6 Reasons to Visit Disney World in 2017

January 13, 2017

Pandora

2016 was an absolutely spectacular year to be a visitor to Walt Disney World. There was the unveiling of the re-imagined Disney Springs, Frozen Ever After in Epcot as well as a bigger and better Soarin’ and let’s not forget some exciting new nocturnal happenings over at Animal Kingdom. Yet, the fun and excitement doesn’t stop there. Disney has big plans for 2017, making it another fabulous year to pay a visit to the Mouse. To give you a taste of what’s to come, here are 6 of our favorite reasons to visit Walt Disney World in 2017.

1. River’s of Light – 2016 was supposed to be the year for this spectacular nighttime Animal Kingdom water pageant. Sadly, it was not meant to be. The production, intended to headline the Awaken Summer festivities, was marred with technical glitches which meant that Jungle Book: Alive with Magic debuted in its place. However, things are looking promising for a 2017 opening as Cast Members last month were treated to a run through of the show after hours. Rivers of Light is an incredibly complicated production taking place on the water and featuring floating lanterns, lighting effects, live performances and music. There’s no doubt that when it does take flight, it is certain to be a 2017 crowd-pleaser.

2. Pandora – The World of Avatar – As any recent visitor to Animal Kingdom will tell you, the construction of this new land is coming along and is mighty impressive indeed. Slated to open at Earl Summer 2017, guests to the park since November have been given a sneak peek of the beautiful theming inspired by James Cameron’s Avatar. The scaffolding has come down on the entry bridge near Tiffins restaurant. When The World of Avatar opens next year, this bridge will lead visitors to Elpha Centauri Expeditions the launching point for the amazing adventures that await. Pandora- The World of Avatar will be a feat of modern Imagineering as it whisks visitors to a new world filled with bio-luminescent plants and floating islands. Guests will be able to enjoy the family friend Na’vi River Journey, meet a Na’vi Shaman and embark on an awe-inspiring journey on the back of Banshee as it flies over Pandora.

3. The Edison – Disney Springs – Visitors to Disney Springs in 2017 hunting for a unique place to have a night cap need look no further than The Edison. Modeled after the LA nightspot with the same name, Disney Springs’ newest venue will be a steampunk’s delight as its setting evokes a combination of both early industrial Americana with a touch of Coney Island. There will be a kitchen serving up American classics, a wide array of cocktails on offer, performance spaces and a waterfront patio. Adding to the ambiance will be contortionists, palm readers, and cabaret acts. Located in The Landing, the project is progressing nicely leading insiders to believe that a Spring opening is in the cards.

4. Festivals, Festivals and More Festivals – For those hoping to hit up one of Epcot’s amazing Festivals next year, you are in luck. The dates for next years Food and Wine Festival and Flower and Garden Festival are the longest on record meaning that visitors will have even more opportunities to enjoy these amazing seasonal offerings:

The 2017 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival will be offering a whopping 90 days of botanical delights and will run from March – May 29,2017. Activities will be expanded this year to include outdoor kitchens, even more themed topiaries and a jam-packed line-up of seminars and demonstrations.
The 2017 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival has also been expanded to 75 days and will run from August 31st until November 31, 2017 with even more culinary delights, concerts, workshops and kiosks on offer.
NEW: The Festival of the Arts will celebrate its inaugural year with a celebration of the visual, culinary and performing arts and will run from January 13 – February 20, 2017. The festival will pay homage to legends like, Mary Blair and Herb Ryman and celebrate new talent like Joe Kaminski and Costa Alavezos. It also marks a collaboration with Disney Theatrical Productions who will be bringing a taste of the Big Apple to Epcot as Broadway performers present excerpts from Disney musicals like The Lion King, Newsies and Aladdin.

5. Miss Fortune Falls – Typhoon Lagoon – 2017 is even shaping up to be an exciting year for the water parks as Disney announces a brand new attraction slated to open in the Spring of 2017. Miss Fortune Falls will be a family-style raft ride, taking guests on a soaking wet journey as it tells the legend of the fabled Captain Mary Oceaneer who reportedly lost many of her prized artifacts throughout Typhoon Lagoon. Guests board treasure rafts where the plunge into a white-water adventure in search of Captain Mary’s treasure. With a run time of 2 minutes, Miss Fortune Falls will have the longest ride time of any of the attractions at both Disney water parks.

6. New and Improved Resorts – There’s no shortage of amazing place to lay your head at Walt Disney World and some much-loved Disney resort favorites will be getting upgrades in the year to come. Pop Century is currently undergoing a much-needed upgrade to some of their rooms, Coronado Springs is getting a hard-goods refurbishment that will run into 2017 and the Yacht Club is having its guest rooms re-imagined in a project that will run through until June 2017. Guests can expect the same fantastic Disney accommodations but with some delightful new and innovative touches thrown in that will definitely win over visitors in 2017. And lets not forget Wilderness Lodge’s Copper Creek waterfront cabins which are slated to open at some point in 2017 offering rustic accommodation with deluxe trimmings making it an offering on par with the exquisite bungalows over a Polynesian Village Resort.

With all of these reasons and more, why not make 2017 the year you pay a visit to Disney? Start by filling out our form below to receive your FREE quote.

Find articles like this helpful? Then why not consider booking with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner? As an agent with MickeyTravels, I’ll be on hand to help you with everything from finding your perfect package to nabbing those hard-to-get dining and Fastpass reservations. Best of all, my services are absolutely FREE. Get in touch at 1.800.801.4025, via email at mroden@mickeytravels.com or follow along on Facebook.

Let our friends at Destinations to Travel help you book your next Disney Vacation. They are the preferred Travel Agency of Chip and Company and Disney Addicts, and who we use ourselves.

Get started Now for your FREE No Obligation Quote.