Are you ready for a change? Disney World sure is!
If you’re planning for your next Disney World trip for 2024, you’ve got to know all the things that are changing from this year to the next (and be prepared because it’s a LONG list). But fear not — we’re here and we’ll guide you through all of the changes coming so that you’re ready to make those travel plans with confidence!
What’s going to be changing at Disney World in 2024? Well, do you have a minute? Go ahead and get comfortable, put your feet up, and let’s go over it all.
Resort-Wide
Disney Dining Plan
Look, this is probably the BIGGEST change that you’re going to see on this list and the one we’ve been anticipating greatly. The Disney Dining Plan IS BACK as of January 9th, 2024! For those who don’t know what the dining plan is (especially since it’s been missing from Disney World since 2020), it’s a way for Disney World guests who book a vacation package through Disney to pre-pay for their dining costs.
Two plans are available: the Standard Dining Plan and the Quick Service Dining Plan — here are FULL details on what each plan will offer and here’s a list of all the Disney World restaurants participating in the plan.
The One Thing We Noticed About the Disney Dining Plan That Could Change Everything
New Park Pass Reservation Rules
Alright, next up, you likely know that all Disney World ticket holders were required to make a park pass reservation for each day they planned on being in the theme parks since July 2020. That also changed on January 9th, 2024 — park pass reservations are NO LONGER NEEDED for those who purchase date-based tickets. This means that guests who buy theme park tickets tied to specific dates do NOT need to make a reservation.
However, this change doesn’t affect those with tickets that are not based on specific dates. They still need to make park pass reservations (i.e. Annual Passholders unless they’re visiting specific parks after 2PM, Cast Members, and other non-date-based ticket types).
Read More About The Park Pass Reservations Change
BUT, as of January 11th, 2024, Disney is offering “Good to Go” days for Annual Passholders and Cast Members. On these days, these visitors can enter the ANY of the four theme parks without a Park Pass Reservation.
The circled dates that appear when an Annual Passholders is logged into their My Disney Experience account denote the date as Good-to-Go! In fact, if you try to make a Park Pass reservation for one of those dates, you’ll receive a second reminder, as a Good-to-Go date is unable to be selected.
Disney notes that “the theme park reservation calendar will be updated periodically and will show Passholders select days when they may visit a Disney World theme park without needing a theme park reservation.” That means that you can see the “Good to Go” days on a rolling basis, so you won’t be able to see the whole year right away.
Park Hopping Update
WOO HOO! As of January 9th, 2024, all-day Park Hopping is BACK! Anyone who has a park ticket with Park Hopper benefits or an Annual Pass can visit another theme park at any time of day during park hours.
When Park Hopper returned in 2021, hopping was limited until after 2PM each day. That restriction ENDED on January 9th.
Genie+ Changes
Moving right along, there might be some good news for those who miss the days of grabbing FastPass+ reservations in advance of their Disney World trip. Disney recently shared that they’ve listened to guests who wanted to “plan with Disney Genie+ service and individual Lightning Lane selections before the day of their park visit.” The company has expressed that is now “working on ways guests may do this for visits in 2024.”
However, Disney has not yet revealed any further details on what this means for guests using Genie+, but more details should be released later. Disney did announce a new change to the pricing of Genie+, but we think there are more changes to come in 2024.
Here’s More About This BIG Genie+ Change
Disney World Hotels
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is currently constructing some new Disney Vacation Club villas at the resort that are set to open sometime in 2024. This will give DVC members some new options for staying at the resort. The new rooms will feature waterfront views with most also offering balconies.
The new structure will also offer new dining and swimming options, as well as other recreation areas.
Here’s Everything We Know About the New Hotel Rooms Coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Disney’s BoardWalk
Next, over at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, the hotel rooms have been updated with new furniture and decor!
These new rooms feature whimsical touches like charming artwork that contains images of Mickey, Minnie, and other Disney pals strolling through the BoardWalk, along with all the amenties you would expect.
Take a PHOTO TOUR of the NEW guest rooms at BoardWalk Inn HERE!
Outside, on the BoardWalk itself, there’s a new restaurant in progress!
The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers will be coming to Disney’s BoardWalk in early 2024 (a delay from its initially announced opening of 2023), and will serve more than just cakes. The table service restaurant is expected to also have savory items, and in the afternoons guests can enjoy a spot of tea.
According to The Cake Bake Shop’s website, the restaurant will feature “a whimsical atmosphere that complements the magic of the idyllic charm of Disney’s BoardWalk that guests know and love.” We’re personally waiting on the edge of our seats. We had the opportunity to interview the owner of The Cake Bake Shop and got some exclusive and insider details on the new location. Read the interview here!
Stay tuned for updates.
Click Here to Learn More About The Cake Bake Shop!
Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs
Next up for you corn dog lovers, the Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs stand is coming to Disney’s BoardWalk. They already run a stand at Downtown Disney in Disneyland Resort, but now they’ll be making their way to the east coast.
While you will generally find a “regular” corn dog on the menu, the really exciting thing here is Blue Ribbon’s constantly rotating menu of unique corn dog creations. The Disney World menu hasn’t been released yet, but in Disneyland, we’ve seen things like the Mexican Street Corn Dog, a Christmas Corn Dog, and even a Golden Dragon Corn Dog!
An official opening date hasn’t been released yet but it is set to open in 2024, so the new year will bring a whole new world of corn dog creations for you to try!
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
Room changes are also coming to the Grand Floridian Resort. Disney announced that some of the rooms will be updated with new furniture and color schemes. We’ve already seen many of these updated rooms open up to guests.
Lots of the DVC rooms have been updated already with a Mary Poppins Returns theme.
Disney also announced a little while back that the lobby of the hotel is going to undergo a refurbishment soon. And we can’t forget about the restaurants! Both Citricos and Narcoossee’s at the Grand Floridan got refurbishments with new decor in the past couple of years.
And a HUGE change has come to one more Grand Floridian Restaurant… 1900 Park Fare reopened at long last on April 10th, 2024! This restaurant, which is located in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, is one of a few that had yet to reopen since the temporary closure of Walt Disney World Resort in 2020. But now, it’s back… with an entirely new Character Dining experience: Wish Makers Enchanted Dining!
During a buffet-style Breakfast or Dinner, guests enjoy tableside visits by characters including Aladdin (in his Prince Ali look), Cinderella, Mirabel from Encanto, and Princess Tiana in her new look for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure “as they celebrate the power of a wish.”
Click HERE to step inside the reopened — and refreshed — 1900 Park Fare!
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Here’s a massive update for you. Disney Vacation Club has announced that more than 350 refreshed cabins are replacing the existing cabins at the resort. Although the new cabins will be part of the Disney Vacation Club resort lineup, the cabins will be open for reservations to all guests, including those who are not Disney Vacation Club Members.
The concept art shows modern cabins “inspired by the resort’s idyllic setting, while also paying homage to the resort’s unique culture and heritage through the magic of Disney storytelling,” per Disney. The cabins will sleep up to six adults and feature a bedroom, bathroom, living room, full kitchen, and private patio. A select number of cabins will be dog-friendly.
As part of Disney’s Environmental Sustainability initiative, Disney stated that “the proposed cabins will be built with an eye toward the environment, utilizing the footprint of the existing cabins and taking advantage of more energy-efficient features.”
There will also be an updated pool and walking trail enhancements. And a new dining experience has already debuted at Trail’s End Restaurant, with Crockett’s Tavern having been refurbished, as well.
These refreshed cabins will make their debuts starting on July 1st! The opening will take place in phases — the first loop will open on July 1st, and the second will follow later in the month. More will continue to open throughout the year.
Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
Now over to All-Star Sports. The refurbishments are in progress currently but should be completed sometime this year, which means all the new rooms should be open by 2024.
So far, a few sections of the resort have been completed, and the updated rooms look very similar to the new ones at All-Star Movies and All-Star Music, with two queen beds (one of which is a Murphy bed).
Another Big Hotel Change
If we’re talking about changes at Disney World hotels, we also need to talk about a new piece of Disney tech — Hey Disney! works with Amazon Echo and Alexa devices and offers “custom voice assistance” to guests staying at Disney World resorts. Through Hey Disney, you can get assistance with room amenities, guest services, planning, weather info, and much more.
Don’t forget that you can also get Hey Disney! for your home on Amazon!
Now let’s talk about what’s going down at the parks.
Magic Kingdom
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
A new ride is coming to Magic Kingdom. Splash Mountain closed in early 2023 to make way for a NEW ride themed to Disney’s animated film The Princess and the Frog. The new attraction is called Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and is set to take visitors through the bayous of Louisiana to help Tiana with her new endeavor, Tiana’s Foods.
This ride will pick up the moment after The Princess and The Frog ends and we will “join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure – featuring some of the powerful music from the film – as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance.”
So what actually happens after the film? Tiana opens Tiana’s Palace and requires the riders’ help finding a missing key ingredient for the Mardi Gras party she’s throwing for the people of New Orleans. We’re going to be seeing old and new characters, hearing familiar and new songs, and embarking on a whole new adventure with Tiana! It’s set to open in Summer 2024!
Read all about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure here!
Changes Coming to Country Bear Jamboree
A NEW SHOW is coming to Country Bear Jamboree in Magic Kingdom! The beloved bears are learning an all-new act — they’ll sing their classic songs in NEW styles like country, rockabilly, and bluegrass.
Country Bear Musical Jamboree will be a take on the classic variety shows found in Nashville, Tennessee, and Nashville musicians are involved in the new arrangements. For instance. we’ll be hearing a new version of “Bare Necessities” in a rockabilly style! A Disney Imagineer has shared, “The music is going to be amazing, and the show will still have the fun and friendly tone that we all love about the Country Bears.”
And these changes are coming SOON… Country Bear Jamboree officially CLOSED on January 27th, 2024 for the refurbishment. Disney announced that the new show will make its debut THIS SUMMER.
See the surprising ending to the classic Country Bears show HERE!
EPCOT
Journey of Water — Inspired by Moana
If you haven’t heard, EPCOT has been undergoing an EPIC transformation over the past few years, with much of it set to complete in December 2023. In fact, EPCOT visitors can enjoy a new attraction, Journey of Water — Inspired by Moana, which is NOW OFFICIALLY OPEN as of October 16th, 2023!
The attraction is a walkthrough trail where guests can “play with magical, living water” in an immersive way. We’ve enjoyed sharing a look inside — along with a FULL WALK-THROUGH — with you!
Click here to GO INSIDE EPCOT’s Moana-Inspired Journey of Water Attraction! And find our FULL VIDEO WALK-THROUGH here!
World Celebration Completion
EPCOT’s lengthy transformation is coming to a close, and some of the construction walls came down to reveal EPCOT’s all-new World Celebration Gardens as well as the Walt the Dreamer statue in early December 2023!
However, the opening of CommuniCore Hall and Plaza — which was set to debut in late 2023 in World Celebration — met with delays. The new area will serve as a central location for EPCOT’s rotating festivals throughout the year. While CommuniCore was previously set to open in late 2023, Disney has now confirmed that it will open on June 10th, 2024!
In addition to providing dedicated spaces for EPCOT’s seasonal Festivals, CommuniCore Hall will also be the location of a new Mickey & Friends meet-and-greet! We’ll look forward to bringing you updates as we learn more!
Check out EVERYTHING coming to CommuniCore HERE!
NEW Encanto Show
As part of the CommuniCore opening celebration, also kicking off on June 10th will be a BRAND NEW Encanto stage show! ¡Celebración Encanto! is a sing-along that includes popular songs from the movie!
The show will be running several times a day and will take place on the CommuniCore Plaza stage. You’ll even be able to see Bruno and Mirabel throughout this show, which will run through September 6th, 2024.
Find out MORE about the new Encanto show HERE!
Test Track Reimagining
On June 17th, Test Track, which is located in EPCOT’s World Discovery, will temporarily close so the ride can be — in Disney speak — reimagined!
Disney hasn’t released too many details about what the updated ride experience will be like just yet, but they did mention that it will take inspiration from World of Motion, the ride that was originally there when the park opened in 1982! At this time, a reopening timeline has not been announced, but we’ll keep you posted!
Find out more about the NEW Test Track HERE!
New Nighttime Show
A BRAND NEW nighttime spectacular made its debut on December 5th, 2023 in honor of Disney 100 Years of Wonder: Luminous The Symphony Of Us!
Disney shares that the show is meant to “reflect the commonality in all of us,” and that the show invites “everyone to gather around World Showcase Lagoon for a show that will unite us through commonalities of the heart in a dazzling display of fireworks, lasers, music and light. Featuring an original composition along with select songs from the Disney songbook, this new spectacular will remind us that we’re more alike than different, connecting our hearts together as one.”
Make sure to experience it when you come in 2024!
Click HERE to find out more about Luminous!
While we’re in EPCOT, let’s talk about food.
Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya
A NEW RESTAURANT that you can enjoy in 2024 opened on August 15th in EPCOT’s Japan pavilion! Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya! The menu features “Japanese delights like sushi and teppan items,” plus an open sushi bar and grill.
Sushi fans can enjoy the Kobore Sushi, Tokyo Negi Roll, and Funamori. Not only that, but you can enjoy Japanese Izakaya, a type of casual pub-style restaurant that puts an emphasis on drinks and conversations with friends.
But the unique thing that sets this restaurant apart is that each month it will honor a different Japanese seasonal festival. Sometimes that’ll be with special menu items or unique decor. And a cultural representative will be present during your meal to guide you through the experience. Plus, the restaurant will feature fireworks views. (Shiki-Sai is located in the Japan Pavilion, on the second floor — above the Mitsukoshi Department Store (where Tokyo Dining was previously located).
Shiki-Sai might be your new must-visit spot for Japanese eats, seasonal celebrations, and fireworks at EPCOT in 2024!
JOIN US for our Opening Day visit at Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya HERE!
Let’s hop on over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and find out what’s going on there.
Hollywood Studios
New Snack Stand
Ice Cold Hydraulics is a brand-new snack stand with some brand-new eats in Muppets Courtyard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
Newly open in February 2024, this spot serves a couple of truly unique spotlight items like Candy Painted Cinnamon Rolls, savory Bouncin’ Mini Churros! You’ll also find plenty of park classics like Mickey Bars, Mickey Pretzels, Frozen Slushes, and more!
Check out our first REVIEW of Ice Cold Hydraulics here!
New Show
Disney announced in December 2023 that a NEW show — “The Little Mermaid — A Musical Adventure” — is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Fall 2024!
The new show will be a reimagined show inspired by the original animated classic from Walt Disney Animation Studios. “The Little Mermaid — A Musical Adventure” will premiere at the Animation Courtyard theater. When it opens, we can expect musical numbers like “Part of Your World,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” and “Kiss the Girl!”
It’s also been confirmed that Voyage of the Little Mermaid is permanently closed in Disney World.
New Star Tours Adventures
On April 5th, NEW adventures made their debut at Star Tours in Disney World’s Hollywood Studios (along with Disneyland Resort and Disneyland Paris) featuring NEW-to-the-ride characters!
The new adventures feature characters and locations from Ashoka, Andor, and The Mandalorian. Parkgoers can now experience over 250 different adventures with a plethora of different characters, locations, and experiences!
Click HERE to check out the CHANGES at Star Tours (though beware of spoilers)!
Alright, let’s head out of the parks now and head on over to Disney Springs.
Disney Springs
“Disney Dreams That Soar” Drone Show
Starting on May 24th, 2024 make sure you head to the West Side of Disney Springs to catch a BRAND NEW Drone show above Lake Buena Vista: “Disney Dreams That Soar” is inspired by Disney stories showcasing flight!
These drones are programmed to create designs in the sky and will be accompanied by a beautiful musical score that includes memorable movie quotes. The show will run through September 2nd, and is planned to be a late-night perk for those still hanging out at Disney Springs, so be sure you plan your next park day accordingly!
Click here for MORE on Disney Dreams That Soar!
Summer House on the Lake
Summer House on the Lake opened on December 14, 2023 in Disney Springs! You’ll find it on the West Side near Jaleo, Splitsville, and Salt & Straw.
So that means YOU can look forward to California-inspired bites including everything from pizza and pasta to fresh salads and sandwiches during your 2024 visit to Disney Springs! (Oh, and don’t forget the weekend BRUNCH!) You can enjoy any of these meals on one of the three expansive patios. And tucked inside Summer House on the Lake you’ll find The Cookie Bar! The Cookie Bar is “a dessert-focused market” that serves “freshly baked cookies and house-made pastries.”
Step INSIDE Summer House on the Lake with us!
EET by Maneet Chauhan
Another new restaurant set to try in 2024 is EET by Maneet Chauhan. This eatery, which opened in December 2023, is a creation by James Beard Award-winning chef and Food Network star Maneet Chauhan together with hospitality entrepreneur Vivek Deora.
The location serves Indian cuisine in a Quick Service fashion. EET presents a “modern, fun Indian-inspired concept” and it should definitely be on your radar!
Click HERE to check out the NEW restaurant, eet by Maneet Chauhan!
And those are all the projects we know are expected to open — or are now open for you to enjoy — in 2024! Stay tuned to DFB because we’ll update you as we hear more.
See Disney’s confirmation of the opening timelines of MANY major projects right here!
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