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6. Awesome Planet (Epcot)

Image: Disney

Status: Confirmed 

Opening in: Fall 2019

Earlier this year Disney announced Awesome Planet, a brand new original film especially designed for Epcot, that will be coming to the Harvest Theater at the Land pavilion later this year. Here is the official description of this upcoming new film: 

An on-screen exploration of the realm we call home, showcases the spectacular beauty, diversity and dynamic story of our earth with all the grandeur guests have come to expect.

With spectacular nature photography, immersive in-theater effects, and space sequences created by none other than Industrial Light & Magic (which provided the cinematic foundation for the Star Wars franchise), “Awesome Planet” will stir Epcot guests and deliver an environmental message that will resonate far beyond its final scenes.

Of course, this description is fairly general and vague, but the concept behind this new film still sounds really interesting and the ecologically-friendly message in Awesome Planet is definitely something that will align with the overall theme of the Land Pavilion, but will hopefully feel more up-to-date than its Lion King-themed predecessor. We're also excited about the prospect of the Harvest Theater being upgraded to facilitate the special effects detailed above in the description of the new show. 

7. Canada: Far and Wide (Epcot)

Image: Disney

Status: Confirmed

Opening in: January 2020

The current O Canada circle-vision attraction closed in August 2019, and will be replaced by an all new Circle-Vision 360 movie at Epcot's Canada pavilion, which will open in January 2020. Using all new seamless digital technology, the new 360 movie, Named Canada: Far and Wide, will include new scenes, story and music. 

8.Beauty and the Beast Singalong (Epcot) 

Image: Disney

Status: Confirmed

Opening in: January 2020

Last year it was announced that a brand new new Beauty and the Beast sing-along attraction would be coming to Epcot's France pavilion, and will play in the theater that is currently home to “Impressions de France.”This new show will play in addition to the French film, and is being created by Don Hahn, producer of the animated and live-action “Beauty and the Beast” film. This new film will debut early next year. 

9. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway (Disney's Hollywood Studios)

Image: Disney

Status: Confirmed

Opening in: Spring 2020

Though Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway was originally supposed to open alongside Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge to help with capacity, it looks like there have been some delays with this project, with Disney pushing the debut of this ride back to Spring 2020, long after both parts of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge are open. 

When this ride finally debuts, it will allow guests to literally step "through" a movie screen and join Mickey and his friends on a fun adventure where you’re the star of your own Mickey short and anything can happen. This zany out-of-control adventure will feature surprising twists and turns, dazzling visual effects and mind-boggling transformations that happen before your very eyes, including a forest instantly being transformed into a cityscape, which you can check out here

Though this attraction sounds a bit like your standard screen-based affair so far, Disney is promising that this ride will be more than just a screen-based dark ride. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway will make extensive use of new enhanced screen technology that Disney is calling 2 1/2D. Though we're not entirely sure what this really means, Disney said that the normally 2D world of Disney animation will pop in new ways inside this attraction, but interestingly, without the need for 3D glasses.  

10. Untitled Disney Animation Cirque du Soleil Show (Disney Springs) 

Image: Disney

Status: Confirmed

Opening in: March 20, 2020

Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba at Disney Springs closed forever at the end of 2017, but just before it did, Disney confirmed that a new Cirque du Soleil production was being developed for this theater. But this time, this all-new show will have a uniquely Disney flair, and be unlike anything else either Disney or Cirque du Soleil have produced in the past. Based around some of Disney's most iconic films, this new show will “draw its inspiration from Disney's heritage of animation,” and will “celebrate Disney’s legacy of storytelling in Cirque du Soleil’s signature way, with a tribute to the one-of a kind craftsmanship that makes Disney so extraordinary.”

According to Disney, this new show will center on the story of a young girl and her father, who is a Disney animator. In an effort to connect with his child, the father sends his daughter on a magical journey of self-discovery in the world of Disney animation. 

This new untitled show will begin preview performances early next year on March 20th, with an official debut on April 17, 2020. The show will then be performed on a Tuesday through Saturday schedule, with showtimes at 5:30 PM and 8:30 PM.

 
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