It’s a good time to be a Walt Disney World fan. The parks are on the precipice of beginning a 5-year plan that’ll lead to new lands, rides, and leisure between now and 2030. The earlier improvement cycle is completed, and the whole lot is open. On prime of that, pent-up demand is over and because of this, there are extra reductions. The phased reopening is completed, and issues are lastly again to regular. Nicely, for probably the most half.
Paradoxically sufficient, that is much like how the companion piece to this put up, Actually Horrible Choices by Walt Disney World, began out. It’s admittedly odd that two polar reverse articles can concentrate on among the identical issues, however the actuality is that latest bulletins for Walt Disney World have been blended luggage of fine, dangerous, and puzzling.
That is maybe greatest exemplified on this 12 months’s latest addition, Tiana’s Bayou Journey, which (spoiler alert) made neither listing. As we’ve stated earlier than, it’s a “warts and all” attraction, with among the greatest Audio Animatronics we’ve ever seen from Disney, nice music, quirky characters, and different highlights. Nevertheless, it additionally makes a number of perplexing selections, serves up a jumbled story, has manner an excessive amount of useless area, unacceptable unreliability, and extra. Relying on who you ask, it may be terrible or superior, which might be as a result of it accommodates points of each.
Suffice to say, this has not been an ideal 12 months for Walt Disney World. However the query I ask with these year-end reflections is whether or not, on the finish of the day, Walt Disney World is in a greater place than it was a 12 months in the past? For me, it’s a simple sure. However maybe I’m biased as a result of we’re recent off our first household Christmas journey with Child Bricker, which was implausible and crammed with enjoyable and memorable experiences.
Even taking a step again, I feel it’s true that 2024 has been higher than 2020-2023 for the entire causes touched upon above: decrease crowds, larger & higher reductions, fewer value will increase, extra leisure, and a better sense of normalcy. That’s not all. We’ll break down different optimistic adjustments that occurred this 12 months over the course of this text.
This isn’t to say that issues are excellent. The years of 2020 to 2022 have been actually robust, and Walt Disney World is nonetheless recovering from that darkish time. Many followers rightfully level out that the comeback has been too little, too sluggish…or too late. When Bob Iger returned to the CEO seat 2 years in the past, he advised he’d sort things. That continues to be a piece in progress, and one which might be taking place with much more urgency.
Talking of which, this put up can be a sequel, of types, to What Bob Iger Must Repair at Walt Disney World & Past in 2024. That was written on the one-year anniversary of Disney’s Bob Swap, and is kind of what the title suggests–a want listing of adjustments administration ought to make because it sought to wash up Chapek’s errors and rebuild.
13 months later, I’m happy to report that a number of that has occurred or progress has been made in the direction of attaining the entries on that listing. Not the whole lot pertained to the Disney Parks, and never the whole lot is seen from a visitor going through perspective, however listed below are the entries that I feel we will arguably say have had optimistic progress made:
- Put Creativity First
- Make an Precise Announcement for Walt Disney World
- Make an Precise Announcement for Disneyland
- Quiet Controversy
- Model Deposits Over Withdrawals
- Enhance Solid Member Morale
- Enhance Visitor Satisfaction
- Choreograph Iger’s Succession Plan
Once more, not all of those have been 100% completed–and whether or not progress has been made in any respect is debatable in some cases. “Put creativity first,” for instance, is nebulous. However I’d argue that the flicks launched this 12 months have been, by and huge, significantly better and extra formidable than within the earlier 2 years. Disney+ is extra of a blended bag, however there are indicators of life there, too.
Anyway, on with the listing of choices Walt Disney World has gotten proper this 12 months…
Repairing Relationships
This was an enormous 12 months for Disney repairing relationships with the 2 largest states the place it does enterprise. Issues have been already on the best path in California previous to the beginning of this 12 months, nevertheless it had been a rocky street there for a number of years resulting from tensions between that state and Disneyland. That was a bitter battle on the time, and one which price Disney dearly in not having the ability to reopen its Anaheim parks.
Since then, each CEO Bob Iger and Disneyland President Ken Potrock went to in depth lengths to fixing the connection with town and the state. Disney did an ideal job of neighborhood outreach in each the Metropolis of Anaheim and California as a complete, which culminated within the approval of DisneylandForward. That paved the best way for billions of {dollars} in investments, the primary spherical of which was introduced at D23. (Disneyland Resort acquired the higher slate from an upside vs. draw back perspective!)
It was the same story with Walt Disney World and the standoff with the State of Florida. This had been extra public and bitter, and dear otherwise than a closure of the parks. It’s most likely pointless to rehash all of this because it was more moderen and excessive profile, nevertheless it resulted in lawsuits (plural), Disney shedding management of its particular district and self-governance, that being changed with an overtly hostile board of a brand new particular district, and the corporate threatening to finish investments in Florida because of this.
After a prolonged battle, cooler heads lastly prevailed. Disney and DeSantis settled. A compromise was reached on the composition of the particular district board. Issues have improved a lot that the district is aiding Disney with its allowing course of, moderately than being antagonistic. No matter the way you assign blame in that, the dispute was decidedly “not good” for Disney and it positively “is nice” that Disney has executed the exhausting work of repairing the connection, irrespective of whether or not the corporate was proper or fallacious within the first place.
The underside line is that Walt Disney World is completely big for Florida’s financial engine, similar to Disney and Disneyland are integral to California as a complete and Anaheim specifically. It’s mutually advantageous for the corporate and the locations it does enterprise to have good working relationships. Everybody loses and nobody wins when these states and one in all their largest companies are at odds.
Resuming Routine Refurbishments
This 12 months has seen an uptick in refurbishments throughout Walt Disney World. Whereas this has resulted in complaints from company visiting throughout among the closures, we view this as a serious optimistic. (We do agree that Walt Disney World ought to schedule routine upkeep with rather more advance discover, ideally in lump-sum schedule updates ~6 months prematurely.)
As we’ve identified on a number of events, there was a number of deferred upkeep and proportionately fewer closures in the previous couple of years resulting from pent-up demand and funds cuts. Walt Disney World additionally misplaced a number of seasoned upkeep Solid Members through the closure, a lot of whom took early retirement or just didn’t return.
That is exactly why “Upkeep & Surprising Downtime” made the listing of High 10 Visitor Complaints About Walt Disney World! Trip breakdowns stay a difficulty and, in our view, these sudden closures are worse than routine refurbishments as a result of you may’t plan round them.
Higher common refurbishments could be very a lot nonetheless a piece in progress. Walt Disney World merely can not accomplish 3-4 years of postponed initiatives within the span of ~6 months. A number of sights are overdue for refurbishments and can most likely get them in 2025 or 2026–the difficult factor might be timing to keep away from having too many “large” rides down in every park. It’ll assist that pent-up demand is exhausted, staffing has improved, and the cash spigot in Burbank has been turned on for Parks & Resorts, permitting for extra initiatives of this nature to (lastly!) occur.
Certain, common refurbishments and routine upkeep just isn’t as thrilling as brand-new sights–and plenty of of it’s possible you’ll lament extra rides being closed throughout your trip–however refurbishments are very a lot a necessity for sustaining applicable attraction requirements and making certain that breakdowns don’t proceed to occur at a extra frequent fee. I don’t assume anybody is “excited” for Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad to be closed for over a 12 months, and though the near-term influence might be unfavourable, that is an unequivocal optimistic within the long-term. That is an underrated entry within the listing that extra followers ought to view favorably!
Killing Genie
There isn’t a consensus as as to whether Genie+ because it existed by mid-2024 or Lightning Lane Multi-Move is best. Line-skipping is at all times going to create winners and losers in equal measure. That’s the character of the beast as a result of queueing is a zero-sum sport. Attraction capability is fastened and finite, and didn’t change between the 2 programs. There isn’t a magical system the place everybody will get to attend in shorter traces.
The one significant technique to truly alter the equation is by truly rising capability. One of the simplest ways that’s executed is constructing extra sights. Different methods to extend capability are including leisure, extending working hours, or simply giving company different issues to do this both pull them away from rides or dilute the distribution of company all through the day. The whole lot else is rearranging the deck chairs, and having totally different company come out forward or behind. Walt Disney World lastly acquired the message on all this, and it’s mirrored within the D23 bulletins.
With all of that stated, the issues with Genie+ have been two-fold. The primary was that the model was about as poisonous because the identify Bob Chapek, and it wanted a whole and whole overhaul. The botched launch and scattershot adjustments over the next 18 months had poisoned the effectively. The second is that Genie+ labored manner too effectively for energy customers, and by extension, much less so for lots of common company. A part of that was most likely because of the first motive–this weblog alone had dozens of articles about hacking Genie, which labored rather well and made sense when you adopted alongside carefully. For everybody else, it was complicated and the ‘guidelines’ grew to become one thing of a transferring goal.
Walt Disney World’s intention with the transfer from Genie+ to Lightning Lane Multi-Move and its suite of different queueing adjustments is best stability. Insurance policies and programs that really feel fairer to nearly all of company and don’t benefit or drawback anybody an excessive amount of. From what we’ve skilled over the past a number of months, they’ve executed a very good job of threading the needle with all of those adjustments. That a lot needs to be apparent by only a few followers loving LLMP or hating it an excessive amount of. The reactions are much less excessive, which alone is a sign that it’s a greater compromise. One other sign is sort of a 90% drop on Lightning Lane posts right here, since there merely isn’t as a lot to speak about or hack!
Bringing Bluey to the Parks
There’s little or no center floor with Bluey. Both you solely have passing data of what it’s, or it means the world to you. That is most likely as a result of, not like animated motion pictures with big advertising and marketing campaigns and theatrical releases, this can be a cartoon aimed toward babies. So it’s simple to overlook when you’re not the goal demo, except you search it out. (I’ll be trustworthy–I saved complicated Bluey with The Bear within the Huge Blue Home when it first blew up!)
Regardless, there are a number of the reason why the transfer to convey Bluey to the parks in 2025 is such an ideal resolution. First, as a result of Disney has had a little bit of a dry spell currently with authentic motion pictures, whereas this 12 months’s field workplace outcomes have been significantly better, that’s with sequels. No new (necessary) characters. Bluey helps fill a niche that was in any other case solely actually occupied by Encanto. Second, as a result of Bluey is ridiculously in style–a global sensation and streaming chart-topper. The explanations for bringing in style issues to the parks needs to be self-evident; nobody is questioning Common’s resolution to create Tremendous Nintendo World (effectively, except they’re envious).
Lastly, as a result of Bluey doesn’t belong to Disney. This required negotiating with the franchise’s rights holders, and getting a deal executed. Whereas there are some comprehensible apprehensions about how Disney’s meddling may damage Bluey, my private take is that it’s good to see Disney working with third events when it is sensible. It actually is sensible right here, and if dealt with accurately, Bluey might be an enormous win for Walt Disney World and households with babies within the subsequent few years. However once more, perhaps I’m biased as a result of that’s us.
Good Concepts By no means Dying
Lower than every week after we printed our listing of the High 10 Walt Disney World Rumors We’d Wager Towards, which included the notorious Monsters, Inc. Door Coaster as entry, Disney formally introduced the attraction. To my partial credit score, I did say this: “I additionally assume that there’s fact to the notion that good concepts by no means actually die in Imagineering and that applies to this idea. So I nonetheless assume there are first rate odds this will get constructed someplace, sometime.”
That is the obvious instance, however not the one one. There have been rumors of a Villains Land or Darkish Kingdom or Hearth Mountain coming to Magic Kingdom for a long time. Since a minimum of the late Nineties. It’s my understanding that though Imagineering had nice pitches, administration at all times acquired chilly toes in regards to the darker tone within the citadel park.
And I hate to offer them any credit score right here, however the identical might be stated to some extent (a a lot lesser one) in regards to the Island Tower and Lakeshore Lodge. To be clear, I don’t love and even like both of those ideas. However I do recognize that Imagineering has pulled from the previous in making an attempt to make lemonade out of lemons.
Extra broadly, it’s good that Disney and Imagineering takes time to incubate concepts and ruminate on them, moderately than performing impulsively with the flavour of the month. Some followers have criticized Automobiles Land as being based mostly on an “outdated” franchise. Whereas there are many issues with the idea, I couldn’t disagree extra about this one. In relation to everlasting additions, I solely need Imagineering utilizing motion pictures and characters that stand the check of time. (If something, I’m barely nervous that the jury remains to be out on Encanto–that it’s too new for a experience!)
Suffice to say, I gained’t be the one complaining if unbuilt sights from the pages of outdated Imagineering books immediately come to life. I simply want these good concepts that by no means die weren’t themselves killing off different good concepts that already got here to life!
Tropical Americas
Tropical Americas will come to Disney’s Animal Kingdom that includes the Encanto Magical Madrigal Casita Darkish Trip and Indiana Jones Journey. It’ll have mini-areas based mostly on each, together with Pueblo Esperanza or the “Village of Hope.”
On the one hand, I’m nonetheless unhappy that Walt Disney World by no means went all-in on dinosaurs and gave the awesomest animal the land they deserve. (See the ‘Horrible Choices’ put up.) Then again, Dinoland was not good. Tropical Americas will undoubtedly be a large improve as in comparison with what was there earlier than.
Furthermore, of the competing ideas for Animal Kingdom enlargement and redevelopment, that is the one which I feel works greatest. I do know different followers needed to see Zootopia and/or Moana in Animal Kingdom, however I view this as a greater match. And apart from, the longer term remains to be vivid for each of these franchises in Walt Disney World, anyway.
I’m notably excited for Indiana Jones Journey, and getting a 3rd model of this attraction with a storyline that’s distinctive and becoming for DAK. The 2 present incarnations are amongst my favourite rides on the earth, and I’ve heard that this might be the very best of the bunch. The Encanto darkish experience is extra of a wild card. My worry is that expectations are for Mystic Manor: Madrigal Version, and what we get might be extra alongside the traces of the Little Mermaid darkish experience, however with Encanto characters. Right here’s hoping it exceeds expectations, and Tropical Americas finally ends up with two E-Tickets plus a family-friendly flat experience.
Worth Will increase & Reductions
I hesitated to incorporate this one, as a result of costs being too excessive and elevated nickel & diming continues to be a standard grievance. So it appears like only a few of you may be receptive to this, and even imagine me.
Regardless, reductions have elevated considerably within the final year-plus. We’ve repeatedly commented on how Walt Disney World introduced again the “2019 playbook” for offers with the return of Free Eating and Bouncebacks. Together with that, there have been greater share financial savings–and for extra dates–in 2024 than any 12 months since 2019. Ticket offers are extra ample, and never only for Floridians. Particular presents are higher now than in 2020-2022, there’s actually no disputing that.
On prime of that, the speed of value will increase has slowed significantly. Ticket costs, specifically, skyrocketed through the pent-up demand interval. Nevertheless, as we’ve additionally identified repeatedly, present admission prices haven’t gone up since December 2022–that’s a reasonably unprecedented two 12 months stretch. (Costs have elevated barely for 2025.) The price of Lightning Lanes didn’t enhance this vacation season, whereas the worth supplied improved!
The rationale this seemingly gained’t be well-received is as a result of costs shot up a lot within the two-year span of pent-up demand that followers are nonetheless reeling, and there’s nonetheless a combination of cost-cutting and will increase on different issues (restaurant menus, upcharges, and many others). Personally, I feel there’s nonetheless work to be executed on this entrance, particularly since notion is actuality. If Walt Disney World doesn’t need to lose floor to Epic Universe, what may be wanted is flat out decreases, not deceleration of will increase.
Fixing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Mandalorian and Child Yoda getting a brand-new mission in Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run was an underrated announcement at D23 Expo. (Truthfully, assume perhaps they need to’ve saved this one for 2025 Vacation spot D23, the place it may’ve made an even bigger splash.) It’s because, in my eyes, it’s the clearest signal but that Disney is aware of Galaxy’s Edge didn’t fairly hit the excessive notes it ought to’ve, they usually’re giving Imagineers the liberty and funds to “repair” it.
This can be a larger deal than you would possibly assume, as a result of Disney seldom invests large bucks in blockbuster lands or sights which might be nonetheless comparatively new. This checks all these bins. My honest hope is that that is a part of an even bigger plan to offer Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge a delicate reboot. I’d prefer to see Batuu break the sacred timeline and use the setting of the land as a leaping off level for brand spanking new adventures. (See Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Must Break the Guidelines for my tackle all of that.)
Think about how nice Smugglers Run might be if it mixed the settings of Star Excursions with the interactivity and full bundle of the Millennium Falcon?! Bringing a brand new mission with Mando and Grogu might be a whole game-changer–elevating Galaxy’s Edge as a complete together with it. I’m additionally optimistic that we’ll see concepts from the failed Galactic Starcruiser begin to trickle out into Galaxy’s Edge.
Ending Reopening Guidelines
It was virtually a full 12 months in the past at this level, however January 9 was a serious milestone for Walt Disney World. It was then that many of the reopening rule adjustments have been retired, with “limitless” Park Hopping restored, park reservations principally retired, Annual Passholders (the exception to the retired reservations rule) getting ‘Good-to-Go’ days, and the Disney Eating Plan returning.
These have been the headline adjustments, however there was extra to it beneath the floor than that. Advance Eating Reservations grew to become simpler to guide, and Walt Disney World returned to its outdated cadence of offers by bringing again Free Eating and different particular presents. There was by no means a press launch stating as a lot, nevertheless it feels just like the parks have lastly returned to their 2019 operations, to the extent that can occur. Earlier than the beginning of this 12 months, there was nonetheless very a lot the sense that Walt Disney World was within the midst of its phased reopening and getting again to regular.
This 12 months turned the web page on that and opened a brand new chapter. Not fairly 2019, for higher and worse, but additionally positively not 2020 to 2023, both (positively for higher there). Whereas I don’t have perception into present visitor satisfaction scores or Solid Member morale, I might hazard a guess that each have improved significantly.
Issues aren’t excellent, to make certain, however there’s much less friction and stress. My private notion is that there’s much less stress between company and Solid Members, which I presume is for the explanations laid out above (fewer guidelines and stress factors within the visitor expertise). Subsequent piece of low-hanging fruit on this mission: eliminating the digital queues for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Tiana’s Bayou Journey.
Disney Starlight Evening Parade
The all-new Disney Starlight Evening Parade will proceed the nighttime spectacular legacy began by the Predominant Road Electrical Parade, utilizing the most recent know-how to inform new tales in regards to the characters you like. All of this is delivered to life by the magic of the Blue Fairy, along with beloved characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios movies “Peter Pan,” “Encanto,” “Frozen,” and extra.
This was my #1 announcement from D23 Expo. I do know Disney Starlight isn’t as large or thrilling as new lands or sights, however we additionally don’t have to attend 3+ years for it and Disney Starlight is without doubt one of the few issues that may truly function an “reply” to Epic Universe. Clearly, leisure can not compete with a brand new gate–nevertheless it does function counterprogramming to peel some folks away from Common.
Together with the fireworks, the night time parade units the nighttime temper in Magic Kingdom. It’s greater than that, although. Walt Disney first launched fireworks as his “kiss goodnight” to company on the finish of a protracted day, as a technique to ship folks residence on a excessive notice. It’s similar to the grand finale of the present itself, however for the visitor’s day as a complete. We can not wait to expertise Disney Starlight as a household, making new recollections collectively and rekindling outdated ones alongside the best way.
Truthfully, I might’ve been fairly pleased with a recycled night time parade from Disneyland. In the event that they introduced out Paint the Evening, that may’ve been a win. Notoriously entertainment-allergic Walt Disney World administration lastly greenlighting a brand-new night time parade after so lengthy is a extremely large deal. My hope is that it indicators a change within the resort’s method to leisure, and given different latest indicators we’ve seen, I feel that will very effectively be the case.
Greenlighting Villains Land
Years from now, Disney followers will nonetheless be speaking in regards to the vitality within the room when Josh D’Amaro revealed Villains Land at Magic Kingdom as his “yet one more factor” announcement. Both in a nasty manner because it’ll be one other sufferer in pile of unbuilt ideas, or a great way because it involves life.
After being rumored for so long as I’ve been a fan, it’s sort of wild to see Villains Land lastly coming to life at such an epic scale. Villains Land matches the mould for an ideal Magic Kingdom themed land. Despite the fact that it’s turn into a franchise or model, at its coronary heart, this can be a extra open idea like the prevailing lands, moderately than a single mental property, film or character. As a lot as I take pleasure in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, I nonetheless assume it feels odd and disconnected from the remainder of Disneyland. So I’m glad to see Villains Land versus Encanto or Coco lands.
Truthfully, I additionally really feel just like the Automobiles Land can work alongside Frontierland greater than a lot of you. I hate what we’re shedding to get it–and actually hope Disney has a very good plan to make that environment and alive with kinetic vitality (except for simply vroom vroom vroom Automobiles!)–however assume the thought itself has a number of potential. A little bit of an apart, however I additionally disagree with everybody who thinks the Automobiles attraction ought to change Tomorrowland Speedway. It could be rather more thematically incongruous over there, whereas it may work on the sting of the frontier if Imagineering nails the idea.
Villains Land, although, is an unequivocally implausible resolution and an ideal threat to see Walt Disney World taking. Not solely that, however competing with Common’s Darkish Universe plus the fan enthusiasm for Villains Land means the Imagineers are going to convey their a-game with Villains Land. Extra importantly, it implies that as a substitute of continuing with apprehension, Walt Disney World will go all-in on this enlargement, giving it the funds and area wanted to create one thing actually…effectively, magical feels just like the fallacious phrase.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about inns on our Walt Disney World Lodges Critiques web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a novel take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Trip Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the very best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for the whole lot it’s essential know!
Your Ideas
What do you assume are probably the most doubtful selections made by Walt Disney World within the final 12 months or so? Or do you assume company management is taking part in 4D chess, and followers merely don’t “get” the selections, are blinded by nostalgia and rose-colored glasses, and many others? Anything that qualifies as “actually horrible” for you? Be happy to vent within the feedback. You gained’t change the course of development and the trajectory of Walt Disney World…however a minimum of it’s therapeutic! Glad Festivus!
