DISNEY NEWS ROUNDUP: Tons of ‘Return to Normal’ News; Fireworks Returning; Hotels & Restaurants Reopening; Big Rumor “Running” Around; Themed Cruises & More
What a fantastic week of Disney news! With more great news every day on the COVID front, Disney is racing back to normal with numerous changes around the parks, more resort reopening announcements, and the biggest news of the week, fireworks are coming back! We have some attractions getting back to normal operations and a rumor we’re personally SO excited to hear. Oh, and Disney Cruise Line released news on some awesome-themed sailings. We’re almost there! All this and more in this week’s news roundup.
1 – Fireworks to Return to Walt Disney World and Disneyland in July
This week Disney fans got some great news: fireworks are returning to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disneyland parks in July. While there is no mention of when Fantasmic will return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we’re so excited for the return of ‘Happily Ever After’ and ‘EPCOT Forever.’ Learn more at the link below.
Click here for more on the return of fireworks to Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
2 – Update at Walt Disney World – Physical Distancing Safety Measures Removed and More
At Walt Disney World, most physical distancing markers on the ground around the parks have been removed. While some signs in place encourage guests to maintain distance from each other, physical distancing is not being enforced. Most guests, particularly in attraction queues, have quickly reverted to lining up with no space between parties. On Disney transportation, plexiglass dividers have been removed from Disney buses and the monorail. Most dining rooms are now operating at full capacity, which makes finding a free table easier. Mobile Ordering is still required for quick-service restaurants. Finally, with masks now being optional for fully vaccinated guests, a visit to Walt Disney World is quickly getting back to “normal.” While there is still more plexiglass needing to be removed from certain attractions and queues, things are progressing nicely. With the announcement of the return of fireworks (at least at some parks), what we really want to know about is the return of FastPass+, the Disney Dining Plan, and character greetings. We’ll keep you posted with official announcements!
3 – Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway Pre-Show Returns
Due to health and safety reasons, pre-shows at certain attractions have been suspended during the phased reopening. This includes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Dinosaur, and the Haunted Mansion. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway’s pre-show was also suspended, and guests had been walking through the room. Disney has resumed the pre-show at Mickey and Minnie’s, and we’re so glad. The pre-show sets up the story of the attraction and brings guests through the movie screen and into the cartoon world, where they join Engineer Goofy on a train ride on the Runnamuck Railroad, following Mickey and Minnie through the park on their quest for that perfect picnic. It really wasn’t the same without the pre-show. We’re glad that it’s back and expect other attractions will follow!
4 – Single Rider Queue Returns to Walt Disney World
Guests are reporting that the single rider queue at Millennium Falcons: Smuggler’s Run, which has been closed since the parks reopened last July, is now in use again. A handful of attractions offer single riders the chance to bypass the regular standby queue and wait in a usually shorter line. Now that physical distancing requirements have been removed, it makes sense that Disney would once again board different parties together. We expect that the other attractions that offer single rider (Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Expedition Everest, and Test Track will open their single rider queues soon as well.
5 – Arcades and Playgrounds at Walt Disney World Have Reopened
Because of health and safety reasons, arcades and playgrounds at Walt Disney World have been closed since resorts reopened in June 2020. We’re happy to report that because of the continued reopening and removal of restrictions, arcades and playgrounds are once again open! Fun for the kids!
6 – RUMOR – Walt Disney World Marathon Returns in 2022
While there has been no official announcement, it appears that the Walt Disney World Marathon, which was virtual in 2021 because of the pandemic, will be returning to Walt Disney World in 2022. runDisney hasn’t had an in-person event since the Princess Half-Marathon in February 2020. Apparently, the runDisney website listed the information, but it has since been removed from the website. Those who saw the snippet report that the event will run from January 6-12, 2022, and registration will open on July 20, 2021. The 2022 dates are unusual, with the event running from a Thursday to a Wednesday instead of the typical Thursday to Sunday schedule that Marathon weekend has used for quite some time. Again, since there has been no official announcement, treat this as a rumor! We hope and expect an official announcement soon!
7 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge to Reopen in August
As Disney raises capacity, we’re seeing more resort reopening announcements. In August, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge will reopen to guests. The Disney Vacation Club section of the resort has been open since last June. We’re hoping this means that a Boma reopening announcement will soon follow! Learn more at the link below.
Click here for details on more upcoming resort openings at Walt Disney World.
8 – Tickets Now on Sale for ‘Disney After Hours Boo Bash’ – 11 Dates Already Sold Out
Tickets are now on sale for ‘Disney After Hours Boo Bash,’ the new Halloween-themed event that will debut this fall. Eleven dates are already sold out. We’ll be attending opening night and are very excited to check out the new event. Learn more at the link below.
Click here for ‘Disney After Hours Boo Bash’ – What You Need to Know.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5xYZYIXLCs
9 – Disney Cruise Line Announces Halloween and Holiday Cruise Itineraries for Fall 2022
The magic of the holidays returns to Disney Cruise Line in the fall of 2022 with Halloween on the High Seas and Very Merrytime Cruises across the fleet, including the first fall season on the all-new Disney Wish. With cruises departing from Florida, New York, Texas, and California, guests will have many opportunities to experience holidays at sea with Disney Cruise Line. Learn more at the link below.
Click here for details on Halloween and Holiday Cruises in Fall 2022.
10 – More Restaurants Reopen at Disneyland Resort
More restaurants at Disneyland parks and resorts are reopening as Disney welcomes more and more guests. Disney Cast Member Karen McClintock has all the details below.
We are excited to announce the latest Disneyland Resort restaurants to join the reopening list. You will see a new offering on the list: Lamplight Lounge – Boardwalk Dining! Enjoy patio dining at Lamplight Lounge with a fun new menu featuring select signature Lamplight Lounge offerings. Reservations are not needed (walk-up only) for Lamplight Lounge – Boardwalk Dining, but of course, you can still make a reservation to dine downstairs at Lamplight Lounge.
Disneyland Park
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- Tiki Juice Bar (opened June 17; mobile order available)
- Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante (opened June 17)
- Alien Pizza Planet (opened June 17; mobile order available)
- Oga’s Cantina (opened June 17; bookings now available)
- Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo (opened June 17; mobile order available)
- Maurice’s Treats (opening June 24)
- Edelweiss Snacks (opening June 24; mobile order available)
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Disney California Adventure Park
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- Wine Country Trattoria (opened June 17; bookings now available)
- Mendocino Terrace (opened June 17)
- Bayside Brews (opened June 17; mobile order available)
- Lamplight Lounge Brunch – Fri., Sat. & Sun. only (opening July 9: bookings now available)
- Lamplight Lounge – Boardwalk Dining (opening June 24)
- Jack-Jack Cookie Num Nums (opening June 24)
- Cozy Cone Motel – Popcone (opening June 24; mobile order available)
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Reminder to download or update the Disneyland mobile app*, as this is the primary way to order food and beverages at most quick-service dining locations. Get additional details on mobile order here.
Guests with confirmed theme park reservations and tickets for the same park can make dining reservations on the same date 60 days in advance with mobile check-in and mobile wait-list at select full-service locations, available on the Disneyland mobile app.
Visit Dining: Know Before You Go for more information. Be sure to have the latest version of the app downloaded and installed on your mobile device.
Check out our Know Before You Go blog post to learn more about theme park reservations, tickets, and more.
(Note: Dates and locations subject to change.)
11 – Disneyland Hotel Savings Offer
Are you heading to Disneyland Resort? Disney is enticing guests to stay at the Hotels of Disneyland Resort with a summer booking deal with savings up to 25% off on most nights at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and up to 20% off on most nights at Disneyland Hotel. Disney Cast Member Valarie Lee has all the details below.
Make it your best summer yet with a getaway to the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort!
First, we are thrilled to welcome our guests back to Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, which reopened today! Then, coming soon, the Disneyland Hotel reopens on July 2, 2021! These are phased reopenings, joining Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa which began reopening earlier this spring. Our Disneyland Resort theme parks are now welcoming out-of-state visitors, so it’s the perfect time to plan your Disney vacation with special offers!
As a guest at the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort, you can immerse yourself in the magic of Disney day and night, conveniently just steps from Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park and the Downtown Disney District. Each hotel experience is distinctively Disney and unique, from the stunning Craftsman architecture of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, to the nostalgia of the mid-century modern Disneyland Hotel and the seaside whimsy of Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel – all three magical and memorable!
Splish Splash!
As a hotel guest, relax on a chaise lounge, take a thrilling ride down a waterslide or go for a refreshing dip in the hotel pools before or after your day in the parks. Or, lounge the day away in comfort by renting a cabana for your family to enjoy a shady poolside oasis equipped with luxurious amenities.
Overlooking the Disneyland Hotel pools, Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar & Grill is a tropical South Seas hideaway where tiki torches and swaying palms are the backdrop for an express menu with Polynesian flair, which returns beginning July 2, 2021.
Another poolside favorite is GCH Craftsman Bar at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, where you can delve into creatively delicious dishes and signature cocktails at this Craftsman-style poolside eatery.
More Delicious Dining, Not to Miss Moments
The award-winning Napa Rose restaurant recently reopened at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, where you can savor upscale California fare and an extensive wine list in an elegant setting. Nearby at Storytellers Café, classic California folklore comes to life through hearty, home-style three-course meals for breakfast and dinner. Coming soon, Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar brings back its legendary island cocktails and menu beginning July 2, 2021, at the Disneyland Hotel. At many of our hotel restaurants, advance reservations are highly recommended.
The Veranda, the concierge lounge at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, is a deluxe retreat for overnight guests who have selected this club-level experience. Here you can enjoy a continental breakfast, afternoon tea, a wine and cheese reception, cookies and desserts, a personal concierge and firework viewing when available.
Another great spot to watch fireworks, which is open to all guests, is the rooftop of Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel!
Stay and Play with Sizzling Savings
Save up to 25% on select rooms at the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort on most nights from July 5 – October 2, 2021. Book now through September 16, 2021! Save up to 25% on most nights at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and up to 20% on most nights at the Disneyland Hotel.*
Remember, you can check-in online before you arrive to the hotel (up to five days in advance) to save you time. A link to use the online check-in service will be emailed to you before your visit. You can opt-in to receive a text message to let you know when your room is ready on arrival day, and your keys are available for pick-up at the Front Desk. If you don’t have a Disney account, you’ll need to create one at Disneyland.com to get started.
Planning to visit the theme parks during your stay? Separate theme park admission and park reservation for the same date and same park are required for park entry. Park reservations are limited and subject to availability, and a hotel reservation does not guarantee theme park access. Visit Disneyland.com/updates for important information about park attendance requirements.
Vacation is such a special time of making memories with your family and friends. Thank you for spending these special moments with us! We look forward to welcoming you to the magic of the Disneyland Resort!
*Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room at the same hotel from 7/5/21 through 10/2/21. Book through 9/16/21; travel must be completed by 10/3/21. Savings not available on Signature Suites. Not valid on previously booked rooms. Advance reservations required. Subject to availability as the number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Excludes applicable fees and taxes. Limit two (2) rooms per reservation and occupancy restrictions apply per room. Not valid in combination with any other hotel discounts or offers. Subject to restrictions and change or cancellation without notice. Separate Theme Park admission and theme park reservation for same date and same park required to enter a Theme Park. Visit Disneyland.com/updates for important information to know before visiting the Disneyland Resort.
12 – Rehabilitated Sea Turtles Make a Celebrated Return to Sea
It’s Sea Turtle season here in Florida, and recently some rehabilitated sea turtles made their way back to the sea. Disney Cast Member Dr. Mark Penning has all the details below.
It’s that sea turtle time of year here in the Sunshine State- and what a perfect place to celebrate World Sea Turtle Day! Sea turtles swim vast distances across the world’s oceans and play a vital role in the balance of marine habitats. Florida is lucky to be home to five of the seven species of sea turtles found worldwide, with three of those species using our beaches to lay several clutches of eggs from March through October each year. During the summer months while mother sea turtles crawl onto our beaches nightly and lay around 120 eggs in the sand during each visit, Disney Conservation Team Wildlife surveys the beaches at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, recording new nesting activity and monitoring nests until they hatch. As I write, there have been 375 nests laid on our beach so far this season!
We are also celebrating the release of four special turtles that were recently rehabilitated by Disney animal care professionals at the Seas with Nemo and Friends at Epcot (The Seas). These juvenile green turtles washed ashore back in March, malnourished and in need of some extra TLC.
The young turtles were initially cared for by the Brevard Zoo’s Sea Turtle Healing Center, and then later transferred to the Seas to make more room there as more turtles were found stranded on nearby beaches in need of rehabilitation space. Just a few short weeks ago after showing they were healthy enough to return home, Toffee, Samoa, Pluto, and Copernicus were released back into the ocean at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort.
Team Wildlife is thrilled that we could help these turtles make a full recovery. A recent story from our colleagues at the Sea Turtle Conservancy shows just how important rehabilitation efforts like this truly are- they recently saw an adult green turtle nesting in Costa Rica that had been rescued and rehabilitated after suffering from a sudden drop in temperatures (a cold-stunning event) in Florida waters ten years prior!
Disney Conservation Fund grant recipients also continue to lead impactful sea turtle conservation work around the globe, and this past year we were thrilled to fund the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s long-term sea turtle monitoring program in Tortuguero, Costa Rica, where they protect the largest green turtle population in the Atlantic and train aspiring conservationists through a research assistantship program.
We also recently honored Baja fishermen Juan and Felipe Cuevas with a Disney Conservation Fund Hero award for their work with Arizona State University’s (ASU) sea turtle bycatch reduction program in the region. Together, Juan and Felipe have helped ASU develop and test the world’s first solar-powered illuminated fishing net, which reduces accidental catch of endangered sea turtles while helping to support sustainable fisheries.
It takes partnership between many organizations to save highly migratory ocean mariners like sea turtles, who nest in certain countries and forage for food in others. I continue to be inspired by these stories of incredible people cooperating to protect sea turtles from Florida’s shores to the oceans around the world, and together building a bright future for these animals. Happy World Sea Turtle Day!
What’s New and Happening Now at Walt Disney World Resort
2021 Taste of EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival – Now Through July 5, 2021
Click here to see photos and video of the Menu Boards with pricing for easy trip planning!
Click here to see photos and video of the different topiaries around EPCOT!
Click here for photos and video of our visit to the Flower and Garden Festival!
Click here to see photos of some of the food we have enjoyed at the 2021 Flower and Garden Festival.
Blizzard Beach – Now Open
Click here to learn more about visiting Blizzard Beach During the Phased Reopening
Coming Soon to Walt Disney World
Summer Resort Reopenings
- July 2 – BoardWalk Inn
- Late July 2021 – Polynesian Village Resort
July 15 – November 2021 – The 2021 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival
Click here for details on the 2021 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival
August 10 – October 31, 2021 – Disney After Hours Boo Bash
October 1, 2021 – The Most Magical Celebration – 50 Years of Walt Disney World
October 1, 2021 – Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure & France Pavilion Expansion Opens
Jungle Cruise – Updated in Phases, while remaining open to guests in 2021
Star Wars Hotel – 2022
EPCOT Reimagined – Now Through 2022 and Beyond
Click here for what we know about the New EPCOT and what’s coming!
New and Coming Soon to Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Resort – Now Open
Click here for details on the reimagined Snow White’s Enchanted Wish – now open!
Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure – Now Open
Click here for more on the Avengers Campus! Now open at Disney California Adventure!
Click here for details on food and beverage offerings inside Avengers Campus.
Click here for information on merchandise available inside Avengers Campus.
Coming Soon to Disney Cruise Line
The Disney Wish
Click here for information on bookings for the inaugural season in summer 2022.
Itineraries in 2022
Click here to learn about Summer 2022 Itineraries on the Disney Cruise Line
Click here to learn about Early 2022 Itineraries on the Disney Cruise Line
Click here to learn about Marvel Day at Sea and Star Wars Day at Sea in Early 2022
For a no obligation, FREE Quote on a Disney vacation package, please contact our travel partner Magical Vacation Planner at 407-442-0227 (407-442-0215 for Spanish). You can also request a FREE quote online by Clicking HERE.