Is it rhetorical to say that this was a busy seven days regarding Disney theme park and Disney Cruise Line news? The Disney Experiences Showcase felt like it was five minutes ago. A ton of major announcements came out of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, and that’s only one news story I’m including in this week’s roundup.
As we look to the future of Disney theme parks and Disney Cruise Line, there’s a lot happening in the immediate, too. So let’s dive into this week’s lineup of news stories.
Theme Park and Cruise Line Announcements Made at D23 Disney Fan Event
Let’s get the big one out of the way first: D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event took place this past weekend and we learned a ton of exciting news about the future of Disney theme parks and Disney Cruise Line.
If you want the full lineup of what was announced, head to my roundup of all of the announcements made during the Disney Experiences Showcase. Highlights include four new vessels announced for the Disney Cruise Line fleet, a Villains land coming to Magic Kingdom, and an Audio-Animatronic Walt Disney coming to Disneyland. It will definitely be an exciting decade ahead.
LOOK! I MADE A TIMELINE OF WHEN THE BIG CHANGES ARE COMING TO DISNEY WORLD, DISNEYLAND, AND DISNEY CRUISE LINE.
New ‘Cars’ Section of Frontierland to Replace Rivers of America at Magic Kingdom
One of the announcements made at the Disney Experiences Showcase concerned a reimagined section of Frontierland at Magic Kingdom featuring Pixar’s Cars franchise. After the Fan Event concluded, Disney sent out a press release first thing Monday morning detailing where exactly this reimagined area would be.
Disney stated that “To make way for this completely new frontier, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into vast and rugged terrains for a rally race with some of the world’s most iconic racers.” Construction on this area will begin in 2025. So if you want to take one last trip on the River Boat around the Rivers of America, or you want to explore Tom Sawyer Island one last time, you have until sometime in 2025 to do so.
MAGIC KINGDOM IS CHANGING IN MANY WAYS IN THE COMING YEARS, INCLUDING A BRAND NEW LAND.
EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival Foodie Guide Released
EPCOT has been without a festival for a few months now, with the 2024 Flower and Garden Festival concluding on May 27. That left the summer wide open and in “diet EPCOT” mode before the return of the flagship event, the Food and Wine Festival. The festival begins on August 29, so we’re just a couple of weeks away!
In anticipation for the start of Food and Wine, Disney released a Foodie Guide with this year’s menu items. There are a lot of returning hits, including the Brew-Wing Lab and the polarizing Pickle Milkshake. We’re also getting new booths this year, including Macatizers with an entire Macaroni and Cheese-themed menu (yes, thank you). Festival Favorites will also update its menu with new items for Food and Wine.
GOING TO DISNEY WORLD IN 2025? READ UP ON THIS YEAR’S EPCOT FESTIVAL SCHEDULE TO PREPARE FOR WHAT NEXT YEAR COULD LOOK LIKE.
Menu Released From Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree at Disneyland
The EPCOT Food and Wine Festival isn’t the only culinary happening that got a Foodie Guide this week! We also got a first look at the menu items that will be available at the newly re-imagined Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree at Disneyland Park. The quick-service eatery will be in the same spot as Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country with a new, barbecue-inspired menu.
Menu highlights include a Smoked Barbecue Combo Platter, a Smoked Beef Brisket Sandwich, Beer-battered French Fries, Banana Pudding, and more! Classic entrees like Cheeseburgers and Chicken Tenders will also be available.
GO BACK AND REVISIT THE BIGGEST ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM D23’S DISNEY EXPERIENCES SHOWCASE.
Extensive Refurb Announced for “it’s a small world” at Disneyland Resort
Multiple rides have gone through temporary closures and refurbishments at Disneyland Park as the resort gears up for its 70th Anniversary Celebration in 2025. While we don’t know the exact dates of the celebration season yet, we have been hearing more about which rides will go down temporarily in preparation. The latest ride to post an extended closure is “it’s a small world.”
Theme park journalist Scott Gustin reported that the ride will close on September 16 and reopen on November 15 as “it’s a small world” Holiday. When the holiday run ends on January 21, the ride will close again for more refurbishment, reopening sometime in spring 2025. We may be able to infer from this closure timeline that Disney is intending to kick off its 70th Anniversary Celebration in spring, but no official dates have been announced.
