It may be hard to believe, but in just over a year, Walt Disney World will be adding a dozen new attractions, shows and restaurants to its parks. And though a lot of these new openings will be inside the forthcoming Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney is trying to bring guests to some of its other parks earlier in the year with new shows and attractions at both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
1. Unnamed Beauty and the Beast Singalong
Image: Disney
Park: Epcot
Opening in: Early 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 specific opening date has been provided about when this new show might debut, but we’d imagine we are probably looking at an opening sometime early next year.
2. Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy
Image: Disney
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.
In addition to series mainstay 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. After attending the show, guests will also be able to participate in a meet and greet with Cruz Ramirez and take a photo.
3. Wonderful World of Animation
Image: Disney
Park: Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Opening in: May 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. The NBA Experience
Image: Disney
Park: Disney Springs
Opening in: Summer 2019
Though it is still heavily under construction, Disney recently confirmed that the NBA Experience at Disney Springs will be opening in summer 2019. This new entertainment center will feature something for everyone. Visitors will get a glimpse into the atmosphere at the NBA Draft, participate in their own scouting reports, go through pregame preparations, and step onto the court to make clutch shots and highlight reel-worthy slam dunks.
5. Disney Skyliner
Image: Disney
Park: Epcot/ Disney’s Hollywood Studios
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.
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: Galaxy’s Edge opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the fall. You can read more about Disney’s plans for this new system here.
6. Unnamed restaurant in Japan
Image: Disney
Park: Epcot
Opening in: Fall 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. 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 fall 2019.
7. Epcot Forever
Image: Disney
Park: Epcot
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.
8. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway 8
Image: Disney
Though Mickey Mouse has appeared in several rides over the years, 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 they become the star of their own Mickey short and anything can happen.
The fun begins when guests see the premiere of a new cartoon short with Mickey and Minnie preparing for a picnic. As they head out, they drive alongside a train and find out that the engineer is Goofy. Then, one magical moment lets guests step into the movie and on Goofy’s train for a wacky, wild ride.
9. Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
Image: Disney
Park: Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Opening in: Late 2019
The first confirmed ride for the forthcoming Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge 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.
10. Star Wars Cantina restaurant
Image: Disney
Park: Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Opening in: Late 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: Galaxy’s Edge is set in 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?
11. Star Wars “dinner club” restaurant
Image: Disney
Park: Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Opening in: Late 2019
In addition to the cantina, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge 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.
12. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Park: Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Opening in: Late 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.
