food IS a theme park
Hello from Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
Hollywood Studios
After trying new Halloween treats and then the hustle and bustle of Labor Day, we went back to Hollywood Studios to see what’s new. So let’s dig in!
Many Disney World guests have been missing Extra Magic Hours, but while Extra Magic Hours won’t be returning, new programs, known as Early Theme Park Entry and Extended Evening Hours have taken its place.
We’d live here if we could!
Early Theme Park Entry allows all Disney World resort guests entry into the parks 30 minutes before the official opening time every day, while Extended Evening Hours lets guests who are staying at deluxe resorts and deluxe villas stay an hour or two later in the theme parks after their official closing time on select dates.
If you’re planning a trip to Disney World soon, there’s going to be a lot for you to experience!
There’s a lot of excitement on the horizon!
Soon we’ll have a new ride, a new restaurant, new fireworks shows, and so much more. On top of that, there are some exciting events taking place or set to take place soon like Disney Very Merriest After Hours, the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, and the 50th Anniversary. And for those traveling soon, your planning just got easier — more park hours have been released!
We know planning for a Disney World vacation can raise a LOT of questions!
Walt Disney World
Do you ever hear people saying things like “Disney Dining Plan” or “Disney Vacation Club” and think “huh?” Or do you have planning questions you’re too afraid to bring up to your Disney-fanatic friends? It’s totally okay to not be an expert, that’s what we’re here for! We’re answering ALL of the questions you’re too afraid to ask!
If you’re headed to Disney World soon, you might already be crossing your fingers for that Rise of the Resistance Boarding Group.
Rise of the Resistance
We’ve seen a few changes to the Virtual Queue process for this ride over the recent months. As it stands, you can snag a spot at 7AM as long as you have a Disney Park Pass reservation for Disney’s Hollywood Studios and at 1PM as long as you have been admitted to the park that day. The process is similar in Disneyland. Now, there’s been ANOTHER change to make snagging a Boarding Group a little easier.
Disney recently introduced a new system to replace the FastPass+ program in Disney World — Genie+. This will be the new way to essentially skip the standby lines on rides around the parks.
Genie+ ©Disney
However, now, you can only have a reservation for one ride at a time (compared to the previous 3), and you have to pay to use this feature (which used to be free). Genie+ will be $15 per person, per day and you will now use the Lightning Lane to enter rides instead of the FastPass+ lane. Select high demand rides will not be a part of Genie+, but you will be able to buy access to their Lightning Lanes individually. We’ve seen several Lightning Lane signs go up around the parks over the past week, and we just spotted another new one in Hollywood Studios!
Welcome back, DFB friends! We’re here with another What’s New at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
Hollywood Studios
And, we’ve got plenty of updates to share with you! So, what are you waiting for? Let’s dive right on in!
The start of Disney World’s 50th Anniversary celebrations is just a few weeks away!
50th Anniversary sign in Magic Kingdom
On October 1st, we’ll get to experience all kinds of things as the festivities begin. There will be new fireworks shows, a new daytime show in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the release of new merchandise, new costumes for some of our favorite characters, and MORE! Getting ready to plan your trip to Disney World for the 50th Anniversary? Then we’ve got a perfect video for you to watch!
So it’s already September, somehow?! It feels like August was either a single day or a lifetime.
Hey Mickey!
It’s time to discuss everything that will be different in Disney World in September, and there’s a LOT. If you have a visit coming up in September, you might want to know some of these upcoming changes!
Labor Day weekend is here, Halloween is just around the corner, and the holiday season will be here before you know it! That means one thing: the potential for crowds…lots and lots of crowds!
Happy Halloween!
Recently, we’ve seen crowds and wait times reach VERY low levels in Disney World. Today, we’re taking a look at how Labor Day weekend has affected crowds at Disney World.
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