Thanks to Walt Disney World Resort for inviting me to experience new attractions and entertainment. They provided free park passes and hotel stay in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
The most magical place on earth is heating up this summer. There is so much new at Walt Disney World Resorts and I got to see much of it first hand recently. Sunny 106.3 gave me the hard assignment of touring the resort area to get the scoop. Here we go.
New At Walt Disney World And Magic Kingdom
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens at the Magic Kingdom on June 28th. It’s a New Orleans celebration with food, music, all kinds of cute swamp critters as you ride a log flume through the bayou.. I was among the first to get a preview and here is a short video of some of the experience.
Tiana’s story is a modern day one, inspired by the classic tale, “The Princess and the Frog”. The modern day part comes from Dooky Chase’s Restaurant and the family who founded it. Dooky Chase’s is quite famous, known for serving Creole cuisine to celebrities and dignitaries for decades.
In addition, a Magic Kingdom classic just got an update and is about to reopen. The iconic Country Bear Jamboree has some new music too. Some famous Nashville artists like Mac McAnally did their country magic on some classic Disney songs and more.
The costumes have also been spruced up and there is a lot of excitement around its return. The curtain rises again on July 17th.
New At Walt Disney World And Typhoon Lagoon
H2O Glow is back and featuring new entertainment. The big beach party happens after hours on select nights throughout the summer. The park lights up in neon, there are fewer people so that means shorter wait times on your favorite water slides and rides.
Characters are on hand for the dance party on the beach and Phineas & Ferb debut this year. You’ll also find new food items for the party. Here is a video from the night.
New At Walt Disney World And EPCOT
At EPCOT the new CommuniCore Hall CommuniCore Plaza is finally open. It’s a big event space that can host all kinds of entertainment, exhibits and demonstrations. The International Food & Wine Festival begins August 29th so I can’t wait to see if the hall is used for this too.
The Plaza has dining and it’s where we got to see the animated movie “Encanto” come to life on stage. This cute show is running for a limited time and encourages you to sing and dance along with the characters.
But I think my favorite thing to discover at EPCOT was Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana. It’s an interactive water exhibit that is fun, educational and mesmerizing for both big and little kids. Rollercoaster enthusiasts wont want to miss Guardians of the Galaxy, it is intense in every way.
Finally, don’t miss Luminous Symphony of Us. It incorporates fireworks, lights and a water show. The best part for me was the story. Listen to the words as the music plays and the lights flash. When it all comes together, it is quite moving.
And if you’re at Hollywood Studios, Fantasmic! is a spectacular nighttime show. It has stunts, dancing water and almost every Disney character you can imagine shows up.
New At Walt Disney World And Disney Springs
Speaking of nighttime light displays, there is a new one at Disney Springs called “Disney Dreams That Soar”. This one features some 800 drones and I’ve never seen anything like it. The show features 30 of Disney’s most beloved characters and more. It runs through September 2nd.
Here is a video compilation of our media adventure to get you excited about winning tickets. I’m giving them away in the morning from six to ten. In addition, you can register to win a pair online. Just click here to register.
Here are a few more photos of what is new at Walt Disney World Resorts this summer and more info for Florida residents too.
