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Walt Disney World Resort Update for February 27, 2025

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Writer’s Note, News & Views

Hey, MousePlanet! After we published last week’s Update, in case you missed it, Disney announced the end of Virtual Queues for both Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom. Both attractions now have standby queues available. Guardians at EPCOT continues to have a paid Lightning Lane Single Pass option available, and Tiana’s is one of the options available with purchase of the Lightning Lane Multi-Pass option.

Anyway… March is the start of meteorological Spring, and, indeed, by this time in February, it really is already springtime for Central Florida and the Walt Disney World Resort. Around the Resort (and the surrounding neighborhoods), trees and flowers are starting to bloom, so let’s get right to those last minute details for…

EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival: Returns March 5-June 2, 2025

At publication, we are in one of those “between the festivals” times at EPCOT. The transition time in the park has remnants of the Festival of the Arts still on display and the first plantings of the Flower & Garden Festival on-site. The 30th anniversary edition of the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival gets underway on March 5 and runs until June 2, 2025. This is the festival best known for its vast assortment of topiary and garden displays and it will greet guests at the park’s main entrance with a brand new display featuring Moana, Maui, Heihei and Pua. Disney Parks Blog played homage this week to the Dutch Mill Nursery, a Central Florida local family-run business that Disney has worked with since Walt Disney World Resort opened as a source of many of the flowering plants guests see around the property, including at the festivals.

In this “between the festivals” time at EPCOT, the entry planter has a fresh set of plantings but no topiaries or other displays to greet park guests. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.
A partially-completed paint-by-numbers mural from the Festival of the Arts still was up on the fence along the walkway between Imagination pavilion and World Showcase this week. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.
Between the entrances to The Land and Imagination pavilions, the butterfly house for the 2025 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival is in place. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.
The flower beds at the ponds at the center of EPCOT are in bloom ahead of this year’s Flower & Garden Festival. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.
Since different types of flowers thrive in different weather, EPCOT gardeners swap out the blooms as the festival continues, as Central Florida’s weather goes from the moderate temperatures of March where evening temperatures can get down into the 50s to the warmer weather of May. During the years that this festival ran into the summer, additional varieties were used which could with stand the extreme heat of July. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.
The exterior of Odyssey building has been decorated to reflect that it will be the Citrus Blossom during the 2025 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.
The birdhouses that the migratory Purple Martins nest in during their mating season are in place near Odyssey building. Purple Martins return to EPCOT each spring. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

With more than a week to go until the start of the 2025 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, some of the returning topiary displays are already in place around the park. This is but a small sampling of those already in place. Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Right on schedule, Disney Parks Blog has published its Foodie Guide for the upcoming festival. Disney says there are 180 bites to try at this year’s Festival, including new items and returning favorites. The Garden Graze is returning, where guests that partake of the food stroll by purchasing five bites from the list of 10 in the Festival Passport and get their corresponding stamps receive your exclusive treat from the Pineapple Promenade. The Foodie Guide also highlights kid-friendly picks on the menus around the festival.

In case you missed it, Disney has published nearly all the acts scheduled to appear at the American Gardens Theatre for the three times nightly Garden Rocks Concert Series. Showtimes are 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. Dining packages are available for guaranteed seating at Friday through Monday night shows. Be sure to check the My Disney Experience for last minute schedule changes due to act cancelations.

Flower & Garden Festival also promises “a new activation” at CommuniCore Hall. Disney Parks Blog says guests can, “Get a bee’s eye view at CommuniCore Hall, with a new gallery that is larger than life! Grab a bite at EPCOT Farmers Feast and learn more about how Disney’s Horticulture team brings topiaries, flower towers and more to the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival.”

This & That & Reminders…

…Give Kids the World Village, the Central Florida non-profit resort that provides week long cost-free Wish trips for critically ill children and their families has a fund-raiser underway where guests can win a stay in the Cinderella Castle Suite. Entry deadline is March 17, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST. Full details on this page of the GKTW.org website, and, of course, while MousePlanet is sometimes hosted at media events at the Village, we are not affiliated with the Village and not responsible for its sweepstakes.

…In Passholder Magnet news, Disney stopped distributing the Ray Passholder magnet at EPCOT after February 16, 2025, when it originally had announced that the Ray magnet would continue distribution until the end of February. Of course, Disney always includes the caveat in its announcements, that distribution is subject to availability. While Disney did not expressly say why it ceased distribution of Ray ahead of schedule, if you are a Passholder that did not get a chance to get the Ray magnet, but you visited EPCOT during its originally scheduled distribution (and through tomorrow, February 28), you may still be able to receive that magnet by U.S. mail later this spring: the Passholder Buzz in the My Disney Experience app reminds passholders to confirm their U.S. mailing address in their online accounts as soon as possible.

When Disney stopped distributing the Ray Passholder magnet, it made a previously-distributed Minnie Mouse Passholder magnet available for pick-up at Creations Shop through February 28. Even Passholders that picked up the Ray magnet (and those that got this Minnie Mouse at the prior distribution) can get the Minnie Mouse Passholder magnet through tomorrow, February 28 at Creations Shop at EPCOT. As always, distribution is only done during regular park hours, while supplies last–pass and photo ID required, and the complicated park reservation rules remain in place for 2025: reservations required for all parks prior to 2 p.m. daily and Magic Kingdom on Saturday and Sunday, but park hopping all day subject to capacity after admission to one park).

The Minnie Mouse Passholder magnet is scheduled to be available for pickup at Creations Shop during regular park hours only through February 28, 2025. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

…REMINDER: The former sponsor/VIP lounge at Spaceship Earth continues its conversion into a public venue expected to open later this year. Exterior construction now surrounds the east side of the exit of the attraction, likely to reconfigure the previous “hidden” route to the lounge into something more prominent, but the west exit remains open as does the attraction. For those that remember back to D23 Expo 2019, Spaceship Earth itself was to close in 2020 for a refurbishment that was going to include updated elements to the attraction, but that project got placed on indefinite hold during the global pandemic temporary closure of Walt Disney World Resort.

Construction walls surround the east exit of Spaceship Earth below the former sponsor/VIP lounge that will become a new public lounge later this year. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

…REMINDER: Test Track’s reimagination into what folks are calling version “3.0” of the attraction continue with it expected to reopen later this year. Out front, visible evidence of the remodeling the attraction entrance can be seen beyond an assortment of sponsor General Motors’ vehicles.

Test Track’s latest reimagination continues behind construction walls in the World Discovery neighborhood of EPCOT. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

…REMINDER: The last opportunity to visit Muppet*Vision 3D at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is June 7, 2025. On June 8, 2025 it will close permanently to make way for construction of the new Monsters, Inc. themed land. And, while the Monsters are displacing the Muppets from this part of the park and bringing an end to the last major project Muppets creator Jim Henson personally worked on, the Muppets will be displacing Aerosmith from Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at some point in the future that we very well could hear some attraction closing dates for in the coming months. Next door to the coaster, the new show Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After is scheduled to debut this summer as well.

…REMINDER: Inside the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, It’s Tough to Be a Bug will close forever on March 17, 2025, to make way for Zootopia: Better Zoogether! which is expected to open in “winter 2025.” In Disney announcement terms, that means our last opportunity to see the show is March 16.

…REMINDER: The first phase of closures in DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom to make way for the Tropical Americas land scheduled to open in 2027, got underway on January 13, 2025. TriceraTop Spin, the Fossil Fun Games, and the Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures gift shop are all now closed forever. The rest of DinoLand USA, including the DINOSAUR attraction and Restaurantosaurus remain open for now, but will eventually close as the Tropical Americas construction expands. Disney has said as to DINOSAUR in particular, “2025 is your year to visit before it goes extinct!” Folks around the web and social media have taken that to mean that the attraction will remain open throughout the year before it closes to be reimagined as a new Indiana Jones adventure. That is certainly one interpretation of that announcement, and, if the development of the Tropical Americas land does not move at a rapid pace, it very well could be that DINOSAUR continues operations into 2026; we do know for sure that the attraction is on a countdown to extinction.

…REMINDER. Still speaking of closures, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom has closed for its year-long refurbishment. Social media reports this week showed new track for the attraction arriving at the park. Since Disney has announced its significant park expansion projects beyond BTM, we expect this refurbishment project could also lay the groundwork for that further expansion, but Disney has not elaborated as yet. We excpect that the Walt Disney World Railroad at Magic Kingdom will need to close to make way for the expansion project, but Disney has not yet announced a closing date for it and the My Disney Experience app shows it operating during its usual hours.

…REMINDER. Disney D23 announced the 2025 return of Destination 23 to Walt Disney World Resort. Billed as “the biggest Disney fan event of 2025,” Destination D23: A Journey Around the Worlds of Disney will be August 29-31, 2025. This edition will be held at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, and D23 says the event has more than doubled in size. A block of rooms is available for reservation at: https://www.mydisneygroup.com/destd25/. D23 Gold Membership seems to be required for ticket purchases, though the on-sale date and information has not yet been published. Gold Membership tiers are in effect in 2025, and effect existing Gold Members upon their renewals. Read more about all that, on this page of D23.com.

…REMINDER: Disney’s Blizzard Beach reopened November 4, 2024, and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon is closed for seasonal refurbishment. The Disney Water Parks Seasonal Pass remains available for $79 plus tax for a limited-time, providing admission through May 23, 2025. Also, remember that for those staying at Disney Resorts Collection hotels, admission to a water park is free on check-in day (details are here on DisneyWorld.com). Disney Water Parks offer free parking for all guests. For more information on the seasonal pass, visit DisneyWorld.com.

…UPDATED REMINDER: Disney Vacation Club Moonlight Magic nights are back in 2025. Remaining dates and locations are:

  • EPCOT: April 30 and July 17
  • Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park: May 20, June 9, and August 11
  • Disney’s Hollywood Studios: September 1

Registration for events is required, and has been broken into “Seasons” for purposes of registration this year. Winter Season registration and events are already concluded.

The 2025 Disney Vacation Club Moonlight Magic event at Disney’s Animal Kingdom was held on February 12, 2025, and I was fortunate to have obtained a reservation during Winter Season general registration. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Spring Season Events:

  • EPCOT: 4/30/25
  • Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park: 5/20/25 and 6/9/25

General Registration: March 6, 2025

DVC Moonlight Magic Spring Season 2025 Early Registration was February 27th, and actually seemed to limit members attempting to register to a single virtual queue position per Member ID number. Screenshot by Alan S. Dalinka.

Summer Season Events

  • EPCOT: 7/17/25
  • Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park: 8/11/25
  • Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9/1/25

Early Registration: May 15, 2025 • General Registration: May 22, 2025

Registration for these events remains complimentary for eligible DVC members. “Eligible” generally includes only members that purchased their membership points directly from Disney, and their guests. For Early Registration, an eligible member also must have a Disney Resort reservation at a DVC property (which includes Disney’s Vero Beach Resort) or any of the other Disney owned/operated hotels, with the party size on the resort registration finalized a few specified days before the Early Registration window opens. Full details and reservation requirements are on this page of DVC’s website, and that is the page where the RSVP link appears on registration dates. Members must enter their DVC Member number prior to entering the virtual waiting room on registration days, and, as of the Spring 2025 Early Registration, it seems that entering the DVC Member number limited entry into the virtual waiting room to one position per number no matter how many different internet browser sessions were used.

Once successfully registered for an event, the DVC member designated as attending in the registration form is the one that must be present at check-in to check-in the entire party, and that member must have their digital member identification (preferably loaded in their device’s digital wallet) and photo I.D. The entire party must check in together, and early entry to the park before the event’s designated “mix-in” time requires a separate park admission (and park reservation for applicable ticket and pass-types).

…Disney Cruise Line 2026 itineraries have been released and bookings are now open. The next sister ship of Disney Wish and Disney Treasure, is nearing its launch later this year as construction Disney Destiny continues. Construction also continues on the Disney Adventure which will sail the waters of Asia, and, earlier this month, DCL shared more details of the entertainment that will debut aboard, include a first-of-its-kind show featuring Duffy and friends.

…At Disney Springs, “Sip, Savor & Stroll” from three Patina Restaurant Group venues returns on March 13. Guests will enjoy curated food and drink pairings as a host leads them through The Edison, Enzo’s Hideaway and Maria & Enzo’s, with various available time slots between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Start at Enzo’s Hideaway for a speakeasy-style bite and beverage, next head to Maria and Enzo’s for Sicilian pairing, and then end the evening with a toast to a Roaring ’20s with a bite and sip at The Edison. Tickets are $85, and can be purchased on this page on Tock. Ages 21 and older only.

…And, finally, it’s almost time for The Mighty Festival: the 2025 St. Paddy’s party event at Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant in Disney Springs will run Friday, March 14, through Monday, March 17. The annual Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival at Florida’s (self-proclaimed) most authentic Irish pub serves up a long weekend of live Irish music, dance, modern Irish eats, drinks, and more with notable Irish bands flown in for the event including headliners Screaming Orphans—the chart-topping all-sister band from Donegal, and Clada—a popular traditional Irish folk band from Galway, and, of course, the Raglan Road Irish Dancers, a talented troupe from the world’s greatest Irish dance shows. Reservations (available on My Disney Experience, Open Table, and RaglanRoad.com) are encouraged for guests who plan to celebrate. On St. Patrick’s Day only, March 17, Raglan Road will open at 10.00 a.m. with a $20 cover charge for guests 18 and older; (first-come, first-served—no reservations on this day only); younger patrons may enter free of charge.

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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.

Special offers are available on this page of DisneyWorld.com. Packages now posted provide for various discounts for stays through June 30, 2025, and Military Discounts are now posted for the whole year.

NEW: Just in time for the spring travel season, Disney Annual Passholders can take advantage of a valuable limited time offer at Delta Hotels Orlando Celebration, saving up to 30 percent off regular rates, plus enjoying free breakfast for up to four people and free parking. This exclusive offer is in addition to complimentary transportation to Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort and a host of other attractive amenities the hotel offers. As an added benefit, Marriott Bonvoy members can earn or redeem points at this Marriott hotel. To book this limited time offer, visit https://www.marriott.com/offers/celebration-disney-passholder-savings-off-87690/mcodk-delta-hotels-orlando-celebration or call 407-396-7000 and use booking code: “LPR.” Offer is valid for hotel stays through July 31, 2025.

A general Florida resident theme park ticket offer is available on this page of DisneyWorld.com which starts at $119 plus tax for a one day ticket and can be as low as $72/day plus tax for a four day ticket (before the various add-ons). As a date-based ticket, the first date of use has to be selected when purchased and users of a Florida resident ticket will be required to provide proof of residency either at the time of purchase or at a park ticket window prior to first use. If you are looking for a start date that gets as low as that advertised $72/day plus tax, advance the calendar all the way out to August.

The Florida Resident Discover Disney Ticket is now also available on this page of DisneyWorld.com. The Discover Disney Ticket is a special 4-Day Ticket for $240 plus tax ($60/day plus tax) valid for use until May 23, 2025, with an advance park reservation. A 3-Day version is also available for $225 plus tax. Reservations are limited and subject to availability of reservations allocated to this ticket as determined by Disney, and park capacity. These tickets can be used on consecutive or nonconsecutive days, and Park Hopper and water park options may be purchased for additional benefits. Usual residency proof required too.

Get Away Today Logo

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 and resort package stay offers too. Right now, for example, you can get 2 days free with a 2-Park, 3-Day ticket for 5 days of fun when you book with Get Away Today! Enjoy all of the thrills, entertainment and fun that Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure has to offer for as low as $62 per day. Upgrade to a 3-Park ticket to experience Universal Volcano Bay water theme park (which may be closed on some dates). This offer is valid for travel now – April 16, 2025.

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.

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