Another week has gone by and, as always, we’ve seen LOTS of key Disney updates and news announced this week.
From changes over in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to the return of a fan-favorite nighttime show, we’re sharing the 4 BIGGEST pieces of Disney news you may have missed this week!
Rise of the Resistance Boarding Group Time Change
Recently, Disney changed the morning Boarding Group procedure for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (moving the time up to 7AM and having guests sign up for their boarding groups from outside Disney’s Hollywood Studios). But, this week ANOTHER big change was announced for Rise of the Resistance boarding groups.
Previously, guests could try to sign up for a Boarding Group in the morning (at 7AM as discussed above) and again at 2PM from inside of Disney’s Hollywood Studios if they didn’t get a morning group. Starting December 20th, you’ll still need to be inside of Hollywood Studios to get that afternoon park pass, but the sign-up time has been changed from 2PM to 1PM! So, adjust those clocks and alarms and make sure you plan accordingly for your future trips.
Also, keep in mind that once Park Hopping starts on January 1st, you will NEED to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios as your first park (and have a Park Pass for it) if you want to ride Rise of the Resistance. You will NOT be able to hop to Hollywood Studios and get a Boarding Group — first, because Disney has indicated as such, but second, because Park Hopping hours doesn’t start until 2PM (one hour later than this new Boarding Group time).
Click here to read more about this Boarding Group afternoon time change!
The Electrical Water Pageant is Coming Back!
Firework shows are currently suspended at Disney World, but soon one nighttime show will be coming back — the Electrical Water Pageant! The Electrical Water Pageant is a procession of 14 barges with thousands of lights in the shape of whimsical sea creatures, set to classic Disney Music. The show is visible from outside of Magic Kingdom and from the Magic Kingdom area Resorts.
The Walt Disney World website currently shows hours for this show starting December 20th.
Click here to see the VIDEO about the return of this show and when you can watch it from areas around Magic Kingdom!
You Can Get 2 FREE Days of Disney Tickets With This New Deal
If you’re looking to book a trip to Disney World in 2021, you’ll DEFINITELY want to check out the NEW deal that was recently announced. Guests who book a 4-night/3-day room and ticket package at select Disney resorts on most nights from January 8th, 2021, through September 25th, 2021, will receive an additional 2 days of theme park tickets. You read that right, 2 days of park tickets for FREE!
This new package is set to become available for booking starting January 5th, 2021. So, if you’re planning a trip for the next few months, be sure to check out this deal and see whether it’s something that you could take advantage of.
Click here to read more about this special deal!
3 Disney World Hotels Have New Reopening Dates
Several Disney World Resort hotels have reopened, but quite a few are actually still closed at the moment, or have only opened their Disney Vacation Club rooms and villas for booking. But, this week we got an update and some new reopening dates for 3 Disney World hotels.
First up, while the Disney Vacation Club’s Boulder Ridge Villas and Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge are open, the Lodge’s non-DVC rooms have not been available for booking. BUT, it was recently announced that Disney’s Wilderness Lodge will be reopening on June 6th, 2021!
So, if you’ve been looking to stay in one of the resort’s traditional (non-DVC) rooms, you’ll soon be able to!
Click here to read about the reopening of Wilderness Lodge!
It’s a similar situation over at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. While its DVC Villas and other areas within the hotel (like the Beach Club Marketplace) have been open for a while, the remainder of Disney’s Beach Club Resort will fully reopen on May 30th, 2021.
We’ve already enjoyed our fair share of sweet treats over at Beaches & Cream Soda Shop, and seen guests enjoying Stormalong Bay, but we look forward to seeing the resort fully reopened soon.
Click here to read more about the Beach Club’s reopening!
Finally, the last hotel reopening update we got this week was for Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort. This hotel was originally set to reopen on February 9th, 2021, but that date has now been pushed back to March 22nd, 2021.
If your stay at All-Star Movies will be affected by this change, be sure to contact your travel agent or Disney to see what can be done to switch you to another resort.
Click here to see more about the new reopening date for All-Star Movies.
And that’s our list of some of the BIGGEST news you may have missed this week. Looking for other Disney news to catch up on? Well, you could read about the NEW design coming to the BoardWalk Inn’s signature slide (and the TYPO that had to be fixed on it), the first COVID vaccines that arrived this week in Florida and California, the latest update on Disney Cruise Line, and the update that Disney shared this week about its Internships and Programs. We’re always watching for the latest Disney news, so be sure to check back with us for more!
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Bob says
A Disney Park vacation is becoming more of a Disney SCAM than a Happy Place to spend a vacation. There have been so many changes in the past year that a Disney Park vacation is just not worth it unless one enjoys standing in lines and giving Disney your money. One can plan a trip to Disney and not be able to get into a park under the current limited park access program.