July 2021 Walt Disney World Refurbishments

Whether you’re visiting to see the fireworks return, enjoying the Fourth of July holiday, or ready to eat and sip your way through EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, Disney is ready to invite you home. There are however a few refurbishments you’ll want to take note of as you prepare your days in the parks.

1. Walt Disney World Railroad (Magic Kingdom):

Sorry Disney fans, this one has been closed for a LONG time now, and we are missing it dearly. The railroad closed temporarily way back on December 3, 2018 and has remained closed since. The extended closure is due to the construction of the new attraction, Tron Lightcycle Power Run. Our best guess is that we won’t have a chance to take a ride on the railroad until Tron opens… which has yet to be announced… but is expected in 2022.

2. The Hall of Presidents (Magic Kingdom):

No surprise here as Disney is hard at work preparing Hall of Presidents for the 46th President, Joe Biden. For Trump’s Presidency, the attraction closed in January 2017 for refurbishment and reopened in December 2017. If history repeats itself, we are hoping to see Hall of Presidents reopen in December 2021.

3. Main Street Confectionery (Magic Kingdom):

Yes, this tasty shop filled with delightful treats closed on March 29, 2021 for a lengthy refurbishment. Currently, the refurbishment calendar has the Confectionery listed as under refurbishment through August 28, 2021. Note – August 28 is as far as Disney’s park hours are currently listed at the time of writing this article which is as far as the refurbishment calendar goes. This refurbishment could go longer once the calendar is updated. Get excited though because when it reopens Disney has said we will have a chance to customize our confections! In the meantime, there is a temporary shop set up in Main Street Cinema with Confectionery treats.

4. The Wave… of American Flavors (Disney’s Contemporary Resort):

The Wave… of American Flavors at Disney’s Contemporary Resort will be unavailable for the summer as Disney refurbishes the space in time for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort. Reservations will be available through July 15. If you’re looking to enjoy this restaurant as is one last time, be sure to snag a reservation before July 15. The Disney rumor mill and speculations are hard at work with this refurbishment. Much of the speculations suggest Disney could make this a character dining restaurant with characters from The Incredibles. While we would absolutely love that, there is no confirmation from Disney.

5. Jungle Cruise (Magic Kingdom) – BUT it’s still open!

The Jungle Cruise attraction, at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, are receiving new “experiences” which includes new adventures for us to cruise along to. While details of the enhancements have been revealed slowly, Disney has announced the work will be complete “this summer” at Walt Disney World. Thankfully, the attraction at Disney World has remained open throughout the refurbishment. The attraction is currently closed at Disneyland with a reopening date of July 16. Our hope is that Disney will be putting the final touches on Disney World’s Jungle Cruise around the same time.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom are currently listed as being free from refurbishment closures (yay!). Keep in mind, refurbishments are listed to help us plan but it is not set in stone. Disney has been known to extend refurbishments, shorten them, and even close attractions and/or shops suddenly for refurb.

Jungle Cruise’s New Trapped Safari Scene Complete at Magic Kingdom

The newest enhancement to be revealed in the Jungle Cruise attraction renovations is the new “Trapped Safari” scene. Walt Disney Imagineering took to social media to reveal the new scene which can now be seen at Magic Kingdom and will soon debut at Disneyland.

As shared by Walt Disney Imagineering: “We just wanted to POINT out the exciting progress Imagineering teams made last night on the #JungleCruise enhancements at @WaltDisneyWorld Resort! Starting today, Magic Kingdom Park guests aboard the attraction can meet our trapped safari of new characters, including Felix Penchman XIII, the Skipper who led this expedition up a tree! We are excited for guests to see them for themselves at @Disneyland when the Jungle Cruise reopens on July 16!”

DISNEY+ ORIGINALS COMING TO DISNEY+ IN JULY 2021

Via Whatsondisneyplus.com

This summer, Disney+ is giving us plenty of great new original shows and films to watch on Disney+.  July is going to be another bumper month, with new episodes of multiple Disney+ Originals each week and there will be a couple of big summer blockbusters hitting Disney+ Premier Access.

These Disney+ Originals will be available globally.

Here’s a look at all of the Disney+ Originals coming to Disney+ in July:

Monsters At Work

“Monsters At Work” takes place the day after the Monsters, Incorporated power plant started harvesting the laughter of children to fuel the city of Monstropolis, thanks to Mike and Sulley’s discovery that laughter generates ten times more energy than screams. It follows the story of Tylor Tuskmon, an eager young monster who graduated top of his class at Monsters University and always dreamed of becoming a Scarer, until he lands a job at Monsters, Incorporated and discovers that scaring is out and laughter is in.

Ben Feldman stars as the voice of Tylor Tuskmon in the series, which introduces new monster characters alongside returning favorites, including Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) and James P. “Sulley” Sullivan (John Goodman). Starring alongside Feldman as part of the MIFT crew are: Henry Winkler as Fritz, the scatterbrained boss; Lucas Neff as Duncan, an opportunistic plumber; and Alanna Ubach as Cutter, the officious rule follower.

In addition to Crystal and Goodman, returning cast members from the original movies include John Ratzenberger as Yeti and Tylor’s dad, Bernard; Jennifer Tilly as Celia Mae; and Bob Peterson as Roze, twin sister to his original Monsters, Inc. character, Roz. Voicing additional characters are Stephen Stanton as Smitty and Needleman, the bumbling custodial team at Monsters, Inc., and Aisha Tyler as Tylor’s mom, Millie Tuskmon.

New episodes will be released onto Disney+ every Friday throughout July.

Turner & Hooch

When an ambitious, buttoned-up US Marshal inherits a big unruly dog, he soon realizes the dog he didn’t want may be the partner he needs. “Turner & Hooch” stars Josh Peck as Scott Turner, son of Detective Scott Turner portrayed by Tom Hanks in the 1989 film of the same name.

The series also stars Carra Patterson as Jessica Baxter, Scott’s brave, street-smart partner; Brandon Jay McLaren as Xavier Wilson, a cool, enigmatic marine-turned-US Marshal; Anthony Ruivivar as Chief James Mendez, Scott’s boss with a secret soft spot for Scott’s new dog, Hooch; Lyndsy Fonseca as Laura Turner, Scott’s sweet, animal-loving sister; Jeremy Maguire as Matthew Garland, Laura’s dog-loving son; and Vanessa Lengies as Erica Mouniere, the quirky head of the US Marshals dog training program. Five French Mastiffs also star as Hooch, Scott’s slobbery, loveable French Mastiff.

The first episode of Turner & Hooch arrives on Disney+ on Friday 16th July and new episodes will be released every Friday afterwards.

Loki

“Loki” features the God of Mischief as he steps out of his brother’s shadow in a new series that takes place after the events of “Avengers: Endgame.” Tom Hiddleston returns as the title character, joined by Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino, Wunmi Mosaku and Richard E. Grant.

The last two episodes of “Loki” will be released on Disney+ on Wednesday 7th and 14th of July.

Black Widow – Premier Access

In Marvel Studios’ action-packed spy thriller “Black Widow,” Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.

Black Widow will be available in theatres and on Disney+ Premier Access for an additional fee on July 9th.

Jungle Cruise – Premier Access

Inspired by the famous Disneyland theme park ride, Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” is an adventure-filled, rollicking thrill-ride down the Amazon with wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff and intrepid researcher Dr. Lily Houghton. Lily travels from London, England to the Amazon jungle and enlists Frank’s questionable services to guide her downriver on La Quila—his ramshackle-but-charming boat. Lily is determined to uncover an ancient tree with unparalleled healing abilities—possessing the power to change the future of medicine. Thrust on this epic quest together, the unlikely duo encounters innumerable dangers and supernatural forces, all lurking in the deceptive beauty of the lush rainforest. But as the secrets of the lost tree unfold, the stakes reach even higher for Lily and Frank and their fate—and mankind’s—hangs in the balance.

Jungle Cruise will be available in theatres and on Disney+ Premier Access for an additional fee on July 30th

Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts

Get personal with Robin Roberts and some of Hollywood’s groundbreaking women as they bear witness to their incredible journeys on their path to purpose. Each episode is a profound conversation filled with emotion and inspiration. Listen to never-before-heard stories of how these groundbreakers came face-to-face with their vulnerability, authenticity and intuition. Discover their commonalities and learn how their stories and experiences created room for expansion and evolution.

All four episodes will arrive on July 30th

The Mysterious Benedict Society

Placed undercover at a boarding school known as The Institute, a group of orphans must foil a nefarious plot with global ramifications while creating a new sort of family along the way. Based on the bestseller by Trenton Lee Stewart which Time Magazine called “one of the best young adult books of all time,”The Mysterious Benedict Society” stars Emmy® Award winner Tony Hale in the titular role and features a standout ensemble of young actors.

New episodes will be dropping onto Disney+ every Friday throughout July.

High School Musical – The Musical – The Series – Season 2

In season two of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” the East High Wildcats, who are preparing to perform “Beauty and the Beast” as their spring musical, face off against rival school North High to win a prestigious and cutthroat student theater competition. Wigs are snatched, loyalties are tested, and ballads are belted.

New episodes will be dropping onto Disney+ every Friday throughout July.

Star Wars – The Bad Batch

“Star Wars: The Bad Batch” follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch (first introduced in “The Clone Wars”) as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War. Members of Bad Batch—a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army – each possess a singular exceptional skill that makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew.

New episodes will be dropping onto Disney+ every Friday throughout July.

“Jungle Cruise,” Coming to Disney+ Premier Access and Theaters on July 30th

Fans patiently waiting for the new Jungle Cruise movie will now be able to take the journey at home, as star Dwayne Johnson announced the film will be available on Disney+ Premier Access beginning July 30th, the same day it docks in theaters.

Johnson made the announcement ahead of Disney’s second quarter earnings call.

As the world slowly recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney has made Premier Access available on several of its upcoming films for Disney+ subscribers not yet ready to head back to movie theaters. The one-time fee allows subscribers to view the movie at the same time it’s in theaters for several months before it becomes available for all Disney+ subscribers. Jungle Cruise is just the latest to join the lineup, with Premier Access already announced for Cruella and Marvel Studios’ Black Widow, both releasing later this summer.

Jungle Cruise Scene of Trader Sam Animatronic Replaced

We previously shared the news that both Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s iconic Jungle Cruise attraction would be undergoing changes with new scenes and storytelling. Now, Disney has released the latest information regarding the former Trader Sam finale scene of the attraction which is now to be replaced with a gift shop scene.

As shared by Disney: “Word on the stream is that Alberta Falls, proprietor of the Jungle Navigation Company Ltd., has entrusted her longtime friend, Trader Sam, to manage the new Lost & Found location. But, with Trader Sam being Trader Sam, there’s always an opportunity to make some extra money. After all, all the best rides end with a gift shop, right? Take a look at this rendering of their newest venture together. Clearly, Sam is betting on an established reputation as the best merchant in the jungle! But, while he’s out lost and finding some new inventory, it’s the animals that get the last laugh!”

Disney has noted that the new scene is one of several that are “interconnected and build on the original story and humor of the Jungle Cruise”. The “head” salesman, Trader Sam, isn’t in the art rendering of the scene as far as we can tell. We’ll keep you posted as we learn more about the animatronic Trader Sam and if Disney plans to place him in another location.