We have reached the end of another busy week, and it’s time once again to recap the biggest stories from Disney theme parks and Disney Cruise Line. Some long-anticipated announcements were made this week at Walt Disney World, along with the start of a festival at Disneyland! I love when both coasts get a little bit of love in the news department in the same week.
Your 2024 Disney World or Disneyland vacations could be impacted by these leading news stories, so be sure to read up if you have a trip planned!
EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival Dates Announced
We finally know when this year’s EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival will take place! Fans have been anticipating an announcement over the past couple of weeks with the summer season right around the corner. Like this year’s Flower and Garden Festival, the Food and Wine Festival is significantly shorter than it has been in recent years.
This year’s Food and Wine Festival will take place from August 29 through November 23. It’s starting a whole month later than 2023’s Food and Wine Festival, as recent years had it starting in mid- to late July. This signals a shift back to EPCOT’s festival schedule prior to the 2020 closures, where the Food and Wine Festival typically started around Labor Day Weekend.
With this announcement, we also got a first look at some of the merchandise that will be available at this year’s Food and Wine Festival.
This leaves most of the summer season festival-free at EPCOT! The Flower and Garden Festival wraps up on May 27, meaning there will be three whole months before Food and Wine kicks off. Of course, the park won’t be a ghost town — its multiyear transformation comes to a completion on June 10 with the opening of CommuniCore Plaza and CommuniCore Hall.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS YEAR’S LINEUP OF EPCOT FOOD FESTIVALS
Pixar Fest Begins at Disneyland Resort
This week’s biggest event that took place was over in Disneyland Resort! Pixar Fest has officially kicked off at the Happiest Place on Earth, running from April 26 through August 4.
Pixar Fest features limited-time entertainment, character meet and greets, food, merchandise, and more. During the day, you can catch “Better Together — A Pixar Pals Celebration” in Disney California Adventure, as well as say hello to your favorite Pixar characters, including a talking Dug!
At night, “Together Forever — A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular” can be enjoyed at Disneyland Park, along with Club Pixar at Disney California Adventure. There is no shortage of Pixar-themed food and beverage items, either. If you’re planning a summer Disneyland vacation, you will definitely want to check out my full Pixar Fest guide so you can make the most of your upcoming visit.
CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL PIXAR FEST GUIDE
The Latest Updates from Disney Cruise Line
We saw a couple of exciting updates from Disney Cruise Line, which will add a new private island destination along with three new ships to its fleet between now and the end of 2025. The first addition is Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, the new private island destination found on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas.
We previously saw a sneak peek of Mickey and Minnie’s new island outfits exclusive to Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. This week, Disney unveiled the entire lineup of character outfits! All of the outfits were designed by Bahamian fashion designer Theodore Elyett, which “showcase the vibrant spirit of the beloved Bahamian tradition, Junkanoo.”
The other big event taking place at the end of 2024 is the launch of Disney Cruise Line’s next ship, the Disney Treasure. On board, guests can enjoy an array of brand-new dining experiences, including Jumbeaux’s Sweets, a dessert shop inspired by the world of “Zootopia.”
This week, Disney gave everyone a first look at the Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps statues that will be a design feature inside the sweets shop.
It’s a thrill to see the smaller details like these come to life as the ship is being built.
Following the Disney Treasure, Disney Cruise Line will launch two more ships in 2025: the Disney Adventure and Disney Destiny.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT WHAT’S COMING TO DISNEY CRUISE LINE IN 2024 AND 2025
Wreck-It-Ralph Ride Coming To Tokyo Disney Resort
We have some international news to share today! Tokyo Disney Resort perhaps has the lion’s share of transformative changes taking place at this present moment, with a brand-new land called Fantasy Springs set to open this June. In Tokyo Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, it was announced this week that Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blaster will close to make way for a new attraction. The current version of the ride will close in October of 2024 and reopen in 2026 as a Sugar-Rush themed attraction inspired by the world of “Wreck-It-Ralph.”
In addition, Tokyo Disneyland’s Tomorrowland is seeing some changes, with Space Mountain closing for a complete overhaul into a brand-new version. The current version of Space Mountain will close this year for this major renovation, projected to reopen sometime in 2027.
