Here’s Everything That Happened at Walt Disney World Today [May 2, 2014]

To say that a lot has been happening at Walt Disney World Resort (WDW) is an understatement. The Florida resort consisting of 5 theme parks, 2 water parks, and their version of Downtown Disney is the Parks and Resorts’ biggest cash cow and Disney wants to make sure it remains that way. They’re currently doing that with a lot of construction projects that have (and will) make WDW a wanted destination for people around the world for years to come!

Some of those construction projects recently wrapped up. That, along with a few new amenities, were all debuted and formally announced today, so here is all that news that is certainly worth noting because of how it’ll affect the rest of the theme parks and resorts Disney has around the world as they begin to compete with WDW for the world’s attention.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train attraction debuts completing New Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom Park

This unique mini-coaster takes riders through the story of Snow White from the Dwarfs point of view. Taking a wooden mine train that swings with the motions of the track, riders will be immersed in that world from the classic storybook with advanced Audio Animatronics and other special effects. The attraction completes the multi-year effort of re-imagining Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom Park. The attraction opens to the public on May 28.

“Rivers of Light”, Harambe Nights, and “Festival of The Lion King” will be a part of the re-imagined Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park

“Rivers of Light” – The show itself will be the first nighttime show in Disney’s version of a zoo park in a concept similar to “World of Color”. Show creators at Walt Disney Imagineering promise that it will be unique enough and will be the most innovative show that Disney has ever created. It will feature LIVE music, performers, water screens, and animal imagery. The show is currently in development with no opening date announced.

Harambe Nights – This all-new experience at Animal Kingdom Park will consist of three parts: 1) a welcome reception featuring appetizers and African-inspired wine and beer and 2) The main event will be “The Lion King – Concert in the Wild” which will feature a live orchestra, choir, dancers, digital projections, and other theatrical elements that’ll be similar to the Broadway version of the show. It’ll be unique in that it’ll have a celebrity guest narrator telling Simba’s journey. The third part of the event will happen after the show where guests can take part in a street party filled with buffet, music, and other special performances. The Harambe Nights will be an additional cost to admission. For more information, click HERE.

“Festival of The Lion King” – The previous live stage show was a visitor favorite when the show debuted at Animal Kingdom, but recently closed due to the theater where the show currently plays being taken over by Avatar Land. Disney has announced that the show will return in an all-new location in June 2014.

Disney’s Polynesian Resort changing its name along with an extensive renovation

The tropical themed resort hotel at Walt Disney World has recently begun an extensive re-imagining process with Imagineers already working at telling a new story within the hotel. In telling that story, it was revealed that the name of the hotel would change to its original name when it first opened. The new Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort will also feature a new lounge called Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, similar to the bar that’s at the Disneyland Hotel.

Free dining plans for Walt Disney World are now available for Disney Visa Card Holders visiting for the summer

Disney Dining Plans are a way for guests staying on property to enjoy affordable snacks and restaurant food while visiting the Walt Disney World Resort. In other words, it’s free food for the entire length of your visit. With the swipe of your hotel room key, you’ll be able to eat when you want where you want to and again this summer, Disney has announced that their dining plans will be free for Disney Visa Card Holders who book with their card and between certain dates. More information can be found by clicking HERE.

MyMagic+, the new next-generation guest assistance technology, opens up to all guests visiting Walt Disney World Resort

MyMagic+ allows guests to use technology to make their visit to WDW more enjoyable and less worrisome. Although the rollout for the new experience was limited to a select group of visitors like Annual Passholders for their beta testing period, Disney has announced that MyMagic+ is now available for all visitors, even if they are just visiting for a day. Guests wishing to try MyMagic+ can do so by signing up online by clicking HERE. The rollout will continue with hopes to make it out to other Disney Parks and Resorts around the world eventually.

And that’s it! Are you ready to head on down for some Florida sun?

We highly recommend that you contact our Partners at Small World Vacations, the official travel agents of DisneyExaminer, to book your Walt Disney World vacation as they know everything and more about all these new offerings and will make sure you get the most magic during your visit!

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Will you be visiting the Walt Disney World Resort any time soon? With all these enhancements and improvements, will it make you want to visit the Resort in the near future? If you had the choice to go to either Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort, where would you go and why? Comment below!

And by the way, although we don’t typically write about WDW too much, this post was worth writing because we’re excited to see all the new things happening over in Orlando and can’t wait to see the finished product(s). If you’re interested in writing about the Walt Disney World Resort as a staff writer for DisneyExaminer, please contact us using our Contact Us form!