Summer 2016 is set to be an exciting season at the Walt Disney World Resort. Despite the fact that the highly-anticipated Rivers of Light show at Animal Kingdom that was originally set for April 22nd still has no premiere date in sight, there are still plenty of other offers that have already opened or will in within the next couple of months. With Memorial Day traditionally kicking off the summer season, here’s a look at what’s new at Walt Disney World:
Frozen Ever After
Though I’ll certainly miss Norway’s Maelstrom’s attraction, I’m interested in seeing what Frozen will bring to the attraction’s former space and how they’ll incorporate the characters into the World Showcase. This will also mark the first actual attraction from Frozen that isn’t a Sing-A-Long or stage show, and that makes me super excited to experience in person. That attraction is set to open June 21st.
Brand New Mickey Stage Show
Replacing Dream Along with Mickey on the Cinderella Castle stage will be Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire, which will bring together characters from Tangled, Frozen, Princess and the Frog and more. Not many details have been given on what the show will include (or when it will open other than “summer”), but guests with little ones will definitely have this exciting show to look forward to enjoy right in front of the Cinderella Castle.
Star Wars Everywhere!
If you’re a Star Wars fan, there’s no better place to visit than Disney’s Hollywood Studios. As the park ramps up for its very own 14-acre wide Star Wars themed land in a few years, the park has already begun adding Star Wars themed experiences until the park opens. Recently, the park debuted a new stage show Star Wars: A Galaxy Far Far Away, and on June 17th will debut Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular which will be a stunning Star Wars themed fireworks show located in the Studios. Guests should also be sure to check out the new Star Wars Launch Bay where they can see concept art and meet Chewbacca and Kylo Ren, and fans should, of course, be sure to visit the long-standing Star Tours, recently updated with sequences from The Force Awakens.
Soarin’ Around the World
Soarin’ has always been one of my favorite attractions at Epcot, so it’s a bit bittersweet to see the classic attraction bow out of the park, but I’m super excited for the attraction’s upcoming update Soarin’ Around the World, which will take guests beyond a flight to California, and instead put them on an adventure throughout the globe. The attraction is being rethemed to incorporate international sequences to fit in with the ride opening in Shanghai Disneyland, as well as Disneyland in California. Soarin’ has always been a blast, and I’m ready for Disney to take that excitement to the next level when the new version opens on June 17th.
New Characters Added to Turtle Talk with Crush
As a tie-in to Finding Dory out this June, Epcot will has added a few characters from the new film to join in the discussion in Turtle Talk with Crush. The characters that have joined the attraction include Bailey the Beluga, Destiny the shark and Hank the octopus. Swim on over to Turtle Talk at Epcot to see these additions now (or you can always watch our video above).
Exploring the Kilimanjaro Safaris at Night
As you’ve probably heard, Animal Kingdom is undergoing a transition into a full-day park, and one of the most exciting things to come out of that change is that guests now have the ability to experience the Kilimanjaro Safaris beyond sunset. Previously the ride (and the park) weren’t available beyond 5 p.m., so an experience like this is bound to be gorgeous and certainly not to be missed. These new excursions are embarking now.
New Dining Experiences at Animal Kingdom
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is clearly becoming the new destination for nighttime dining and entertainment and the latest new change is Tiffin’s restaurant at Discovery Island, which Disney describes as “a restaurant inspired by exploration and adventure. Early reviews indicate that well-seasoned food junkies and fans looking for the ultimate dining experience in Animal Kingdom need look no further.
Rivers of Light
To be honest, this show may not actually make its “summer” premiere timeframe. In fact, when it was announced that Rivers of Light wouldn’t debut on April 22nd afterall, Disney said they’d unveil a new opening date sometime in May. With that deadline expiring on Wednesday, it’s hard to say when exactly Rivers will see the Light of day. In the meantime, Animal Kingdom is making use of the seating area and the massive hit The Jungle Book for a temporary show called The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic.
As you can tell, 2016 is bound to be a super exciting jam-packed summer to experience at the Walt Disney World theme parks. There’s a lot to take in, with new dining and attractions experiences throughout the parks. We’re excited to experience it all in person this summer and we hope you are too.