Category: Cities

Disney Parks Early 2024 Ride Closures

This time of year is usually when the Disney theme parks like to do annual maintenance on their rides, especially water rides. Make sure to check each park’s refurbishment calendar when planning your trip dates to make sure a favorite ride won’t be closed. Below are just some main ones that I’m seeing as of this writing.

Disney World

Rock ‘n Roller Coaster, Hollywood Studios – Jan 8th-Summer 2024
Frozen Ever After, EPCOT – Jan 24th only, then Nov 2-6th
Big Thunder Railroad, Magic Kingdom – Jan 16-20th
Country Bear Jamboree, Magic Kingdom – Jan 27-Summer 2024
Splash Mountain, Magic Kingdom – already closed for the retheming to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, scheduled to open sometime this year
Kali River Rapids, Animal Kingdom – Jan 8-tbd

In addition to the rides, the Disney Skyliner Gondola will be closed for annual maintenance from Jan 16-21st, and until Jan 27th between the International Gateway at EPCOT and the Riviera resort. Buses to the parks will be provided if you’re staying at the Skyliner resorts.

Also, Blizzard Beach is open but Typhoon Lagoon is now closed until they both reopen for the warmer months.

Disneyland

Haunted Mansion, Disneyland – Jan 22-tbd
“it’s a small world”, Disneyland – Jan 7-17th
Splash Mountain, Disneyland – already closed for the retheming to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, opening date tbd
Grizzly River Run, California Adventure – Jan 8-tbd
Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind, California Adventure– Jan 22-Feb 8th
World of Color One, California Adventure – Jan 8-18th

In the park calendars below, change the date, click on the park icons of all of the ones you want to check, and then scroll down to the Closed for Refurbishment section of each park.

These calendars also show the park hours and scheduled times for the numerous shows and fireworks (of course, subject to change and some won’t get posted til it’s closer to that date but checking closer dates can give you an approximate idea), so it’s good to check them often if you want to plan dining reservations or ride times around certain ones.

Disney World Calendar

Disneyland California Calendar

Check the calendars often, especially if your trip is still several months or even weeks away, since closures and dates for their reopening can fluctuate. Closures do happen year-round, not just in January and February.

Of course, this applies to any other theme parks, or any other attraction/location, that you may be interested in going to as well. Always check their websites before you lock in your travel plans and before your trip dates, for any closures and changes. Or, you can use a travel agent, like me, who will stay on top of any changes for you. 😁

Feel free to contact me if you want any help planning your future trips.

EPCOT International Festival of the Arts 2024

Update Jan 12, 2024: The festival started today and the menus of the food booths have been added to Disney’s Festival of the Arts page. Click the Details link for each booth listing.

Update Nov 17, 2023: Disney just announced the lineup of performers for the Disney on Broadway concerts and the list of food booths. Exciting!

If you’re planning ahead, the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts will run from January 12 – February 19, 2024 at Disney World. This festival will showcase the fine arts, performance arts, and culinary arts.

A highlight of this festival is the Disney on Broadway Concert Series where major Broadway stars perform songs from Disney Broadway musicals. Shows take place on select days at 5:30pm, 6:45pm, and 8:00pm at the America Gardens Theatre in the America pavilion. The list of performers is listed on their site. Check it often for the latest updates.

If you want to guarantee yourself a seat, you may want to book a dining package. Some shows will fill up fast.

Throughout the day around the World Showcase, other musical acts will also be performing.

Another key component will be the unique food booths showcasing dishes with a more artistic flair. Some look almost too pretty to eat!

One of the most unique features of this festival will be the many opportunities to see and participate in artistic activities yourself.

Artists will be showcasing their paintings and even painting live during the day. You can also join your fellow park-goers in painting a giant paint-by-numbers type wall mural.

Other artists will be drawing the most amazing 3D chalk art images on the sidewalks that you can then take pictures with. You really look like you’re inside that drawing. They’re incredible!

There will also be new photo ops, PhotoPass Magic Shots, plenty of merch, and many other fun activities. This is a short but unique festival. Try to catch it.

For more details, visit the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts page.

We attended this festival last year and it was one of our favorites. As always, feel free to contact me if you want to chat about planning your Disney trip.

Pics ©Disney

Disney The Tale of Moana

Disney Cruise Line announced the third stage show that will be on the Disney Treasure when it starts sailing in December 2024! Drumroll….

It will be “Disney The Tale of Moana“!

The show will follow Moana on a journey to save her island after she is chosen to restore the heart of Te Fiti. Gramma Tala, Maui, and Tamatoa will join Moana, along with songs from the film’s original soundtrack.

Update 1/12/2024: Disney just revealed some artist renderings of scenes from the show. It will begin in modern day on the fictional island of Motunui, in a set design filled with hints of brilliant cultures of the Pacific Islands that will appear throughout the show. In one iconic scene, The Walt Disney Theatre will transform from the island of Motunui into the open ocean!

Moana will join “Beauty and the Beast” and “Disney Seas the Adventure” in the Walt Disney Theatre. The stage shows on the Disney ships are Broadway-quality shows and one of our favorite parts of a Disney cruise. Don’t miss them!

Visit my Disney Treasure Revealed post for more details about this ship.

Construction of the Disney Treasure is speeding along. This month, the forward funnel arrived at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany! Exciting!

Are you looking forward to sailing on the Disney Treasure? Feel free to contact me if you want me to help you plan your cruise trip!

Pics ©Disney Cruise Line

Disneyland Magic Key Passes on Sale Again

Disneyland Magic Key sales will resume on January 10, 2024 no earlier than 9am PST!

Disneyland Magic Key program is the current name for the Annual Pass program at the Disneyland Resort in California. All four Magic Key types will go back on sale after being paused on and off for the last few years. Based on past experience of high demand, it is anticipated that there will be a virtual queue to purchase and a long wait. Plan accordingly.

The passes come in four different tiers (Inspire, Believe, Enchant, Imagine) with various levels of theme park access, retail and dining discounts plus special benefits just for Magic Key holders. Throughout the year, Magic Key holders will be able to experience “Extras Unlocked,” which are special offerings including Magic Key-themed merchandise, special extras and experiences, dining opportunities and discounts, and more.

To purchase or compare the different tiers, visit the Magic Key page.

Feel free to contact me if you want to chat about annual passes or any Disney trip.

©Disney

More Disney World Savings

In addition to the Free Dining Plan Offer for Disney+ subscribers staying July 1 – Sept 30, 2024, there are two more offers for the coming months.

Stay Longer and Save More on Rooms

For 1 – 4 night stays from March 25 – July 7, 2024, you can save 10% – 25% depending on the resort.

For 5 – 14 night stays from March 25 – July 7, 2024, you can save 10% – 30% depending on the resort.

For 1 – 4 night stays from July 8 – Oct 3, 2024, you can save 10% – 30% depending on the resort.

For 5 – 14 night stays from July 8 – Oct 3, 2024, you can save 10% – 35% depending on the resort.

Florida Residents: Save Up to 30% on Rooms

For 1 – 14 night stays from March 25 – July 7, 2024, you can save 10% – 30% depending on the resort.

Proof of Florida residency is required at check-in.

The number of rooms allocated for any of these offers is limited and excludes certain room types. Savings are based on the non-discounted price for the same room.

Feel free to contact me to check if your desired resort has availability for any offers.

Disney World Free Dining Plan Offer

Happy New Year! Here’s a new Disney offer to kick off the year!

Starting Jan. 3, 2024, Disney+ subscribers can get a FREE dining plan when purchasing a non-discounted 4-night, 4-day Disney World package that includes a room at a select Disney Resort hotel and theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option. Packages may be longer as well.

This offer is valid for arrivals most nights July 1 through Sept. 30, 2024.

This offer must be booked by February 14, 2024.

Feel free to contact me if you want to chat about this or want me to help plan your next trip.

©Disney

Merry Christmas

Holiday Greetings from Disney World!

We just spent our first full day here, exploring EPCOT on Christmas Eve yesterday. It was awesome! Cool weather, low crowds, and yummy festival foods. Today, we’re going to Magic Kingdom, because Christmas needs to be at MK! Cross your fingers for us!

As many trips as we’ve done to Disney in the past, we’ve never come on the actual Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. We always heard about the crazy holiday crowds and wanted to avoid them, but this time they weren’t bad at all, at least not at EPCOT yesterday. Maybe it was an anomaly and we just got lucky though. It has been unusually cool for Florida, so maybe that scared away some crowds. Who knows. Either way, it was a glorious day yesterday. I’ll do a more detailed trip recap soon.

Stay tuned for part 2 of this holiday adventure tomorrow at another exciting location!

I wish you and yours a very happy holiday season! Merry Christmas if you celebrate it!

Follow along here (trip recap coming soon) and on my Instagram (adventures_by_anne) for more details and pics.

We’re in California!

We finally crossed into California on our 2023 Cross Country Road Trip Recap!

Catch up on the first leg of this mega loop around the United States that we took in September. In the first 10 days. we made it from the East Coast to the West Coast. We explored 3 national parks (Mammoth Cave, Hot Springs, and Great Basin), met some aliens at Roswell, and saw some amazingly gorgeous landscapes.

After a few days in California, we’ll be heading up the Pacific Coast to the national parks in Oregon and Washington, then head back east via some states that we haven’t been to before and more national parks. Very excited to check some more parks and states off our bucket list! Follow along!

2023 Cross Country Road Trip

National Park Pass Change

Starting January 1, 2024, you will no longer be allowed to share a National Park Pass with someone else.

Currently, the passes allow for two signatures on the back, so either person can enter a fee-based U.S. National Park with that pass. They do check IDs. However, that will be changing for any new passes purchased in 2024. There will only be one signature line so the pass is only valid for that person. No more sharing.

If you already own one of the two signature pass cards purchased in 2023, they will still honor it for two people until its expiration date. So, if you think you’ll benefit from getting a National Park Pass and would like to share it with someone, buy your 2023 pass before the end of the year! It’ll be valid for 12 months after purchase.

There are several passes available, some aimed at specific groups such as seniors, military, and even 4th graders. Check this flowchart from the National Park Service to see which one is right for you.

National Park Pass type chart — *(click to enlarge)*

We love the national parks and have gotten an annual pass for many years. It’ll usually pay for itself after 3-4 visits to any of the major parks. I encourage you to get one and visit all of parks too. We still have a bunch left but have already gone to many amazing ones so far!

Feel free to contact me if you want me to help plan your next national park trip.

New Years Eve at Universal Hollywood

Be part of Universal Studios Hollywood’s EVE event on December 31, 2023, where you can party til 2am!

There will be multiple party areas with music, dancing, and a midnight countdown celebration with fireworks.

EVE festivities are included with valid theme park admission for Dec 31st. Entertainment begins at 9pm and ends at 2am. Select rides and attractions will close early during the event. All rides and attractions will close by 1am.

In the meantime, celebrate the holidays at Universal Hollywood’s You Do Yule festivities with new foods, shows, and more!

Feel free to contact me if you want me to help you plan your Universal trip.

Happy Holidays!

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