Walt Disney World is asserting its plans for June by September 2024, promising that Summertime at The Most Magical Place On Earth goes to be additional magical this yr! This means new choices and leisure for EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. And now, the most important information of all–a model new drone present!
To shortly recap what’s coming for Summer 2024, the ¡Celebración Encanto! Sing-Along is Coming to EPCOT. Along with this, CommuniCore Hall will lastly open and greet company. As we talk about within the commentary to that publish, we’re additionally anticipating a fully-fledged EPCOT Summer Festival–it’s not simply tinfoil hat hypothesis, Disney even teases one thing extra.
Then there’s the Lion King thirtieth Anniversary Celebration Coming to Animal Kingdom in Summer 2024. As introduced, this isn’t actually something. Merchandise, meals, characters, and perhaps some photograph ops. However, as we talk about there, it’s not the primary time Animal Kingdom has hosted a Lion King anniversary occasion–and the park wants folks to remain later–so hopefully extra is on the horizon there, too. We’re not holding our breath, although.
Next up is Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the place you’ll have the ability to get into your feels with Joy herself! She’s headed to Pixar Plaza beginning June 10, the place she joins different Pixar stars. She’ll be in her new house simply in time for Disney Pixar’s “Inside Out 2,” which premieres in theaters June 14, 2024.
Of the 4 parks, the ultimate cease is Magic Kingdom. Nothing was introduced for Summer 2024, however we already know that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is opening there. Personally, I might not anticipate this to open by early June, however I might anticipate it to debut earlier than Independence Day.
My guess is that Walt Disney World didn’t share an official opening date at present as a result of they’re not fairly assured in a single simply but. Unlike different latest attraction openings, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has been moved ahead and is now a race in opposition to the clock, somewhat than ready it out. Our different guess is that Magic Kingdom will do one thing for summer season past TBA, however that’s TBA. I might see it being comparatively easy–like a refreshed cavalcade and a foodie ‘event’ at areas across the park, all impressed by Princess Tiana.
All of that brings us to the ultimate–and largest–piece of reports for Summer 2024 at Walt Disney World…
At Disney Springs, drones take to the skies above Lake Buena Vista with “Disney Dreams That Soar,” a summertime expertise that might be a late-night perk for Walt Disney World guests. “You can fly” takes on an entire new that means as Walt Disney World showcases tales celebrating the enjoyment of flight with state-of-the-art drones choreographed to create designs within the sky and paired with a hovering musical rating and memorable film quotes.
After spending a day delighting in purchasing, discovering enjoyable actions and savoring numerous flavors at Disney Springs, flip your eyes to the skies above the West Side for “Disney Dreams That Soar,” a nighttime present amongst the celebrities.
“Disney Dreams That Soar” will run nightly at Disney Springs from May 24 by September 2, 2024!
To common readers, it most likely doesn’t come as a shock that Walt Disney World is getting a drone present. Finally. It’s one thing we’ve been masking this yr in Will Walt Disney World Get a Dazzling Drone Display? We lay out the ‘why’ in that publish, however our reply has been that it’s an inevitability, and sooner somewhat than later.
This saga began with the drone exhibits at Disneyland Paris, and the extremely constructive visitor reception to these. At that time, it turned a foregone conclusion that any Disney vacation spot that would get drones, would get drones. Given its abundance of house, Walt Disney World was/is the logical touchdown level for the following Disney drone show.
The most up-to-date improvement was drone testing seen from Saratoga Springs Resort that occurred precisely one month in the past, in late February. According to firsthand studies, the drone made a number of loops across the Disney Springs lake earlier than returning to its launch pad within the parking zone behind Cirque du Soleil. The drone was illuminated with a shiny purple present gentle and carried out a number of take-offs and landings as a part of the take a look at.
While we’ve been betting large on drones coming to Walt Disney World, however is the one a part of the prediction we acquired unsuitable. Our perception was that testing was solely occurring at Disney Springs out of comfort–to keep away from areas within the parks with folks or having to check in the course of the in a single day hours to keep away from company. It’s additionally simpler to stage and take a look at drone shows at Disney Springs with out making any infrastructure modifications.
Our expectation was that drones would come to one of many parks and not Disney Springs. Although there’s been a drone present there earlier than, that was nearly a special period. It’s extremely unlikely the current-day Walt Disney World would placed on an “ungated” drone present. Whoops! (In our protection, no one bats 1.000 and even .500 with Disney information/rumor predictions.)
Even although I used to be undeniably incorrect, I’m going to double down on that wrong-ness. I’m nonetheless extremely skeptical that “Disney Dreams That Soar” is Walt Disney World’s finish sport with drones. Everything Disney does with leisure is pricey–from the event prices to the music to the infrastructure and so forth. It’s additionally labor intensive, which itself is turning into more and more pricey.
I don’t consider for a second that Walt Disney World would spend all of that cash to placed on a free drone present at Disney Springs, largely for the advantage of company and third occasion working contributors (who will see elevated enterprise with added foot visitors). It simply doesn’t cross the scent take a look at as one thing trendy Disney would do.
More possible, in my view, is that Walt Disney World realizes in depth testing and coaching might be needed for a everlasting manufacturing in one of many parks, so why not maintain that out within the open at Disney Springs and get some profit out of it? Throw collectively a fast present, and market that alongside a set of different leisure choices for Summer 2024.
Suddenly, there’s a compelling motive not simply for individuals who already are visiting to spend a night at Disney Springs, however for different followers to plan summer season holidays to Walt Disney World within the first place. Increase buzz and bookings, whereas additionally benefiting the tenants at Disney Springs. (And, if individuals are going to depart Animal Kingdom early anyway, give them someplace to go that’s not Magic Kingdom or EPCOT, thereby lowering the overcrowding in these parks.) Now that makes good sense!
It’s simple to neglect, however this has occurred previously–Walt Disney World already did a drone present at Disney Springs!
It’s now been nearly a decade in the past that Walt Disney World went to nice lengths to get waivers on their no-fly zones. In November 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration granted Walt Disney Parks & Resorts a waiver to make use of “small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) operations” inside its restricted airspaces. These sUAS are drones, and Disney has dubbed the know-how Flixels (per a 2014 patent submitting), which it has deliberate to make use of in nighttime exhibits.
Based on the approval, the flight paths of drones should be 100 ft away from visitor areas always, and so they should primarily fly over water and restricted areas, maxing out at 150 ft above the bottom. The solely query was how and the place Disney would use this Flixels know-how.
To the shock of many people, the primary reply to that was: Disney Springs. Only a pair weeks after the waiver, Walt Disney World launched a free-to-view Christmas drone present over the water. It was short-lived, resulting in the “obvious” conclusion that it was early testing for Rivers of Light at Animal Kingdom or Windows on the World, the working title for EPCOT’s Illuminations alternative.
That ended up being incorrect, however it’s price noting that the event for each Rivers of Light and the IllumiNations alternative had been troubled (stating the apparent–see finish outcomes) and it’s totally believable that drones had been deliberate for one in all them sooner or later. We’ll by no means know the why behind that not occurring, nevertheless it’s protected to imagine a free 2-month drone present at Disney Springs was the start line of testing and never the tip sport. Regardless, there hasn’t been a drone show at Walt Disney World since 2016.
Ultimately, we’re actually wanting ahead to the “Disney Dreams That Soar” drone present. The title is incredible and the idea of showcasing tales celebrating the enjoyment of flight is phenomenal. I hope it features a nod to the wonderful Soarin’ rating (too unhealthy The Wind Rises isn’t a Disney film). I’m additionally happy that, whatever the motive, Disney Springs is getting leisure. We acquired burnt out on Disney Springs as locals, due to AMC A-List and visiting usually in the course of the phased reopening. We’ve since visited fewer occasions within the final 3 years than we did throughout a single month from 2018 to 2020, however that’s clearly an “us issue.”
Above all else, I’m excited for what I feel this alerts–ushering in a brand new period of leisure at Walt Disney World. Purely speculative, however I’m betting that the “Disney Dreams That Soar” drone present at Disney Springs is the start line for drones at WDW, however actually not the endpoint. That “Disney Dreams That Soar” is a take a look at, and the true deal will come to Animal Kingdom in 2025.
We’ve been over this earlier than, however there’s presently nothing on the official timeline for Walt Disney World in 2025. Tropical Americas nearly actually gained’t be prepared by then and there are not any yet-unannounced brand-new additions that would conceivably be prepared by then. It seems more and more possible that Walt Disney World goes to “sit out” 2025 and not attempt to compete with Universal’s Epic Universe. At least, not within the conventional sense of the time period.
However, that doesn’t imply that Walt Disney World will do nothing in any respect. They’ll need one thing to market, to seize among the company drawn down by Epic Universe. I stay of the assumption {that a} reimagined Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster would be the tentpole addition of 2025. Test Track 3.0 has already been introduced, so it stands to motive that may very well be prepared by 2025. Add to that perhaps a pair extra redone issues in EPCOT, and you’ve got the marketable journey roster.
This is the place a drone present and different leisure is the ace up Walt Disney World’s sleeve. Although they’re turning into more and more frequent, drone exhibits nonetheless have a sure wow-factor not present in fireworks or fountain exhibits on a lagoon. A Walt Disney World drone present may very well be the key sauce to someway competing with Universal for eyeballs in 2025–the form of factor that manages to resonate on social media as a lot as Mario.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you excited for the “Disney Dreams That Soar” drone present at Disney Springs? Do you suppose that is testing for a fully-fledged, drone-driven nighttime spectacular at Walt Disney World in 2025? Or do you suppose it ends right here, at Disney Springs? Do you agree or disagree with our causes as to why one is unlikely–or fascinating–within the foreseeable future? Think drones would be the ace up Disney’s sleeve to “compete” (air quotes) with Epic Universe? If a drone present involves Walt Disney World, at which park would you wish to see it? Any different ideas or commentary so as to add? Any questions we might help you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!