It’s time for a Walt Disney World information roundup, and this time we’ve a giant batch of (principally) feel-good or optimistic information from Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and past. Highlights embody lovely child animals, an iconic attraction anniversary, the tip of a controversial AI pilot program, and far more.
Fifty years in the past this week, House Mountain blasted off into the following nice frontier at Magic Kingdom, without end altering the (Walt Disney) World. Making a by no means earlier than seen curler coaster expertise, the long-lasting attraction’s enduring reputation would develop to boast a mountain vary of all over the world from Florida to California, Japan, Paris, and Hong Kong.
Reputation of the unique House Mountain at Walt Disney World led Walt Disney Imagineering to create House Mountain points of interest in 5 out of six Disney resort locations across the globe. Shanghai Disneyland acquired TRON Lightcycle Run as an alternative–and in becoming trend, issues have come full-circle with that curler coaster since opening at Magic Kingdom beside the unique House Mountain. Every model of House Mountain options an iconic conical exterior and serves as a landmark for the park through which it’s discovered.
Building on the unique House Mountain in Florida started on December 15, 1972, and the attraction debuted somewhat greater than two years later. (Underscoring that even again within the good ole days, new rides didn’t materialize in a single day.) The grand opening celebration featured NASA astronauts, a 2,000-piece marching band, daytime fireworks, movie star appearances, a nationally televised prime-time particular, and extra. It’s unattainable to overstate how large of a deal House Mountain was when it debuted 50 years in the past.
The primary official journey on House Mountain in 1975 was taken by astronaut Colonel James Irwin, who piloted the Lunar Module on Apollo XV to the moon. Through the House Mountain debut festivities Irwin stated, “We astronauts are right here at this time to salute all those that…permitted us to see the Earth as a valuable blue jewel within the blackness of area. Now, all of us might take pleasure in this sense of marvel due to Walt Disney. Walt had a dream; at this time, we see the outcomes of that dream.”
To have fun 50 years of House Mountain, Astronaut Donald, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto joined Walt Disney World Ambassadors Serena Arvizu and Shannon Smith-Conrad exterior the unique House Mountain in Magic Kingdom. This featured a personal ceremony, fireworks launch, and extra.
The characters and WDW Ambassadors launched clips of assorted celebrities and Walt Disney World executives, together with Disney Legend Josh Gad and Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle, sharing their favourite House Mountain reminiscences.
Listed here are extra pictures from the anniversary second:
To proceed respiratory new life to the beloved attraction, Imagineers have developed limited-time overlays of House Mountain. Each Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland are at the moment residence to Hyperspace Mountain, a Star Wars journey by the galaxy (that has arguably overstayed its welcome in each places).
At Disneyland in Anaheim, House Mountain has seen a number of completely different overlays by the years, together with Hyperspace Mountain, which can return for Season of the Power from March 28 by Could 11, 2025. Many individuals are additionally asking when Ghost Galaxy will make its triumphant return for the Halloween season. (Okay, nobody else is asking. It’s simply me. However I really like that quirky little overlay–it’s quintessential “Bizarre Disney.”)
Imagineers are at the moment engaged on a wholly new $400 million House Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland. Opening in 2027, this model will keep true to the unique idea as an exciting indoor coaster on a high-speed journey by area, whereas additionally that includes added enhanced efficiency, immersive particular results, and supply a larger connection between Earth and the universe. We just lately shared a enjoyable picture replace on this: Second House Mountain Takes Form Above Tomorrowland!
Meet the most recent additions to Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
Walt Disney World just lately welcomed a brand new litter of child otters. Disney’s Animals, Science and Surroundings VP Dr. Mark Penning shared pictures of the pups and their mom on Fb.
Dr. Penning revealed that Mae, an Asian small-clawed otter mother, gave start to a litter of lovely pups again in early December. These tiny species of otters are the smallest on the planet, and within the pictures, you may see mother taking good care of considered one of her pups.
Kevin, the dad to those new pups, can also be actively concerned in taking good care of them. Whereas they’re nonetheless nursing and bonding with mother backstage, they are going to quickly attain some large milestones: opening their eyes, attempting strong meals, and mastering their swimming expertise within the coming months. Hold a watch out for them on Discovery Island sooner or later!
As an enormous otter advocate, that is actually thrilling information to me. No joke. There’s a cause why Otter Grotto made our current record of Little Issues We Love About Walt Disney World. It’s considered one of my favourite current additions to Animal Kingdom (not that there have been many), and even Walt Disney World as an entire. I believe it’s actually underrated–an superior animal exhibit.
I’ve made a degree of taking Megatron to Otter Grotto each single day we’ve gone to Animal Kingdom, as I’m excited for her to see the little fellas. To this point, she’s noticed precisely zero otters. Not as a result of they haven’t been out, however as a result of she simply doesn’t see them for no matter cause. In any case, I’m actually trying ahead to taking her again as soon as these otter pups are out.
Additionally at Animal Kingdom, there’s a brand new leisure act that started as soon as Dino-Rama went extinct!
A brand new musical group referred to as Eco-Rhythmics debuted at Animal Kingdom this week as soon as partitions went up. This high-energy drumming trio includes a three-piece percussion band that, naturally, makes use of devices produced from recycled and reused supplies.
The Eco-Rhythmics band performs acquainted Disney music with a conservation twist. It’s becoming for Animal Kingdom, and also you’re in all probability aware of the sort of act from the opposite parks–EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios have each had related teams.
Showtimes for Eco-Rhythmics is within the My Disney Expertise app, with the drummers at the moment performing hourly from 9:20 a.m. by 3:20 p.m.
Yow will discover the Eco-Rhythmics band behind the development partitions and the Cementosaurus, behind the previous Dino-Rama on the walkway (roadway) between Dinoland and Discovering Nemo: The Musical. Don’t be stunned if their location adjustments throughout building to enhance visibility, however this path is anticipated to stay open for some time.
As an apart, the addition of this band alongside the Donald’s Dino-Bash characters sticking round makes me ponder whether we’ll see one other Christmas in Dinoland USA. It was extensively assumed that this yr could be a primary and final state of affairs for Santa on the again porch of Restaurantosaurus, however now my guess that that is again for a second yr. And hopefully, these lovely character costumes, too!
Again to Eco-Rhythmics, it’s all the time good when Walt Disney World provides dwell leisure as an alternative of eradicating it, so we’ll take this as a win! Our hope is that Animal Kingdom will get much more like this–and hopefully, one thing greater–over the approaching months. The park already doesn’t have sufficient to fill out a full day, and that’s solely going to worsen with the closure of It’s Robust to Be a Bug for conversion into the Zootopia present, and closure of Dinoland in full for reimagining into Tropical Americas.
Extra excellent news, because the Voices of Liberty are debuting new costumes for the beginning of the 2025 EPCOT Worldwide Pageant of the Arts! This new search for the beloved a cappella group might be featured year-round, besides in the course of the holidays, once they’ll proceed sporting they’re attractive Dickensian finery. The costumes are the product of expertise, time and cautious design by the manufacturing staff, and a collaboration between Inventive Costuming and Disney Reside Leisure.
One of the vital vital features of costume design is guaranteeing the clothes are visually beautiful but practical for the performers who will put on them day by day whereas singing. This makes it important to pick out materials that might be tailor-made nicely whereas offering the crisp building wanted. The Inventive Costuming staff met with the Voices of Liberty solid to make sure enough flexibility and luxury for the wide selection of arm actions made throughout performances.
When you haven’t seen the Voices of Liberty in a couple of years, chances are you’ll not understand what an improve these are. The earlier “modernized” costumes made them appear like flight attendants–like Disney had looked for “American Airways outfit” on Temu and purchased the most cost effective consequence. These are an unequivocal enchancment over these.
Whether or not they’re pretty much as good because the outdated colonial costumes is certainly debatable. Personally, I don’t suppose they’re–but it surely’s additionally my understanding that these have been uncomfortable and made performing troublesome. So this strikes me as an ideal center floor for performer consolation, visitor expertise, and thematic integrity. Kudos to the Inventive Costuming staff!
To wrap up, we’ve a few know-how updates. The My Disney Expertise and Disneyland apps rolled out new options this week that enable company to trace Cellular Orders instantly from the iPhone’s Lock Display screen with no need to open the apps. When you’ve visited within the final couple of weeks, you would possibly’ve seen a check model of this, however the replace is now obtainable for all Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort company (it might not have but rolled out to all Cellular Order places).
The characteristic makes use of Apple iOS “Reside Actions,” which retains real-time updates seen in your Lock Display screen.
You may as well faucet “I’m Right here” instantly from the Reside Actions show if you arrive on the pick-up location. Reside Actions can be found on iPhones working iOS 16.1 or later. To make use of this characteristic, be certain your My Disney Expertise or Disneyland app is up to date to the newest model.
Our view is that it is a small change that makes a giant distinction. We’re large proponents of Cellular Order, which may save a ton of time ready in line and streamline the order course of (it additionally makes searching visible menus simpler). Maybe my largest criticism, apart from when return occasions are too far into the longer term, is that the Cellular Order display screen typically freezes for me after hitting “I’m Right here.” Unsure if it is a “me drawback” or it’s frequent, however having this characteristic in Reside Actions might be good. Nothing groundbreaking or deserving of its personal submit, however somewhat iterative enchancment that we however like to see.
Persevering with with tech subjects, our remaining information of curiosity is that the AI self-checkout system that was being examined by Walt Disney World on the Finish Zone Meals Courtroom in All Star Sports activities Resort has been eliminated after somewhat over a month of testing (h/t BlogMickey).
This was all the time the plan–the AI self-checkout on the meals courtroom was to be a pilot program to check & modify and additional refine the know-how–or assess whether or not it’s viable at scale within the first place. Consider this as much like the check of facial recognition for park entry from ~4 years in the past, which (so far) went nowhere.
In line with experiences, the AI self-checkout system was a combined bag. Typically it labored flawlessly, streamlining and rushing up the checkout course of. Different occasions, the system had a troublesome time figuring out dishes and so they didn’t scan appropriately, or consumer error difficult issues, necessitating Forged Member intervention.
We by no means used the AI self-checkout system. Though I used to be very curious, I’m unsure Megatron’s first Christmas journey to Walt Disney World would’ve been the time for a area journey over to All Star Sports activities. Nevertheless, we’ve used considerably related techniques at UNIQLO (the one there’s like magic!), Amazon Contemporary, and a pair different spots in Japan. It’s an intriguing system, though I’m not satisfied the know-how is “fairly there” for ready meals (but). It does work nicely for packaged gadgets.
What I discovered most fascinating right here is the fan backlash to the meals courtroom AI self-checkout check. A part of this was undoubtedly fueled by statements from the Unite Right here Forged Member Union, which introduced opposition to the pilot program and expressed concern about it eliminating Forged Member jobs. One other half is probably going attributable to it being AI-powered, as there’s develop into a reflexive aversion to AI by a big phase of individuals.
Lastly, there’s the growing impersonalization and isolation of the visitor expertise, and discomforting or dystopian high quality of all of it. That’s hyperbole, positive, particularly when addressing one change by itself. However it isn’t only one change–it’s the totality of recent know-how and the way that will increase human connections in mixture.
Disney has made a giant to-do about how “Forged Members are the magic,” and but, I strongly suspect that the typical visitor in 2025 has far fewer interactions with Forged Members than the typical visitor in 2019 or 1995. The diploma to which know-how has been leveraged in large and small methods all however assures this.
I’ve written at size about that final level, most notably in response to automated cameras changing PhotoPass photographers. From my perspective, these automated cameras are very clearly inferior to the people they’ve changed.
As a brand new guardian who now spends a disproportionate period of time at meet & greets, I can say past a shadow of a doubt that those with human photographers are significantly better than those with machines. To be completely frank, we “drag our ft” on the automated ones to make sure we truly get usable pictures. Past that, I’m truthfully stunned that the tradeoff in visitor satisfaction for effectivity and cost-savings is “price it” to Disney.
In different instances, I’m much more receptive to know-how. MagicMobile, Cellular Order, Desk Service To-Go, Stroll-up Waitlist, and the Evolv touchless safety scanners are all strong enhancements to the visitor expertise. (I assume the identical can also be true of Merchandise Cellular Checkout, however I don’t purchase sufficient stuff to have an opinion.)
It’s fascinating that none of these different issues have actually caught the ire of followers in the identical manner because the meals courtroom AI self-checkout check. Most exist for the very same cause–to cut back labor prices and enhance effectivity. I’d hazard a guess that synthetic intelligence is utilized in at the least two of these applied sciences, too.
The distinction might be a matter of timing. By the point Cellular Order blew up at Walt Disney World, it was ubiquitous elsewhere. Individuals had used it and appreciated it–there was no going again. The Evolv scanners solved a transparent drawback in lowering friction and frustrations at safety checkpoints; as soon as Walt Disney World regulars skilled the enjoyment of breezing by bag test, there was no going again.
Against this, the meals courtroom AI self-checkout check is coming at a time when the sort of know-how remains to be nascent, there’s loads of backlash in the direction of AI, and issues about corporations automating jobs away. I get these fears and issues. I’ve a few of them myself! I don’t need to dwell in a modern-day Twilight Zone or Black Mirror episode (or Her or no matter).
It’s price having a extra nuanced view of these things and taking it on a case-by-case foundation. The evaluation must be whether or not this isn’t simply innovation for innovation’s sake (or to cut back prices), however whether or not it truly improves issues for individuals, and by sufficient of a level to justify the decreased interpersonal connections.
Maybe I’m biased as a photographer, however I believe there’s a transparent distinction between PhotoPass and any type of cellular checkout, as the previous requires human talent, experience, a capability for emotion that a pc can’t replicate. To make sure, there will be one thing to be stated for the interplay that comes with a human at checkout, however I don’t suppose that’s inherent to the function. It’s one thing that might be stated for any human interplay.
There’s additionally the sensible actuality that america has an getting older inhabitants that’s going to necessitate automation. I’d completely count on unions to push again on it–that’s their job. However on the similar time, it additionally is smart for everybody else to acknowledge that this isn’t a foul factor, and on the contrary, is fixing an actual drawback.
Human labor is a scarce useful resource like some other, and ideally ought to be put to its greatest makes use of–particularly because it turns into extra scarce. That is exactly why Asia is on the bleeding edge of those applied sciences, and also you already see issues like humanoid care robots or dinosaur receptionist robotos. This drawback already arrived there, and so they’ve discovered that there are solely a handful of real looking options.
Regardless, for now, I don’t suppose AI self-checkout at meals courts passes the above check. Possibly it’s going to ultimately, however that day doesn’t appear to be at this time. So ending this pilot program, giving this know-how extra time to incubate, and revisiting this in a couple of years is likely to be the perfect plan of action.
Walt Disney World additionally must be viewing its suite of applied sciences from a holistic perspective, as lowering the frequency of interactions between Forged Members and company is a internet unfavorable, even when it’s not picked up by visitor surveys and so forth. Walt Disney World ought to acknowledge the worth of human connections (in spite of everything, they named an entire restaurant after it!), and implement adjustments that cut back these connections sparingly–solely when the positives far outweigh the negatives.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about motels on our Walt Disney World Inns Evaluations web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. To save cash on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a singular have a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces you have to know!
Your Ideas
What do you consider the subjects lined on this Walt Disney World information roundup? Would you wish to see extra condensed information articles or recaps like this? Ideas on Animal Kingdom’s conservation successes? The tip of the AI self-checkout check, new costumes for the Voices of Liberty, or anything? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
