2020 was QUITE the year.

You may remember the day that you heard Disney World or Disneyland would be closing temporarily due to the pandemic — I know I do. And you might remember watching Shanghai Disneyland reopen, that park being the first Disney park around the world to reopen after the closures. But, did you remember that Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway opened in Disney World literally DAYS before the parks closed? Or that several new movies in EPCOT debuted in early 2020? SO much happened in just one year. And today we’re breaking it all down for you.

Join us now as we take a trip down memory lane and look at some of the BIGGEST things that took place in 2020 at Disney parks around the world, Disney Cruise Line, and more. You may be SHOCKED when you realize that ALL of these things happened in just 1 year. And we’ll go a few months past that to give you a bit of an update of what’s been happening lately (1 year after the park closures). Alright, let’s dive in!

January 2020

• January 8th — Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend begins
• January 17th — Canada Far and Wide, Awesome Planet, and the Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along open in EPCOT in Disney World
• January 17th — The 2020 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts begins in Disney World

• January 25th — Shanghai Disneyland temporarily closes due to the pandemic
• January 26th — Hong Kong Disneyland temporarily closes due to the pandemic

February 2020

• February 6th — City Works Eatery and Pour House opens in Disney Springs in Disney World
• February 7th — Villains After Hours parties begin in Magic Kingdom in Disney World for 2020
• February 16th — Electric Umbrella closes in EPCOT in Disney World
• February 19th — Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue opens in EPCOT at the American Adventure pavilion in Disney World

• February 20th — Disney World’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend begins 
• February 25th — Bob Iger steps down as CEO of The Walt Disney Company and Bob Chapek becomes CEO

• February 27th — Disney announces new Disney Dining Plan Plus option
• February 29th — Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea close due to the pandemic

March 2020

• March 4th — Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and the Mickey Shorts Theater officially open in Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World
• March 4th — EPCOT’s International Flower & Garden Festival begins
• March 12th — Hot Diggity Dog food truck opens in Disney Springs in Disney World

• March 14th — First day Disneyland closes due to the pandemic
• March 14th — All new Disney Cruise Line departures are suspended beginning March 14th (announced on March 12th)

• March 16th — First day Walt Disney World closes due to the pandemic (closed at the end of the day on March 15th)
• March 16th — Disneyland Paris closes due to the pandemic (closed beginning at the close of business on March 15th)

April 2020

• April 17th — Disney joins Florida’s re-opening task force
• April 17th — Disney’s bedtime hotline returns for a limited time
• April 19th — Furloughs officially begin for many employees at Disney World and Disneyland (union members later added)

May 2020

• May 9th — Free Dining is discontinued for guests affected by closures at Disney World
• May 11th — Shanghai Disneyland begins its phased reopening (other areas of the resort including the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel began reopening with limited operations back in March)
• May 20th — Disney Springs begins phased reopening in Disney World

• May 27th — Disney World announces that parades, fireworks, character-meet-and-greets and more will be suspended upon reopening; We also hear more about the health and safety procedures that will be in place when Disney World reopens
• May 28th — Disney World cancels existing dining plans and advanced dining reservations, notes that Extra Magic Hours will be suspended, and suspends FastPass+
• May 28th — Disney World changes mask mandate to all ages 2 and up (was 3 and up)

June 2020

• June 6th — Disney World shares details about dining and hotel procedures upon reopening, including a virtual Cast Member chat option for hotel guests
• June 16th — Mobile Dine Check-In feature announced for My Disney Experience (see more about Mobile Dine Check-In here) for Disney World
• June 18th — Hong Kong Disneyland reopens
• June 18th — Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party canceled in Disney World
• June 19th — Disney World announces Park Pass Theme Park Reservations system required to enter the parks when they reopen (you can read more about the Park Pass system here); and Disney World shares that Park Hopping will not be available when the parks reopen
• June 19th — Disney World announces it will not be giving free MagicBands for hotel guests starting in 2021

• June 22nd — Some Disney World Resort hotels begin reopening, mainly Disney Vacation Club villas (see what it’s like at a reopened Disney World hotel by clicking here)
• June 22nd — We get a look at modified character dining in Disney World

• June 24th — Disneyland delays its reopening dates (originally set to begin reopening its hotels and parks in July)
• June 25th — Disney announces that Splash Mountain will be re-themed to an attraction focused on The Princess and the Frog

July 2020

• July 1st — Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea reopen
• July 7th — Advanced Dining Reservations open for Disney World guests, but can now only be made 60 days in advance of their trip
• July 7th — We get a first look at Disney World’s character cavalcades
• July 7th — We get a first look at Cinderella Castle’s NEW pink paint job from inside the park
• July 8th — Major League Soccer begins their MLS is Back Tournament in Disney World (players begin arriving a few days before)
• July 9th — Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort begins phased reopening
• July 10th — Disney updates policy about gaiters and bandanas, indicating that these will not be allowed in the parks as face coverings
• July 10th — Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Contemporary Resort reopen in Disney World

• July 11th — Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom reopen to guests in Walt Disney World
• July 15th — EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios reopen to guests in Walt Disney World
• July 15th — A Taste of EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival begins in Disney World
• July 15th — Hong Kong Disneyland closes for a second time due to the pandemic
• July 15th — Disney World confirms that 2 rides have been postponed indefinitely (Mary Poppins attraction and Spaceship Earth refurbishment)

• July 15th — Disneyland Paris begins its phased reopening
• July 16th — One reporter shares that the Rivers of Light water show and Primeval Whirl at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Stitch’s Great Escape at Magic Kingdom have permanently closed in Disney World (these experiences are then removed from the Animal Kingdom map and the Stitch sign is removed in Magic Kingdom; we would also later see the Primeval Whirl vehicles removed from the ride and transported across property)
• July 18th — Disney World updates mask policy to say you must be stationary and distanced when removing your mask to eat or drink
• July 22nd — Disney World announces that the Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend will be virtual

• July 22nd — Ample Hills Creamery closes on Disney’s BoardWalk and its location for Disney Springs is canceled in Disney World
• July 26th — Disney World updates mask policy on masks with valves or holes
• July 27th — Temperature checks now required for guests dining at Disney World hotel restaurants
• July 29th — Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort reopens and the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel reopens
• July 30th — The 2019/2020 NBA Season resumes in Disney’s Wide World of Sports (the NBA arrived in Disney World earlier and throughout their time there, we got a glimpse at unique parts of the “bubble” they created on property)

August 2020

• August 11th — Major League Soccer’s MLS is Back Tournament ends in Disney World
• August 19th — Mobile Waitlist feature added to My Disney Experience for Disney World (see more about Mobile Waitlist here)
• August 24th — Disney’s Yacht Club Resort reopens in Disney World

• August 31st — At Disney World, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort announces a delay in reopening and refurbishment coming to the resort, including Moana-inspired rooms (get a first look at the Moana-themed rooms here!)

September 2020

• September 15th — The Halloween season begins in Disney World
• September 18th — Disney World introduces Mobile Table Service To Go option on My Disney Experience (see more about Mobile Order Table Service To-Go here)
• September 21st — Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa reopens in Disney World
• September 22nd — Disney World announces that the 2021 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend and 2021 Princess Half Marathon Weekend will be virtual

• September 25th — Hong Kong Disneyland reopens for a second time
• September 29th — Yehaa Bob Jackson announces he’s played his last shows in Disney World
• September 29th — Disney World announces lay-offs that will affect 28,000 in the Parks, Experiences and Products division (this later increases to 32,000)

October 2020

• October 3rd — The Grand Floridian Society Orchestra plays its last shows in Disney World
• October 11th — NBA Championship Game is held in Disney World and Cinderella Castle lights up in honor of the champion
• October 12th — We learn that Disney World has been operating at 25% capacity
• October 16th — Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort reopens in Disney World

• October 23rd — Disney shares that weddings have resumed in Disney World with new health measures
• October 28th — More layoffs announced, affecting the Cast Members working at many of Disney’s most popular shows 
• October 30th — Disneyland Paris closes for a second time (technically closed at the end of the day on October 29th)

November 2020

• November 1st — Disney’s Art of Animation Resort reopens in Disney World
• November 3rd — Morning Boarding Groups for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance start being distributed at 7AM (guests obtain these Boarding Groups from outside of the park) in Disney World
• November 4th — Disney World bans eating and drinking in attraction lines
• November 6th — We get our first look at the security screenings added to Disney Springs in Disney World
• November 6th — The 2020 Holiday Season begins in Disney World

• November 12th — We learn that Disney World is now operating at 35% capacity
• November 16th — We get a first look at a mock guest room for the Star Wars hotel experience coming to Disney World (see more about Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser, a.k.a. the Star Wars hotel, here!)
• November 20th — Walkway between Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa opens in Disney World

• November 20th — Disney World announces Park Hopping will be returning in 2021
• November 23rd — Brightline and Disney reach a deal on building a high-speed rail station at Disney Springs that will connect the train to Orlando International Airport
• November 27th — A Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays begins in Disney World

December 2020

• December 2nd — Hong Kong Disneyland closes for the third time due to the pandemic
• December 2nd — Mobile Merchandise Checkout begins testing in Disney World, allowing guests to skip long check-out lines
• December 10th — At Disney’s Investor Day conference they announce LOADS of new content coming to Disney+, theaters, and more
• December 11th — Disney World announces that the 2021 Star Wars Rival Run Weekend will be virtual
• December 16th — We get a first look at a completed, reimagined Disney World main entrance sign

• December 18th — Disney’s scariest slide (the clown slide at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn) reveals its new Mickey-inspired look
• December 20th — The Electrical Water Pageant returns to Disney World
• December 20th — Afternoon Boarding Groups for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance start being distributed at 1PM (previously was 2PM) in Disney World
• December 22nd — The NEW EPCOT Fountain is revealed in Disney World
• December 23rd — Gideon’s Bakehouse has its soft opening in Disney Springs in Disney World

January 2021

• January 1st — Park Hopping returns to Disney World in a modified way (Can you hop to all 4 parks in one day? Find out here!)
• January 1st — MagicBands no longer given for free to Disney World hotel guests
• January 1st — Park-to-park transportation returns with Park Hopping in Disney World
• January 1st — Magical Extras and FREE Souvenir Luggage Tags are no longer be sent to Disney World guests in the mail in advance of their trip
• January 6th — Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew opens in Disney Springs in Disney World

• January 8th — The 2021 Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts begins in EPCOT in Disney World
• January 11th — Disney announces that the Magical Express will be discontinued in 2022
• January 13th — January Disney World announces Early Theme Park entry coming for hotel guests soon
• January 14th — Disneyland announces that it will discontinue its Annual Pass program

• January 15th — We get a first look at a REAL guest room at the Star Wars hotel coming to Disney World
• January 16th — Gideon’s Bakehouse has its grand opening in Disney Springs in Disney World
• January 18th — We finally got to walk into part of the France expansion in EPCOT in Disney World
• January 21st — Disney World announces that the Festival of the Lion King will be returning to Disney World
• January 25th — Disney announces that the Jungle Cruise will be getting a new storyline
• January 25th — Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom closes in Disney World

• January 27th — Disneyland passholders get a new name — Legacy Passholders
• January 28th — We share a look at Disney’s updated policies regarding masks for those with the COVID-19 vaccine
• January 29th — We share a look at Disney’s updated policies regarding transparent face masks and distancing with large groups
• January 30th — The M&M’s Store opens in Disney Springs in Disney World

February 2021

• February 1st — The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure exhibit opens in The American Adventure in EPCOT
• February 1st — Disney begins its “Celebrate Soulfully” offerings in honor of Black History Month
• February 8th — Disney announces special ticketed event coming to Disney California Adventure Park (we later get more information about the event, which is now called A Touch of Disney)
• February 9th — Disney announces that it will be closing Blue Sky Studios, 20th Century Fox’s animation division
• February 10th — The Leave a Legacy panels return in a reimagined way to EPCOT in Disney World

• February 11th — Disney confirms Avengers Campus will be opening in Disney California Adventure in 2021; it also shares that masks are expected to be required in Disney World through 2021
• February 16th — 2022 bookings for Disney World become available; we share that Disney Dining Plan remains unavailable for 2022; and we get a peek at 2022 ticket prices
• February 19th — Disney World shares BIG details about their 50th Anniversary celebrations including new looks coming to the park icons, new costumes for Mickey & Minnie, and more
• February 19th — Hong Kong Disneyland reopens again
• February 26th — Disney updates its face mask policy regarding masks while dining

March 2021

• March 1st — Disney shares a peek at the Women’s History Month events coming to Disney World
• March 3rd — The 2021 Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival begins in Disney World
• March 3rd — EPCOT’s entrance in Disney World gets some new features including new flags, new music, and a GORGEOUS new nighttime look
• March 3rd — Disney announces that it will be closing 20% of its Disney Stores
• March 5th — We get a first look at the Moana-inspired rooms coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort in Disney World
• March 7th — Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park reopens

• March 9th — Disney announces that Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and La Creperie de Paris will open in EPCOT in Disney World on October 1st
• March 9th — Disney shares that it hopes to reopen Disneyland by late April (due to changes in California’s regulations, Disneyland could open as early as April 1st)
• March 9th — Disney shares that Disney+ has surpassed 100 MILLION subscribers and Bob Iger confirms he will be stepping away from the Disney company at the end of 2021
• March 11th — Disney announces a new MagicMobile service to allow your phone to do some of the functions your MagicBand does
• March 12th — Disneyland Paris extends closure again (it had extended its closure in the past as well)
• March 17th — Disney announces that Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park will reopen on April 30th, 2021
• March 18th — A Touch of Disney begins at Disney California Adventure Park

And that’s just a list of some of the most important things that happened in 2020. Of course, many other things took place throughout the year too. And so far, 2021 is showing that it’ll be a year FULL of lots of activities and unique experiences of its own. You know we’ll be keeping an eye out for all of the latest and greatest Disney news. Be sure to stay tuned for all the latest.

What do you feel was the most important or impactful Disney moment of 2020? Tell us in the comments.