Walt Disney World Resort Update for March 26, 2024

Walt Disney World Resort Update for March 26, 2024

Writer’s Note, News & Views

Now that we are into the “Spring Break Season,” Walt Disney World Resort has shared some more details of its Summer 2024 plans. If you regularly see MousePlanet social media posts, you should be aware of them by now, as we shared them when the news broke. In this week’s Update, I give you the recap, share some additional perspectives, thoughts, and suggestions around the news.

As I have written in past Updates, I call this “Spring Break Season” because schools around the U.S.A. do not all take the same break periods, and so folks taking a Spring Break at Walt Disney World can appear at pretty much anytime through the season. The weather can be fantastic this time of year, or hot, with occasional (but, rarely, daily) rain, or, even a day or two of Florida “cold” (a day where the high does not go much above 70°). Folks observe lots of holidays at this time of year: Ramadan is underway; Purim just concluded over the weekend; Holi was yesterday, Monday, March 25; Good Friday is this Friday, March 29; Easter is this Sunday, March 31; Eid al-Fitr is Tuesday, April 9; and Passover starts sundown on Monday, April 22, and runs until April 30.

The lack of a Florida Resident discount ticket offer this past week, combined with Passholder blockouts for the bottom two tiers of APs may actually have resulted in some lower crowds this past week. More on that in the Views below, as I share a few looks around Magic Kingdom and EPCOT that were less crowded than I have seen them in quite awhile (but, as always, your mileage may vary).

In the meantime, before we get to the Walt Disney World Resort news, for those of you considering attending D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California this August (also known as the event formerly known as D23 Expo), Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix shared all of the recently announced event details yesterday in the MousePlanet Disneyland Resort Update for March 25, 2024. D23 Gold Member ticket pre-sales start today, March 26, at 3 p.m. Eastern/12 noon Pacific, and there are lots of details to consider. (I have also given a brief update to the Reminder in the This & That & Reminders section below.)

Summer 2024 Experiences at Walt Disney World Resort

Coming into this past week, we already knew that Magic Kingdom plans Summer openings for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the reimagining of Splash Mountain, as well as the new version of the Country Bear Jamboree show. Disney has not provided exact opening dates for those attractions just yet, but we have some clues as to when Disney is celebrating Summer in 2024. For example, tickets have been on sale for awhile for the 2024 Summer Season of Disney H20 Glow After Hours at Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, which runs May 25-August 31. And now, thanks to a Disney Parks Blog post over the past week, “4 New Experiences to Celebrate Summer,” we know about four “new” experiences making their “Summer” debuts between May 24 and June 10.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the reimagining of Splash Mountain, is expected to debut during Summer 2024.

Meanwhile, artwork announcing Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and taken from the new attraction’s theme increasingly dot the walls surrounding it.

Empty logs can be spotted from time to time on the portion of the flume adjacent to Rivers of America. Social media reports have also spotted teams of imagineers in logs from time to time, as the summer draws closer.

Interestingly, during the testing I spotted last week, the chute from the top of the drop down to the splash area. remained dry during testing.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

The new Country Bears Jamboree show is expected to debut at some point this summer. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The 4 new summer experiences Disney Parks Blog posted about include a new limited run drone show at Disney Springs, the much-delayed opening of CommuniCore Hall and Plaza at EPCOT which will include its first limited run sing-along experience, a new location to me Joy from Inside Out as Disney-PIXAR releases Inside Out 2 to theaters, and the summer-long celebration of the anniversary of the release of a Disney animated classic. Let’s look at each in turn.

“Disney Dreams That Soar” Drone Show Coming to Disney Springs May 24-September 2

Disney Springs will present a new summertime drone show in the skies above Lake Buena Vista, “Disney Dreams That Soar,” Disney says that it will “showcase Disney stories celebrating the joy of flight with state-of-the-art drones choreographed to create designs in the sky and paired with a “soaring” musical score…and memorable movie quotes.” The show will run nightly from May 24 through September 2, with viewing along the lake on the West Side.

Image courtesy Disney.

Disney Springs last presented a drone show, “Starbright Holidays,” back in November and December 2016. That five minute show used 300 Intel “Shooting Star” show drones and ran twice nightly. As it was quite a novelty at the time, it drew crowds large enough that Disney Springs parking lots would fill well-before the first showtime.

“Starbright Holidays” was presented over Lake Buena Vista back in 2016 using 300 Intel “Shooting Star” Show Drones. Disney has not shared what type of drones will be used to perform the new show. File photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

MousePlanet was invited to the first public showing of “Starbright Holidays” back in 2016. File video by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney is already describing this new drone show as a “late-night” perk of visiting Disney Springs. Remember, sunsets in Central Florida in summertime are much later than they are in November-December, when “Starbright Holidays” was shown twice nightly. To illustrate the point, be aware that it is possible to watch EPCOT nightly fireworks in twilight when they start at 9 p.m. at the height of the summer season in late June and July, so it is unlikely that this nightly show will start until well-after the late sunset each night.

Since Disney Springs charges no admission and no parking fee, expect that the parking lots will fill approaching showtimes, and be sure to consider that if you make dining reservations or purchase tickets to Disney-Cirque du Soleil’s “Drawn to Life” or concerts at House of Blues. If Disney transport is an option for you, consider taking that—though if you are traveling from the parks to Disney Springs, bus service is usually available only to Disney Springs and not back to the parks! Roundtrip bus transportation is available from all of the Disney hotels. Also be aware that watercraft service to and from Disney’s Old Key West, Disney’s Port Orleans, and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resorts was suspended during showings of “Starbright Holidays,” and expect that will happen during showings of “Disney Dreams That Soar” as well; watercraft suspensions, however, ought to be not much longer than necessary for the drones to travel to and from their base.

CommuniCore Hall and Plaza Finally Open June 10

At long last, the new multi-use festival center in the World Celebration neighborhood of EPCOT, CommuniCore Hall and Plaza, is scheduled to open June 10. Delayed by the global pandemic, with the publicly-available plans changing after the phased reopening of the parks began in the Summer of 2020, a few times during 2023, Disney suggested that the “transformation” of EPCOT was due to be completed by the end of 2023, including the opening of this new facility, but as the opening of the new gardens of the World Celebration neighborhood approached last December, it became clear that was not to be. With this opening, Disney says that the last of the construction walls in this central part of the park will finally be removed.

As part of the opening of CommuniCore Hall, from June 10 to September 6, a new summer sing-along featuring the songs and story of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Encanto” will run several times each the day on the new CommuniCore Plaza stage. Guests will also be able to “spot” Mirabel and Bruno on the stage as well.

From June 10 to September 6, the new CommuniCore Plaza stage will host an “Encanto” sing-along. The likely crowd size seems kind of sparsely represented in this concept art courtesy Disney.

With the opening of CommuniCore Hall, the new Mickey & Friends indoor character meet and greet area will debut as well. Before the transformation of EPCOT, the former Innoventions West building (including the Fountain View Starbucks location) stood close to the location of the new character meet and greet, and was the former location to meet Mickey and friends in the park. Mickey has been meeting guests inside the pre-show area for the Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival theater at Imagination! pavilion since the old Innoventions building closed; Minnie and Goofy have made separate outdoor appearances at a meet and greet location near the entrance to Spaceship Earth.

The mural visible through one of the triangles of CommuniCore Hall that we shared a couple of weeks back will include lots of nods to EPCOT’s history according to Disney Parks Blog. The triangular shapes on the exterior of the building, of course, are a nod to the surface of Spaceship Earth. File photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney says more details about the future uses of CommuniCore Hall will be shared soon.

Celebrate Inside Out 2 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

While the Disney Parks Blog sub-headline says get its a sneak peek of the new Disney-Pixar movie Inside Out 2 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the only specific detail Disney has shared so far is that the character Joy will start making character appearances in Pixar Plaza starting June 10, along with other Pixar stars. Inside Out 2, premieres in theaters starting June 14. Most recently, Joy has made appearances at EPCOT’s Imagination! pavilion. Disney has not said whether she will continue to meet and greet at EPCOT.

Joy from “Inside Out” and “Inside Out 2” will start appearing in Pixar Plaza on June 10. Photo courtesy Disney.

The Disney Parks Blog headline about a sneak peek may mean that there will be an extended trailer for the new film showing inside Walt Disney Presents, but there has not been a specific announcement about that. The Walt Disney Theater inside the attraction most recently has been featuring a preview of the Disney+ original series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.”

Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Disney’s The Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom celebrates Disney’s The Lion King everyday with performances of “The Festival of the Lion King.” This summer, from June 10 through September 6, the park will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the film’s original release. This celebration will include a new merchandise collection, specialty food and beverage items (a Foodie Guide is expected soon), and a Pumbaa popcorn bucket.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will sell a Pumbaa popcorn bucket as part of its celebration of the 30th anniversary of “The Lion King.” Photo courtesy Disney.

At Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Timon and Rafiki will start making appearances again. They have been absent from that location since the start of the global pandemic temporarily closed the park back in March 2020. Rafiki’s Planet Watch’s Animation Experience will teach guests how to draw characters from The Lion King as well

Views of Magic Kingdom and EPCOT

Much to my surprise, and that of other locals, attendance at the Disney theme parks seemed to be lower than we have seen in quite some time last week. My theory is that although Spring Break got underway for many Florida schools, locals without the top two tiers of Annual Passes stayed away from the parks: the Florida Residents-only two lower tiers of Annual Passes, the Pirate Pass and the Pixie Dust Pass, are also blocked out until the second week of April; the early 2024 Florida Resident ticket discounts ended before Spring Break started, and the new Florida Resident Discover Disney ticket offers do not go into effect until April 2. I visited Magic Kingdom on Wednesday in the afternoon, and EPCOT on Thursday evening.

Magic Kingdom’s classic Mickey floral bed at Main Street Station is filled with spring flowers under clear blue skies during my visit on Wednesday afternoon.

Unlike the busy park photos I have shared in recent weeks, my views of Magic Kingdom of Tomorrowland from the PeopleMover show room to spare. The only places I saw crowds at Magic Kingdom were where guests were waiting for the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade.

I remain curious why Disney has not reopened retail locations at the park entrances (or TTC) other than Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Walking out the park gates with a monorail in just the right spot for a photo does help guests have a magical day!

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Is it the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival without taking a photo from World Showcase Plaza of the monorail passing over the west pond and flower beds at least once?

Attendance at the weekday Garden Rocks concerts at American Gardens Theatre featuring local performers is much less than when the national acts perform on weekends (and extended weekends).

The dragon topiary stands guard at the edge of World Showcase Lagoon at Japan pavilion.

Outside the Nine Dragons restaurant at China pavilion during this year’s EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival is a Penjing Garden which is similar to the Japan pavilion’s Bonsai display.

Finally had a chance to see the projection mapping on the Dante topiary after dark next to the more traditionally lit Miguel topiary, both inspired by “Coco.” The projector is located across the walkway from the topiary, and, as noted during my prior attempt to see it, may go out of alignment with the topiary; during this visit, the wind was blowing it around a bit, causing the projection to move along parts of the topiary.

Pluto, Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse topiaries are lit by bright lighting along the central walkway into the World Celebration area (formerly, the center of Future World).

The U.S. flag flies on a pole outside EPCOT’s main entry, and it takes more than just a little bit of wind for the flag to unfurl.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Refurbishment is underway at the archway at Morocco pavilion, but the nearby Tangerine Café remains open as one of the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival food and beverage locations. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka

This & That & Reminders…

…REMINDER: Easter is this Sunday, March 31st. The Disney Parks Blog Foodie Guide, with specialty offerings available around Walt Disney World Resort (some of which are available now with varying final availability dates, some will be available only through April 1, check the listings) and those around Disneyland Resort too. Some of the Disney Springs venues provided us highlights of their offerings to share as well below.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort has a small display of three tables featuring Easter Eggs designed by the bakery cast. See a Reel of the full display on our Instagram channel, plus, our Instagram channel includes my previous posts and Reels featuring the 2024 Easter Eggs at Disney’s Grand Floridian and Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

• Jaleo Disney Springs—On Easter Sunday, Jaleo Disney Springs welcomes guests to explore, discover and share the vibrant spirit and flavors of Spain with its Brunch menu, featuring signature dishes, like Carne asada con huevo frito— grilled flat iron steak with fried egg, potatoes and mojo verde — and Flauta de tortilla de patatas — a traditional flauta sandwich with fresh tomato and Spanish omelet. See the full menu here. Dishes can be paired with a variety of cocktails, wines or Spanish sangrias from Jaleo’s extensive beverage menu. This year, Jaleo Disney Springs is debuting its Rumba Brunch, where guests will discover the sights and sounds of authentic rumba music with roaming guitar players and vocalists from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Maria & Enzo’s at Disney Springs—Maria & Enzo’s will be open on Easter Sunday, serving its Sicilian cuisine-inspired brunch menu for guests, including family-favorites like the Crunch Toast, a cornflake crusted brioche with nutella mascarpone and strawberry compote, plus the Smoked Salmon Board, including tomatoes, red onion, capers, chive, mascarpone, hard boiled eggs and toasted schiacciata bread. Signature craft cocktails and bottomless mimosas, bellinis or rossinis are also available.
• The Edison, Planet Hollywood, Enzo’s Hideaway and Morimoto Asia will also also be open on Easter Sunday, serving their regular lunch and dinner menus.

…Speaking of Disney Springs, the billboard photo backdrop outside the AMC 24 Dine In Theatres features the Disney-Pixar animated feature Luca, which is one of several Pixar films originally released during the global pandemic to receive a theatrical run this spring.

The Pixar animated features that had their theatrical runs cut short or eliminated by the global pandemic continue their return to movie theaters, including the Disney Springs AMC Dine-In 24 Theatres, with Friday’s release of “Luca.” These Pixar films are also available for viewing on the Disney+ streaming service, among other digital platforms. 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.

…Lots of credible social media sites are reporting that Disney cast member lanyard-based pin trading will resume starting April 7. That sort of pin trading stopped at the onset of the global pandemic, though some specific pin trading opportunities have returned in recent years, like cork boards supervised by cast members at various locations around the parks. Though I searched extensively, and sites say that Disney has announced this return, I have not seen an official statement on the usual channels available to me, though I am not particularly well-connected to the merchandise marketing programs at Disney Parks, if you are and would like to contribute, let us know.

…UPDATED: 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.

…NEW Space 220 Restaurant at EPCOT has two new series of Space 220 Collectible Trading Cards, Uranus and Neptune; a pack of five trading cards is available with the purchase of any children’s meal. Each card pack is designed exclusively for and only available at Space 220, with original artwork and a variety of space-themed fun facts, and the specific cards in a series are limited edition, only available for a limited time. New children’s menu items for lunch and dinner now available are:

Liftoff (Appetizers) for Children’s Dinner

• Mozzarella Moons: Fried Mozzarella and Marinara
• Grow Zone Crudites: Seasonal Vegetables and Ranch
• Fruit Cup: Assorted Seasonal Fruits
• Baby Greens: Assorted Greens, Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes and Honey Mustard
• Satellite Caesar: Chopped Romaine, Parmesan and Croutons

Star Course (Entrees) for Children’s Dinner

• Steak and Space Fries: Grilled Filet Medallion and Space Fries

Supernova Sweets (Desserts) for Children’s Lunch and Dinner

• Saturn Sandbox: Strawberry, Nilla Wafer and Cream

…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: Planet Hollywood at Disney Springs has an array of limited time culinary offerings to celebrate spring available now through April 30. Here’s what Planet Hollywood has to say about these special menu items:

• Entree Salad
  Embark on a journey refreshing as a spring breeze with our new Apple, Walnut and Gorgonzola Salad. Crisp Granny Smith apple chunks, spiced walnuts, Gorgonzola, tomatoes, and dried cranberries are topped with our signature Italian vinaigrette. Enjoy as-is or add a protein for an additional charge.
• Side Dishes
  • Lobster Mac & Cheese—Indulge in our Lobster Mac & Cheese, a decadent twist on a classic favorite. Immerse your taste buds in the creamy richness of a five-cheese sauce infused with lobster and topped with black pepper and a sprig of parsley. Upgrade as substitution with grille specialties only, $6.99.
  • Spring Seasonal Vegetable Medley—Our Spring Seasonal Vegetable mix consists of a dazzling spectacle of colors with zucchini, yellow squash, cauliflower, broccoli, and baby carrots with herb butter and Italian seasoning. Free upgrade as substitution with grille specialties only.
• Springtime Desserts
  • ​Lemon Meringue Pie—Homemade lemon meringue on graham cracker crust topped with whipped cream, dollops of toasted meringue & a lemon wheel. This citrusy symphony of sweet and tart notes will leave your palate singing for more.
  • Creamy Dreamy Creamsicle Milkshake—Creamsicle ice cream is topped with homemade whipped cream, sprinkled with orange rock candies, an orange-flavored wafer, and creamsicle-flavored licorice bites and orange slice candies. Indulge your sweet tooth with the whimsical treat that evokes childhood nostalgia with every sip.

…REMINDER: Wine Bar George at Disney Springs has updated its Events webpage with tastings with Master Sommelier George Miliotes in the next few weeks.

…REMINDER: On April 13 at noon, The Edison at Disney Springs will host its “Whiskey & Wonder” event, inviting guests to discover the smooth, bold and mysterious character of whiskey. The event will feature beverage demonstrations by The Edison’s team of expert mixologists and various whiskey tastings, accompanied by savory and sweet bites. Guests will enjoy pairings like Shaker Plane with Tuna Crudo and Porthole with St. Louis Ribs. Tickets are available starting at $75. VIP tickets are $90 and include guaranteed seating and early admission at 11:30 a.m. An exclusive luxury station with Spherified Black Manhattan served alongside A5 Wagyu & Hokkaidō Scallop can be added to any ticket for $40. Space is limited. Ages 21 and older only. To purchase tickets, visit this page on Tock.

…REMINDER: Walt Disney World Golf is once again hosting PGA Junior League Golf for 2024. The PGA Junior League Golf program is designed to provide a fun, social and inclusive opportunity for boys and girls ages 7 – 15 of all skill levels, to learn and enjoy the game of golf. Each League team consists of eight to twelve players, and a PGA or LPGA Professional serves as the captain for each team. For the Walt Disney World Golf team, the captain will be Michael Schlager, its PGA Director of Instruction, and joining him will be a selection of Assistant Golf Professionals. There will typically be between four and seven teams that form a local league in a common geographic area, like Lake Buena Vista. Participating players wear numbered uniforms and play in a two-person, scramble format over nine holes. Matches between teams are scored based upon wins, ties, and losses, in three-hole segments called “flags”. More details on the League format and structure are available on this page of the PGA Jr. League website. The practice schedule for this season will take place on either Tuesdays or Thursdays, 5-6 p.m., from April 9 to June 6, 2024. The match schedule for this season will take place on Fridays, with practice/warm up at the range starting at 4:30 p.m., and a 5:15 p.m. shotgun start. Registration includes green fees for all matches, all practice sessions and coaching, league hat and two golf shirts, a drawstring carrying bag, and a bag tag. Walt Disney World Golf can also provide golf clubs if your junior golfer does not have any yet, and is interested to start learning how to play. Registration for the league is now open until April 20, 2024 on this page of the PGA Junior Golf League web site.

…NEWWalt 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.

…NEW: And for the next DVC Resort, the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, this 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.

…UPDATED REMINDER: D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event (formerly known as D23 Expo) will go on sale starting today, March 26: D23 Gold Members will have first access to a limited number of 1-day and 3-day tickets for a limited time beginning March 26, 2024, at 12 p.m. Pacific/3 p.m. Eastern. D23 Gold and General Members who are also Visa cardholders—and who pay with their Visa—will have pre-sale access to a limited number of 1-day and 3-day tickets, for a limited time, beginning March 27, 2024, at 12 p.m. Pacific/3 p.m. Eastern. Tickets for all D23 Gold and General Members will go on sale beginning March 28, 2024, at 12 p.m. Pacific/3 p.m. Eastern, while supplies last—the full ticket buying guide published by D23 is on this page of its website. All attendees must be a D23 Member to purchase tickets: fans can join as a complimentary General Member or upgrade to Gold Membership on D23.com. If you are interested in purchasing a new one year D23 Gold or Gold Duo Membership, to celebrate D23’s 15th anniversary, D23 is offering $15 off through March 31, 2023 with Promo Code: 15YEARS at this page of its website. As noted in the Writer’s Note at the top of this Update, 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. Also, for all General (free) members and Gold Members, D23 is holding a sweepstakes through March 31, 2023 offering up a concierge-level deluxe resort stay at Walt Disney World Resort as its grand prize. Details at this page of D23.com.

…REMINDER: The newest neighbor to Disney property, is the brand new billion dollar development named Evermore Resort. The folks there invited MousePlanet earlier this month to a media tour of what they call Orlando’s first-ever beach paradise. On land that includes the Grand Cypress golf courses, the developers have created an 8 acre crystal clear swimming area — the Evermore Bay, along with 20 acres of beachfront activity area and they have surrounded it with accommodations from 2-bedroom villas all they way up to 11 bedroom houses that sleep up to 32 guests! And there’s also a brand new Conrad hotel along the water too. There are so many details to share about Evermore, watch for an upcoming article about it on MousePlanet.com very soon! In the meantime, you can find more information and book reservations at EvermoreResort.com.

Evermore Bay is an 8 acre crystal clear swimming area surrounded by 20 acres of beachfront activity area. File Panoramic Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

…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.