UPDATED: May 14, 2024
Are you ready for 2024 in Disney World? Let’s find out!
There are so many things coming by the end of this year and into the new one — things like returning fireworks shows, park transformations, and hotel makeovers just to name a few. There are also some big things that Disney World is doing for the FIRST time in 2024 — here’s our full list!
1. 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 it 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.
Which Disney Dining Plan is Right for You?
2. 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.
Read More About The Park Pass Reservations Change
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).
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!
3. 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.
Disney Genie+ Has Changed 9 Times — But We’re Still Waiting on ONE Big Update
4. 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 will 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 on June 28th, 2024!
Read all about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure here!
HOW TO RIDE: When Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens, it will be accessible via Virtual Queue and as a Disney Genie+ option. Click either link to find out more.
Ahead of the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Magic Kingdom later in the month, select guest groups are eligible for ride previews! Click the links below to find information for:
- Disney Cast Member previews on June 3 and 7 and June 23 and the 26
- Disney Vacation Club member previews on June 12 and June 19
- Disney World Annual Passholder previews on June 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 20
- D23 Gold Member Special Ticket preview on June 22
5. 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!
6. New Show in Disney’s Hollywood Studios
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!”
Read MORE about this NEW SHOW here!
7. Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is currently constructing some new Disney Vacation Club villas. The NEW Polynesian DVC Villas — which Disney is calling Island Tower — are being built on the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon, offering waterfront views. We can imagine that those staying in the new villas will have AMAZING views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks. And, Disney recently shared that the Villas will be opening in December 2024!
Disney also shared an updated look at Island Tower, which will “complete the vision created by Disney Imagineers decades ago while embracing the rich culture from the Polynesian Islands.” We’ll be sure to keep you posted on the exact opening date once it is announced.
Here’s Everything We Know About the New Hotel Rooms Coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
8. A NEW Character Dining Experience at a Classic Location
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!
9. Disney’s BoardWalk
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!
Ditto goes for the upcoming location for Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs! This location was also set to open on the BoardWalk in 2023 (“late 2023,” to be precise); however, Disney has announced that it will now be opening in 2024 instead. It will take the place of the former BoardWalk To Go stand.
Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs currently serves Hand-dipped Corn Dogs and other unique Corn Dog creations over in Disneyland at the Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs kiosk in Downtown Disney. And let me tell you… these are NOT you average Corn Dogs. While we wait for the official Disney World menu to be released, let’s mention a few that we’ve tried at the Downtown Disney location, like the Mexican Street Corn Dog, a Christmas Corn Dog, and even a Golden Dragon Corn Dog! We’ll be sure to keep you posted on this exciting addition, now coming in 2024!
10. Hatbox Ghost Has Materialized in Disney World
Disneyland’s infamous Hatbox Ghost has made the journey east to appear inside Disney World’s Haunted Mansion in Magic Kingdom!
Hatbox Ghost started haunting Haunted Mansion guests in late November 2023, so make sure to BEWARE of him in 2024!
11. 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!
12. World Celebration Completion and NEW Festival Center
EPCOT’s historic — and lengthy — transformation is at last coming to a close! The final touch will be the opening of CommuniCore Hall and Plaza in World Celebration on June 10th, 2024!
The new area will serve as a central location for EPCOT’s rotating festivals throughout the year, providing a communal space to celebrate rather than having to trek around the whole park. 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!
Check out EVERYTHING coming to CommuniCore HERE!
13. New Encanto-themed 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!
14. 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.”
15. NEW “Disney Dreams That Soar” Drone Show
Starting on May 24th, 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!
Make sure to experience it when you come in 2024!
So there you have it — a list of things that Disney World is doing for the first time in 2024 and some things to look forward to by the end of this year! We’ll be here to cover all of it and bring you the updates you need to know! Let’s plan some AMAZING Disney vacations together in 2024.
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What change are you most excited about in Disney World in 2024? Tell us in the comments!
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