7 Important Disney World News Bites From the Last Week

February 17, 2018

This has been a very busy week for news here in the Disney sphere with many stories having an impact on those visiting Disney World in 2018 -2019. That’s why we here at Disney Addicts thought we’d give you a bit of a weekend round-up of exciting Disney happenings you’ll want to be mindful of as you make your plans to visit the Mouse!

1. An Opening Date Has Been Announced for Toy Story Land – With much fanfare and with a feature spot on the TODAY show, Disney announced this week that Walt Disney World’s latest expansion (based on the Disney•Pixar Toy Story films) will begin welcoming guests starting on June 30th. This exciting new land will make guests feel as if they’ve been shrunken down to the size of one of the toys in Andy’s bedroom and will feature two new attractions the Slinky Dog Dash family coaster as well as Alien Swirling Saucers. Toy Story Land will also incorporate the existing Toy Story Midway Mania and will include a new Quick Service eatery called Woody’s Lunch Box. To find out more about this exciting new themed area check out this article. For those wondering about soft openings or Annual Passholder Previews give this article a read.

2. New American Cultural Icons Added to Epcot’s The American Adventure Attraction – Located in Epcot’s World Showcase Area, The American Adventure is the focal point of the American Pavilion. Re-opening this week after a refurbishment, guests may notice that the attraction now features a handful of new animatronic American Cultural Icons. These include musical composer John Williams, astrophysicist Neil de Grasse Tyson and ballerina Misty Copland. In addition, the attraction will now use an all-digital projection system and will also show-off changes to its much-loved anthem Golden Dreams which has been re-recorded with a new orchestration. So be sure to stop by and check it out during your next Epcot visit!

3. Disney’s Minnie Van Services Expand Thier Reach and Hike Prices – Disney’s Minnie Van service allows guests using their Lyft app to book in a private Minnie Mouse-themed car that functions similar to a taxi service but only makes stops throughout Walt Disney World Resort. When the service was first launched last year, it was limited to a select number of Walt Disney World Resorts but is now being unveiled more widely throughout the property. The resorts offering the service are as follows:

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Disney’s Carribean Beach Resort
Disney’s Pop Century Resort
Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Disney’s Boardwalk Resort
Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort Campground

More resorts are expected to be added to the list throughout the early months of 2018. However, with an expanded reach comes a higher price. The service could originally be booked for a fee of $20 one-way. The cost has now been increased to $25 one-way. For more information on the service check out this article.

4. More Details Revealed About The Groundbreaking Star Wars Themed Hotel Coming to Hollywood Studios – Ever since Disney first announced the idea of a Star Wars Hotel at its D23 Expo last year, fans have been eager to found it more. At a fan event in Japan this week, Disney confirmed that the new property is indeed in the works and will combine a luxury resort with the complete immersion into an authentic Star Wars story at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. From the moment that guests arrive, your journey through space will begin as everyone boards a starship and departs for a multi-day Star Wars adventure. The hotel will seamlessly connect to the rides, attractions and storylines found in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. To find out more about the other exciting projects revealed in Japan this week check out this article.

5. Disney Increases Cost of Park Tickets for 2018 – In a move that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise for Disney regulars, but Walt Disney World has once again increased their ticket prices which will have an impact on guests making new bookings in 2018 and beyond. Here’s a quick look at the increases:

Single Day Tickets –Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios: Value Tier is increasing from $99 to $102, Regular Tier from $107 to $114 and Peak Tier from $119 to $122.
Single Day Tickets for Magic Kingdom – Value Tier is increasing from $107 to $109, Regular Tier from $115 to $119 and Peak Tier from $124 to $129.
2-Day Ticket – Increase from $199 to $209
3-Day Tickets – Increase from $289 to $325
4-Day Tickets – Increase from $350 – $400
5-Day Tickets – Increase from $370 – $415

Increases have also been made to Florida Resident Tickets, Park Hopper Tickets and Annual Passes. For a complete rundown of ticket and pass costs check out this article on our sister site Chip and Co. or visit disneyworld.com.

6. World of Disney at Disney Springs Scaled Down To May Way For Refurbishment – If you’re visiting Disney World in the weeks ahead and are planning a visit to Disney Springs, you’ll want to make a note that massive changes are currently underway over at World of Disney. Large sections of the store are currently blocked off to make way for a big refurbishment that will see many areas of the store re-imagined. For the foreseeable future, the shop will be offering limited merchandise. To make up for the loss of retails space, the Ever After Jewelry Co. as well as The Corner Store in Disney Springs will be Disney merchandise collections while sections of World of Disney are closed. Disney has not yet given a completion date for the refurbishment but work is expected to continue throughout 2018.

7. Disney’s Star Wars Fan Event: Galactic Nights Will Be Back On May 27th – If you are a Star Wars fan and are planning a visit to Disney, you’ll definitely want to mark your calendars. Galactic Nights will be back at Hollywood Studios for one night only on May 27th offering the ideal playground for fans of all ages. Guests are encouraged to come dressed up as your favorite Star Wars characters and there will be a wide array of special events from a Star Wars-themed projection show on Sunset Boulevard to a special panel discussion where Disney Imagineers take guests through all of the exciting plans for Hollywood Studios’ new Star Wars expansion dubbed Galaxy’s Edge. There’s also rides, food, special photo ops and character meet and greets. For a closer look at the fun as well as information on how to get tickets, check out this article.

This is just a small handful of the many exciting happenings and changes coming to Walt Disney World in the weeks and months ahead. Keep following along with Disney Addicts for the latest Disney vacation tips and tricks and our sister site Chip and Co. for the latest Disney news and updates.

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