1. Disney World’s NBA Experience was Terminated

It feels like only yesterday that the NBA Experience was opening, and now it has been confirmed that the location will NOT reopen. The NBA Experience was short-lived — it debuted in August 2019 and was available until Walt Disney World shut down in March 2020 (that’s less than a year!). 

We still don’t know what will replace this location in Disney Springs, but with such a large area, the possibilities are endless!

Read MORE about the NBA Experience Closing here!

2. Pricing Revealed for Disney’s Very Merriest After Hours Event

While we found out back in July that Disney would be hosting a Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party replacement (AKA Very Merriest After Hours), we didn’t find out the prices until August.

And spoiler alert — the new party is pretty pricey! If you’re still on the fence, we have some helpful tips that can help you save money on your Walt Disney World vacation, as well as some information on the cheapest days you can attend the After Hours event!

Click here to read more about the upcoming Disney Very Merriest After Hours Event

3. Face Mask Policy Update

It feels like Disney is constantly changing their face mask policy, but as of August, Disney World now requires all guests, regardless of vaccination status, to wear masks in all indoor locations. 

4. Space 220 Details Revealed

We FINALLY got some details in August on the Space 220 restaurant coming to EPCOT! According to Disney, after several delays, Space 220 is set to open in mid-September of this year.

We also found out that Space 220 will use a prix fixe menu, so we’re guessing this is going to be one of the more expensive restaurants in EPCOT. While we still haven’t had a look at the menu, but we’re on the edge of our seats waiting to see what kind of out-of-this-world foods they will serve!

Click here to learn more about Space 220 in EPCOT

5. Steakhouse 71 Will Replace The Wave Restaurant

Steakhouse 71 will be a new casual dining spot in Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and the name is based on the year the hotel opened in 1971. It will be replacing The Wave restaurant and is coming along with the new updates at the Contemporary Resort.

There is no opening date yet, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated when we find out more! 

Yeah…Disney’s Contemporary Resort Is Still a Hot Mess

6.FastPass+ is Being Replaced with Disney Genie

This was another SUPER vacation-altering announcement. Disney Genie and Disney Genie+ will be coming soon to Walt Disney World as a replacement to the old FastPass system. The Genie+ service will cost guests $15 per person, per day, and will allow guests to use the Lightning Lane (aka the old Fastpass line) to ride certain Disney attractions. It can get pretty confusing, but we have lots of posts that break everything down for you!

There will also be some attractions that fall into a separate Individual Attraction Selection category, where guests who want to use the Lightning Lane must pay separately to ride each attraction.

Read our Disney Genie FAQ here!

7. New Annual Passholder Program Details Announced

Annual Passes are FINALLY coming back to Disney World, but they are going to look a lot different! Disney revealed a whole new passholder program, with different options than before, that will become available on September 8th. There will now only be 4 passes available — The Incredi-Pass, the Sorcerer Pass, the Pirate Pass, and the Pixie Dust Pass — and each has a different amount of benefits and blockout dates.

The Sorcerer pass is only available to Florida residents and Disney Vacation Club members, while the Pirate and Pixie Dust passes are only available to Florida residents. So, if you are not a Florida resident and you’re not a DVC member, your only option for a new Annual Pass is the Incredi-Pass. These new passes will also have different amounts of park reservation limits. Here’s a look at the pricing and park reservation limits for each pass:

• Incredi-Pass: $1,299 plus tax, 5 park reservations at a time
• Sorcerer Pass: $899 plus tax, 5 park reservations at a time
• Pirate Pass: $699 plus tax, 4 park reservations at a time
• Pixie Dust Pass: $399 plus tax, 3 park reservations at a time

All passes will still include free standard theme park parking and a 20% discount on select food, merchandise, and activities. However, PhotoPass and the Water Parks and Sports Option are now add-ons to each pass instead of being included in some passes like they were before. These new add-ons are $99 each, per pass for the year.

If you already have an active Annual Pass that is not in its renewal period yet, don’t worry! Everything will stay the same for you — you will just renew into the new Annual Pass Program once your renewal period arrives.

If you have an inactive Annual Pass certificate, you must visit the parks and activate it by September 7th in order to keep that exact pass for the next year. If you don’t activate it before September 8th, it will be converted to one of the new pass options with comparable benefits and you will not lose any perks. So, if you already had PhotoPass included in your pass, you will still have it for free.

If you are in your renewal period for your Annual Pass right now, you can renew into the current Annual Pass Program. If you wait until September 8th or later to renew, you will have to renew into the new Annual Pass Program.

If you have eligible Disney World tickets you have already paid for but haven’t used, they can be upgraded into select Annual Passes starting September 8th. Disney has not yet clarified which tickets are eligible and which Annual Passes you can upgrade to.

Click here to learn more about the new Annual Passholder Program!

As you can see, a lot can change in a month, so stay tuned to DFB for more news and updates!

Check out the 10 Biggest 2021 Disney World Price Increases!!