This week at Walt Disney World, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opens to massive crowds and rave reviews, Disney’s Hollywood Studios changes its opening procedure, plus opening dates are announced for four attractions coming in the first quarter of 2020!
Programming note: Though we normally devote some time to Orlando-area parks outside Lake Buena Vista, there has been so much going on at Walt Disney World over the past seven days that we decided to forgo the “beyond” for just one week. You’ll hear about all the news from Universal Orlando Resort, Busch Gardens Tampa and SeaWorld Orlando in next week’s update!
1. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance now open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The much-anticipated Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance attraction opened this week, finally completing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. And while guests have shown up in droves to be among the first to experience this new attraction, we have to say that this attraction is definitely worth the wait, and is unlike anything else at any theme park, ever.
2. Opening procedure changing at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios has been overwhelmed by guests wanting to be the first in line to sign up for a boarding pass to experience Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and as a result, Cast Members have been letting guests in to the park as early as 6:00 AM, three hours before posted opening, which has resulted in boarding passes for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance “selling out” before the park officially even opens!
However, it looks like, starting today, Disney will be changing their morning procedure, opening Disney’s Hollywood Studios at 8:00 AM (an hour early) and will not letting guests in before that (unless they are participating in Extra Magic Hours)
3. Disney’s DuckTales World Showcase Adventure to replace Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure next year
Disney has announced Disney’s DuckTales World Showcase Adventure, which will the next iteration of the World Showcase scavenger hunt. This reimagined adventure invites guests to join Scrooge McDuck, Donald, Launchpad, Webby, and the nephews in search of priceless treasure. Using the Play Disney Parks mobile app, guests take a trip around World Showcase discovering exotic destinations, exciting mysteries, and maybe even a few thieves, villains and more.
To make way for this experience, it has been confirmed that Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure will close sometime in early 2020.
4. Temporary Starbucks to open soon at Epcot
Epcot has been without a Starbucks for several weeks, but it looks like coffee lovers will be able to get their fix in this park again very soon as a temporary Starbucks will open on December 20 2019, and will be located near to Refreshment Port.
5. Kali River Rapids refurbishment announced for 2020
Every year Kali River Rapids goes down for an annual refurbishment, and it has been announced that this attraction will be closed for refurbishment next year from January 6 to March 20, 2020. The attraction is currently expected to reopen to guests on March 21, 2020, just in time for Florida’s warm weather to return!
6. Opening date announced for Beauty and the Beast Singalong, Awesome Planet, and Canada: Far and Wide
Disney has announced a trio of attractions at Epcot will be opening early next year! The Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along, Canada Far and Wide, and Awesome Planet will all be opening on January 17, 2020, just in time for the opening of the Epcot International Festival of the Arts!
7. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway to open next March
Disney’s next BIG attraction opening will of course be Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, which was confirmed this week to be opening next year on March 4, 2020. You can read more about this new attraction here. In addition to this new attraction, it was also announced that the adjacent Mickey Shorts theater will also open early next March at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as well!
8. New art of Disney store opening in World Showcase
Epcot’s Heritage Manor in the American Adventure pavilion is currently being transformed in to a brand new location for the Art of Disney shop, and now it has been announced that this new location will open next week on December 16th, just in time for the holiday season!
