UPDATED December 17, 2024

A LOT has changed in Disney World in the past few years, but here’s the thing — even MORE changes are on the way.

So if you’re planning a trip to Disney World in 2024, you might be a little confused about everything that’s changing (and it IS a lot). But don’t worry — because we’re going to tell you exactly HOW things are going to change for you when you make that trip.

So how exactly is and will Disney World be different in 2024? Well, let’s break it down.

Resort-Wide

NEW Lightning Lane Pass System Replaced Disney Genie+ — NOW IN PLACE!

BIG CHANGES have come to Disney World’s Lightning Lanes as of July 24th, 2024!

The Disney Genie service made its debut within Disney World’s My Disney Experience app in October 2021. Disney Genie provided access to “Lightning Lanes” (which allow guests to bypass Standby lines for select attractions with an extra purchase) as well as other on-the-go planning tools to help guests maximize their time in the four Disney World theme parks:  Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. 

But BIG changes have come to the service! First, as of July 24th, 2024, there have been official name changes for the Lightning Lane services that were previously part of Disney Genie.

Disney Genie+ is now Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Individual Lightning Lanes are now Lightning Lane Single Pass. In addition to these changes, as Disney shares, guests can now:

• Make Lightning Lane plans before you’re in the parks, “for added confidence:”
• Choose experiences and times prior to purchasing, so you know exactly what you’re getting with your purchase;
• Book Lightning Lane passes for multiple vacation days, all at once, if you wish!

AAAAANNNNNDDDD… A third option, Lightning Lane Premier Pass was added in October 2024. This inclusive option grants one-time entry into EVERY Lightning Lane entry in a given park for one price, eliminating the need to monitor Lightning Lane availability and make new Lighting Lane reservations throughout the day, and granting the ability to simply show up at an attraction and enter the Lightning Lane (as opposed to booking a specific time).

PLEASE BE AWARE that this new option is only available to guests staying at Disney World Resort hotels,  the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels, or Shades of Green.

You will DEFINITELY want to be in the know about Lightning Lanes before you visit Disney World, sooo…

Click HERE to find out Everything You Need to Know About Lightning Lanes in Disney World

Disney Dining Plan

The BIGGEST change in 2024 is that the Disney Dining Plan IS BACK as of January 9th, 2024. For those who don’t know what the dining plan is (especially since it’s been missing from Disney World since 2020), it’s a way for Disney World guests booking a vacation package through Disney to pre-pay for their dining costs.

Two plans are available: the Standard Dining Plan and the Quick Service Dining Plan — here are FULL details on what each plan offers and here’s a list of all the Disney World restaurants participating in the plan.

The One Thing We Noticed About the Disney Dining Plan That Could Change Everything

New Park Pass Reservation Rules

You may know that all Disney World ticket holders were required to make a park pass reservation for each day they planned on being in the theme parks since July 2020. That also changed on January 9th, 2024 — park pass reservations are NO LONGER NEEDED for those who purchase date-based tickets. This means that guests who buy theme park tickets tied to specific dates do NOT need to make a reservation.

However, guests with tickets that are not based on specific dates still need to make park pass reservations. This includes Annual Passholders (unless visiting specific parks after 2PM), Cast Members, and other non-date-based ticket types.

BUT, as of January 11th, 2024, Disney is offering “Good to Go” days for Annual Passholders and Cast Members. On these days, these visitors can enter the ANY of the four theme parks without a Park Pass Reservation.

The circled dates that appear when an Annual Passholders is logged into their My Disney Experience account denote the date as Good-to-Go!

Park Hopping Update

Also, as of January 9th, 2024, all-day park hopping IS BACK! Anyone who has a park ticket with Park Hopper or an Annual Pass can visit another theme park at any time of day during park hours.

When Park Hopper returned in 2021, it was limited to after 2PM each day. That restriction ENDED on January 9th.

Disney World Hotels

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort

1900 Park Fare reopened at long last on April 10th, 2024! This restaurant, which is located in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, is one of a few that had yet to reopen since the temporary closure of Walt Disney World Resort in 2020. But now, it’s back… with an entirely new Character Dining experience: Wish Makers Enchanted Dining!

During a buffet-style Breakfast or Dinner, guests enjoy tableside visits by characters including  Aladdin (in his Prince Ali look), Cinderella, Mirabel from Encanto, and Princess Tiana in her new look for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure “as they celebrate the power of a wish.”

Click HERE to step inside the reopened — and refreshed — 1900 Park Fare!

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

NEW Polynesian DVC Villas — which Disney calls Island Tower — have been built on the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon, offering waterfront views. And, the Villas officially opened on December 17th, 2024! You can check out four unique features at the Tower here. 

As for dining options at Island Tower, the Wailulu Bar & Grill offers “breathtaking views of the Seven Seas Lagoon and Cinderella’s Castle at Magic Kingdom Park.”

This is a casual walk-up pool bar and grill, and features an all-day menu for lunch and dinner. There are also specialty coffee and on-the-go morning pastries available for breakfast.

STEP INSIDE Polynesian Resort’s Island Tower HERE!

Disney’s BoardWalk

Originally expected to open in late 2023, The Cake Bake Shop officially opened at long last on October 25th, 2024! 

The Cake Bake Shop is an elegant dining location open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but you can also grab delectable desserts here unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.

Find our review of Breakfast at The Cake Bake Shop here, and our review of Dinner at The Cake Bake Shop here!

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

More than 350 refreshed cabins are replacing the existing cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground! Although the new cabins are part of the Disney Vacation Club resort lineup, the cabins are open for reservations to all guests, including those who are not Disney Vacation Club Members.

The cabins sleep up to six adults and feature a bedroom, bathroom, living room, full kitchen, and private patio. A select number of cabins are dog-friendly.

These refreshed cabins started to debut on July 1st! The opening is taking place in phases — the first loop opened July 1st, and more will continue to open throughout the year.

Click HERE to take a PHOTO TOUR of the NEW Cabins at Fort Wilderness!

A new dining experience has already debuted at Trail’s End Restaurant, with Crockett’s Tavern having been refurbished, as well.

Magic Kingdom

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is NOW OPEN in Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland as of  June 28th, 2024!

Hatbox Ghost Has Materialized in Disney World

Disneyland’s infamous Hatbox Ghost has made the journey east to appear inside Disney World’s Haunted Mansion in Magic Kingdom!

Hatbox Ghost started haunting Haunted Mansion guests in late November 2023, so you’ll want to BEWARE of him in 2024!

Country Bear Jamboree Transformation

Those beloved Country Bears have put together an ALL-NEW ACT in Magic Kingdom! The Country Bear Musical Jamboree opened on July 17th, 2024 with a show featuring classic songs AND Disney songs in NEW styles like country, rockabilly, and bluegrass voiced by artists including Emily Ann Roberts and Grammy winners Allison Russell and Chris Thile.

So be sure to step inside Grizzly Hall next time you mosey on into Frontierland so you can catch the new show, you hear?

Check out pics and VIDEOS of the NEW Country Bear Musical Jamboree HERE!

EPCOT

Journey of Water — Inspired by Moana

EPCOT has been undergoing a MASSIVE transformation over the past few years, but much of that transformation will be complete by or during 2024.  For instance, EPCOT visitors can enjoy a new attraction, Journey of Water — Inspired by Moana, which is NOW OFFICIALLY OPEN as of October 16th, 2023! 

The attraction is a walkthrough trail where guests can “play with magical, living water” in an immersive way. We’ve enjoyed sharing a look inside — along with a FULL WALK-THROUGH — with you!

Click here to GO INSIDE EPCOT’s Moana-Inspired Journey of Water Attraction! And find our FULL VIDEO WALK-THROUGH here!

World Celebration Completion and Festival Area Opening

EPCOT’s historic — and lengthy — transformation is at long last COMPLETE! The final touch is the opening of CommuniCore Hall and Plaza in World Celebration on June 10th, 2024!

The new area serves as a central location for EPCOT’s rotating festivals throughout the year, providing a communal space to celebrate — and to provide additional programs for the events!

Communicore Plaza is an outdoor space where guests can enjoy the festival offerings, while Communicore Hall is flexible enough to host a myriad of different things — food stalls, exhibition, mixology class, and so much more!

Take a Photo Tour of CommuniCore HERE!

Along with providing dedicated spaces for EPCOT’s seasonal Festivals, CommuniCore Hall is also the location of a new year-round Mickey & Friends Meet-and-Greet!

We saw Minnie and Goofy greeting with Mickey, but be aware that the “& Friends” in the space may vary, so be ready for a surprise!

And rest assured that Mickey himself will always be present to SEE YA, PAL!!!

Check out Mickey’s NEW Meet-and-Greet Spot HERE!

New Encanto-themed Show

As part of the CommuniCore opening celebration, a BRAND NEW Encanto stage show has made its debut! ¡Celebración Encanto! is a sing-along that includes popular songs — and characters! — from the film.

The show is running several times a day and takes place on the CommuniCore Plaza stage.

Get ready to party with Bruno and Mirabel!

See why we LOVE EPCOT’s new Encanto show HERE!

New Nighttime Show

A BRAND NEW nighttime spectacular made its debut on December 5th, 2023 in honor of Disney 100 Years of Wonder: Luminous The Symphony Of Us!

Disney shares that the show is meant to “reflect the commonality in all of us,” and that the show invites “everyone to gather around World Showcase Lagoon for a show that will unite us through commonalities of the heart in a dazzling display of fireworks, lasers, music and light. Featuring an original composition along with select songs from the Disney songbook, this new spectacular will remind us that we’re more alike than different, connecting our hearts together as one.”

Make sure to experience it when you come in 2024!

Click HERE to find out more about Luminous!

Disney Springs

NEW “Disney Dreams That Soar” Drone Show

UPDATE: Dreams That Soar ended its summer run on September 2nd, 2024, but we are keeping this information here in hopes that it returns to Disney Springs in the future!

Make sure you head to the West Side of Disney Springs to catch a BRAND NEW Drone show above Lake Buena Vista: “Disney Dreams That Soar” is inspired by Disney stories that showcase flight! It made its debut on May 24th, 2024.

These drones are programmed to create designs in the sky and are accompanied by a beautiful musical score that includes memorable movie quotes. The show ran through September 2nd, and was a great late-night perk for those still hanging out at Disney Springs!

The viewing area for it is on the West Side of Disney Springs along the water between the Aerophile balloon and the Cirque du Soliel Theatre. But, we also heard a pro tip that the rooftop bar at the Coca-Cola store is another great spot to catch the show! These areas are first-come, first-served, so keep that in mind for planning.

Click here for PICS and VIDEOS of Disney Dreams That Soar!

NEW Disney Springs Restaurants

A new restaurant you can try in 2024 is EET by Maneet Chauhan! This eatery, which opened in December 2023, is a creation by James Beard Award-winning chef and Food Network star Maneet Chauhan together with hospitality entrepreneur Vivek Deora.

The location serves Indian cuisine in a Quick Service fashion. EET presents a “modern, fun Indian-inspired concept” and it should definitely be on your radar!

Click HERE to check out the NEW restaurant, eet by Maneet Chauhan!

Summer House on the Lake opened on December 14, 2023 in Disney Springs! You’ll find it on the West Side near Jaleo, Splitsville, and Salt & Straw.

So that means YOU can look forward to California-inspired bites including everything from pizza and pasta to fresh salads and sandwiches during your 2024 visit to Disney Springs! (Oh, and don’t forget the weekend BRUNCH!) You can enjoy any of these meals on one of the three expansive patios. And tucked inside Summer House on the Lake you’ll find The Cookie Bar! The Cookie Bar is “a dessert-focused market” that serves “freshly baked cookies and house-made pastries.”

Step INSIDE Summer House on the Lake with us!

Whew — that is a LOT of change, and we expect even more changes might be on the way. Be sure to stay tuned to DFB to stay updated!

We know that planning a Disney World trip is A LOT – which is why we bring you posts like this so often But we’ve also put together a complete guide in ebook format that gives you all of the info you need, all in one place! Be sure to check out the DFB Guide to Dining at Walt Disney World!

Will you be visiting Disney World in 2024? Let us know which changes you’re looking forward to (or not) in the comments!