Disney Announces 4th of July (week) Celebrations at Walt Disney World

Via DisneyLists.com

Fourth of July is a time for patriotic celebrations across the United States, and Walt Disney World will commemorate the holiday with exciting fanfare. Star-spangled spectaculars are a time-honored tradition across the resort, reflecting Walt Disney’s deep love of America and faith in the nation’s future. 

Here are some of the ways guests can celebrate the stars and stripes this July 4 holiday.

1 – Nighttime Spectaculars Light Up the Skies

Magic Kingdom Park

Park Hours: July 3, 8 a.m.-12 midnight.; July 4, 8 a.m.-1 a.m.

“Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky” – a nighttime spectacular with booming fireworks lighting up the sky and orchestrated to patriotic melodies. Shows will take place July 3 and July 4 at 9:20 p.m.

Guests can also dance the night away with DJs mixing tunes throughout the park.

EPCOT

Park Hours: July 4, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

“EPCOT Forever,” the limited-time spectacle of fireworks, lasers, lighting and special effects, will include a patriotic Fourth of July grand finale – “Heartbeat of Freedom.” The show will take place at 9 p.m.

A cappella vocal group Voices of Liberty will perform numbers from the American song book beneath the rotunda in The American Adventure.

Some of your favorite Disney pals will don their “Spirit of ’76” attire and meet with guests throughout the day, also at The American Adventure.

2 – Celebrating at Disney Resort Hotels

Disney Resort hotels get into the red, white and blue spirit with an array of patriotic events and activities. From campfire cookouts at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground to Movies Under the Stars or a leisurely afternoon poolside, summer delights abound. Guests staying in resort hotels on the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake can cap off their day viewing the nightly Electrical Water Pageant. This cavalcade of sea creatures in lights includes a patriotic grand finale featuring the American flag and stars all in sparkling lights. More information about special activities is available in each resort’s daily schedule.

3 – Food That Is Worth a Salute

For a limited time, Walt Disney World guests can dazzle their taste buds with patriotic bites and sips in honor of the nation’s birthday. Indulgences returning this year include a Fourth of July Fruit Tart, a blackberry custard topped with fresh berries and a vanilla panna cotta popsicle, available June 27-July 4 at Contempo Café in Disney’s Contemporary Resort. At EPCOT, look for a Fourth of July Liege Waffle, available on July 4 only at Connections Café. There will be many more tantalizing treats at all four parks, Disney Springs, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and resort hotels. More details will be released soon.

4 – Celebrate the 4th of July Every Day

America is celebrated every day of the year at Walt Disney World, with fan-favorite attractions that pay tribute to the country’s history.

Main Street, U.S.A., inspired by Walt Disney’s childhood hometown of Marceline, Missouri, is a step back in time to a quintessential American town at the turn of the 20th century. The colorful Victorian setting is where guests can enjoy the famous Dapper Dans barbershop quartet, horse-drawn carriages, and the high-flying revelry of the Main Street Philharmonic band.

Since the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, the daily Flag Retreat ceremony has retired the American flag for the night in a celebratory tribute to U.S. Veterans, who often participate in the ceremony, receiving warm recognition for their service and sacrifice.

Set in the Revolutionary War era, Liberty Square pays tribute to daily life in the original thirteen colonies. Guests can get up close to an authentic replica of the Liberty Bell and meet all 45 Presidents of the United States in a stirring show tracing the nation’s history inside the Hall of Presidents. A walk along the Rivers of America from Liberty Square to neighboring Frontierland is a journey through the country’s era of westward expansion.

The American Adventure, located in World Showcase at EPCOT, features a dramatic production including 35 Audio-Animatronics figures that retell pivotal moments and events throughout the country’s history. From the landing of the Mayflower to Valley Forge, the Civil War to the Great Depression, Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain guide guests on this trip through time.

Upcoming Disney World Attraction Receives Exciting New Update

In Walt Disney World, the air is always buzzing with the exciting sounds of progress in the air. Over at EPCOT, that progress is especially exciting.

It may seem like EPCOT has been under construction for years, and that’s because it totally has. The Disney Park’s historic transformation has been simultaneously delayed and cut short. And yet, the theme park is still under construction.

Currently, the most anticipated attraction set to open soon is Journey of Water – Inspired By Moana.

This unique attraction is going to be a self-guided outdoor tour in which Guests learn all about the never-ending life cycle of water.

The water is said to be interactive and playful, just like in the Moana (2016) film. Not only that, but the attraction will also have fun easter eggs referencing other popular Disney films, such as Finding Nemo (2003).

And Guests aren’t just looking forward to the tropical Moana theme; the educational aspect of the attraction drives home the original, classic themes associated with Disney World’s EPCOT theme park.

And now, we’re even closer to opening than ever!

In this video, one Guest captures the ambient music of the attraction being played on the speakers, proving how close we are to seeing the Journey of Water, Inspired By Moana.

Journey of Water – Inspired By Moana is scheduled to open “Late 2023” in EPCOT’s World Nature area, according to Walt Disney World’s official website.

Journey of Water Inspired by Moana

Although we don’t have an official opening date just yet, this progress proves we’re super close to experiencing this attraction!

New Update to Disney Genie+ Service at Walt Disney World

As we recently shared, we are working on ways to simplify the Disney Genie+ service, including offering the ability to plan before the day of your visit, which many Guests have asked for. We plan to share more news in the future, but in the meantime, we also want to improve the experience for guests using the service as it exists today, so we will be making an update as we continue to listen to guests.

Beginning June 27, Guests at Walt Disney World will now purchase Disney Genie+ service based on how they want to visit. Guests will be able to select either a single-park option or a multiple-parks option, subject to availability. With this update, prices may now be lower at some Walt Disney World theme parks compared to others. Guests will continue to be able to purchase Disney Genie+ service through the My Disney Experience app on the day of their visit.

We will continue to listen to guest feedback, and look forward to sharing more information about updates to Disney Genie+ in the future.

Please reference the Disney Genie Job Aid for more information. A comparison chart is also available here.

Woman Jumps From Disney World Attraction, Screams at Other Guests

One Guest did the unthinkable at Disney World, hopping off an attraction while it was stuck in front of dozens of Guests.

However, one of the things you can’t prepare for is Guest behavior at the Resort. This is true for anywhere, really, as you never can truly know what someone else might do. At Walt Disney World, we’ve seen nearly everything. From stripping on Disney’s Skyliner to engaging in full-on fistfights in Fantasyland, the Walt Disney World Resort isn’t completely immune to this type of behavior.

While this is unfortunate, Disney does its best to make sure Guests are always following the rules, especially while on rides and attractions.

It’s crucial for Guests to remain seated, keeping their hands, arms, feet… well, you’ve heard the spiel. No matter how boring it may seem, it’s incredibly important that Guests follow the rules, ensuring not only their own safety but the safety of others.

This is the exact opposite of what happened at EPCOT recently, with a TikTok video going viral.

Disney World monorail at EPCOT during the International Flower and Garden Festival

Shortly after a ride at EPCOT got stuck, a “drunk” woman decided she wanted off the ride and took matters into her own hands (and legs). Guests were in awe as she hopped off the boat, screaming at other passengers along the way.

It appears that some sort of argument may have started shortly before she hopped off, with her yelling at a Guest or Guests on the boat.

The video can be seen below:

@shianne_1995

Replying to @Shianne_1995 drunk woman on The three Caballeros ride at epcot. #disney #epcot #fyp

♬ original sound – Shianne_1995

The Guest who uploaded the video clarified the situation further, claiming the screaming woman tried to fight with people on the boat behind her. The Guest also claims the woman swung at two young workers, scared children, and was eventually taken away by security.

While we’re unsure of what happened to his woman shortly after exiting the ride, we know that Disney takes its security and safety seriously, meaning it’s possible the woman was removed from the Park and even banned from the Resort entirely.

The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros can be found in the Mexico Pavilion at EPCOT’s World Showcase. While this attraction may not be the most intense, thrilling, or even the most popular, it’s a fantastic little ride that allows Guests to relax and learn a little bit about the country. The ride is very similar to “it’s a small world,” with Guests slowly traveling through the water as they encounter dozens of animatronics.

a Tropical Storm May Be Headed for Walt Disney World

If you’ve visited Walt Disney World Resort, especially more than once, then you know that Florida has two settings: sunshine and rain.

In fact, rain and thunderstorms are so common in the Sunshine State that Floridians can even smell when a storm is coming (source: the author is a native Floridian, and she can tell you whether the clouds are worth worrying about with just a sniff).

But the National Hurricane Center is currently sniffing out something bigger than your average Central Florida storm. According to the National Hurricane Center, a tropical storm could be forming.

Although a tropical storm may sound like a fancy way of saying ‘thunderstorm,’ it’s worth noting that the two are incredibly different. Tropical storms form when the winds reach 39 miles per hour or higher, making them much more dangerous and challenging to navigate than a thunderstorm (which is already difficult to navigate through).

Hollywood Studios Rain Ponchos

This year’s hurricane season begins on June 1, and yet a potential storm has already been spotted on the horizon.

According to a report by the Orlando Sentinel, the National Hurricane Center has begun tracking something “in the Atlantic east of Florida with a small chance of forming into a tropical depression.”

Rainy Day

Reportedly, the system that has been spotted has a 10% chance of turning into a tropical storm within the next couple of days. However, it’s no secret that a tropical storm can quickly develop into a hurricane, heading straight for Central Florida.

If this storm develops further, it could easily disrupt many Guests’ plans for visiting Walt Disney World Resort.