Hey parks fans! With D23 starting up, there are a ton of new rumors coming in from all angles. We’ll be posting a D23 roundup along with all our thoughts after the conference is done. Until then, we wanted to make sure you had the latest news. Here’s what’s been going on lately!
New Mid-Day Magic Tickets at Walt Disney World
Disney released a new ticket type, allowing park entry after 12PM. The tickets are at a comfortable discount from the standard tickets, but we haven’t gotten around to talking about them yet because we simply don’t consider them a great value. You can accomplish more in the first two hours of your day than in the afternoon at most parks.
Regardless, not everyone spends their mornings at the park, so these ticket options may appeal to you. Check out the full coverage over at WDWNT.
New After Hours Dates Announced
New After Hours event dates have been announced for Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. We previously reviewed the Animal Kingdom After Hours event here.
Disneyland Forever Nighttime Show Ending September 2
We’re big fans of the Disneyland nighttime show, Disneyland Forever. But nothing lasts forever. That show will have its last run on September 2. As for a replacement, all we know so far is that a Halloween-themed show will run “select” nights after that.
Various Hours and Ride Refurbishments Changing
We’ve got a few updates on hours / ride availability at the resort (some we saw on our own, a couple are H/T WDWNT):
Primeval Whirl is down until ____. At this point, until the ride actually starts running, I’m not believing it’s will ever be operational again. (Disney says the closure is through September 28, though.)
Update: Blog Mickey has an ominous update on Primeval Whirl.
DINOSAUR hours updated. August 25 through September 28 the ride will not close one hour before the park, as it usually does. Regardless, always check ride hours once you are actually at the park.
Astro Orbiter is down until ____. Unlike Primeval Whirl, I believe Astro Orbiter will rise again. But I don’t believe any date Disney has set as its been extended numerous times now. (Disney claims through September 19.)
Festival of Fantasy Parade Time Moved. This time of year, the parade is typically held at 2PM. Many people know the parade simply as “the 3PM parade,” so this serves as a reminder that hours for everything vary.
New Halloween Party Pass
Between FastPass+ availability and hotel availability, it’s become more and more likely that Walt Disney World is going to see low crowds this fall.
The latest sign? Disney announced an unlimited party pass for guests wishing to visit multiple nights of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (link to our guide). The pass costs $299+tax and excludes Halloween night (October 31).
All Your Other Disney World Planning Questions Answered
Don't be overwhelmed by Disney World planning! Take a second to check out our most important content and you'll not only be an expert, but you'll save big $$$ along the way.
Just starting out? Check out our Walt Disney World planning guide! If you're still picking dates, we've got everything you need to know about Disney crowd calendars. For picking your hotel, check out our Walt Disney World hotels guide.
When it comes time to book, we've got you covered with posts on how to book cheap flights, how to get the best deal on your Disney hotel, and where to find discount Disney World tickets. And of course everyone wants to know whether or not they should get a dining plan—check out our Complete Guide to Disney World Dining Plans!
Don't forget to master your Disney World FastPass+ strategy a few months in advance. We'll keep you out of long lines so you can maximize the magical time in the parks! We've got park-specific guides as well: Magic Kingdom FastPass, Epcot FastPass, Animal Kingdom FastPass, and Hollywood Studios FastPass.
Know what to ride with our guides to: Magic Kingdom rides, Hollywood Studios rides, Epcot rides, and Animal Kingdom rides! Plus learn about the water parks with our guide to Blizzard Beach and our guide to Typhoon Lagoon!
Finally, before you head out, be sure to check out our to-the-point packing list, 10 essentials you forget to pack for every Disney trip. And if you're interested in saving, there's no better list than our 53 Ways to Save on your Disney trip from start to finish.