Disney’s Animal Kingdom parking lot trams are back in service after 801 days.

Tram service was suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It returned to Magic Kingdom in December 2021.

Cast Members held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the return of trams to Disney’s Animal Kingdom this morning.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom opens at 7:30 a.m. right now, but tram service did not begin until 9:00 a.m.

We saw the green tram but ended up boarding the red tram.

Trams pick up guests near their parking spots and then transport them to the entrance of the park, or vice-versa.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a wide parking lot so it’s nice to be able to hop on a tram instead of walking.

Tram service will return to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios later this year, but exact return dates have not been announced.

Do you prefer to take the tram or walk at Walt Disney World parking lots? Let us know in the comments.

See the trams in action in our video below.

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The post PHOTOS, VIDEO: Trams Return to Disney’s Animal Kingdom After 801 Days appeared first on WDW News Today.

Today is the day, people!!!

We’ve rewatched the movies, listened to the soundtrack, and mentally prepared ourselves because Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT is officially open! This non-stop entertainment-filled attraction has been in the works for years, and guests can now enjoy all that it has to offer — IF they can get a boarding group or a Lightning Lane. That might prove to be rather difficult, as boarding groups for Cosmic Rewind were gone FAST this morning! But honestly, not as fast as expected.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is using the virtual queue system, which means that EPCOT guests typically have 2 chances daily to join the queue using the My Disney Experience app — the first at 7AM and the second at 1PM. There is one BONUS opportunity for those who are eligible for Extended Evening Hours on select nights at 6PM as well.

On the morning of opening day, we noticed that boarding groups didn’t fill up until about 7:20AM, which was quite shocking. We anticipated that they would fill up much more quickly than that! But this could be due to the fact that others anticipated that and instead decided to purchase a Lightning Lane, which did sell out more quickly.

Once we booked, our estimated call back was for mid-afternoon and we were told our wait in line would be around 30 minutes once our group was called.

When Rise of the Resistance first opened with the virtual queue system, boarding groups were often sold out within seconds. So, we will continue to monitor the situation in the coming days, weeks, and months to give you the details on what your plan should be the morning you are trying to get on Guardians.

For now, keep this in mind if you’re heading to EPCOT soon to experience this exciting new attraction, and click here for more details on the virtual queue for Cosmic Rewind.

For the latest Disney news and more, don’t forget to stay tuned to DFB!

Click Here to Read More About Disney’s Virtual Queue System

Are you heading to EPCOT to check out Cosmic Rewind soon? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Virtual Queue Didn’t Fill Up As Quickly As Expected for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT first appeared on the disney food blog.

After months of waiting, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is finally open in Disney World!

We’ve already ridden the ride and have seen the queue, heard the songs you could get while on board, learned about the villain, and seen ALL of the merchandise that will be available! We also shared that a standby line will not be available for this ride for the time being, and instead a virtual queue will be used. Guests will also have the option to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane reservation (or pay-per-ride) the morning they wish to ride, and now we have more details on how much that will cost!

Individual Lightning Lane (pay-per-ride) selections can be made at 7AM on the day they will be used by guests staying at Disney World’s Resort Hotels and select other qualifying hotels (namely the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels and Shades of Green). All other guests can make this first purchase when the park opens.

Each park generally has at least one pay-per-ride attraction. By paying for an Individual Lightning Lane, you can select the return time you’d like and when that return time arrives, you’ll return to the ride and be able to use the Lightning Lane to skip the standby queue (or virtual queue situation). Pay-per-ride selections vary in price depending on the park, ride, and date.

Generally, we’ve seen prices ranging from $7-15 at Disney World.

So just what will the pay-per-ride pricing be for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? Well on its opening day, the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind pay-per-ride selection was priced at $17. 

That $17 price is higher than other pay-per-ride selections we’ve seen in Disney World, but still under the $20 price we saw for a pay-per-ride selection over at Disneyland.

Remember that this price is subject to change depending on the day, so that price may vary in upcoming days, weeks, and months. And keep in mind this is Memorial Day weekend, so the fact that it is a holiday could also be impacting the price.

We’ll be monitoring the Individual Lightning Lane situation at EPCOT and across all four Disney World parks, so make sure to stay tuned to DFB for all the latest news and updates. Click here to see just how quickly the virtual queue for Cosmic Rewind filled up on its opening day, and click here to see just how fast the pay-per-ride option sold out.

Click here for our Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind FAQ!

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Have you ridden Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? Let us know in the comments!

The post PRICE Revealed for Pay-Per-Ride Option for EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind first appeared on the disney food blog.

When it comes to planning a Disney World trip, the amount of information available to you can be altogether overwhelming. Let’s be real- terms like Lightning Lane, Individual Lightning Lane, Genie, Genie+… it’s a lot! It’s no wonder so many people find Disney just too overwhelming and not relaxing. The saying, “I need a vacation after my Disney vacation” is common for a reason! At times it can be a true information overload. When I was planning my first trip in 2018 there were several things I just didn’t know- but quickly realized!

Common Misconception #1: Disney World Isn’t THAT Big

Our first trip we stayed at Coronado Springs. When the luggage tags arrived (RIP yellow luggage tags… I miss those sticky strips of paper that showed me my trip was coming soon!) they said “Animal Kingdom Area.” As a total newb, I assumed that meant we could WALK to the Animal Kingdom. I remember telling my husband we’d be able to walk to Animal Kingdom Lodge to see the animals at the resort, or walk to Animal Kingdom. Imagine my surprise when I got to Disney and saw that this just wasn’t possible! WDW is 43 square miles after all… and as someone who doesn’t run ultramarathons for fun, this is not a walking distance in my book.

Common Misconception #2: Magic Kingdom is a Synonym for Disney World

The majority of Disney marketing shows Cinderella Castle in the background. The movie logo has the castle, ads show the castle, movies and TV shows feature the castle… so it’s not surprising that so many people don’t realize that Magic Kingdom is just a small part of Disney World, and not the entire place. With four theme parks, two water parks, and over 25 resorts there is so much more than Magic Kingdom.

Common Misconception #3: Disney is Just For Kids

There was a time in the not-so-distant past when I was not a Disney person. In fact, I didn’t “get” Disney or why it was so appealing. I once was a huge believer in this misconception and couldn’t imagine why people without kids went. However, between fine dining like Victoria and Albert’s, firework cruises, VIP tours… the list of options are off the charts. It’s not just about Mickey… although he is a huge attraction for kids, and kids at heart! You could spend a day outside the parks having truly luxurious experiences, far beyond what you’d envision as a Disney day.

Common Misconception #4: Disney is a One-and-Done Vacation

Oh look, yet another misconception that I am guilty of! When we went for the first time to Disney as a family, I assumed we could do it all in one trip, and never go again. As I’ve fallen deeper and deeper down the Disney rabbit hole, I’ve come to realize the amount of specialty experiences are never ending. The unique dining experiences, the parks, the tours, the resorts… you truly can never do it all. What I love most about Disney though is that it is ever changing, so even things you’ve done can be totally different when you do them again. I now know that not only is it not a one-and-done experience for us, but it is our happy place. It is where we go to all feel most connected and happy, and for that reason alone, we look forward to many years of joy ahead!

Greetings from EPCOT!

It’s a great day to be at this park because Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is officially open! We’ve been waiting on the edge of our seats ever since Disney first announced the attraction. And it looks like we weren’t the only ones, either, as the Individual Lightning Lane passes for Cosmic Rewind sold out SUPER quickly this morning!

Disney World has added Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind to the list of Individual Lightning Lane attractions available at EPCOT, which means that guests can pay to skip the line for the popular attraction — as a separate charge from Disney Genie+.

The Individual Lightning Lanes for Cosmic Rewind initially sold out in just a few minutes the morning of opening day. 

Times would disappear, and then as we would refresh or check again, more times would show up. So just as a note, even if you don’t get it right at that 7AM drop, keep refreshing for a few minutes. You might get lucky! Remember, Lightning Lanes for this attraction cost a money and are a separate fee from Genie+. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Lightning Lanes were $17 per person this morning. 

Guests who were hoping to secure a spot on the attraction without paying for it also have the option of joining the virtual queue for Cosmic Rewind, depending on the time of day. The 7AM virtual queue filled up at around 7:20AM on opening day. If you’re heading to EPCOT soon, keep this in mind if you’re hoping to skip the line for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind — and don’t forget to stay tuned to DFB for the latest Disney news!

Click Here to See Our Top 5 Disney Genie+ Tips

When are you heading to EPCOT to ride the newest attraction? Let us know in the comments!

The post Pay-Per-Ride SOLD OUT in Minutes for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT first appeared on the disney food blog.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is officially open at EPCOT, and we’ve got a full look at all the opening day merchandise available today at Creations Shop.

MagicBand – $39.99

The MagicBand has a limited edition of 2,500.

Annual Passholder T-shirt – $36.99

T-shirt – $36.99

Limited Edition Pin – $54.99

This pin has a limited edition size of 1,000.

Annual Passholder Pin – $15.99

Pin – $15.99

Check out our full photo and video coverage of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and read our review here.

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The post All Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Opening Day Merchandise (With Prices) at EPCOT appeared first on WDW News Today.