Walt Disney World Resort Update for February 27, 2024

Walt Disney World Resort Update for February 27, 2024

You can view a larger version of the individual photos included in the Update by clicking on the photo; the photo will open in a separate tab without a caption (or, for Disney Parks Blog or Disney operating partner photos or images, a relevant webpage will open in a new tab).

Writer's Note, News & Views

While our Disneyland Resort Update for February 26, 2024, yesterday, shared that Soarin' Over California is making its annual limited run return to Disney California Adventure starting March 1 during the California Food and Wine Festival, EPCOT bids farewell to its limited run of Soarin' Over California today, February 27, and tomorrow, February 28, returns Soarin' Around the World to its three theaters. As EPCOT has changed significantly in appearance since this ride film debuted before the park's transformation got underway, I've been wondering whether the ride film's finale has been updated to reflect the park's new look in the World Celebration gardens area. Since Disney has not said anything yet, we'll just have to wait and see.

I took my final ride (for, at least, awhile) on Soarin' Over California at EPCOT on Saturday. In that surprise and delight sense, the posted standby time well-exceeded my actual overall wait and ride time. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

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Work continues on the construction of CommuniCore Hall and Plaza in the World Celebration neighborhood. This mixed use, Festival Center and character meet and greet facility's completion date was last said to be December 2023, but EPCOT has not provided an update so far this year. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

In the meantime, Disney announced a new perk in 2025, but only for Disney Resort hotel guests and only on their actual check-in date between January 1 and December 31. Guests checking in to Disney Resort hotels will receive admission to a water park that day, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park or Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park, included in their stay. To be clear, this perk is only available for stays in the Disney Resorts Collection—those are the Disney owned and operated properties, including the Disney Vacation Club Resorts, and you can see the current list of over 25 of these properties here. In other words, this perk is one of those rare ones where guests staying at Shades of Green, Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, or any of the official Disney Springs partner hotels or the participating Bonnet Creek Hotels do not qualify for the perk. Here are the published details.

• This benefit is exclusive to registered Guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel with a check-in date from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. All Guests must be on the room reservation.
• This benefit is only on the day of check-in, and is valid for admission to either Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park or Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park. Check the park calendar and operating hours closer to your 2025 arrival to plan your check-in day.
• Usage of this benefit is subject to availability.
• At this time, a park reservation is not required to visit a water park; however, reservation requirements are subject to change.
• Water parks are subject to extended rehabilitation, seasonal, capacity and weather closures, or may close for other reasons.
• Each of the water parks is refurbished annually. These routine maintenance periods are staggered, so Guests should be able to enjoy at least one water park experience year-round.
• Water park admission is nontransferable, nonrefundable and has no cash value, and excludes activities/events separately priced or not open to the general public.
• Parks, attractions and other offerings subject to availability, closures and change or cancellation without notice or liability. No refund or credit given for any such changes or cancellation. Park admission and offerings are not guaranteed.

I already saw a number of West Coast commenters complaining that they typically arrive at Walt Disney World Resort later in the day. It seems pretty clear that the limited window of opportunity to use this perk is on purpose and, as one of my local friends said to me when I shared the complaints, the West Coasters could always take a redeye and get to Orlando first thing in the morning if this perk was that important to them. Obviously, every travel party has to pick and choose among lots of decision points, and Disney is now providing a new option for those interested in considering it. Of course, it's Central Florida, and you never really are guaranteed perfect weather all day, and, yes, a thunderstorm will shut down the water parks until they are clear of the area.

Views of Walt Disney World Resort

Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend took over parts of Walt Disney World Resort last week, but, to my pleasant surprise, I found EPCOT not terribly crowded on Saturday. With EPCOT International Festival of the Arts having ended February 19, and EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival not getting underway until February 28, it was one of those brief times between festivals at EPCOT. The landscaping team clearly had been busily at work, getting many of the flowers and topiaries in place ahead of race weekend (for all those photo ops for the racers and, well, festival logistics, generally), but, as in the past, the entrance plaza decor had not yet been installed.

Before getting to the views, congratulations to Shea Zablan from Birmingham, Alabama, as the first female finisher of the Princess Half Marathon. She completed the course in 1:21:18, well-ahead of Leah Foley of Goodrich, Michigan (1:23:38) and Sarah Humble of Salt Lake City, Utah (1:24:43). Michael Fussner of St. Louis, Missouri was the first male finisher (1:15:11) after coming in second place last year. Reality TV star Matt James of Miami, Florida, in his runDisney debut, completed the course in 1:27:32, 10th among male runners. Heather Sealover of Bossier City, Louisiana, who won the wheelchair division last year, was the top wheelchair finisher (1:02:53) again this year followed by Linden Williamson of Seguin, Texas (1:05:37) and Nicholas McCoy of Boerne, Texas (1:18:31).

Views of EPCOT

EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival gets underway tomorrow, February 28. MousePlanet has been invited to a media event during its first day, and I'll provide coverage on our social media channels and an overview of this year's festival, which runs only until May 27 in our next Walt Disney World Resort Update. As mentioned last week, Disney Parks Blog has published its Foodie Guide to the Festival, with a first look at the nearly 20 Outdoor Kitchens and over 60 new items offered this year. As usual, guests will be able to pick up a Festival Passport with all the details, and for those who take the “food stroll” over the course of the Festival, purchasing five of eight specified bites from the Outdoor Kitchens and getting stamps on the Passport, there's an exclusive treat at Pineapple Promenade.

Yesterday, EPCOT debuted the new Groot topiary near Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in the World Discovery neighborhood of the park. One of the features of this new topiary, as I saw reported on social media, is that it plays music! I'll share my first look at it in our next update. Disney Parks Blog shared first looks on its social media channels like Facebook.

The Figment topiary has been installed surrounded by “flowers” in the center “ring” of the EPCOT logo in the new World Celebration garden area.

Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Chip and Dale topiaries are in the central planter between World Celebration gardens and the “bridge” to World Showcase Plaza.

Huey, Dewey, and Louie topiaries are in front of the monorail beam near Test Track while their uncle's topiary likeness, Donald Duck, is located a little walk further into World Discovery near the entrance to Connections Eatery.

Odyssey building will be the Citrus Blossom pavilion during EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival. From past festivals, that means, at minimum, it will serve up the Citrus themed food and beverage options, and will have its large air conditioned seating area available for guests.

The flower beds are again in place around the ponds between the former Future World part of the park and World Showcase.

Butterfly Landing, the butterfly garden, will again be located on the lawn between Imagination pavilion and The Land.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

As I posted on MousePlanet social media, taking photos of the topiaries at EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival may require the less-than-optimal situation where you are taking photos into the sun. If you are not using a highly adjustable camera that you are quite familiar with, I suggest that you set your camera to underexpose the photo like I do on my iPhone 15 Pro Max. With a lower exposure setting (like -1.7EV used below), a digital camera captures enough data that you can brighten, fill shadows, and otherwise enhance into an image you can share or print. If you overexpose the photo, the camera captures lots of white pixels that cannot be adjusted no matter how many different ways you try later.

Photos taken into the sun may require lots of software or app adjustments, like this one of The Family Madrigal from “Encanto.” This photo was taken with iPhone 15 Pro Max with exposure set to -1.7EV using the Ultra Wide camera. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

This is the same photo of The Family Madrigal from “Encanto.” as above, but enhanced for brightness and color only with tools in the iPhone Photos app. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Views of Disney Springs and Vicinity

Evenings at Disney Springs can be quite busy. I find that by visiting in late afternoon, I can easily find parking and manageable crowds.

So far, the Cookie Bar at the new restaurant on the West Side, Summer House on the Lake, has not had the sort of extended queues that Gideons over in The Landing neighborhood sees. This chocolate chip and crispy treat cookie was good.

The banners at the AMC Dine-In Theatres advertises the May 10 release of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes from 20th Century Studios (which, of course, is part of The Walt Disney Company).

Down the block from Disney Springs, the moon was large in the sky over the Disney Vacation Club “light house” and advertisement digital display which was bathed in the late afternoon sun.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Views from Florida Citrus Tower

This week, I finally had a chance to visit one of Central Florida's oldest tourist attractions: Florida Citrus Tower. It was built in 1955 on a hill in Clermont, Florida, surrounded by acres of citrus groves. It stands as tall as only a 22 story building, though, because of the elevation in Clermont, it reaches over 500 feet tall. It is possible to see a bit of Magic Kingdom and Disney's Contemporary Resort over the trees 15 miles to the southeast, especially with the zoom of both by iPhone 15 Pro Max and my Canon Powershot, and I also caught a glimpse of the top of Spaceship Earth at EPCOT (though it is so obstruction by trees from this vantage point that I have not shared the photo). The tower is open in the evenings, and admission is good throughout the day it is purchased, so guests can and do return to catch glimpses of Magic Kingdom's fireworks displays (I decided not to stick around that late, as I can catch glimpses of Magic Kingdom's fireworks every night from the second floor of my house just a couple miles from the park).

Florida Citrus Tower opened in 1956 in Clermont, FL. It is built on top of hills at one of the highest elevations in the area, and, indeed, when it opened it billed the attraction as the highest observation point in the State of Florida.

Points of interest are noted on signs in the observation deck. Walt Disney World Resort is 15 miles to the southeast of the tower.

Bay Lake Tower and Disney's Contemporary Resort are easily identifiable from Citrus Tower. Look carefully to also see the canopy at TRON LightCycle / Run to the left of Bay Lake Tower and a bit of Space Mountain. To the right of the Contemporary, you may spot the spires of Cinderella Castle.

At publication, Citrus Tower is open until 10 p.m. daily. Though I paid full admission ($11.77 with tax), you may find discounted admission on GroupOn and other discounts are offered as well.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka. If you would like to see more views from Citrus Tower, I have posted a Reel on my personal Instagram page.

This & That & Reminders…

…Patina Restaurant Group announced that it will debut its “Sip, Savor & Stroll” event on Thursday, March 21, featuring food and drink pairings at three of its Disney Springs restaurants: The Edison, Enzo’s Hideaway and Maria & Enzo’s. Guests are invited to drink, dine and dash during one of the available time slots (starting at 4:30 p.m.), as they are escorted from restaurant to restaurant, tasting signature menu items. From Roaring ‘20s inspired pairings to fine Sicilian style eats at Maria & Enzo’s outdoor patio, Patina says that “guests will be set for an exceptional evening.” A limited number of tickets are available; tickets are $75 each and can be purchased on this page on the Tock website. Ages 21 and older only. The menu is:

• FIRST STOP: THE EDISON
  • Sip: Sunny Disposition Porthole – St. Augustine cane vodka, Lillet Blanc, Giffard Crème de Fraise des Bois, local Florida produce, displayed in The Edison's signature porthole infuser
  • Savor: The Edison's sourdough grilled cheese, lemon-basil tomato soup shooter
• SECOND STOP: ENZO'S HIDEAWAY
  • Sip: Enzoni – Ford's gin, muddled grapes, Campari, lemon juice, simple syrup
  • Savor: saffron arancini, fior di latte mozzarella, citrus-roasted garlic aioli
• THIRD STOP: MARIA & ENZO'S RISTORANTE
  • Sip: Blood Orange Mule – Skyy blood orange vodka, Solerno blood orange liqueur, Fever-Tree blood orange ginger beer, lime juice
  • Savor: cannoli, sweet ricotta filling, candied orange, amarena cherry

Limited tickets are available for guests ages 21 and up for Patina Restaurant Group's Sip, Savor & Stroll Event at Disney Springs on March 21. Image courtesy Patina Restaurant Group.

…Speaking of Disney Springs, practically next door, just outside the edge of Walt Disney World property, the new Evermore Resort will be hosting media at its new facilities today. MousePlanet has been invited and we'll share some highlights on social media during the day and in an upcoming post here on MousePlanet.com.

…REMINDER: March is Women's History Month, and it starts in just over a week. You know what that means, right? Of course, Disney Parks Blog has published its Foodie Guide! All four theme parks, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, Disney Springs, and many of the Disney Resort Hotels have special offerings during March.

…REMINDER: Tutto Italia Ristorante at EPCOT Walt Disney World has raised its Annual Passholder discount to 20% through March 31. The offer applies to regularly-priced food and nonalcoholic beverages. Beginning on April 1, the AP Discount will return to 10% and run until the end of the year, exempting certain holidays, special events and dining packages.

…REMINDER: Disney Vacation Club Moonlight Magic event nights have been 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 – TONIGHT, February 27 and April 23.
• EPCOT – March 1.
• 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: D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event (formerly known as D23 Expo) will go on sale starting March 26. Taking place in Anaheim, California August 9 through 11, the event will feature spectacular shows, new venues, and multiple days of entertainment that will bring together the best of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and more. This year’s event will feature Disney+ integration, musical performances with world-class artists, special content presentations, a new interactive app, and one-of-a-kind shopping experiences. Visit D23.com for the latest details.

…FINAL REMINDER: While we are talking fan expos, Michele & Scott Atwood, the folks I have gotten to know over the years here in the fan community over at The Main Street Mouse are once again presenting “House of Mouse Expo.” The Disney-focused House of Mouse Expo 2024 will take place in Central Florida just minutes from Walt Disney World on March 2-3 at the Osceola Heritage Park Events Center in Kissimmee, Florida. The two-day Fan-Event has lined up quite a few Disney stars, celebrity guests, voice actors, and Disney legends for photo ops, autographs, and unforgettable memories. Among those scheduled to appear at House of Mouse Expo 2024: Jim Cummings (Winnie-The-Pooh, Tigger), Bret Iwan (the official voice of Mickey Mouse), Bill Farmer (Goofy, Pluto), Kaitlyn Robrock (Minnie Mouse), Kevin McNally and Martin Klebba (Pirates of the Caribbean), Ross Marquand (Marvel Universe), Terry McGovern (Launchpad McQuack), Irene Bedard (Disney’s Pocahontas) plus from Hocus Pocus 2 Taylor Paige Henderson, Nina Christine Kitchen, and Juju Brenner (Young Sanderson Sisters). More information and tickets are available at HouseOfMouseExpo.com.

…REMINDER: Over in Winter Haven, Florida, the new LEGO Ferrari Build & Race Experience will open to LEGOLAND Florida park guests next month on Friday, March 8. MousePlanet has been invited to the opening. The attraction will feature a life-size LEGO Ferrari 296 GTS model and three interactive areas for guests to build, configure, race, and enjoy. Starting February 15, for a limited time, Florida and Georgia residents can purchase a day and then attend all year long with the “Build-Your-Year Card!” The option to add visits to Peppa Pig Theme Park Florida and LEGOLAND Water Park will also be available. Also, starting February 15, the LEGOLAND Florida Resort is offering a “Stay for 2, Play for 3 Vacation Package”—stay 2 nights at any of its three on-site hotels and get the 3rd night free when booking 45+ days in advance, plus, receive 3-Day Multi-Park tickets for the price of a 2-Day ticket.

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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.

With the start of the New Year, Disney announced a new Florida Resident ticket deal. The new Florida Resident Disney Thrills Ticket 2-day ticket is available for $199 (plus tax); a 3-day ticket is $219 (plus tax). This IS NOT A DATE-BASED Ticket, so park reservations ARE required, and it is valid for use through March 15, 2024 (including weekends). The tickets do not need be used on consecutive days, but park reservations are required and subject to Disney-imposed limits, capacity limits, and availability. For details, including including proof of residency requirements, add-ons like Park Hopper, visit 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!

Guests can save up to 35% at select Disney Resort hotels when booking a stay of 5 nights or longer most nights March 25 through October 3, 2024. Visit DisneyWorld.com/SpecialOffers to learn more. If logged in with your My Disney Experience credentials, you can also view Passholder offers where the discount applies regardless of the number of nights for arrivals March 25 to July 7, 2024.

For families looking to book their spring travel, Walt Disney World offers the Kids Play & Dine for 50% Off. For stays with arrivals nights from: March 3-24 and April 7-June 30, 2024, children (ages 3 through 9) theme park tickets and dining plans are half off with the purchase of a 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney Travel Co. package that includes a room at a Disney Resort hotel, theme park tickets, and a dining plan. Guests can book packages now at this page of DisneyWorld.com.

The Walt Disney World Resort website lists current offers, deals, and discounts on this page.

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.