Walt Disney World Resort Update for June 1-7, 2022

Walt Disney World Resort Update for June 1-7, 2022

 Writer's Note, News & Views

It's the summer season at Walt Disney World Resort, and two things are pretty certain: the weather will be hot and it can rain at anytime.

Summer Season used to mean the end of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, but this year's edition continues through July 4. Photo by Gregg Jacobs.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind opened on schedule on May 27 at EPCOT. Between that on this coast and the Star Wars Celebration at the Anaheim Convention Center across the street from the Disneyland Resort over Memorial Day weekend, that pretty much sums up the news Disney Parks focused on getting out about the Happiest and Most Magical Places on Earth over the past week.

Disney's Animal Kingdom welcomed back its courtesy trams in the parking lot to close out May. The Tumble Monkeys will be rejoining the cast of A Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King July 16 at the park too. As for the courtesy trams at EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios, and the entertainment offerings that became “temporarily unavailable” with the March 2020 start of the global pandemic, they've been showing no signs of returning, and there was no new news this week.

June 1 is the official start of the Atlantic Ocean's tropical storm season, and, as of this posting, it may get an unusual start. Pacific Hurricane Agatha made landfall in Mexico and is currently crossing over land toward the Gulf of Mexico. Should the storm system become organized over the Gulf, it could become the first named Atlantic storm of the season, Alex. The computer weather models have the storm system tracking toward Florida by this coming weekend. If you are or plan to be in the region, it's time to get prepared and stay alert. I tend to follow WFTV Orlando Channel 9 for weather, and here is its weather team's interpretation of the data as of publication of this Update.

Special Olympics 2022 USA Games in Central Florida Starting Sunday, June 5

Central Florida is hosting the Special Olympics 2022 USA Games throughout the region starting Sunday, June 5. The majority of the competitions will take place at ESPN Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World Resort, and Disney Live Entertainment is producing the opening ceremony that will be televised on Disney-owned ABC-TV and streamed on the ESPN App and ESPN 3 on June 5.

Several Special Olympics USA Games athletes are featured in a new national commercial voiced by Good Morning America's Robin Roberts running on ESPN and social media sites this week. Those same featured athletes will appear in a special welcome parade at Magic Kingdom this Friday, June 3. The parade will also feature Disney characters, confetti, and other entertainment that includes the final leg of the official “Torch Run” that began in Chicago and will end at Exploria Stadium in downtown Orlando. The special parade is not yet listed on My Disney Experience, but the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade is scheduled for both noon and 3 p.m. on Friday. Best guess is that the special parade will be between the Festival of Fantasy performances, but that's just a guess based on some of the past sports celebration events.

The USA Games' opening ceremony will take place at Exploria Stadium on Sunday, June 5 at 8 a.m. Eastern. Tickets for the ceremony are $55 and are available online at 2022USAGames.org and Ticketmaster. TV coverage of the Special Olympics USA Games also includes programs on Tuesday, June 7, and Wednesday, June 8 on ESPN2 and the ESPN App, live streaming coverage on ESPN3 throughout the week, and a “Best of the Special Olympics USA Games” special on ABC, ESPN3 and the ESPN App on Sunday, June 12.

This & That & Reminders…

…D23, the Official Disney Fan Club, is offering a chance to win a four-night vacation for up to four people to Walt Disney World Resort with its D23 Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Sweepstakes. Only D23 members may enter, but you may be logged in as either a General (free) or Gold (paid) Member to enter on this page of D23.com for your chance to win. The sweepstakes closes on June 10, 2022 at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern (and more eligibility details are available via the entry form). MousePlanet is not affiliated with this sweepstakes.

…Give Kids the World, the not-for-profit resort in Central Florida that provides free weeklong trips to critically ill children and their families, is offering an opportunity to win a trip for eight aboard the Disney Wish's maiden voyage, July 14, 2022, in the ship's “Tower Suite,” the first-of-its-kind accommodation featuring two master bedrooms, a children's room with bunkbeds, and a library that can serve as an additional bedroom. The chance to win closes on June 12, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Participants in the drawing must be at least 18 years old, reside in the United States but not in the State of New York. A donation or payment is not necessary to win, but donations to get entries benefit Make-A-Wish and Give Kids the World. Details and rules are available here. MousePlanet is not affiliated with this chance to win opportunity either.

…The Edison at Disney Springs is conducting a Mixology Series, June 8, 15, and 22, from 6-8 p.m. featuring cocktails and accompanying bites inspired by the regions and flavors of Scotland. The series highlights three different Scottish whiskeys: Caol Ila, Dewars White Label and Johnnie Walker Black Label. The beverages will be paired with savory bites to highlight the whiskeys. The event will be hosted on The Edison's Lake Side Patio and tickets are $65/person plus tax and gratuity (ages 21 and older only). Visit this page of the Patina Restaurant Group's website for more details and to purchase tickets.

…Walt Disney World Golf now has limited-edition Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration club head covers at its pro shops. They are priced at $74.95 each plus tax. If you can't make it to one of the pro shops, check out the Walt Disney World Golf Merchandise webpage for current offerings and the contact information that could help you make purchases from afar.

Walt Disney World 50th anniversary club head covers are available at pro shops. Photo courtesy Walt Disney World Golf.

…Disney Parks Blog has published its Foodie Guide for Disney H2O Glow After Hours at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon. The select night 3-hour events run until August 27, with prices starting at $75 for ages 10 and up, $70 for ages 3-9, and discounts available for Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members.

…Speaking of food and beverage offerings, Disney Parks Blog also shared the latest additions to the menus around Disney's Hollywood Studios.

…REMINDER: Reservations are now open for the returning run of the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at The Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort. Dinner shows resume on June 23. Disney says that Hoop-Dee-Doo returns with a new audio and lighting system and a few updates to its script and scenery, “while staying true to the experience guests know and love.” Use the My Disney Experience app or this page of DisneyWorld.com for more information and reservations. Tickets are no longer used; guests can check in on the My Disney Experience app or at the check-in booth at Pioneer Hall. The venue has three ticket categories: Category 1 Main Floor ($74/person ages 10 and over; $44 for ages 3-9), Category 2 Balcony ($69/$40), and Category 3 Side Balcony ($66/$39 and this level has no elevator access and no wheelchair-accessible seating). Price includes all you care to enjoy dining, the show, tax, and gratuity. Passholders and up to 3 guests can get a 10% discount off of the pre-tax and pre-gratuity dining prices.

…REMINDER: June 8 Brings changes to Disney Genie+. Check out last week's Update if you need a refresher.

…REMINDER: The Harmony Barber Shop at Magic Kingdom will reopen July 31, 2022. A limited number of reservations for this experience will be available in the My Disney Experience app beginning June 28, 2022. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique will also open later this year, but no date has been announced.

…REMINDER: Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom tickets are now on sale for select dates in August through October 31..

The Usual Writer's Note

Face coverings remain optional across all of Walt Disney World Resort. Remember to check this page of DisneyWorld.com for the latest requirements.

If you're traveling to or from overseas, be sure to check with the places you're visiting and traveling from or through for the latest rules. Though the United States government loosened international travel restrictions for entering the U.S.A. at the end of 2021, it remains important to check on and abide by the most up-to-date COVID-19 testing and vaccine requirements for entering the United States whether as a citizen, permanent resident, or visitor (and be aware of who needs a visa).

As for visiting the Walt Disney World theme parks, Disney Park Pass reservations are required for admission in addition to a valid ticket. If your tickets have the Park Hopper option, Park Hopping only becomes available after 2 p.m. daily, and only after you have first visited the park for which you have made a reservation that day. There have been instances where Magic Kingdom has reached capacity and paused admission of Park Hoppers, and Disney reserves the right to do so at all the parks.

Sales of new Walt Disney World Annual Passes continue to be paused in all categories except the Florida Resident Pixie Dust Pass. Disney reserved the right to pause those sales when it reintroduced its new Annual Passes. Current Passholders may continue to purchase renewals in all tiers regardless of the pause in new sales. We have not heard any suggestion, as yet, that new pass sales will resume.

NBC News reports that the CDC continues to monitor the two identified cases of the rare monkeypox virus in Broward County, Florida, and the others identified in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, Virginia and Washington. Reports say that experts remain optimistic that the outbreak can be contained.

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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.

This page of DisneyWorld.com features all the offers the Resort has publicly announced.

Everyone can save up to $500 on a 5-night stay at select Disney Resort Hotels through July 7, 2022.

Florida Residents can save 40% on a 4-Day Ticket and 30% on 3-Day Tickets compared to the non-Florida Resident price of a 3-Day or 4-Day Ticket. One-day, one-park tickets start at $109, depending on the date and the theme park. Florida Residents can save on 1-Day Tickets with Park Hopper Option, which offers 1-Day admission to multiple theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort. Visit this page of DisneyWorld.com for details and purchase options (plus an opportunity to provide digital proof of Florida residency). Remember, park admission requires both a ticket and a reservation; tickets expire, so be sure to do your homework before purchasing.

Annual Passholders can save up to 25% and Florida Residents can save up to 20% on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels for stays most nights through July 7, 2022.

Disney+ subscribers that link their Disney+ account to their My Disney Experience account can also save up to 25% on select Disney Resort hotels for select night stays July 8 to September 30, 2022.

Our travel partner Get Away Today is available to help you book rooms and packages. When you book a Walt Disney World Resort Package with Get Away Today with a minimum 3-night stay at a Disney Resort Hotel plus tickets, you receive its complimentary concierge service which includes:

• Free Price Monitoring – if a special comes out after you book, we'll automatically apply it!
• Dining Reservation Assistance – we wake up early and snag those hard to get dining reservations so you don't have to.
• The GAT expert team is available to you! Contact them any time for extra assistance with your vacation planning; transportation, theme park recommendations, etc.

You can get a free Walt Disney World Resort vacation quote by calling 855-GET-AWAY (and tell them MousePlanet sent you) or, you can find sample prices and submit a free quote request here.

Walt Disney World Resort 2023 packages go on sale on June 8. Check out Get Away Today's instagram post for details.

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.