EPCOT Addition Is Finally Being Removed!

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot, Magic Kingdom

Walt Disney World Resort has been dishing out exciting news as we roll through January 2023. And now, news that has seemingly made the entire Disney fandom happy… Disney has announced it is removing one of its greatest eye sores from EPCOT.

Disney has revealed EPCOT’s current nighttime spectacular, Harmonious, will end on April 2, 2023. EPCOT Forever will return on April 3, 2023.

Sadly, both Disney Enchantment at Magic Kingdom and Harmonious at EPCOT did not receive the warm welcome Disney intended. Magic Kingdom’s Enchantment lacked any signs of Walt, which Disney tried to correct, but it was too little too late. Additionally, EPCOT’s Harmonious was considered a lackluster show, despite Disney’s efforts with it being “one of the largest nighttime spectaculars ever created for Disney Parks.”

So, what exactly was the issue with EPCOT’s Harmonious? While some love the music and projections, many Disney fans said it simply couldn’t measure up to EPCOT’s long-standing Illuminations nighttime spectacular. Illuminations offered a 360-degree experience in the World Showcase Lagoon with the circular barge that would be moved in and out of the lagoon prior to the show.

EPCOT Harmonious Barges

When Harmonious debuted, Disney installed massive barges in the middle of the once-stunning World Showcase Lagoon. The barges are so huge and distracting that they were quickly deemed an eyesore for many fans. Plus, the large circle Harmonious barge took the former 360-degree Illuminations view and cut it in half, with the entire show only being able to be seen from the World Showcase entrance and the American Adventure Pavilion.

Disney promised the barges would be used as fountains during the day to help with the unimpressive look of the mechanics, but the fountains sometimes worked, sometimes didn’t… and yes, it was still an eyesore despite efforts.

EPCOT Harmonious Barges

Thankfully, it seems like Disney not only heard Disney fans, but they have announced the barges will be removed, stating, “Similar to how it appeared in 2021, “EPCOT Forever” is the perfect offering while our Entertainment team preps the Lagoon, including a phased removal of fireworks platforms following the final “Harmonious” performance on April 2.”

Additionally, @ScottGustin confirmed that yes, indeed, this means the Harmonious barges will be removed from the theme park:

TRON Lightcycle Run Opens April 4 at Magic Kingdom Park

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom

TRON Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise officially opens April 4 at Magic Kingdom Park!

The story of TRON Lightcycle / Run picks up after “TRON: Legacy” where Kevin’s son, Sam Flynn, has opened a second gateway into a digital world called the Grid. The first portal was built at Shanghai Disneyland with the original TRON Lightcycle Power Run.

When guests enter the queue at Magic Kingdom, they’ll feel as if they’ve been digitized and transported to the Grid for a special Lightcycle race. It’s your Team Blue against the Grid’s menacing Programs, Team Orange. Your goal is to be the first to race through eight Energy Gates and secure victory. The attraction will be one of the fastest coasters at any Disney theme park in the world.

Before the attraction officially opens, cast members will be the first to enter the Grid during special previews. And we heard preview opportunities are coming for guests too, including Annual Passholders and eligible Disney Vacation Club Members.

See you in the Grid.

Guests and Cast Members Forced Out of Magic Kingdom Hotel in Mass Evacuation

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Resorts, Magic Kingdom

The days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve and Day are often uneventful, especially when compared to the exciting, high-energy days leading up to December 25. Thousands upon thousands of Disney fans often try to curb their boredom by visiting the Walt Disney World Resort during that time, and such a visit makes for some truly amazing holiday memories.

But regardless of the date on the calendar, life and time march on, and interesting–and sometimes alarming, unexpected–things are often just a moment away, even at Disney World. Such was the case on Wednesday morning when Guests of Disney’s Contemporary Resort began reporting on social media about a major evacuation taking place at the Resort Hotel.

Twitter user @LostBrosTweets was trying to enjoy breakfast at the Contemporary when he heard about the evacuation. In the short clip he included with his tweet, alarms can be heard in the background. He tweeted, “BRB, the entire main building of the Contemporary Resort is getting evac’d [right now].”

Carla Lemieux (@travelingmom92) was also there to witness some of the action leading to the evacuation of the Contemporary. She tweeted, “Contemporary Resort currently being evacuated into the parking lot, including employees. Fire trucks present, and alarms going off for about 30 min.”

Disney describes the Contemporary Resort Hotel as a deluxe Resort and invites Guests to “retreat to this ultra-modern Disney Resort hotel and discover award-winning dining, spectacular views, and dazzling pools. Whether you’re staying in the iconic A-frame Contemporary tower or the nearby Garden Wing, you can walk to Magic Kingdom’s main gate or catch the Resort Monorail as it breezes through the tower. Inside, a 90-foot-tall mural by Disney Legend Mary Blair—responsible for the distinct look and feel of the “it’s a small world” attraction—celebrates the Grand Canyon and the American Southwest.”

Guest Videos Attempt to Stay at Disney Event Without a Ticket

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom

If you’re planning a vacation to Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort, the very first thing you should do is check the Disney calendar for special events which may limit your time spent in the Park.

But, let’s say you either didn’t know about the Disney special ticketed event or hope to stay for as long as possible in the Disney Park. Well, you will eventually get kicked out by a Disney Cast Member. How long can you hold out before getting the boot to the exit?

Disney Parks are big on special ticketed events! These are events that occur after the Park closes to the general public. Typically this means reduced hours for regular Park ticket holders.

For example, some popular special ticketed events at Magic Kingdom Park include Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

A Guest visiting one of these special events would need to purchase a party ticket to enjoy the perks of the event, such as unique food, decorations, Disney characters, ride enhancements, holiday fireworks, a special parade, and more.

When the party begins, however, regular Park Guests are slowly pushed to the exit by Cast Members looking for those without party wristbands.

At Disneyland Resort, the extremely popular Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party at Disney California Adventure is a fan favorite. Tickets to Oogie Boogie Bash allow Guests to enter the Park 3 hours before the party starts at 6:00 pm.

Oogie Boogie on stage at Oogie Boogie Bash

Inside the Park with Mark shared his experience of entering Disney California Adventure on the night of an Oogie Boogie Bash Party. Since he didn’t have a Halloween party ticket, he waited around to see how long he could stay in the Park before being asked to leave.

As you’ll see in the video, Mark didn’t hide to keep away from Cast Members. Check out his experience and his final kick-out time in the video below:

Wow! It’s impressive that he got to see as much as he did of the Oogie Boogie Bash… all without a ticket for the event.

It looks like, in total, the official kick-out time based on his experience was a full 1 hour.

To get the full benefit of one of Disney’s special ticketed events, we recommend purchasing a ticket as the best way to enjoy the excitement without the fear of being kicked out of the theme park.

Space Mountain Closes at Disney World

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom

The classic attraction was offline earlier in the week

Few roller coasters even compare to the original Space Mountain in Walt Disney World. Does it hurt your back a little? Yes. Is it extremely bumpy? Also yes. But something about it draws us in every time we visit the Parks.

It’s simply a must-do for roller coaster fans. Even though it just barely outpaces Goofy’s Barnstormer in terms of speed, it’s still a thrilling adventure.

With its galactic theming, dark ambiance, and iconic soundtrack, the indoor roller coaster is a must-ride for Guests at Walt Disney World seeking adventure and a wild trip to space. The ride can be found at multiple Disney Parks and Resorts across the world, but the original Magic Kingdom version will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Located in the Tomorrowland section of the Park, Space Mountain takes you on an “out of this world” journey through the stars.

Unfortunately, Space Mountain closed unexpectedly on Monday at the Magic Kingdom.

Space Mountain WDW

.In the photo below, shared by @ParkTwister on Twitter, you can see Cast Members standing around the entrance o the attraction in order to inform Guests of the closure:

If you look a little closer, you can even see a few cornhole boards set up for Guests to play with as they wait. You can also see a photo of the PeopleMover being evacuated:

Whenever Space Mountain encountered an issue, the PeopleMover is typically evacuated and closed as well as the attractions intertwine with one another. While there is no word on when we can expect these two rides to open back up, we hope it’s very soon!

As we said, Space Mountain can be found at a lot of other Disney Parks like Disneyland in California. Over on the west coast, Space Mountain reaches a speed of 35 m.p.h., and was the second Space Mountain attraction built in a Disney Park. Most Disney Guests long for the opportunity to have the unique experience of seeing the ride with the lights on.