3. Fantasmic!
Earlier this month Disney fans were elated to learn that nighttime spectaculars at Epcot and the Magic Kingdom were returning to operation in July. However, those who were hoping that Disney's Hollywood Studios favorite Fantasmic would also be coming back were unfortunately disappointed to learn that this nighttime spectacular still does not have a return date.
Because Fantasmic has not been operational in over a year, there are concerns about maintenance issues with some of the mechanical elements of the show, which could be one reason why Disney has yet to commit to a reopening date for this fan favorite. However, as crowds flood Disney's Hollywood Studios this summer (this park has the least availability on the parks pass calendar), many are hoping that Disney will make the repairs and adjustments necessary to get Fantasmic back online soon to help improve capacity at this park in the evening hours.
4. Character meet and greets
Right now Disney characters like Mickey, Minnie, and of course all the princesses, are still meeting guests "at a distance" as part of cavalcades and pop-up appearances throughout the day. However, with vaccination rates across the country increasing, many are hoping that the personal one-on-one character interactions that you might find at the Princess Fairytale Hall might return soon. And while we have no doubt that Disney will eventually reinstate these experiences, it seems unlikely they will do so before the end of the year, as cavalcades and distanced meet and greets are expected to continue through the fall as part of the Disney After Hours Boo Bash. However, hopefully in 2022 these experiences will return and guests can once again look forward to hugging Cinderella or giving Minnie Mouse a high five!
Of course, this list is not exhaustive, and there are several other experiences that Disney has yet to bring back in the theme parks in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic. What would you like to see brought back in the months to come?
Comments
We are going to Disney World the middle of September and are hopeful that Fantasmic and Bippity Boppity Boutique are available. Thank you!
Looks like they're restoring some fast pass kiosks already. I'd bet they're brought back by the 50 anniversary in Oct. They worked decently well with some advanced planning.
Are these lists all confirmed by Disney?
A socially distanced Fantasmic! might be nice - the theatre's large enough for that. You can also have fewer characters on Steamboat Willie, too as well as the Pocahontas and jungle sequences.
Annual Passes for newbies might also be nice, too. I've been waiting since last year for them to return and I don't meet ANY of the current qualifications.