Walt Disney World Resort Update for April 2, 2024

Writer’s Note, News & Views

Hopefully, none of you were pranked too harshly on April Fools Day. I largely stayed off of social media yesterday, so I am not aware of what some of the better pranks were this year, but I am sure there were some imaginative ones by Disney Parks fans that probably got those precious clicks. As of publication, we are unaware of official Disney announcements for new monorail lines, new parks, new lands, new restaurants, new attractions, or even the opening dates (beyond “summer”) for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure or The Country Bear Jamboree!

In the more serious news department this past week, Disney came to a settlement agreement ending the state court litigation with the state agency that now governs what used to be called the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the quasi-county in which Walt Disney World Resort is located. Disney’s federal litigation against the state, the governor, and others remains on appeal of the District Court’s dismissal earlier this year. But the settlement with the state agency sets an interesting stage for the coming weeks and months ahead. Josh D’Amaro, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman, and Disney’s CEO Bob Iger have spoken quite a bit in the past year about the company’s intent to invest heavily in the Walt Disney World Resort (among other places), and the end of the litigation helps pave the way for that.

But next up, The Walt Disney Company, itself, is engaged in a proxy fight for Board of Director seats that will come to a head tomorrow, April 2, at the annual meeting of shareholders. “Activist” shareholder Nelson Peltz is challenging the direction of the company as led by CEO Bob Iger, and has been urging shareholders to vote for himself and former Disney executive Jay Rasulo for two of the Board seats over the nominees put forward by the Board itself. This particular proxy battle has not risen quite to the level of the “Save Disney” battle that eventually resulted in the end of Michael Eisner’s run as CEO over a decade and a half ago, but the outcome is not certain. The annual meeting can be streamed live or on replay on The Walt Disney Company’s investor relations page at this link. Perhaps there will be some specific announcements about the company’s capital expenditure plans, but hints and broad language are more likely.

At this point, we expect the company’s big announcements about its expansion plans in Florida and Anaheim (plus its other global destinations) will come at the D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event (formerly known as D23 Expo). If you followed along on MousePlanet’s X feed, Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix shared just how quickly (and messily) tickets to the Event sold out. I don’t know about you, but I’ll be watching the Disney Parks announcements online rather than in the Honda Center in Anaheim (and I can say that confidently since we know that Disney will post details of the announcements as soon as they are made whether or not they live stream the presentations or not).

With Easter now past, we are about halfway through the “Spring Break Season” as I call it. The newest Florida Resident ticket discounts and other ticket offers all kick in today, so, perhaps, crowds can start to swell again after that brief lull I observed in last week’s Update. Indeed, I was at Magic Kingdom on Easter Sunday, and my crowd experience put it at “moderate” but not excessive: some attractions had long queues, but some did not (I rode Pirates of the Caribbean at 4 p.m. with only a 20 minute standby wait). I have never been hyper-focused on the merchandise offerings at the Resort, but to my eyes, the offerings are much more limited than in the past, and something is off, but I do not know what…

The Vault “shop” in the Marketplace CoOp at Disney Springs now has a hodge-podge of merchandise offerings, including pet costumes that used to be part of its own merchandise shop elsewhere in the CoOp. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Critters Identified

This past week, Disney Parks Blog shared details of the new critters that will inhabit Tiana’s Bayou Adventure when it opens this summer at Magic Kingdom and later this year at Disneyland:

In the first critter encounter, we’ll discover a group of critter musicians playing a rendition of one of our favorite songs from “The Princess and the Frog,” “Gonna Take You There.” This raucous Zydeco musical recipe of fiddle, accordion, washboard, and other instrument voices will have you singing along as you float down the river under dancing fireflies. The familiar melody is being played on charming makeshift instruments constructed from natural materials and some human-made found objects.

Byhalia the Beaver, Gritty the Rabbit, Beau the Opossum, Apollo the Raccoon, Rufus the Turtle, and Timoléon the Otter are new critters that guests will meet at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Image courtesy Disney Parks Blog.

Disney had previously said that the reimagined attraction would feature numerous animatronic critters, and now it is sharing the names of the new characters, and, as our Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix (and others) have noted, the new merchandise opportunities. In the meantime, visible construction and testing in Magic Kingdom continues.

Signs now dot the splash-down flume area that emphasize that only “ride testing” is underway and that the ride opens this summer.

The new mural featuring Louis and a musical theme (announced last year) can be seen from the Frontierland train station.

The mural is on one of the buildings “outside the berm” of the Walt Disney World Railroad, along the walkway that leads away from the attraction’s exit and restrooms.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

New Disney Vacation Club Views

At Disney Springs, the Gateway to Discovery, A Disney Vacation Club Welcome Home Center recently opened in the Town Center neighborhood near the Disney Springs Welcome Center (Guest Relations) building. DVC describes it as an “interactive portal to discover new vacation destinations with Disney Vacation Club” and that “a space on the second floor for Members and guests to gather” is coming later this spring. The now-open first floor includes three dimensional models of the two newest DVC Resorts: Disney’s Riviera Resort and the Villas at Disneyland Hotel.

Gateway to Discovery is now open at Disney Springs. A second floor space for “Members and guests to gather” is coming later this spring.

Gateway to Discovery is mostly open space with graphics on the walls featuring DVC destinations and other Disney destinations that are available as exchanges for DVC Members.

Gateway to Discovery has a three dimensional model of accommodations available at the new Villas at Disneyland Hotel.

A “magic portal” (video screen) features looks at Disney’s Riviera Resort, the Villas at Disneyland Hotel, and Adventures by Disney.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

The new Disney Vacation Club tower addition to Disney’s Polynesian Resort continues to take shape along Seven Seas Lagoon, but DVC has not yet announced its name and on-sale- and opening-dates. The new tower can be seen from the platform at the Main Street Station inside Magic Kingdom. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Views of Easter at Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom’s celebration of Easter included a pre-parade (of about five minutes) ahead of the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade. On Easter Sunday, it ran at both noon and 3 p.m., and included Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny and “friends.” You can see some video highlights on this Instagram Reel on MousePlanet’s channel.

Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny headlined the pre-parade.

The Easter pre-parade was much smaller than the pre-pandemic pre-parades, which, in turn, were much smaller than the ones Disney televised in the 1990s.

Dancers from Disney’s “Fantasia” joined the Easter parade.

Performers in traditional Main Street attire danced in the Easter parade.

The Easter Bunnies rode the parade route in the gazebo float.

Some dancing flowers and butterflies were joined by the White Rabbit in the Easter parade.

Clara Cluck made her usual Easter parade appearance in the barn float accompanied by more dancing chickens.

It took longer to load and code these eight photos than it took to see the Easter pre-parade.

The Easter pre-parade was followed by the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade which debuted back in March 2014.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

This & That & Reminders…

…Earth Month is now underway! Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened on Earth Day, April 22, 1998, and that’s the park that gets most of Walt Disney World’s Earth Month celebrations. Disney Parks Blog has kicked off Earth Month with digital wallpaper offerings featuring photos taken inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and it is promoting some of the Disney PhotoPass Service Magic Shot offerings too. And what is a celebration without a Foodie Guide too? The guide features not only Disney’s Animal Kingdom specialty food and beverage offerings, but Amorette’s at Disney Springs has The Plant in The Boot Petit Cake (inspired by Wall-e), and a Raindrop Tart at The Mara at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

…As you may know, The Walt Disney Company owns the controlling interest in the Hulu streaming platform, and will be acquiring the remaining outstanding shares from Comcast in the not-too-distant future. Disney’s plan for the service is to offer it on the same platform as the Disney+ service. Some steps in that direction are now underway—the Disney+ icon on my AppleTV is now a new color that I have heard described as a blend between the old Disney+ blue and the old Hulu green. Disney Bundle subscribers now stream Hulu’s biggest Originals, movies and shows directly in the Disney+ app. Disney is celebrating that at Disney Springs through April 10 with some interactive photo opportunities featuring “Abbott Elementary,” “The Golden Girls” and “Futurama.” Guests 18 years older and above who complete a survey after visiting the experience will be entered for a chance to win a Disney+ gift card with a value of $100! (Disney says, “NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter the Sweepstakes between 3/27/24 at 9:00 AM ET and 4/11/24 at 11:59 PM ET. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S./D.C.; 18+. Limit 1 entry per person per entry period. See https://disneysweeps.com/huluondisneyplus for full details on how to enter, eligibility requirements, entry periods, odds of winning, prize description and limitations. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: Disney Streaming Services LLC 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California 91521.”)

The “Hulu on Disney+” area was getting set up last week near the Orange Garage escalators outside the Disney Springs AMC 24 Dine-In Theaters. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka

…TV stars Daymond John, Dara Reneé, Lance Gross and Sanya Richards-Ross are among the celebrities lending their support to the 100 high school students from diverse and underrepresented communities around the country taking part in the 17th annual Disney Dreamers Academy, April 3-7, at Walt Disney World Resort. These celebrities will be joined by DJ Big Tigger and national radio host Rickey Smiley, plus several acclaimed educators, designers, producers and Disney executives, who will spend five days helping the students to dream big. Immersive workshops will introduce Disney Dreamers to diverse career paths in business, entertainment and science, and the many other career opportunities within The Walt Disney Company. The 100 Disney Dreamers were selected from thousands of applicants who answered essay questions about their personal stories and dreams for the future. The students and a parent or guardian enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Walt Disney World Resort for the event. As in the past, MousePlanet has been invited to attend several parts of the Disney Dreamers Academy program and we will provide coverage on our social media channels and in next week’s Update.

Disney Dreamers from around the United States are honored in a pre-parade at Magic Kingdom during the annual event. 2023 File photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

…REMINDER: Star Tours–The Adventures Continue will add new scenes at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris from some of the Star Wars series on Disney+, including “Ahsoka” starting April 5, including characters and locations from “Ahsoka,” “Andor,” and “The Mandalorian.” These additions include appearances by Ahsoka Tano, Cassian Andor, and The Mandalorian and Grogu, and visits to the planet Peridea as seen in “Ahsoka.” The new “variables” mean there are now more than 250 possible story lines when you ride Star Tours, but, as in the past, Disney could program the ride to feature the new scenes heavily in the months after they are added.

…UPDATED: With the help of Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix, we found the official source of the news that Disney cast member lanyard-based pin trading will resume starting April 7—it was a post on the Disney Parks TikTok channel! Cast-to-guest pin trading stopped at the onset of the global pandemic, and only some specific pin trading opportunities have returned in recent years, like cork boards supervised by cast members at various locations around the parks. Guests will once again be able to trade pins with any cast member wearing a pin trading lanyard starting next week.

…REMINDER: Tutto Italia Ristorante at EPCOT Walt Disney World has extended its 20% Annual Passholder discount through September 30, 2024. Although the news we received did not explicitly say so, assume the prior restrictions apply: offer applies to regularly-priced food and nonalcoholic beverages and exempting certain holidays, special events and dining packages.

…REMINDER: Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs has increased its Annual Passholder Discount to 20%. The discount applies to all regular priced food and non-alcoholic beverages during lunch hours, which run from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday through Monday. The offer excludes service at the sushi bar, as well as major holidays, including Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

…REMINDER: Walt Disney World Golf is again offering its series of four-week Junior Golf Clinics during April and May 2024. With on-course coaching and playing clinics and separate skills development clinics, these are two different options for junior golfers, ages 7 to 17. The clinics will be hosted at Disney’s Palm, Magnolia and Oak Trail Golf Courses, and all are led by PGA of America Professionals. For more information, visit this page of the Walt Disney World Golf website.

…REMINDER: Disney Vacation Club Moonlight Magic event nights are scheduled on select nights into the summer of 2024. The complimentary, after-hours events feature select attractions with shorter-than-usual wait times, plus character greetings, entertainment and more. The remaining events are:

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom – April 23.
• Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park – June 4 and July 11.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios – August 27.

Early registration opens for eligible Disney Vacation Club members (namely, those that have bought a certain number of points directly from Disney) with a qualifying Disney Resort hotel reservation on the event date(s). Pending availability, all other eligible Members may try their luck at reservations for the event on the other General Registration specified dates. A link to the event registration queue is posted online shortly before the registration windows open. If you are an eligible member and have a hotel reservation for an event date, keep an eye on your email for a registration reminder which also includes the link. All of the relevant 2024 registration dates are now posted on the event website.

The relevant dates for the remaining 2024 Moonlight Magic events are:

Note: Eligible Disney Vacation Club members are limited to attending one Moonlight Magic event per theme park, per calendar year. The Hotel Reservation Finalization (Party Size) deadline is the date by which an eligible DVC member’s qualifying hotel reservation has to have the number of guests listed on the hotel reservation that will be the maximum number of Moonlight Magic guests that can attend an event (if successfully registered); the hotel reservation may be modified after this date subject to the usual reservation rules, but those modifications will not increase the number of attendees that can attend a registered event. Canceling a qualifying hotel reservation after registering for a Moonlight Magic event during the Early Registration window will cancel that registration. The DVC member must attend the Moonlight Magic event to check in with all of their guests present.

…REMINDER: Speaking of Disney Vacation Club, over on the Treasure Coast on the Atlantic Ocean, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort returns its popular character breakfast at Wind & Waves Grill on April 20 with a brand new menu. Some highlights are available on Disney Parks Blog. Goofy and Pluto will be making the rounds to visit each table, dressed in their beach best. The character breakfast will be available on Saturdays only from 8 a.m. to noon. Reservations are now open for booking on OpenTable.

…REMINDER And for the next DVC Resort, the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, last week, Disney Parks Blog shared an inside look at their construction along with the local Central Florida business building them. The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, are open for DVC bookings with stays starting September 27, 2024.

…Beyond Florida, Disney Cruise Line’s next new ship, Disney Treasure was floated for the first time to make room for the construction of the last of the three Wish-class ships on order at the Meyer Werft Shipyard in Germany. This week, Disney shared that the name of this final ship will be the Disney Destiny, and shared a bit about its theme too. Construction of the Disney Treasure is expected to be concluded later this year with its inaugural sailing before year-end. Disney Parks Blog maintains a Progress Report on the construction of Disney Treasure. Disney Destiny is expected to be completed and enter into service in 2025.

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…REMINDER: Give Kids the World Village, the 89-acre, whimsical nonprofit resort in Kissimmee that provides cost-free week-long trips to critically ill children and their families, announced that its Gingerbread Run is returning this fall and will take place at night – under the holiday lights! On Saturday, November 23, you’ll have the chance to run, roll or stroll a 5K or family fun run through the whimsical storybook Village illuminated by thousands of holiday lights. Information and registration is available on this page of the Village’s website.

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Resort Reservations, Ticket Advice & Special Offers

Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Walt Disney World Resort Update.

The 4-day Florida Resident Discover Disney Ticket is $235 ($59 per day), plus tax, and offers admission to one theme park per day. The ticket valid from April 2, 2024 through September 28, 2024, and park reservations are required. The ticket can be used on consecutive or non-consecutive days, and there is no fuse, so you can use the first admission in April and space out your remaining visits over the summer.

A 3-day version of the ticket is also available for $219 ($73 per day).

Both of these tickets also offer optional upgrades:

• Park Hopper Option — $40 More Per Ticket, Plus Tax.Visit more than one theme park on the same day.
• Water Park and Sports Option — $35 More Per Ticket, Plus Tax.Visit one theme park per day. Plus, get a certain number of visits to a water park, golf course or miniature golf course based on the length of your ticket. For example, if you purchase a 3-Day Florida Resident Discover Disney Ticket with the Water Park and Sports option, you can visit a Walt Disney World theme park on 3 days with an advance theme park reservation—and visit a Disney water park on 3 additional days by September 28, 2024.
• Park Hopper Plus Option — $55 More Per Ticket, Plus Tax.Visit more than one theme park on the same day. Plus, get a certain number of visits to a water park, golf course or miniature golf course based on the length of your ticket. This option is a combination of the Park Hopper option and the Water Park and Sports option.

It really is important to stress the necessity for making your park reservations as soon as you complete your purchase. Disney is only setting aside a limited number of reservations for this ticket type each day, and states, “Reservations may be unavailable for any particular date or park, especially as you get closer to the date of visit or ticket expiration date.”

If you are not a Florida Resident, or you are, but park reservations are not available for the dates you want to visit, Disney is also offering the 4-Day, 4-Park Magic Ticket from $99 Per Day, Plus Tax (Total Price from $396, Plus Tax). The 4-Park Magic Ticket includes one admission to each of the 4 Walt Disney World theme parks—Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios—for a total of 4 admissions, on 4 separate days. Limit one admission per theme park, one theme park per day. This is a date-based ticket, so it does not require a theme park reservation to enter a park, but you must pick a start date from April 2 through September 22, 2024, and the ticket must be used within 7 days of the selected start date. This ticket cannot be used to enter the same theme park more than once.

If you are willing to skip Magic Kingdom, Disney is also offering a Special 3-Day, 3-Park Ticket to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT and Disney’s Animal Kingdom only, starting from $89 per day, plus tax (total price starting from $267, plus tax). This is also a date-based ticket that does not require a theme park reservation to enter a park, but you must pick a start date from April 2 through September 24, 2024, and the ticket must be used within 5 days of the selected start date.

Details and more special offers are available on this page of DisneyWorld.com.

Disney+ subscribers can get a FREE dining plan when purchasing a non-discounted 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney Travel Company package that includes a room at a select Disney Resort hotel and theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option. This offer is valid for arrivals most nights July 1 through September 30, 2024. Visit DisneyWorld.com/SpecialOffers for additional offer details!

MousePlanet’s travel partner Get Away Today is available to help you book rooms and packages.

REMINDER: Get Away Today’s Walt Disney World Resort vacation packages can now be booked completely on its website! No cumbersome quotes needed! Simply compare all your favorite Walt Disney World Resort hotels and Get Away Today’s hand selected off-property hotels in a few clicks, and then customize for your included tickets for your vacation.

Get Away Today’s Walt Disney World Resort vacation packages now have the option to add Layaway Plans, which allow you to pay the total balance up to eight days prior to travel. You can also add their popular “Peace of Mind Plan” when booking a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel, which allows any reschedules and cancellations up to five days prior to travel with no penalty.

When booking with Get Away Today, all Walt Disney World Resort on-site packages include Get Away Today’s e-concierge, which includes its Best Price Guarantee, Dining Reservation Reminders, access to their Concierge Team email for help before and during your vacation, and more.

Looking to go beyond Walt Disney World Resort when visiting Central Florida? Check out Get Away Today’s Universal Orlando Resort ticket offers too.

Only purchase Disney theme park tickets directly from Disney, an authorized seller, or a travel agency like MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Today! As always, we remind our readers that Walt Disney World Resort theme park tickets are rarely offered at deep discounts unless you are a resident of Florida or eligible for U.S. Military Personnel benefits. Historically, non-Florida residents tend to benefit the most by purchasing tickets in advance (and, of course, being mindful of the rules relevant to those tickets). Don’t get scammed! Never buy tickets from an unofficial or secondary outlet, such as through eBay or Craigslist. Never rent or purchase tickets from people approaching you outside Disney property stating they have remaining days or leftover tickets. This practice is against the terms of use for Walt Disney World Theme Park admissions, and may result in denial of entry. There is no way to determine if these tickets are valid until you try to use them to enter the parks.