’ say both “definitely yes” and “definitely no” [here]- Night/Electric Parade Timeline: before pandemic, there was indeed one planned for the 50th [here]
- And it’s likely to be a mix of old parade elements with some new [here] [here]
- Or, it’s a modified Paint the Night that will move to Florida [here] [here] [here]
Tomorrowland
- land refresh: while the full plan hasn’t been announced, this is definitely happening since it has already started with paint jobs and the closure of Stitch. However, the plans have not been finalized and there are several contenders, and so, competing ideas keep getting leaked…
- We’ve already seen the boulders and Carousel of Progress get a new paint job… so they’re staying. And the paint job is a hint of what’s to come, as well as the new Joffrey’s. And rocks will be getting new lighting, like Space Mountain recently received.
- Laugh Floor, Buzz, Space Mountain, Astro Orbiter aren’t part of the refresh. It’ll be the look of the land with just a few attractions touched and TRON added. [here]
- final theme should be clean lines with blue, white, and purple colors [here]
- the general look will revert to the 1975 aesthetic [here]
- Tomorrowland’s overall refresh is likely to be done with. Power and Light’s changes that were supposed to be made may now be cut. [here] Indefinitely delayed [here]
- Power and Light refresh is taking place now (Apr-May 2022)
- Current construction is just clean up for that has started and all the other plans are now shelved. [here]
- In the late Summer 2021, some more retheming was taking place with new concrete
- Stitch’s Great Escape has closed. It was going to be a Wreck It Ralph ride (like Minions/Simpson in Universal), but that is nixed. Some other IP is going there by mid 2020. [here]
- TRON Coaster has been announced at D23 Expo 2017
- Tron will get a small exit shop. [here]
- Most importantly, it seems the TL to Circus path will remain and be widened! [here]
- TRON Timeline: by October 2021 for the 50th [here], or.. mid 2021 [here]
- Or… not even until 2022 [here] and [here]
- Interior construction put on hold in 2021, but then resumed in late Summer 2021 (earlier than expected).
Likely to open Spring 2022 [here]Nope- Now scheduled for Fall 2022 [here] and [here]
- TRON opening is now trending toward Late Fall [here]
- There could be soft opening possibility mid-November for an early December opening [here] [here]
- Speedway is getting an overhaul. [Here.]
- Electric cars? [Possible.]
- Still a plan. [here]
- Not likely to be Sugar Rush from Wreck-it Ralph. [Here.]
- Maybe a Tron theme for Speedway by 2021? [Here] and [Here] and [Here]
- in the artwork for Tron, the Speedway still exists — this is a sign it isn’t being removed as some sites have rumored [but the artist’s rendering of Tron doesn’t show what the overhauled Speedway will look like, there’s separate unreleased art for that.]
- still a plan to overlay the Speedway (with, most likely TRON) [here]
- Or no Tron Light Racers at all [here]
- OR… Speedway will change… or go away. [here]
- Electric cars? [Possible.]
- Space Mountain
- As part of the TRON Coaster and Speedway work, Tomorrowland Power and Light (SM Gift Shop) will get a minor overhaul [here]
- Carousel of Progress is getting a refurb, most likely updating final scene and reskinning the AAs [here] and news of when that may happen has ‘gone quiet’ [here]
- TTA: Peoplemover: scattered IP could be showing up [here]
- Lengthy Refurbishment: Before the pandemic lockdown, TTA was having operational issues. It then closed down for repairs. After the lockdown, it remained closed and it’s re-opening date kept being moved further and further away. Now, it seems it will be closed until Jan 2, 2021 [here] but it is definitely returning and not being scrapped [here]. Disney decided to replace *all* the linear induction motors. [here]
- TTA is now opened. The time down was just to repair it and keep it from ‘bumping’ cars. [here] Any planned introduction of IP scenes or sections did not happen at this time, and maybe never will… or will it? [here]
- Magic Kingdom Train
Adventureland
- Tiki Room: a possible contender of multiple plans is to replace Tiki Room with something else. Multiple sources say such a plan, along with others, exists [here]
- no new builds expected [here], the Tiki Exterior will remain even if the interior changes [here]
- it won’t be Club 33 [confirmed, Club 33 went elsewhere]
- Moana is front runner to join the birds, possibly [here]
- timeframe: by the end of 2021 [here] [now, obviously changed if not discarded due to pandemic]
- @Ronnie Sanford in a post now gone, posted ‘to see the Tikis while you can’ on June 20, 2019
- ‘Some Other Site’ reported confusingly in the same blog post that the Tiki Birds were going away (implying completely gone) and being overlaid. Disney Parks Blog has been publicly disputing This Site’s recent rumors by saying that the birds and Tiki room are staying… but also possibly hinting at changes (e.g., adding in Moana as some of our insiders have been saying). [here]
- but some sort of change is still expected [here]
- wdwthemeparks on Moana coming to Adventureland
- Jungle Cruise:
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson will star in a Jungle Cruise movie. He posted on instagram that “we’ll partner with Disney’s brilliant Imagineers to help re-engineer and re-design the #JungleCruise ride in all the Disney theme parks around the world.” Orlando Sentinel says Disney says there is no plan to revamp the ride.- A refresh is coming, not based on the movie, but to make some scenes less problematic with regard to the human population of those river jungles.
- DONE
- Treehouse: Maybe even the Swiss Family Treehouse will get some sort of change. [here]
- Fire Mountain (false) Rumor: A volcano for Adventureland was once on the drawing board a long time ago, the rumor it’s back on the table as a possibility has recently been revived.
- For: Jim Hill (other online sources are quoting Jim Hill)
- Against: MansionButler84, marni1971, WDW1974
- So… not likely at all.
Liberty to Frontier
- Frontier Land Update: cancelled – was supposed to get an update for the 50th, but Tomorrowland edged it out. [here]
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was hoped to get the special effects (‘splosions!) that the DL version had sooner than later, but, now probably later.. in 2020. [here] [now postponed or cut due to pandemic]
- Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island are potentially on the chopping block [here]
- Country Bears: Maybe new songs [here]
- Maybe a show update [here]
- Splash Mountain retheme to Princess and the Frog has been rejected by OLC (Tokyo), which WDW was counting on to share the cost. (DL’s version will be rethemed, but delayed by about 8 months) [here]
- So, WDW has to pay the full cost of a Tokyo retheme unless they chose a different IP that Tokyo is OK with. [here]
- Disney execs keep mentioning it, hasn’t been called off.
- the retheme is definitely on and will open in DL and MK in late 2024 [official]
- the big question now is when will Splash close for the retheme? guesses:
- During the usual January maintenance it will close and not come back
- OR, winter of 2022-2023 sometime [here]
- OR, after the 50th [here], which now officially closes on March 31, 2023 [link to 50th closure announcement].
- Muppets and Hall of Presidents
- Biden AA arrived.
Looking at incorporating Muppets in some way into the show [here]Nope
Fantasyland
Haunted Mansion restaurant. [here]
Epcot Update: Epcot is getting a major update that will have several phases that will run from 2017 to 2021+ [official]
- with delays: started in 2019 and will likely run until 2023-2025
- scope is more than $2 billion over more than 3 years [here]
- There is a push to include more IPs (Intellectual Properties) into Epcot [here].
- Bob Chapek on Epcot update: to stay true to Epcot’s original vision while making it “more timeless, more relevant, more family, and more Disney”
- Epcot is likely to get a ‘new name’… but not much different… probably going with all caps and maybe some sort of prefix or suffix, e.g., Disney EPCOT, or EPCOT Center.
- New font for Epcot has appeared with a mostly all-caps look. Website still uses “Epcot.”
Entrance
The entrance is losing the monuments and reverting back to the original Epcot design. As of Sep 2020, completed except for the fountain. [concept art]- A reconfiguring of trams and security is completed.
- Fountain completed, landscaping and lighting package still in process, new Leave a Legacy walls outside the park completed.
- New entrance lighting package installed to complement SSE’s “Beacon of Light” 50th update
World Celebration (spine/hub/festivals) The center spine and hub is now called World Celebration. It was supposed to contain these elements below which are now either cut, delayed, or altered due to the pandemic
Hub
- Festival Center
- a three-tiered structure likened to a footstool or a mushroom has been officially announced to be in the process of being redesigned to something not as expensive
- no timeline or art concept is known so far
- Re-redesigned to be just a “Festival Area” according to Disney.
-
Just a compromise until a permanent structure comes along… which might be the original 3-tiered building after all [here]
-
- NE Building: The Electric Umbrella will be a rethemed QS/TS restaurant, still on track.
- Turns out to be QS only, not TS. Called “Connections.” DONE
- SE Building: MouseGears will be rethemed to a new merchandise store
- NE & SE Buildings: Disney wants new merch and restaurant and Club Cool open by 50th [here]
- SW Building: demolished right before the pandemic. It is presumed that the new, scaled-back festival center will go here.
- NW Building & Journey of Water:
The situation: The NW and SW sections of Communicore were supposed to be demolished for the new Festival Center (3 tiered building and for Journey of Water which would occupy where the NW building is and then head to The Seas. However, the pandemic stopped the demolition of the NW building and it is still standing. As WDW decides how to reimagine the Festival Building, it is questioned whether the NW building will be demolished and JoW slightly altered to mesh with the new Festival Building, OR, if the NW building will stay (or, at least, its shell) and be incorporated into a new Festival Building, which would require major relocation of JoW.For the NW building to be demo’d: [here] and [here]; and JoW get just tweaks [here]Hint that the NW building will stay and JoW will need major changes [here]- NW Building is in process of being demolished.
- Journey of Water’s timeline was 2023, pre-COVID [here] Still on track to come to EPCOT.
- Hub Dreamer’s Point statue of Walt: timeline was 2023, pre-COVID [here]
- Hub Wishing Tree: Status unknown
- Hub Fountain: Still coming, timeline unknown
- Hub entertainment/outdoor plaza: Status unknown (artist concept shows ‘flying’ acrobats and a Alice themed tea party)
- Star Bucks: already moved to a ‘temporary’ location in between Imagination and World Showcase Plaza
- Now relocated in Connections. DONE
- Fountain Stage: already moved to a ‘temporary’ location at World Showcase Plaza
Imagination Pavilion
- In summary: Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but nothing is happening with the Figment ride for the next few years. It was not announced with the Epcot refresh, so, it continues to be put off for years. Please stop asking if something’s happening with Figment: It isn’t. When someone knows, they’ll post about. Please don’t keep asking for the next three years: the answer is the same… ‘nothing.’
- Timeline:
- if so, it’s 5-6 years away (2022-3). [and again]
- And further… 2025 (if at all) [here] and [here]
- In other words *if* anything happens, the earliest is 2023 to start a project that will complete in 2025, which depends on deciding what to do with the ride (which they don’t know yet) and approving a budget for it (which they haven’t).
- It’s long range tentative budget is less than Energy’s [here]
- And another confirmation Figment might come back as a possibility [here], but might not… still several options on the table [here]
- The reason Imagination keeps getting delayed because of internal fights over its direction. While nothing is being decided, other projects jump ahead in the queue [here]
Spaceship Earth
- Siemens Sponsorship
- Siemens is ending sponsorship of Spaceship Earth and Illuminations. Confirmed by a Siemens’ press release. Discussion of what that may mean here. [accomplished]
- FALSE RUMOR: “Siemens lost their sponsorship of Spaceship Earth when they offered to provide a new fleet of monorails as long as the monorails had ‘sponsored by Siemens’ on them.” Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope.
- Siemens didn’t have strong reasons to sponsor, and sponsorship of the fireworks show being removed from them helped push them away. [here]
- Big Refurb/Retheme
- SSE was going to close on May 26, 2020 for major updates including shifting the story from historical modes of communication to the history of story-telling. Some of the dioramas would have been changed, while others remain mostly intact with updates (likely mostly from projectors). But the pandemic has indefinitely delayed this refurb. [the update] [the delay]
- The full refurb for SSE could take up to three years to accomplish [here]
- The original plan for rerouting load and unload (which was to utilize or rebuild Project Tomorrow) may not be happening [here]
- SSE’s retheme is pushed off, not cancelled, and may have a change of direction [here]
- SSE’s retheme is indefinitely delayed [here]
World Discovery (East side)
Energy– A replacement for Ellen’s Energy Adventure will be a Guardian of the Galaxy coaster. [confirmed at D23 2017]
- Timeline
: Opens Spring 2021 [here], before May [here] - Ellen’s closed on Aug 13, 2017
- Story based on Peter Quill having visited Epcot when he was a child
- closure of Ellen’s confirmed to be August 13, 2017
- it will be a launched coaster, Vekoma train, good amount of rows, launches, no inversions [here]
- Permit filings label construction as “Project S”. [here]
- Revealed as Sausalito [here]
- Food & Beverage associated with GotG is a possibility [here]
Will be called “Infinite Universe” [here] and [here]- Actually, will be called Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind [here]
Wonders of Life: PLAY!
- Timeline: starts Fall of 2019, completed in early 2021 to open with GotG Coaster [here] and [here]
- What is PLAY!?
- Found here: [official announcement] A play area (currently unnamed) with multiple interactive activities based on several IPs with M&Gs, including Food & Beverage and digital interaction [here]
- no E-Ticket attractions (and some attractions are still in flux); a bunch of entertainment. The M&G displaced from razing Communicore/Innoventions West will temporarily go to Imagination Pavilion, and then come here. [here]
- a breakdown of the concept art [here]
- a breakdown of the contents vaguely verified as not inaccurate is listed… here
- The PLAY! pavilion attractions include: “Kiddy and tween playground under the dome. A small Entertainment stage, another small themed interactive show, a walk through, a hide and seek playground and M&G. Some retail, and some QS.” -Martin [here]
R.I.P Horizons
- The real story of why Horizons went away (and not because of sink holes) [here]
Space 220 Restaurant (restaurant in Earth orbit)
- Timeline: Space Restaurant to open in 2019 [here]
- Specs:
- space elevator simulator entrance
- Name: Space 220 (220 miles is height of the International Space Station)
- Large table service for close to 300 guests, a show, and other surprises [here]
- A 250 ft curved projection window along the south and southwestern interior wall [here]
- 16-seater bar, 188 seats upper tier (104 west / 84 east) and 188 seats lower tier [here]
- could have some good ol’ Disney IP showing up somehow [here]
World Nature (West side)
Land Pavilion
- Living with the Land refurb [here]
- Dining: additionally, a dining refresh [here]
- Awesome Planet movie opened Jan 17, 2020
Living Seas Pavilion refurb around 2021 [here]
- A recent survey may point to something new at the Seas (that isn’t aquarium related) [here]
- Any Seas updates are now back-burnered [here]
Journey of Water: see hub section above
Agent P World Showcase Adventure to be replaced by DuckTales, no timeline [here]
- May not being happening or indefinitely delayed [here]
Festivals:
- There is an idea for a summer event… [here]
Mexico: maybe Coco (the new movie) will be overlaid unto the Gran Fiesta ride in Mexico [strong, mid 2020] [overlaid like Gran Fiesta was overlaid]
- timeline:
expect Coco overlay to happen regardless of how the movie’s box office goes [here]now up in the air due to the overlay becoming less definite and more iffy [here] [and here]project not dead, but drive to make it happen is diminished [here]- And Coco overlay is off the table again [here]
- In The Epcot Experience, there is a Coco guitar next to the Mexico pavilion. So, the overlay was literally on the table for Mexico at one point, but, never made it to the Epcot upgrade announcements
- Coco scope scaled back and indefinitely delayed [here]
- budget of $75 million [here]
- Coco has been designed for Mexico (and a copy for DL), but got cut of the current EPCOT refurb. May still happen, but years away. [here]
- A description of one plan for a Coco overlay of Gran Fiesta [here]
Norway(ish)
- Anna and Elsa may be in ravamped outfits this Fall. [here] [completed]
- indeed, they are in their Frozen 2 outfits [here]
China’s 360 Degree Theater will go digital and seamless [confirmed at D23 Expo 2017]. The new film will be live action and projected from a new central ring in the ceiling. [here]
- timeline:
- could have some Disney IP showing up here, esp, in new 360 movie [here]
Wakanda
- Yep, that was a thing once planned on in World Showplace in the Africa spot: indefinitely delayed or completely cut [here]
American Adventure
- Predictions of a BBQ place replacing Liberty in have been fulfilled. [here]
France
- the Ratatouille Ride as it exists in Paris has beat out the Beauty and the Beast ride as the new attraction for the French Pavilion. [confirmed at D23 2017]
- Timeline
Sign outside construction says “Summer 2020”or, May-ish [here]Pandemic Panic: The pandemic paused construction of Rat which was supposed to be done in the Spring of 2020. Construction has resumed and it could be open by the end of 2020 [here]. BUT… a part of Disney management wants to hold off opening Rat until Summer/Fall of 2021 as part of a “come back to the parks” and presumably, 50th Anniversary marketing campaign. [here]For this year, late 2020 [here] and [here]For delay, [here] and [here] and [here]For “not likely this year, but if it does come this year, it won’t by ’til mid to late December” [here] and [here]Probably open between March & June of 2021 [here]While much of the chatter is for it to open in March, May May be on the table [here]- Disney announced it will open for the 50th… Oct 1, 2021.
- Some info on the original ride that might affect the new clone.
- ground clearing began 9/20/17
- will be called “Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure” [official]
- Timeline
- Impressions de France: the placement of the Rat ride would not necessitate any changes to IdF or any of France’s restaurants or shops
- Beauty and the Beast Sing-along
The UK:
- A Mary Poppins attraction was announced as part of the Epcot update [here], but now indefinitely delayed (and possibly cut altogether) [here]
- The Poppins attraction was about $80 million [here]
- The Poppins attraction would have been like Enchanted Tales with Belle [here]
Canada
- Predictions of a new O Canada! film are fulfilled, started on Jan 17, 2020 [here]
- The closed upstairs shop of La Boutique des Provinces is supposed to become a Food & Beverage place. [here]
New National Pavilions
- Brazil: a possible new national pavilion
Timeline: (2021?) (2022?) in 2022 [here]Ground breaking before Winter 2019 [here]Brazil’s paperwork is being finalized [here]original artist’s concept of Brazil when first floated long ago… new renderings in the works. [here]Brazil pavilion will cost $450 million with Brazil (i.e. Brazilian interests) picking up $250 million of it [here] [here]possible attached attraction/ride [chance of an attached attraction down to more than likely not than likely]This cost is way too high for just a pavilion, and so, it’s likely going to include an E-Ticket [here]or not [here] and [here]- and… it seems to have fell thru
- A Brazil pavilion isn’t necessarily dead dead [here]
- Indefinitely delayed [here]
- If there would have been a Brazil pavilion it would have had an attraction with the Three Caballeros and Coco overlays in Mexico, but the attraction and then pavilion fell through [here] [here] [here]
- after Brazil, Spain is the next contender (a long shot) for a pavilion. [here]
- and Spain’s off the table it seems [here]
- or maybe three new pavilions by 2025 [here]
- and maybe India is one of them [here]
Fireworks Show: a complete replacement of IllumiNations
- Interim show is back on (code name: Spark) and called Epcot Forever, fall 2019
- Permanent replacement in Fall 2020 {Project K(appa)}
- featuring Disney music (IPs) inspiring the whole world, massive floating set pieces, custom-built LED panels, choreographed fountains, light, pyro, and lasers.
- Cleared land next to Germany pavilion and fireworks canal toward ‘Africa’ is for prepping for the new fireworks shows and not for a new national pavilion [here]
- Name:
The new show will be called IllumiNations [plus something else] [here] - The main screen of Harmonious is flat and doesn’t turn. This would hurt the view from the island between UK and France (they’d see it from the side). But this island was used for upcharge Events views. So… Event may be taking over Showcase Plaza (where the current dessert party and FP+ viewing had been). [here]
- Pandemic Timeline Issue:
- During pandemic, all fireworks shows are on hold. Don’t know when any can come back.
- Epcot Forever v. Harmonious: Harmonious is still being constructed, so, if fireworks came back now, EF would come back until Hus is ready. But, EF isn’t well liked (less crowds, kites are an issue for ops), but, EF’s infrastructure is in place and Hus’s isn’t, so… there’s this back and forth…
- Epcot Forever hasn’t been pulling in crowds like Illuminations did, so, Epcot restaurants are asking WDW to fast-track Harmonious [here]
- No desire to keep Epcot Forever around longer than it needs to. May even switch to Harmonious’s infrastructure before fully complete [here]
- However, EP is planned to come back eventually [here]
- Harmonious Timeline: 2021 for the 50th (which is officially in October) [here]
- Harmonious not likely in 2020, but when fireworks are allowed again, it may be the show and not Epcot Forever. [here]
- Post-pandemic, Epcot Forever will be back for the Summer of 2021 switching to Harmonious for the 50th (Oct 1, 2021). [here] [here] [here] [here]
Tower of Terror will not get the Guardians of the Galaxy overlay that the one in Anaheim is getting [confirmed by Bob Chapek]
- Reaffirmed: ToT will remain untouched by GotG [here]
Star Tours
- Star Tours did get new scenes from Episodes 7, 8, & 9
- Star Tours eventually reconfigured for some other IP after SWL opens [here]
- But now, not likely to happen [here]
- but pandemic can change/delay/scuttle plans…
Galaxy’s Edge
- Rise of the Resistance: Overlay?
- Rise of the Resistance could be rethemed to another era in the Star Wars timeline [here] (in fact, that was a point imagineers made about SWL when building it.
- Any new timeline overlay would not be a seasonal thing, but permanent [here] (until they decide to change it again)
- Such a change (not decided upon yet) would take less than a year [here]
- Any “Phase II” updates to Galaxy’s Edge is now indefinitely delayed [here]
Toy Story Restaurant
- scope scaled back, delayed 8 months [here]
Echo Lake area is safe for now [here]
Drive-in and Commissary safe for now [here]
Sunset Blvd
- no current plans disrupt the theming of Sunset Blvd [here]
- but a hint that whatever RnRC remains or become may not wind up on Sunset in a further expansion of the park [here]
- RnRC may be rethemed, or just reoriented from Sunset Blvd to be part of a new land(s) that will be behind it taking over currently back stage areas (and maybe Animation Courtyard buildings?) [here]
Hub
- Nighttime animation hub show could replace the Star Wars night show [here]
Shows
- Fantasmic!
- An update is constantly talked about internally, but is just at the ‘possible’ stage.
- A potential replacement for Fantasmic has been killed, but that doesn’t mean some other thing couldn’t replace it [here]
- A “daytime Fantasmic” idea was being kicked around, but not so much anymore
- Fantasmic is due for some change [here] or not [here]
- Fantasmic! was suspended in 2020 because of the pandemic. A socially distanced one should open in Feb 2021 [here]
- A claim that Fantasmic! would restart in Feb 2021 [here]
- Fantasmic! arena and stage received major refurbishment from 2021 into 2022. Casting was initiated but then delayed. As of May 2022, the are still blocking and workshopping the new show which will have at least one new segment, new orchestration, and projection mapping. And then rehearsals with multiple crews will need to take place. So, Spring 2022 predictions are now mid-Summer. [here] [here] [here] [here] [here] [here]
- And now: Before Thanksgiving [here]
- And is October 26 before Thanksgiving? Yes, yes it is. [here] [here]
- Indy is safe for now. [here]
- Frozen singalong likely to stay even during pandemic, just with modifications [here]
- A Rapunzel Show was coming to DHS… and it’s delayed, with changes [here]
- Mermaid, Beauty… are all long running shows and plans were made for replacements but then delayed. Will they ever be updated with, e.g., the Aladdin show that was in Anaheim or the Tangled show that’s on the cruise ships?
- The Theater of the Stars where Beauty and the Best plays could be demo’d for something new or possibly enclosed [here] and probably enclosed again [here]
- Little Mermaid could be replaced when TSL opens in 2018.
- Launch Bay changed in 2019 or even sooner. Disney Jr. is safe. [here]
- Of these four: Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast Stage Show, Fantasmic, and Indiana Jones Stunt Show; expect 1 to be changed
in 2018,another by 2019, and the other 2 refreshed by 2021. Also expect a new show in a new-ish location. [here]
The rumored “Phase 3” is not going to be another land, but instead, updates like the Mickey ride; however, there once was talk of “2 new areas” in the planning stages which are now off the table
- No other big stuff for five or six years [here]
- Is Monstropolis / Pixar Land Coming to DHS? [not very likely] [and still no]
- Animation Courtyard is next after SWL for a re-do. [here] and [here]
- Still some undetermined plans for DHS after SWL opens [here]
New Name: Hollywood Studios is still getting an unknown name change, but that seems to be held off until the new Lands are completed. What an adventure!
Name change may coincide with SWL and MMRR openings. [here]- Name change not happening — official [here]
Pandora
- An extra attraction and a full sit-down restaurant a possible addition [here] [updated].
- Phase II Addition
- a good portion of the interactive at-night lighting effects did not turn out as planned. [here]
Northern Project: Some long term proposal to make use of the land north of Kali and south of Conservation Station. [here]
- Something within a decade [here]
- a ‘northern project’ sometime mid next decade [here]
- long-term goal to get to the Conservation Station on foot [here]
- Planet Watch reverting back to it’s previous incarnation is indefinitely delayed [here]
DinoLand: There were many rumors concerning this area with one or more attractions being replaced with various rumors that kept shifting. Given the pandemic and the closing of Primeval Whirl, any rumors worth mentioning would only be those from plans made in a post-COVID world. See Version 2 of the tracker for what these all were. Though, this prescient one:
Primeval Whirl may be gone in a year or two [here].And… it’s gone.- The space may be used for a quick flat-ride replacement (2023 or 2024), OR… saved for a more major land addition (2025 or 2026) [here]
Flights of Wonder:
- New show opened in April 2018 – – UP! A Great Bird Adventure
Rivers of Light: Show was permanently canceled during the pandemic. No info on any possible new water-stadium show.
- Or… maybe not so cancelled. [here]
- Or.. everything is now trashed and it ain’t ever coming back [here]
Festival of the Lion King / Nemo the Musical
- Nemo the Musical and FotLK were suspended during the pandemic
- Nemo is permanently cancelled [here] and [here]
- FotLK will come back [here]
- A lite version of FotLK is in the works opening Jun1 with no Tumble Monkeys. [here]
Zootopia: Zootopia never was planned to be and never will be a DAK attraction [here] and [here]
Indiana Jones: Anything that was Indiana Jones that was going to come to DAK is now cancelled [here]
WDW ‘MaxPass’? Is a version of MaxPass (paid FP) coming to WDW and FP+ going away?
In addition to keeping the free FP+ as it is, the more popular/new rides may have some or all of its FP slot allocated to a pay-for system [here]timeline: maybe 2019 [here]this is not connected with Star Wars Land (for now). SWL’s lack of FP at its opening is for efficiency. [here]this is not connected to Virtual Queues (called ‘Boarding Groups’ for Rise of the Resistance ride).MaxPass/FP+: Internal talks to do away with FP+ or supplement it with MaxPass. The pandemic may be the catalyst to make that happen (while FP+ isn’t available at the moment) [here]More on FP+ not coming back or significantly altered [here]- And it’s come to pass… Genie, Genie+, and Individual Attraction Selection was the replacement.
Pandemic Effects (Reservations, FP+, Hopping, etc..): After reopening from the pandemic, Disney did away with FP+ (see section directly above), Park Hopping, and then instituted a Reservation System in order to limit the number of guests in the parks. Will any or all of these return or go away?
- Reservation System
- Park Hopping
-
it will return, even if Reservations are still in place, but, not a priority [here] -
it has returned, but limited to 2 PM and gated by Park Reservations
-
- FP+ (or other premier access schemes)
-
unlikely to return or be initiated while Reservations are still in place. [here] -
replaced by Genie, Genie+, and Individual Attraction Selection
-
- Plexiglass!
-
expect more rides to get plexiglass so as to increase capacity (more people in same vehicle, and thus, increased throughput of people) [here] -
plexiglass removed Summer 2021
-
- Virtual Queues
- Nighttime Entertain (e.g., fireworks)
-
should come before Reservations end, tho neither are happening soon [here] -
Fireworks are back. RoL is dead. Fantasmic is in refurb limbo. DHS hub projections back.
-
- Park Capacity
-
Difficult to understand what that is since we don’t know what is considered ‘Full.’ Started at 25%, then went to 35%
-
Transportation
- Some Type of Transportation Other Than Gondolas!
- hints of new mass transit that is not bus, not gondola lift, not monorail, not rail; but whatever it is, it’s years away [likely]
- still not gondola lifts [here]
- maybe dedicated roadways (no cars, flyways over hiways), maybe with rail or some type of tracked system (maybe AI controlled?) [here]
- AI driven buses, vans, cars?…. <silence>
- And driverless it most likely is.
- And driverless transports pushed back a bit waiting for better tech [here]
- And driverless it most likely is.
- Monorail
- Now that the automation has been completed, expect upgrades to the vehicles [here] which includes being flush to the loading platform for easier load of vehicles [here]
- Bob Gurr and Bombardier
- Legendary and retired Imagineer, Bob Gurr, let loose that WDW was in the process of contracting with Bombardier for new monorail trains (thanks, in part, to several recent non-lethal but-could-have-been mishaps). Not a done deal… yet.
- Option: Extending the stations to accommodate longer trains. [here]
- still going with Bombadier, still in the works [here]
- How about a Bombadier Innovia 200? [here]
- if still happening, still a few years away and will be incremental changes [here]
- Silver monorail was just refurbished, which is a sign that WDW isn’t getting new monorails soon and in time for the 50th. So, they’re getting refurbed in the meantime. [here] [here] [here]
- DAK to/from AKL Transportation
- A new non-Gondola and non-bus way to link AKL with AK in in the works (years away)
- Could also link in Disney Springs and elsewhere [here]
- Train from airport to Disney Springs
Miscellaneous
- Fifth Gate: Ain’t happening. No trusted insider had indicated this in the works. In fact, they say it isn’t.
- Club 33: All the rumored Club 33s (one for each theme park) are completed.
- S.E.A.: No rumors of this backstory being incorporated into WDW for a while now. With the imperative of “more Disney,” it seems that S.E.A. isn’t “Disney,” at least not without a popular movie to back it up.
- And now, more SEA being added to Jungle Cruise: [here]
- Cryptic clue: Maybe there will be something built immediately behind World Showcase (American, Japan, France), or, the gondola system is set up for expansion, or, something… [here]
- 50th Plans Are Mostly Known: Almost everything that will open in time for MK’s 50th (Oct 2021) has been officially announced. [here]
- And now many are up in the air due to the pandemic
- Hours: How WDW determines how late they’ll be open to [here]
- What does a SVP-Commercial Strategy and Chief Revenue Officer do? [here]
- Joe Rohde and the mystery of Bali [here]
- Frozen: Other than minor things at DHS (e.g., incorporating songs from the Frozen short into the sing-along), no more Frozen additions expected in WDW. [here]
- While “more Disney” is a company goal leading to incorporating established Disney IPs from movies into the parks, there still is the possibility of “non-IP” attractions being added. [here]
- GotG coming to the Energy pavilion will be the only Marvel integration in WDW… that’s the plan… for now. [here]
- The Muppets are under Walt Disney Imagineering (under their puppetry division). [here]
- Disney Dining Plan, shelved during the pandemic, may come back in 2022 [here]
No Genie
- Show up, get in standby lines, OR, use Boarding Groups/Virtual Queues — either way, all rides can be ridden at no additional cost this way
- Can still use My Disney Experience app (MDE)
- The old “My Plans” section can be accessed by searching for my plans in the search bar.
Disney Genie [DG] (without the “+”)
- The app that will plan your day ‘for free’ by guiding you to your preferred attractions (standby lines) throughout the day.
- Coming Oct 19, 2021 to WDW. [Start date at DL is still TBD.]
Disney Genie+ [DG+]
- What is it?
- DG+ is an add-on to the free Disney Genie app… for a daily fee.
- It will then show on your app, the list of attractions/rides that have a “Lightning Lane” (what used to be called “FastPass Queue/Line”).
- It shows the next available “Lightning Lane Pass” for that attraction. Click on it, and you know have a scheduled Lightning Lane.
- Purchasing Genie+
- Costs $15 per day per guest per day at WDW; costs $20 at DL.
- DG+ can be bought on a day-to-day basis.
- You can purchase a theme park ticket with DG+ added on
- You can add DG+ to your ticket already purchased
- You can purchase DG+ for the day through the app
- DG+ can be added to the day of your visit starting at 12:00 AM (let’s call it 12:01 AM, so we know which side of the divide we’re on). Then, at 7:00 AM, you can do your DG+ stuff.
- If you purchase a multi-day ticket/package, you can add DG+ for the whole stay.
- APs can purchase DG+ per day on each day they attend.
- It is unknown at this time if Disney will have an option to pay one price to add G+$ to an AP for every visit (like a Park Hopper Pass can be added).
- When you make a DG+ LL selection. It can be cancelled so that you can choose a different LL.
- Benefit: Lightning Lanes [LL]
- DG+ gives you access to Lightning Lanes (LLs, previously, FP Queues), which are available one-at-a-time throughout the day.
- In this way, you can schedule your LLs like Maxpass in DL or with the old paper passes.
- Shows you the next available scheduling slot for a slew of rides (with the exception of select ‘tier 1’ rides that now have an individual extra cost [see ILL below]) and you pick one, and show up at the time.
- All guests can schedule their first LL at 7a at WDW. At DL, they can schedule their first LL once in the park.
- WARNING: If you grab a LL for later in the day, the 120 minute times starts when the park opens, and not at 7 AM. If your first LL of the day is at park opening, it makes no difference. If your first LL is later in the day, your next LL window will be 2 hours after the park opens.
- You don’t have to be in the park in which your next LL is scheduled (so, you can chose your LL at the resort, e.g., or at another park and then hop)
- When can you grab your next LL? Book another LL when your return window opens for your current ‘open’ LL, OR, after 2 hours since your last selection, whichever is sooner, which is the current DL practice of Maxpass.
- This means that, e.g., if at 9 AM you pick up a Big Thunder Mountain LL scheduled for 4 PM, then, at 11 AM, you can choose a new DG+ LL pass.
- Note that you can only get one LL per ride per day. For example, if you grab a LL for Haunted Mansion, you can’t get another LL for HM in that same day. You’ll have to use the Standby line for a second ride. This includes purchasing an ILL (see below). However you get a LL for an attraction, you can’t get another LL for that attraction the same day. Re-rides can be accomplished by using the Standby Queue/Line.
- It seems the the same grace period from FP+ exists for LLs, namely, 5 minutes before and 15 minutes after stated window.
- DG+ gives you access to Lightning Lanes (LLs, previously, FP Queues), which are available one-at-a-time throughout the day.
- Benefits, Miscellaneous:
- at DL, Genie+ gives you Photopass and audio tour tracks
- At WDW, G+ doesn’t give you photopass, but you get augmented reality lens and some audio tour tracks.
Individual Lightning Lanes (ILL) [formerly knowns as Individual Attractions Lightning Lanes $elect Experiences (IA$)]
- Buy up to two Individual Lightning Lane $elections (formerly, “fastpasses”) for select rides
- The select rides are: Space, 7DMT, FEA, Rat, RotR, MMRR, FoP, Everest
- If you buy your max of 2 for the day, they must be two different attractions, no double dipping.
- If you also purchased DG+ (see above), you’re still limited to one LL per attraction per day, whether by ILL or DG+.
- Unlike DG+LLs in which you can only grab the next available time slot, these individually selected pay-per-ride ILLs can be scheduled at a wide range of time slots if those slots are available.
- Once you purchase it, you’ll see all the available time slots of the day.
- Disney Resort Guests at WDW can purchase ILL at 7am day-of.
- Non-resort-guests at WDW, and everyone at DL, have to wait until the park opens to buy their ILL.
- You don’t have to be in the park in which your ILLis scheduled
- this way, you can chose your ILL at the resort, e.g., or at another park and then hop
- When you make a ILL selection, it cannot be moved or cancelled for some other attraction or time. It is non-refundable.
- You don’t have to purchase Genie+$15 in order to buy your one or two ILL. A person looking for rides on Genie (regular, not ‘plus’) will see a button to *purchase* a LL for select rides.
- Disney wan’t sure what to call this. We’ve seen, and they may still use at times…
- Lightning Lane Select Experiences
- Individual Attraction Selections (IAS)
- Individual Attractions
- Individual Lightning Lanes (ILL) (!!)
- Individual á la carte Lightning Lane Entrance
- At launch, ILL attractions will be priced at $7-$15 per attraction per person. Everest will be the cheapest and Rise of the Resistance being the most expensive. Prices will fluctuate based on demand (so far, prices we’ve seen have fluctuated only a few dollars)
- the most expensive ILLs are capped at $15.
- If the attraction you paid for goes down…
- you will be allowed to ride it when it comes back up at any time later in the day
- if it goes down for the rest of the day, currently, you can get a gift card refund from Customer Service, but there is plans to make the refund automatic
- If it goes down and it comes back up, but you couldn’t go the attraction at a later time (e.g., you already left the park), you can contact CS for a refund
Virtual Queues
- Will be found under Genie (regular, not ‘plus’)
- Rat will have them.
- RotR recently got removed from VQs, it may go back on
- If you miss the VQ lottery:
- These attractions could possibly wind up with standby lines on slow days, or,
- you may be able to buy a IA$ for it under Genie (regular, not ‘plus’)
So what do you think? Was I fair in this audit? Is there anything I should switch? Let me know in the comments below — I’ll definitely be open to adjusting based on feedback. And make sure to check out WDW Magic — as I said earlier, its home page is one of the best Disney World news resources on the web!
For all the latest news that should be fun, keep reading That Park Place!
