Disney announces a new “Encanto”-themed attraction coming to Magic Kingdom

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom

President of Disney Parks, Products and Experiences announced today, alongside Disney’s Chris Beatty and Disney Animation’s Jennifer Lee, that Magic Kingdom will soon welcome an Encanto-themed attraction.

Disney’s Encanto is Walt Disney Animation’s 60th full-length animated feature film. It opened at the box office during the week of Thanksgiving in 2021, and then it debuted on the Disney+ streaming platform just in time for Christmas.

Encanto tells the story of the amazing Madrigal family living deep in the Colombian mountains. The family has been given a gift–one that has bestowed a special ability or talent on every member single Madrigal–all except one, named Mirabel.

Mirabel is often reminded that she’s the “unspecial” Madrigal–the only Madrigal whose emotions don’t cause weather disturbances, who can’t make herself turn into another person, who can’t heal others with food. But Mirabel–and the other Madrigals–soon learn that there’s more to the so-called “unspecial” Madrigal than anyone ever knew.

Disney’s Encanto created an entirely new group of Disney fans–those who love the story, the colors, the excitement, the music, and the pageantry of Encanto, and now, Disney Parks is finally getting in on the joy of the animated film, as Josh D’Amaro announced on Sunday during the 2022 D23 Expo Parks Panel than an exciting Encanto-themed addition is in the planning stages for Magic Kingdom.

The new addition will feature casita, the house where all of the Madrigal family lives, as well as an introduction to all the members of the family as Mirabel introduces Guests to her lovely family members, like Abuela, Tia Pepa, Dolores, Camilo, and others.

Though we don’t have any details as of yet–and we have no opening date or exact location of the new addition, we gather from what D’Amaro, Beatty and Lee said, that the new Encanto-inspired attraction will be part of a greater expansion at Magic Kingdom, which has also not yet been given an opening date.

Villains Land Teased By Disney

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom

The Walt Disney Company has always been a champion of imagination, and loves bringing everyone’s favorite Disney films, animations, and ideas to life.

Now, they’re considering bringing something that Disney fans and Park Guests have been asking for, for ages — an entirely Villain-themed land!

The Villains in the Disney Parks have always been a huge draw — with Guests loving to interact with Villainous face characters like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast (1991), Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty (1959), and Cruella De Vil from One Hundred and One Dalmatians / 101 Dalmations (1961).

Unfortunately, until now, Guests have only been able to meet and interact with these coveted Villains either at Halloween Events (like this mind-blowingly realistic Ernesto de la Cruz Meet N’ Greet at this year’s Oogie Boogie Bash) or around at their “heroes” or “good counterparts’” lands and areas within the Disney theme parks.

At this year’s D23 Expo held in California, Disney Parks Head Josh D’Amaro took to the stage to share several brand-new concepts that the Imagineering team are looking to put into action. D’Amaro brought out Chris Beatty and Jennifer Lee, and the Disney team opened up about what they’ve been cooking behind the scenes — and gave the crowd a sneak peek at a Villains land concept that they’ve been playing with.

After discussing the potential of a Coco and Encanto land that might be entwined together somehow over at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, the gathered Disney team began talking about one of the strongest, most iconic and also beloved portions of the Disney canon — the Disney Villains — in all their maniacally evil glory!

This proposed “Villains Land” would be placed right behind Big Thunder Mountain at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom over in Orlando, Florida, tucked alongside or behind the bright, colorful world of Coco and Encanto.

They then shared this new concept art of a new Villains Land, and proposed the concept of:

Villains looming over Casita Madrigal, and what could be beyond Big Thunder Mountain.

This announcement was met with thunderous applause and much shouting from the assembled Disney Parks fans!

All of this would undoubtedly fill a missing void in the Disney Parks for an enhanced Villain experience — and is something that fans have been dying to see for years. The new concept images definitely look cool, and we’re excited to see where this delectably evil new Land over at the Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom might have in store for Disney Park Guests.

Happily Ever After Returning to Disney World

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom

Last year, Disney Parks shocked fans when it announced the beloved Happily Ever After would “sparkle into Disney history”. Sure, it was known that a new nighttime spectacular would be taking over Cinderella Castle and Main Street, U.S.A. for Magic Kingdom’s 50th anniversary, but a full retirement caught many off guard.

However, after multiple teases, Walt Disney World will officially welcome Happily Ever After back very soon!

The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Central Florida attracts millions of Guests each year. And each and every Guest will visit the theme parks for a different reason — the food, the merchandise, the attractions –, but one thing that draws the crowds: the nighttime spectaculars.

When Disney Parks announced that Wishes: A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams would be retiring from its nighttime slot at Magic Kingdom Park, many were distraught and skeptical about the future of the Resort’s premiere fireworks show. Then Happily Ever After debuted. Of course, some were critical — it wasn’t Wishes, and yes, nothing ever will be Wishes — but Happily Ever After successfully combined the nostalgia of its predecessor, the projection-mapping technology of the former pre-show, Celebrate the Magic, and added a distinct Disney flair that brought hundreds to tears.

Happily Ever After

Flashforward to October 1, 2021, and Happily Ever After’s replacement — Disney Enchantment — would get a lukewarm reception when it debuted for The World’s Most Magical Celebration with criticisms at its lack of nostalgia, its use of covers as opposed to the original versions of Disney songs that so many fans adore, and for its less than spectacular fireworks. It has grown on some though, and the recent addition of Walt Disney and Roy Disney during the show softened the edges of what felt like a somewhat cold celebration for the Disney Resort’s half centennial.

As we near a year since the 50th anniversary began, fans of the Disney Park are wondering what Disney will do with Enchantment when the event ends next year. In addition to staying quiet about nighttime events, including those at Disneyland Resort, “Happily Ever After” singer Jordan Fisher started theories when he posted a cryptic video referencing the fan-favorite spectacular, and all signs seemingly pointed to news coming from D23 Expo 2022.

During the Boundless Future: Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products presentation in Hall D23, Chairmain of the division Josh D’Amaro, revealed that upon the end of the 50th celebrations, Happily Ever After will once more take over Cinderella Castle and the Magic Kingdom sky. Happily Ever After will return next year.

The replacement of Happily Ever After was just one of the changes that came for the Park’s celebration. Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane debuted, as did the announcement that Park Pass reservations were staying until at least 2024. As experiences change, and paywalls become the norm, the return of a familiar favorite may temper some frustrations.

Opening Timeframe For Disney World’s TRON Lightcycle / Run Revealed

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom

Five years after the first announcement was made at D23 Expo 2017, Disney Parks chief Josh D’Amaro has just revealed when TRON Lightcycle / Run will open to Guests at the Walt Disney World Resort.

TRON Lightcycle / Run, a copy of the attraction found in Shanghai Disney Resort’s Shanghai Disneyland, has been under construction for multiple years. Back in 2020, Disney Imagineer Zach Riddley shared updates of the canopy construction, called the Upload Circuit in-Universe, and it is this structure that will house the ride vehicles — or lightcycles.

Reaching up to 60mph at its fastest point, TRON Lightcycle / Run will see Guests propelled into the Magic Kingdom skyline, careening alongside Cinderella Castle, and over the spectators of Tomorrowland. The story of the attraction sees Guests joining “Team Blue for a high-speed launch into a competition against Team Orange,” racing through the eight energy gates to secure victory.

TRON Lightcycle / Run Testing in the dark

After Pandora — The World of Avatar and its game-changing Flight of Passage attraction, Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Slinky Dog Dash, and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and this year’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT, Guests have long been in need of a new thrilling attraction at Magic Kingdom Park.

And now, the time when Guests can mount the lightcycles and soar into the sky has been revealed. Talking at the D23 Expo 2022 in Anaheim, Southern California, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro has announced that TRON Lightcycle / Run will open at the Magic Kingdom in spring of 2023.

TRON Lightcycle / Run ride vehicle at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

It’s been a long time coming for the TRON roller coaster. The attraction was slated to open during the Walt Disney World Resort’s 50th anniversary — The World’s Most Magical Celebration — but plans were derailed due to the pandemic, with many (including EPCOT’s World Celebration renovation) delayed. The announcement of the opening date will mark the end of a very long five years.

Shown from left: Cindy Morgan, Bruce Boxleitner (as Tron)

Based on the cinematic franchise from which it gets its name, TRON Lightcycle / Run draws inspiration from both Steven Lisberger’s TRON (1982) and the sequel, TRON: Legacy (2010) by director Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick). Chris Beatty, Portfolio Creative Executive of Walt Disney Imagineering, recently shared that TRON Lightcycle / Run will take place after the events of TRON: Legacy. He said:

Our story picks up following the events of “TRON: Legacy,” whose main character, Sam Flynn, is now opening new gateways into this digital realm at specific locations around the world. The first portal he created is at Shanghai Disneyland with the original TRON Lightcycle Power Run, and now Magic Kingdom guests will get their turn through this second gateway.

Soon Guests will be able to board their ride vehicles and soar into The Grid as Disney Parks unleashes its next big deal attraction.

Child Jumps Onto Moving Float, Stops Disney Parade

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom

A popular Disney parade recently had to come to a stop after a child leaped onto a float and was corralled by a Disney Cast Member.

When visiting Walt Disney World Resort, Disney Park Guests are completely immersed in the magic. They have the opportunity to ride iconic attractions at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as well as plenty of other offerings, including many forms of entertainment.

One of the most popular offerings are two beloved Disney parades, Festival of Fantasy, which makes its way around Magic Kingdom at both 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. each day, and Mickey’s Celebration Cavalcade.

Recently, a scary incident unfolded while Guests were viewing Mickey’s Celebration Cavalcade in Magic Kingdom.

A child ran in front of a parade float and jumped onto it in an attempt to meet Pluto. A Disney Cast Member chased after them and corralled him before he made it to the Disney character.

The video was shared on Reddit.

Child Runs On Parade Float from WaltDisneyWorld

As you can see, when the Disney Cast Member jumps onto the float to catch the child, they nearly trip. When the child gets onto the float, you can also see the float come to a stop until he could be removed.

Mickey’s Celebration Cavalcade is a new cavalcade floating through Magic Kingdom Park as part of The World’s Most Magical Celebration.

You can find your favorite spot along the parade route—from Frontierland through Liberty Square down Main Street, U.S.A.—and party with the EARidescent 8 as they rock out in their snazzy new 50th anniversary looks.