It was just announced during the Destination D23 Celebration taking place at the Walt Disney World Resort that Fantasmic! will return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2022!
After seemingly endless construction, questions about its return, delays, and more questions about its return, we are happy to share the news with you that the fabulous, fantastical nighttime spectacular Fantasmic! is indeed on deck for a much-anticipated return!
Josh D’Amaro from Disney’s Parks, Products and Services division, made the announcement this afternoon at the Destination D23 celebration, saying that when the show reopens for Guests to enjoy, they will get to see an all-new sequence that features live performers like before, but also includes stunts, special effects and so much more!
Stay tuned to DisneyDining for the latest on all the changes, upgrades and additions at the Most Magical Place on Earth, now in its second month of celebrating its 50th anniversary!
There’s nothing like a grilled cheese sandwich to raise your spirits. The unique three-cheese sandwich from Woody’s Lunch Box is a favorite of many and now we can enjoy this sandwich at home.
From a Disney Cast Member;
In [honor of] National Grilled Cheese Day, we’re sharing a delicious grilled three-cheese sandwich recipe. This yummy recipe comes from Woody’s Lunch Box at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwich from Woody’s Lunch Box at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Serves 4
Disney Genie is going to officially launch on October 19 at Walt Disney World. The date for Disneyland has not yet been determined. The information was shared as part of a Zoom Meeting with several Disney Executives who have been working on the project. They also shared plenty of information on the new service.
During the meeting, it was stated that the goal of Disney Genie is to optimize Guests’ time and maximize Guests’ fun. It will be a lot like a navigation app on your phone, with updates depending on where you are and what you are interested in. It will match your must dos and interests, and find ways for you to get the most out of your day. Any plans that you currently have such as dining reservations will be taken into account when the suggestions are made.
Disney Genie will use algorithms to determine what you should do and when. The suggestions will be not only for attractions, but dining will be included as well. If you don’t like a suggestion, you can swap it out for something else. If you aren’t sure why something was suggested for you, there will be a feature where you can find out why it was a suggestion. Current Wait Times will be available, as well as forecasted Wait Times. There will also be a Tip Board to help you figure out your next move. The Tip Board will give the status for each attraction or restaurant. Another nice feature will be that if a full service restaurant has spots available on the Wait List, you will be able to join through Disney Genie. No more “you’re aren’t close enough” messages!
Suggestions will change based on other factors as well. If storms are rolling in, an indoor attraction could be recommended. If a ride is down Disney Genie will let you know and adapt as needed. You won’t have to walk across a Park, only to discover that you can’t ride.
If you plan to Park Hop, Disney Genie is adaptable for that as well. You can include the time that you plan to hop and which park, and your suggestions will be updated. If you change your mind it is easy to put that information into Disney Genie and you will have new recommendations appear.
Don’t worry that Disney Genie is going to cause long lines because it recommends the same things to all Guests. The system will take that into account, so everyone will not receive the same recommendations at the same time.
Disney Genie will be complimentary. The free service will include personalized optimizations for your day. The Tip Board and many other features will be included as well. If you’re worried about your battery, the service will update only when you open it on your phone. That will help to prolong your battery life.
The paid extra that everyone is talking about is Disney Genie+. This will cost $15 a day at Walt Disney World. You do not need to purchase it for the length of your ticket, you’ll just buy it the day of. There will be no special add-on at launch for Annual Passholders, they also will have to pay each day they want to use it. The main draw of Disney Genie+ is that Guests will have access to the Lightning Lane. You will be able to pick one attraction at a time, and will be given the next available time. If your return time is too far away you will be able to make a second selection after two hours. The system will work much like the old FastPass system did, you cannot make selections until the day of your visit. One person can make Lightning Lane selections for everyone in a party. If you want to break the group up, you will be able to do that as well.
Another extra in Disney Genie+ will be Augmented Reality Lenses. There will be 20 to choose from. You will be able to turn yourself into the Genie, or enjoy a plate of virtual spaghetti with your favorite Tramp. Most of the lenses are for use in the Theme Parks, but some will be available outside of them.
There was also an update on the Individual Lightning Lane attractions. These will be available for purchase a la carte, so to speak. You will be able to purchase a maximum of two different attractions per day. At launch the Individual Lightning Lane choices will be as follows; Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Frozen Ever After at EPCOT, Rise of the Resistance and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Avatar Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The price point was not mentioned, but will reflect how busy the Parks are expected to be.
More information on Disney Genie and Disney Genie+ will be released in the coming days. The new service is meant to help you to make the most of your time at Walt Disney World. It is not mandatory to use, but since the basic service will be free we recommend that you try it. You could end up saving a lot of time.
“The World’s Most Magical Celebration” at Walt Disney World Resort is in full swing, as we kicked off the 50th anniversary festivities on Oct. 1 with all-new experiences and countless magical moments.
Now, we’re gearing up for yet another milestone: We’re excited to share that the previously announced Disney Genie service will launch on Oct. 19 at Walt Disney World Resort!
Available for all of our guests right in the My Disney Experience app, the complimentary Disney Genie service offers new features that let guests create their best Disney day. These features include a personalized itinerary creator that effortlessly and smartly maps out an entire day inspired by the things guests tell us they love – helping them make the most of their park time so they can have more fun.
Similar to a navigation app on a phone, Disney Genie continues to update the guest’s itinerary from morning to night as the day changes, so they can stay spontaneous and go with the flow – whether guests need a nap, encounter an unexpected rain shower or want to take a detour for a Mickey ice cream bar.
Many of you have asked about how this cool new technology works. Behind the scenes, the app is capable of magically evaluating thousands of possible itineraries in seconds – so guests don’t even have to think about it! Disney Genie puts guests at the center of the experience by prioritizing ways to:
Reduce time in lines while keeping in mind guest’s top picks
Pace the day with experiences guests will enjoy – and haven’t already done yet
Build around existing plans like dining reservations and Park Hopper® preferences
Disney Genie uses our 50+ years of knowledge and expertise in how guests visit our parks to make the experience better for everyone.
With this launch, we’ll also be introducing the Lightning Lane entrance. Available for purchase through our Disney Genie+ add-on at more than 40 attractions – or individually, “a la carte” at some of our most highly demanded attractions – the Lightning Lane entrance can save guests time waiting in line. See below for a first look at the list of current attractions with Lightning Lane entrances.
As a reminder, attractions continue to offer a traditional standby queue or from time to time, a virtual queue may instead be used at select attractions, like right now at Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.
Walt Disney World’s entertainment has been slowly but surely been making a comeback. One Disney Park in particular, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, has seemed especially quiet since COVID-19 closed the Parks in March 2020. While yes, Disney’s Hollywood Studios has been open since the summer of 2020, we’ve just recently seen the return of entertainment favorites such as Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage now open, as well as Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular reopening later this year. Of course, amidst the excitement of the new nighttime spectaculars at Magic Kingdom Park (Disney Enchantment) and EPCOT (Harmonious), Disney’s Hollywood Studios has yet to see the return of either of their two beloved pre-COVID nighttime experiences – Fantasmic! and Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular.
Most recently, Disney’s Hollywood Studios welcomed back a projection show on the Chinese Theater called “Wonderful World of Animation“. In addition to that project show, Hollywood Studios has also announced “Disney Movie Magic” will be returning soon. Still… crickets when it comes to the big nightly duo.
While there has been no indication from Disney that either Fantasmic! or Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular will be making a return, we have high hopes for Fantasmic as surely this Disney classic experience won’t go away?! Not too long ago Disney made an update to Walt Disney World digital map, showing Sorcerer Mickey with a refreshed new look standing on top of the Fantasmic mountain as pictured below.
Now, a new aerial photo shows the Fantasmic stage is currently being refurbished. Would Disney put time and money into refurbishing an attraction if it wasn’t in the plans to reopen it in the near future? As reported by @bioreconstruct via Twitter: “Aerial photo of the refurbishment of Fantasmic. The steamboat is behind the mountain, with scaffolding. Oct 1.” Check out the photo below:
If you’ve never experienced Fantasmic! or need a refresher, Walt Disney World describes it as “A Legendary Tale: Featuring more than 50 live performers, massive sets, stunning effects, dazzling pyrotechnics, and rousing music, this larger-than-life show is painted on a grand canvas of dancing water and light like nothing you’ve ever seen. Overflowing with silly and suspenseful surprises, it will leave your entire family smiling from ear to ear!” “A Night When Dreams Come True: Fast asleep, Mickey Mouse dreams that he is a mighty sorcerer’s apprentice with the power to control water, color, and magic. The Disney Villains—including Maleficent in the form of a towering, 40-foot-tall dragon—turn Mickey’s dream into a nightmare, but don’t underestimate the power of Mickey’s imagination! The fantastic fantasy includes Disney Characters from some of your favorite animated classics: Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”
Along with the fantastic nighttime show, many Guests took advantage of the dining package or dessert party offers Disney had for Fantasmic. For example, you could dine at one of Disney’s Hollywood Studios restaurants with the dining package, and pay a slight upcharge for VIP reserved seating at Fantasmic. Or, if you had a sweet tooth, Disney offered a Fantasmic Dessert Party which included special seating for the show. Currently, Harmonious Dining Packages are available at EPCOT, as well as Disney Enchantment Dessert Party options at Magic Kingdom. Our hope is special offerings like these would return if/when the Fantasmic nighttime spectacular makes a comeback.
The battle of good vs. evil has been halted at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for some time, but we’re hoping these are good signs that Fantasmic has a future. We’re ready to see this classic Disney experience come to life once again at the end of Sunset Boulevard. COT, as well as Disney Enchantment Dessert Party options at Magic Kingdom. Our hope is special offerings like these would return if/when the Fantasmic nighttime spectacular makes a comeback.
