As the holiday travel season ramps up it’s time once again to take a look at some of the big projects Disney has in the works for the next five years.
For our final 2018 update, we take a look at a ton of new shows coming to Epcot, Disney finally shares names for the attractions coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, plus final details are released for the Disney Skyliner project.
1. Disney Junior Dance Party
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: December 22, 2018
2. Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: Spring 2019
A new show based on the world of Cars called Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy has been confirmed to be coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios early next year. Though specifics about the nature of this upcoming show have not been immediately made available, according to Imagineer Kathy Mangum, this new entertainment offering will be “a show unlike anything we’ve got anywhere else,” and will feature well-known characters from the Cars films.
In addition to Lightning McQueen the show will also feature Cruz Ramirez and Mater, and will immerse guests in the world of Cars, bringing them face to face with racing legend Lightning McQueen who will be on hand to demonstrate racing techniques on a new simulator and share some of his biggest career highlights with guests during the show.
When it opens in 2019, this show will be performed daily in the Sunset Showcase facility. You can learn more about this new, upcoming attraction here.
3. Wonderful World of Animation
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: TBA 2019
An all-new projection-based nighttime spectacular, “Wonderful World of Animation,” is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in May 2019, as part of the park’s 30th anniversary celebration. This show take guests on a magical journey through more than 90 years of Disney animation, all beginning with Mickey himself, and featuring beloved Disney and Pixar characters form films like Wreck-It Ralph, Coco, The Incredibles, Frozen, Cars, The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty and more. This projection show will replace the current Disney Movie Magic show when it debuts next year.
4. Unnamed Beauty and the Beast Singalong
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: TBA 2019
A new Beauty and the Beast sing-along attraction is coming to Epcot’s France pavilion, and will play in the theater that is currently home to “Impressions de France.” This new show will play in addition to the French film, and is being created by Don Hahn, producer of the animated and live-action “Beauty and the Beast” film. No timeline has been provided about when this new show might debut, but we’d imagine we are probably looking at an opening sometime next year.
5. Unnamed film in Canada Pavilion
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: TBA 2019
The current O Canada circle-vision attraction’s days are numbered as it has been confirmed that a brand new O Canada film will be coming to Epcot’s Canada Pavilion sometime in the near future, though like the Beauty and the Beast show in France, no timeline has been provided for this upcoming change, but we’d expect this new film to debut next year.
6. Unnamed film in China Pavilion
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: TBA 2019
The current Reflections of China circle-vision attraction’s days are also numbered as it has been confirmed that a brand new film will be coming to Epcot’s China Pavilion sometime in the near future. Though this was initially announced in 2017, we haven’t heard much about this development. However, Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Bob Chapek has confirmed that this new attraction is still in development, so hopefully we’ll learn more soon!
7. Disney Skyliner
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: Fall 2019
Walt Disney World’s new gondolas project, officially named Disney Skyliner, will connect Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, and the new DVC property, Disney’s Riviera Resort through a series of elevated, closed-cabin gondolas. According to official documents, it looks like there will be six individual loading and unloading stations for the gondola system, one at each destination.
The various Disney Skyliner cabs will also feature favorite Disney characters, including the fab five as well as the hitchhiking ghosts. Construction has been moving along quickly at the resort, with work on stations at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot able to be easily seen from guest areas. Disney recently confirmed that this new transportation option will take flight next year before Star Wars Land opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the fall. You can read more about Disney’s plans for this new system here.
8. Unnamed restaurant in Japan
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: 2019
Earlier this year Disney confirmed the rumor that an all-new table service restaurant would be coming to the Japan Pavilion in the World Showcase sometime in the near future. This new location will offer guests a signature dining experience inspired by the natural beauty of Japan.The setting will draw from both nature and takumi, which means “artisan” in Japanese, and the relationship between Japanese craftsmanship and the natural world will be evident throughout the space. Once completed, the restaurant will add to the rich tapestry of authentic cultural experiences available to guests in World Showcase.
This new restaurant will be operated by Mitsukoshi USA, which is a name you probably recognize as the operator behind the merchandise, restaurants (Teppan Edo and Tokyo Dining), and kiosks that are already in the Japan Pavilion.
Construction walls appeared earlier this year on the side of the Japan pavilion behind where the Mitsukoshi department store currently sits, and while we’re expecting the restaurant to be close to this building, it probably won’t actually be connected. Though construction is just starting, this is another project that we expect to be done sometime next year. The size of this new restaurant is actually reported to be a bit smaller than the one happening now in Future World, so we may actually see this restaurant open as soon as summer 2019.
9. Epcot Forever
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: Fall 2019
In case you haven’t heard, IllumiNations is ending next year, and Disney announced recently that as soon as this iconic show finishes up its run, Disney will debut a limited-time nighttime spectacular, called “Epcot Forever,” which will feature classic Epcot themes. This new show is meant to showcase the best of Epcot while celebrating its unique history, all with classic music and advanced pyrotechnics.
10. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: Fall 2019
Though Mickey Mouse has appeared in several rides over the years (including the now-closed Great Movie Ride), it looks like Disney is finally giving its most famous character the chance to star in his own ride, along with Minnie Mouse and some of his other pals. However, instead of being based on some of the classic Mickey Mouse cartoons, the new Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction (which is being constructed inside the building that formerly housed the Great Movie Ride) will be directly inspired by the Mickey Shorts that are shown on the Disney Channel (and have their own channel at Disney resorts). As you might expect, the people who produce the shorts at Disney Television Animation are partnering with Disney Parks and Resorts to help bring the attraction to life.
The actual setup of the attraction is pretty standard, as it will allow guests to literally step “through” a movie screen and join Mickey and his friends on a fun adventure where you’re the star of your own Mickey short and anything can happen. This zany out-of-control adventure will feature surprising twists and turns, dazzling visual effects and mind-boggling transformations that happen before your very eyes, including a forest instantly being transformed into a cityscape, which you can check out here.
Image: Disney
Though this attraction sounds a bit like your standard screen-based affair so far, Disney is promising that this ride will be more than just a screen-based dark ride. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway will make extensive use of new enhanced screen technology that Disney is calling 2 1/2D. Though we’re not entirely sure what this really means, Disney said that the normally 2D world of Disney animation will pop in new ways inside this attraction, but interestingly, without the need for 3D glasses.
Though it was rumored for some time, Disney confirmed in 2018 that this attraction would open with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2019.
11. Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: 2019
The first confirmed ride for the forthcoming Star Wars Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be a flight simulator ride that allows guests to “take the controls of one of the most recognizable ships in the galaxy, the Millennium Falcon, on a customized secret mission”.
Interestingly, guests who experience this attraction won’t just be tagging along for a ride (like they currently do on Star Tours) but will actually be piloting the Millennium Falcon themselves! Guests will be able to turn, bank and even fire weapons in this simulation-style experience.
Image: Disney
Recently, some interesting details about this attraction were revealed. When guests enter the attraction they will be able to climb into one of seven pods that seat six riders each. Each pod will be able to rotate 360 degrees, and there will be a LOT of interactive elements all around riders that will affect the experience. According to one of the attraction’s creative directors, there will be 200 buttons, knobs and switches on the inside of the cockpit, each with a specific function.
Image: Disney
And interestingly, many of these interactive elements will be specific to different “jobs” riders will have on the ride, similar to the format for Mission: Space. So, for instance, gunners in the center will have weapons controls while engineers in the back will have buttons and levers related to keeping the ship flying.
And guests will definitely want to do well with their jobs, as those who bring back their bounty and fly the ship expertly without a lot of damage will be able to earn extra Galactic Credits, which will change the way characters in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge interact with them. Conversely, guests who lose the bounty or damage the ship will end up owing money, which will also produce different interactions with characters.
This all sounds really exciting, but it looks like there will be one big issue with this attraction when it opens: wait times are going to be crazy. With seven pods that seat 6 each, you’re looking at an attraction that can only handle 42 guests per ride cycle, which is very low for an attraction that will undoubtedly be extremely popular when it opens next year.
12. Star Wars Cantina restaurant
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: 2019
One development that was rumored for the original Star Wars Land that ended up making the cut for the reimagined version of this brand new land is the iconic Star Wars Cantina. The Cantina will no longer be located on Mos Eisley (Star Wars Land will be its own, unique in-universe planet…and who knows, maybe the Cantina has become a McDonald’s-style franchise), but this dining location will have several familiar entertainment options and will feature the (in)famous Blue Milk drink. Perhaps Disney is hoping Blue Milk will become the new Butterbeer?
13. Star Wars “dinner club” restaurant
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: 2019
In addition to the cantina, it has been confirmed recently that Star Wars Land will feature a “dinner club” style restaurant (featured in the art above) that will likely be either a traditional sit-down restaurant or perhaps even an in-park dinner show, similar to Club Villain at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
14. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: 2019
While the Millennium Falcon ride will use new technology to deliver a thrilling experience the likes of which hasn’t been seen before at a Disney park, the new Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride will be a more traditional dark ride experience, with a motion base ride vehicle moving through a scene with screens (similar to what guests currently experience at The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man at Islands of Adventure). The ride will put guests in the middle of an epic battle between the First Order and the Resistance – including a face-off with Kylo Ren himself. You can check out a video of this new attraction above.
15. Ratatouille
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: 2020
It has been confirmed that a Ratatouille-themed 3-D dark ride, largely the same as the one at Disneyland Paris, will be coming to Epcot sometime in the next few years. This attraction, which uses trackless technology to “shrink” guests down to the size of a rat, will be placed in an expansion pad next to the France Pavilion. You can check out a full video of the Disneyland Paris version of this attraction here.
While Ratatouille hasn’t exactly had the cultural relevance that other Pixar films like Toy Story or Up have had in the past decade, this addition does make sense in the context of the France pavilion, and since the attraction already exists at the Disneyland Paris Resort, Disney is likely thinking they save time and money by building a copy of a pre-existing attraction here, which hopefully means that we’ll be able to experience this attraction at Epcot sooner in 2020 rather than later.
16. A Celebration of Disney Music
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: 2020
Though Epcot Forever will run in 2019, in 2020, a new permanent nighttime spectacular will debut. Called “A Celebration of Disney Music,” this new nighttime entertainment offering will show how Disney music inspires people around the globe, and will feature large floating set pieces, custom-built LED panels, kites with special effects, choreographed moving fountains, lights, pyrotechnics, and lasers. Confirmed Disney IPs that will be featured in this new production include Coco, Hercules, and Moana.Moving forward, this will be the permanent replacement for IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, and the infrastructure for this show is under construction as we speak.
17. Future World Space restaurant
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: TBA
Though we weren’t totally surprised last year by the confirmations of the Guardians of the Galaxy and Ratatouille attractions, one announcement that we did not see coming was that of a new space-themed restaurant in Future World. No name or location details were provided, but Disney did specify that this establishment would have special “windows” that simulate views of the galaxy as diners “travel high above the earth” during their meal.
Though it has been awhile since this initial announcement was made, earlier this year Disney finally began construction on the brand new building that will house this upcoming restaurant, which will be built in a newly developed area between Mission: Space and Test Track. Though it hasn’t been explicitly confirmed, given the location of construction walls, it looks like the rumors about Disney attaching this new restaurant to the existing Mission: Space building are true, which means Mission: Space will be evolving into a pavilion style experience that will contain both the Mission: Space attraction as well as this new restaurant, similar to the way other Future World pavilions house both attractions and restaurants.
18. Untitled Cirque du Soleil show based on Disney movies
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: TBA
Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba at Disney Springs closed forever at the end of 2017, but just before it did, Disney confirmed that a new Cirque du Soleil production was being developed for this theater. But this time, this all-new show will have a uniquely Disney flair, and be unlike anything else either Disney or Cirque du Soleil have produced in the past.
According to a press release from Disney, this new show will be based around some of Disney’s most iconic films “draw [ing] its inspiration from Disney’s heritage of animation,” and will “celebrate Disney’s legacy of storytelling in Cirque du Soleil’s signature way, with a tribute to the one-of a kind craftsmanship that makes Disney so extraordinary.”
Image: Cirque du Soleil
Though it hasn’t been confirmed officially, inside sources have said that this show has run into some issues with development. In an effort to put this large space to work though, it has been suggested that while Disney and Cirque du Soleil figure out what to do with this new show some of the touring Cirque productions could stop by Disney Springs for a number of limited engagements.
19. Tron Lightcycle Power Run
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: 2021
Though it has been rumored for a few months, we finally got confirmation at the 2017 edition of the D23 Expo that Disney is indeed bringing a duplicate of Shanghai Disneyland’s Tron Lightcycle Power Run attraction to Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom. This attraction, which allows guests to board a train of two-wheeled Lightcycles and go on a high-speed adventure through Tron’s high-tech universe, has been one of the most popular attractions at Shanghai Disneyland, and certainly is a sensible addition to the Magic Kingdom that should help draw thrill seekers and sci-fi fans to this park. You can check out a ride through of the version in Shanghai (which is supposed to be virtually identical to the upcoming Magic Kingdom version) here
However, in an interesting twist, it looks like rumors that predicted the destruction of the Tomorrowland Speedway to make way for this attraction were premature, as concept art shows Tron Lightcycle Power Run being built in an unused area next to Space Mountain, with a re-worked (and possibly re-routed) Tomorrowland Speedway in the foreground. Interestingly, it looks like changes may also be in store for some of the Magic Kingdom’s transportation options as well.
Image: Disney
Though preliminary work on the Tron Roller Coaster has been going on for almost a year now, it looks like construction is really going to be ramping up in the new year as Disney prepares to get this attraction for its 2021 debut.
As a result of all the construction in this area, the Walt Disney World Railroad will be closing this December for an indefinite amount of time to acomodate work in Tomorrowland, and potentially alter the track of this attraction as well. Though nothing has been specifically confirmed, concept art released last year seems to indicate that some substantial changes could be coming to the railroad that will alter the track to make way for the new Tron roller coaster
20. Untitled Guardians of the Galaxy Future World ride
Image: Disney
Status: Confirmed
Opening in: 2021
Though it had been rumored for almost two years, Disney has confirmed last summer that a Guardians of the Galaxy-inspired attraction will be added to Future World sometime in the next few years. Though this might seem like a strange addition to this part of Epcot considering the Guardians of the Galaxy film franchise is supposed to take place in the present day, Disney has said that this franchise makes for a good addition to Epcot’s Future World because it gives guests the chance to experience the excitement and adventure offered by space travel.
It was confirmed several weeks ago that this attraction will be an indoor roller coaster that will repurpose much of the original Universe of Energy building, as well as a giant new structure that is currently under construction behind this area, that will be big enough to house FOUR Spaceship Earth structures. You can check out the massive foundation pour for this new structure below:
Though construction is well underway behind the Universe of Energy building, it looks like it will be a really long time before anyone flies to space with the Guarduans of the Galaxy.
Image: Disney
Disney has developed a new ride system for this attraction that will feature elevated roller coaster trains that conceal track underneath, and can also move independently, spinning around to face screens or setpieces, similar to the roller coaster trains used by Universal’s Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts attraction. You can see the prototype for the new ride vehicles above.
So there it is…Disney’s slate of new additions for the next few years. What are you most excited about?
