UPDATED December 17, 2024

Are you ready for a change? Disney World sure is!

If you’re planning for your next Disney World trip for 2024, you’ve got to know all the things that are changing from this year to the next (and be prepared because it’s a LONG list). But fear not — we’re here and we’ll guide you through all of the changes coming so that you’re ready to make those travel plans with confidence!

What’s going to be changing at Disney World in 2024? Well, do you have a minute? Go ahead and get comfortable, put your feet up, and let’s go over it all.

Resort-Wide

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

BIG CHANGES have come to Disney World’s Lightning Lanes!

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 — NOW AVAILABLE!

Look, this is probably the BIGGEST change that you’re going to see on this list and the one we’ve been anticipating greatly. 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 who book 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 will offer 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 — NO LONGER REQUIRED FOR MOST GUESTS!

Alright, next up, you likely 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, this change doesn’t affect those with tickets that are not based on specific dates. They still need to make park pass reservations (i.e. Annual Passholders unless they’re visiting specific parks after 2PM, Cast Members, and other non-date-based ticket types).

Read More About The Park Pass Reservations Change

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! In fact, if you try to make a Park Pass reservation for one of those dates, you’ll receive a second reminder, as a Good-to-Go date is unable to be selected.

Disney notes that “the theme park reservation calendar will be updated periodically and will show Passholders select days when they may visit a Disney World theme park without needing a theme park reservation.” That means that you can see the “Good to Go” days on a rolling basis, so you won’t be able to see the whole year right away.

Park Hopping Update — BACK ALL DAY!

WOO HOO! As of January 9th, 2024, all-day Park Hopping is BACK! Anyone who has a park ticket with Park Hopper benefits or an Annual Pass can visit another theme park at any time of day during park hours.

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

Disney World Hotels

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

Next, over at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, the hotel rooms have been updated with new furniture and decor!

These new rooms feature whimsical touches like charming artwork that contains images of Mickey, Minnie, and other Disney pals strolling through the BoardWalk, along with all the amenties you would expect.

Take a PHOTO TOUR of the NEW guest rooms at BoardWalk Inn HERE!

Outside, on the BoardWalk itself, new restaurants have opened, too!

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.

We’ve been able to check out the bakery case (which offers baked goodies to go) and experience both the full service Breakfast and Dinner. And we are thrilled to share our experiences with you!

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

And, as of August 23rd, Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs is OPEN at long last!

Located on Disney World’s BoardWalk, it was initially slated to open in 2023 (“late 2023,” to be precise), but met with delays. So we’ve been looking forward to this for a LONG TIME.

Why? Because these are NOT you average Corn Dogs with options like Mexican Street Dogs, Pickle Dogs, and more. And let me tell you… the wait was WORTH IT!

Click HERE for our full review of Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs!

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort

Room changes are also coming to the Grand Floridian Resort. Disney announced that some of the rooms will be updated with new furniture and color schemes. We’ve already seen many of these updated rooms open up to guests.

Lots of the DVC rooms have been updated already with a Mary Poppins Returns theme.

Disney also announced a little while back that the lobby of the hotel is going to undergo a refurbishment soon. And we can’t forget about the restaurants! Both Citricos and Narcoossee’s at the Grand Floridan got refurbishments with new decor in the past couple of years.

And a HUGE change has come to one more Grand Floridian Restaurant… 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 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 made their debuts starting on July 1st! The opening is taking place in phases — the first loop opened on July 1st, and the second will follow later this month. 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.

Another Big Hotel Change

If we’re talking about changes at Disney World hotels, we also need to talk about a new piece of Disney tech — Hey Disney! works with Amazon Echo and Alexa devices and offers “custom voice assistance” to guests staying at Disney World resorts. Through Hey Disney, you can get assistance with room amenities, guest services, planning, weather info, and much more.

Don’t forget that you can also get Hey Disney! for your home on Amazon!

Now let’s talk about what’s going down at the parks.

Magic Kingdom

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure — NOW OPEN!

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

HOW TO RIDE: Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is accessible via Virtual Queue and as a Lightning Lane Multi-Pass Tier 1 option. Click either link to find out more!

The NEW Country Bear Musical Jamboree — NOW OPEN!

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 — NOW OPEN!

If you haven’t heard, EPCOT has been undergoing an EPIC transformation over the past few years, with much of it set to complete in December 2023. In fact, 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 — NOW COMPLETE!

EPCOT’s lengthy transformation has — at long last — come to a close!, The final phase began with a reveal EPCOT’s all-new World Celebration Gardens as well as the Walt the Dreamer statue in early December 2023.

But the final touch was 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 Show — NOW SHOWING!

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 — NOW SHOWING!

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!

While we’re in EPCOT, let’s talk about food.

Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya — NOW OPEN!

A NEW RESTAURANT that you can enjoy in 2024 opened on August 15th in EPCOT’s Japan pavilion! Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya! The menu features “Japanese delights like sushi and teppan items,” plus an open sushi bar and grill.

Sushi fans can enjoy the Kobore Sushi, Tokyo Negi Roll, and Funamori. Not only that, but you can enjoy Japanese Izakaya, a type of casual pub-style restaurant that puts an emphasis on drinks and conversations with friends.

But the unique thing that sets this restaurant apart is that each month it will honor a different Japanese seasonal festival. Sometimes that’ll be with special menu items or unique decor. And a cultural representative will be present during your meal to guide you through the experience. Plus, the restaurant will feature fireworks views. (Shiki-Sai is located in the Japan Pavilion, on the second floor — above the Mitsukoshi Department Store (where Tokyo Dining was previously located).

Shiki-Sai might be your new must-visit spot for Japanese eats, seasonal celebrations, and fireworks at EPCOT in 2024!

JOIN US for our Opening Day visit at Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya HERE!

Let’s hop on over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and find out what’s going on there.

Hollywood Studios

New Snack Stand — NOW OPEN!

Ice Cold Hydraulics is a brand-new snack stand with some brand-new eats in Muppets Courtyard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

Newly open in February 2024, this spot serves a couple of truly unique spotlight items like Candy Painted Cinnamon Rolls, savory Bouncin’ Mini Churros! You’ll also find plenty of park classics like Mickey Bars, Mickey Pretzels, Frozen Slushes, and more!

Check out our first REVIEW of Ice Cold Hydraulics here!

New Star Tours Adventures — NOW SHOWING!

On April 5th, NEW adventures made their debut at Star Tours in Disney World’s Hollywood Studios (along with Disneyland Resort and Disneyland Paris) featuring NEW-to-the-ride characters!

The new adventures feature characters and locations from Ashoka, Andor, and The Mandalorian. Parkgoers can now experience over 250 different adventures with a plethora of different characters, locations, and experiences!

Click HERE to check out the CHANGES at Star Tours (though beware of spoilers)!

Alright, let’s head out of the parks now and head on over to Disney Springs.

Disney Springs

“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.

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!

Summer House on the Lake — NOW OPEN!

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!

EET by Maneet Chauhan — NOW OPEN!

Another new restaurant set to 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!

Paddy’s Bar — COMING FALL 2024!

Raglan Road is a popular table service restaurant in Disney Springs, and it has an adjoining quick service spot (Cookes of Dublin) along with a bar area (The Hole in the Wall). Now, there’s another addition coming to the Raglan Road complex!

Paddy’s Bar is going to be a new permanent outdoor bar (replacing the mobile bar) situated just in front of the Shop for Ireland gift shop. It’ll have six to eight seats and will only serve a limited menu of drinks — so if you want food, you’ll need to head to Raglan Road or Cookes of Dublin. The drinks menu here will feature “the very best of Irish draft beers along with locally commissioned craft beers – plus our unique array of Irish cocktails.”

The bar is named after the poet Patrick Kavanagh, who wrote the poem “Raglan Road.” It’s going to open pretty soon! They expect it to be ready for guests this fall (2024).

See Disney’s confirmation of the opening timelines of MANY major projects right here!

 

Which project are you most looking forward to? Tell us in the comments!