Back to Disney World after 6 years, fill me in please

R

Raegansmommy

Active Member
Original Poster
Hi there! I am so excited because we are going back to Disney this December after not going for 6 years. We have an 8 and 5 year old daughter. What have we missed? What are the must do items? We do not plan to do Mickey's Christmas Party. What is the candlelight procession at Epcot all about? Tell me all! Thanks so much!
 
epcotisbest

epcotisbest

Well-Known Member
Raegansmommy said:
Hi there! I am so excited because we are going back to Disney this December after not going for 6 years. We have an 8 and 5 year old daughter. What have we missed? What are the must do items? We do not plan to do Mickey's Christmas Party. What is the candlelight procession at Epcot all about? Tell me all! Thanks so much!
Click to expand...
Buy the unofficial guide. Read it. Read it again. So many changes in six years.
 
JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
So much to tell. Here are the "bullet points" (I'm continuing to edit as I remember things)

All
  • MyMagic+ to include MyDisneyExperience, Magic Bands, and FastPass+ ("FP+")
MK
  • New Fantasyland including Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Princess Fairytale Hall, Winnie the Pooh, Be Our Guest Restaurant, Belle and Ariel M&Gs, Gaston's Tavern, Little Mermaid ride, and Casey's Corner Big Top area with Dumbo move to this area.
  • New queue for Peter Pans Flight, themed to children's flat in London, added (replacing bathrooms)
  • Old Fantasyland skyway boarding rethemed to bathrooms from Tangled (i.e. "Tangled Toilets")
  • Gift shop in Liberty Square is now Memento Mori's, a HM gift shop
  • Skipper Canteen restaurant opened in Adventureland
  • Festival of Fantasy 3pm parade
  • New Mickey's Friendship Faire castle show
  • NO nighttime Main Street Electrical Parade (as of October 10)
Epcot
  • Tiered FP+ system
  • Maelstrom replaced with Frozen Ever After
  • Anna and Elsa Meet and Greet added to "Norway"
  • Spice Road Table lagoon-adjacent restaurant added to Morocco.
  • Most of Innoventions closed
  • New version of Soarin' ("Around the World")
  • Candlelight Processional is the Gospel story of the Birth of Jesus. It has a celebrity narrator and a gospel choir. You can book a dining package to go along with it. Or wait standby.
Animal Kingdom
  • Camp Minnie Mickey closed. Avatarland to open in its place next year
  • Festival of the Lion King moved to Africa
  • No Jammin' Jungle Parade
  • New Harambe Market counter service area opened (with shortcut)
  • New Asia shortcut opened
  • Tiffins Restaurant opened on Discovery Island
  • Rivers of Light show to be running (we hope) before you arrive
HS (where to start?)
  • No Sorcerer Mickey Hat (aka "Big A** Hat (BAH)")
  • Earfell Tower torn down
  • Lights, Motor, Action, Backlot Tour, "Honey, I shrunk the kids" playground, and Streets of America CLOSED to make way for Star Wars and Toy Story Lands
  • Because of SOA already closed, no more Osborne Lights during the Christmas season
  • Tiered FP+ system.
  • Walt's office removed from Walt Disney: One Man's Dream (moved to his actual office in Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, CA)
  • American Idol show closed. Replaced with Frozen show moved from closed theatre in back of park
  • Area around Muppets 3D show now called Muppets Courtyard
  • Pizza Planet (now in Muppets Courtyard) rethemed as PizzeRizzo (opening soon)
  • Bigger focus on Star Wars
  • Animation Academy (or whatever it was called) closed and is now Star Wars Launch Bay
  • Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Projection/Fireworks show
  • No more Star Wars weekends (on the premise that you're exposed to SW with every visit to HS)
 
Last edited:
DisneyJunkie

DisneyJunkie

Well-Known Member
JohnD said:
So much to tell. Here are the "bullet points" (I'm continuing to edit as I remember things)

All
  • MyMagic+ to include MyDisneyExperience, Magic Bands, and FastPass+ ("FP+")
MK
  • New Fantasyland including Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Princess Fairytale Hall, Winnie the Pooh, Be Our Guest Restaurant, and Casey's Corner Big Top area with Dumbo move to this area.
  • New queue for Peter Pans Flight, themed to children's flat in London, added (replacing bathrooms)
  • Old Fantasyland skyway boarding rethemed to bathrooms from Tangled (i.e. "Tangled Toilets")
  • Gift shop in Liberty Square is now Memento Mori's, a HM gift shop
  • Skipper Canteen restaurant opened in Adventureland
  • Festival of Fantasy 3pm parade
  • NO nighttime Main Street Electrical Parade (as of October 10)
Epcot
  • Tiered FP+ system
  • Maelstrom replaced with Frozen Ever After
  • Anna and Elsa Meet and Greet added to "Norway"
  • Spice Road Table lagoon-adjacent restaurant added to Morocco.
  • Most of Innoventions closed
  • New version of Soarin' ("Around the World")
  • Candlelight Processional is the Gospel story of the Birth of Jesus. It has a celebrity narrator and a gospel choir. You can book a dining package to go along with it. Or wait standby.
Animal Kingdom
  • Camp Minnie Mickey closed. Avatarland to open in its place next year
  • No Jammin' Jungle Parade
  • New Harambe Market counter service area opened (with shortcut)
  • New Asia shortcut opened
  • Tiffins Restaurant opened on Discovery Island
  • Rivers of Light show to be running (we hope) before you arrive
HS (where to start?)
  • No Sorcerer Mickey Hat (aka "Big A** Hat (BAH)")
  • Lights, Motor, Action, Backlot Tour, "Honey, I shrunk the kids" playground, and Streets of America CLOSED to make way for Star Wars and Toy Story Lands
  • Because of SOA already closed, no more Osborne Lights during the Christmas season
  • Tiered FP+ system.
  • Walt's office removed from Walt Disney: One Man's Dream (moved to his actual office in Walt Disney Studios in HS)
  • American Idol show closed. Replaced with Frozen show moved from closed theatre in back of park
  • Area around Muppets 3D show now called Muppets Courtyard
  • Pizza Planet (now in Muppets Courtyard) rethemed as PizzeRizzo (opening soon)
  • Bigger focus on Star Wars
  • Animation Academy (or whatever it was called) closed and is now Star Wars Launch Bay
  • Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Projection/Fireworks show
  • No more Star Wars weekends (on the premise that you're exposed to SW with every visit to HS)
Click to expand...

Nice list. I just remembered as soon as I read the opening post of this thread that my last trip to WDW was 4 years ago (I think the start was 4 years ago today), and it was within 3-4 days when they started doing the staggered, brief openings of New Fantasyland. We missed out on that, and by this list, we've missed out on quite a bit. Too bad we don't have another trip planned anytime soon.
 
E

Eddie Garrison

Well-Known Member
Hard to do better than what @JohnD outlined there.

Disney Springs is such a better time now with the new parking garages and food offerings. They basically tripled the size of what it was as Downtown Disney to me. So many more offerings there now since the last time you visited.

New restaurants include:

Morimoto's
Blaze Pizza
D-Luxe Burgers
STK
The Boathouse
The Hangar Bar (just smaller offerings for food)
 
JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
Eddie Garrison said:
Hard to do better than what @JohnD outlined there.

Disney Springs is such a better time now with the new parking garages and food offerings. They basically tripled the size of what it was as Downtown Disney to me. So many more offerings there now since the last time you visited.

New restaurants include:

Morimoto's
Blaze Pizza
D-Luxe Burgers
STK
The Boathouse
The Hangar Bar (just smaller offerings for food)
Click to expand...

True, I completely left out Disney Springs (renamed from Downtown Disney)! Pretty much everything is different with the exception of La Nouba, Characters in Flight, World of Disney, and "anchor" restaurants.
 
R

Raegansmommy

Active Member
Original Poster
Wow, thanks for the list! The have changed so much! Let time we were there they had already started where Mickey and Minnie's houses used to be. This is a completely last minute trip for us! We usually plan this out about 8 months in advance. I am very disappointed about the Osborne lights not happening anymore. I guess I can always show them the video we took!

JohnD said:
So much to tell. Here are the "bullet points" (I'm continuing to edit as I remember things)

All
  • MyMagic+ to include MyDisneyExperience, Magic Bands, and FastPass+ ("FP+")
MK
  • New Fantasyland including Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Princess Fairytale Hall, Winnie the Pooh, Be Our Guest Restaurant, and Casey's Corner Big Top area with Dumbo move to this area.
  • New queue for Peter Pans Flight, themed to children's flat in London, added (replacing bathrooms)
  • Old Fantasyland skyway boarding rethemed to bathrooms from Tangled (i.e. "Tangled Toilets")
  • Gift shop in Liberty Square is now Memento Mori's, a HM gift shop
  • Skipper Canteen restaurant opened in Adventureland
  • Festival of Fantasy 3pm parade
  • NO nighttime Main Street Electrical Parade (as of October 10)
Epcot
  • Tiered FP+ system
  • Maelstrom replaced with Frozen Ever After
  • Anna and Elsa Meet and Greet added to "Norway"
  • Spice Road Table lagoon-adjacent restaurant added to Morocco.
  • Most of Innoventions closed
  • New version of Soarin' ("Around the World")
  • Candlelight Processional is the Gospel story of the Birth of Jesus. It has a celebrity narrator and a gospel choir. You can book a dining package to go along with it. Or wait standby.
Animal Kingdom
  • Camp Minnie Mickey closed. Avatarland to open in its place next year
  • No Jammin' Jungle Parade
  • New Harambe Market counter service area opened (with shortcut)
  • New Asia shortcut opened
  • Tiffins Restaurant opened on Discovery Island
  • Rivers of Light show to be running (we hope) before you arrive
HS (where to start?)
  • No Sorcerer Mickey Hat (aka "Big A** Hat (BAH)")
  • Lights, Motor, Action, Backlot Tour, "Honey, I shrunk the kids" playground, and Streets of America CLOSED to make way for Star Wars and Toy Story Lands
  • Because of SOA already closed, no more Osborne Lights during the Christmas season
  • Tiered FP+ system.
  • Walt's office removed from Walt Disney: One Man's Dream (moved to his actual office in Walt Disney Studios in HS)
  • American Idol show closed. Replaced with Frozen show moved from closed theatre in back of park
  • Area around Muppets 3D show now called Muppets Courtyard
  • Pizza Planet (now in Muppets Courtyard) rethemed as PizzeRizzo (opening soon)
  • Bigger focus on Star Wars
  • Animation Academy (or whatever it was called) closed and is now Star Wars Launch Bay
  • Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Projection/Fireworks show
  • No more Star Wars weekends (on the premise that you're exposed to SW with every visit to HS)
Click to expand...
 
parkhopper1213

parkhopper1213

Active Member
Raegansmommy said:
Hi there! I am so excited because we are going back to Disney this December after not going for 6 years. We have an 8 and 5 year old daughter. What have we missed? What are the must do items? We do not plan to do Mickey's Christmas Party. What is the candlelight procession at Epcot all about? Tell me all! Thanks so much!
Click to expand...
You have a good list of changes. As to what to do.... don't overplan and just have fun with your kids. After many Disney Christmases, we attended the candlelight processional last year. It was expensive, and I am not sure your young ones will want to sit through it. A beautiful choir sings Christmas carols and a there are celebrity readings. We are going back again this Christmas and agreed its not necessary to do it again. Besides you can walk by and hear what is going on without paying hundreds of dollars to sit and watch the performance.
 
JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
parkhopper1213 said:
You have a good list of changes. As to what to do.... don't overplan and just have fun with your kids. After many Disney Christmases, we attended the candlelight processional last year. It was expensive, and I am not sure your young ones will want to sit through it. A beautiful choir sings Christmas carols and a there are celebrity readings. We are going back again this Christmas and agreed its not necessary to do it again. Besides you can walk by and hear what is going on without paying hundreds of dollars to sit and watch the performance.
Click to expand...

Just to clarify, you're referring to the dining package and cost at the restaurant per person. It is possible to do it standby without any extra cost but they'll have to wait in line for a while.
 
parkhopper1213

parkhopper1213

Active Member
JohnD said:
Just to clarify, you're referring to the dining package and cost at the restaurant per person. It is possible to do it standby without any extra cost but they'll have to wait in line for a while.
Click to expand...
Yes, we did the dining/show package. I am not sure how standby works, but I bet you would have to wait in line for seat. It was nice, but not something I would need to do again for sure.
 
JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
parkhopper1213 said:
Yes, we did the dining/show package. I am not sure how standby works, but I bet you would have to wait in line for seat. It was nice, but not something I would need to do again for sure.
Click to expand...

Oh, I'm sure. Just clarifying that that the Candlelight Processional isn't soley a paid event. It's not. Dining package is preferable if you can afford it in order to get a "reserved" (dining package section) seat.
 
DisneyDaver

DisneyDaver

Well-Known Member
Raegansmommy said:
Hi there! I am so excited because we are going back to Disney this December after not going for 6 years. We have an 8 and 5 year old daughter. What have we missed? What are the must do items? We do not plan to do Mickey's Christmas Party. What is the candlelight procession at Epcot all about? Tell me all! Thanks so much!
Click to expand...

Why not the Christmas Party? It is a blast!
 

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