Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Even though Disney World just celebrated its 50th Anniversary in October 2021, the parks are far from dated! While there are some classic attractions and traditions that we hope Disney NEVER changes, there are also some new experiences coming to Florida this year.
We’re ZOOMING into 2022!
While some of these new changes are EXCITING, a few readers have shared some less-than-thrilled opinions on some other Disney World updates. From new attractions to crazy new foods, let’s take a look at seven things Disney World is doing for the first time this year!
1. Launching an attraction in REVERSE
Disney’s new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction is going to be the first Disney attraction with a reverse launch system! The ride is made with special vehicles that will spin 360 degrees around the track while moving! While we’ve only seen a small preview of this attraction so far, it sounds like it’s going to be more than just your average rollercoaster — there’s an entire STORY attached to your ride!
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Attraction Vehicle
We still don’t have an opening date for this amazing attraction, but we know that it is opening this summer in EPCOT!
Ride Testing Has STARTED on the New Guardians of the Galaxy Ride Coming to EPCOT!
2. Creating an immersive hotel experience
Disney’s new Star Wars Hotel is unlike any other hotel in Disney World. This hotel has a fluid storyline, live character entertainment, games, challenges, excursions, and SO much more.
©Disney
The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser officially opens on March 1st, 2022. Interestingly, reservations have come and gone rather sporadically, and there is still availability to book a reservation at this (pricey) hotel!
Click here to see some frequently asked questions about the Star Wars Hotel
3. CHANGING a Classic Disney Show
It’s been almost TWO YEARS since we’ve seen Fantasmic! in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This nighttime spectacular is full of music, lights, princesses, and MICKEY, but we recently learned that the show won’t be exactly the same when it returns.
Fantasmic! is RETURNING!
Disney announced that Fantasmic! will reopen with some new changes this year. While we don’t know exactly what to expect, we know that Disney plans to change a segment of the old show.
Click here to learn more about Disney’s announcement
4. Serving BLUE shrimp
That’s right: blue. shrimp. If you think that’s weird, there’s more where that came from!
Bon Appétit, we guess? ©Disney
Disney has some wild new dishes planned for the new Star Wars hotel that we can’t wait to see in person. So far, we’ve seen and heard some pretty crazy stuff.
Click here to learn more about the lightsaber training onboard the Galactic Starcruiser
5. Debuting MagicBand+
During Disney’s 50th Anniversary celebration, a NEW type of MagicBand was announced that will magically interact with those gold character statues throughout the parks! It’s called…MagicBand+!
MagicBand+
These new color-changing MagicBands will feature interactive technology (and a higher price tag)!
Click here to learn more about MagicBand+
6. Magical Express is No Longer Available
Yeah, this news isn’t quite as exciting, but it will completely change the way guests navigate to Disney World from now on. Instead of using Disney’s free airport shuttle, guests will have to pay for a separate service that provides transportation to Disney World hotels.
Mears Connect is one new option!
There are several new options to choose from, so take a look at all your choices to see what works best for you and your family!
How Much the Magical Express Replacement in Disney World Will Cost You
7. Debuting NEW Smart-Assistant Technology
Well, at least this new service is free! Starting sometime soon, Disney is introducing a custom voice assistant that uses Amazon Echo devices. The service can be used at home and it will also be available at Disney World hotels.
Hey Disney!
The new “Hey, Disney!” technology will be an optional feature that guests can use to ask questions in their Disney World resort hotels room.
How a New Amazon Alexa Feature Will Impact Your Disney World Hotel Stay
As you can see, Disney has a TON of new ideas headed our way, and the parks are becoming more technologically advanced every year! Be sure to stay tuned as we wait for more information on some of the new updates happening around the parks and resorts!
Is Disney World Too Expensive For Average Families?
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What are you looking forward to this year? Let us know in the comments!
The post 7 Things Disney World is Doing for the First Time This Year first appeared on the disney food blog.