2020 has been an unprecedented year for many reasons, and unfortunately many of the new attractions we were hoping to see this year, including Remy’s Ratatouille’s Adventure, Harmonious, The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash, Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure, Ice Breaker, Iron Gwazi, all of Super Nintendo World, and more, have all been delayed until 2021.
However, even though the vast majority of theme park projects have been delayed, this year actually saw the opening of several attractions, from shows to dark rides to thrilling roller coasters, here are the new attractions that opened this year! Did you get to experience any of these?
1. Awesome Planet (Epcot)
Opened: January 17, 2020
Awesome Planet, a brand new original film especially designed for Epcot debuted Harvest Theater at the Land pavilion on January 17, 2020, the first day of the Epcot International Festival of the Arts. Here’s the official description of this attraction.
An on-screen exploration of the realm we call home, showcases the spectacular beauty, diversity and dynamic story of our earth with all the grandeur guests have come to expect.
With spectacular nature photography, immersive in-theater effects, and space sequences created by none other than Industrial Light & Magic (which provided the cinematic foundation for the Star Wars franchise), “Awesome Planet” will stir Epcot guests and deliver an environmental message that will resonate far beyond its final scenes.
2. Canada: Far and Wide (Epcot)
Opened: January 17, 2020
The current O Canada circle-vision attraction closed in August 2019, and was replaced by an all new Circle-Vision 360 movie at Epcot’s Canada pavilion, which will also open on January 17, 2020. Using all new seamless digital technology, the new 360 movie, named Canada: Far and Wide, includes new scenes, story, music and narration by Canadian actors Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy.
3.Beauty and the Beast Singalong (Epcot)
Opened: January 17, 2020
The brand new Beauty and the Beast sing-along attraction at Epcot’s France pavilion also debuted this past January and currently plays alongside “Impressions de France.” This new show is narrated by Angela Lansbury, and features an abridged version of the film focused on the efforts of LeFou to help to bring Belle and The Beast together.
4. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Disneyland)
Opened: January 17, 2020
Though it opened in late 2019 at Walt Disney World, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance made its big debut at Disneyland’s version of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in early 2020. However, like everything else at Disneyland park, this attraction has not operated since March, as the park remains closed until sometime in 2021.
5. Magic Happens (Disneyland)
Opened: February 28, 2020
The all new Magic Happens daytime parade is coming to Disneyland in just a few weeks on February 28th. This new parade will celebrate moments of magic from Disney and Pixar stories like Moana, Frozen 2, and Coco, which will be brought to life on a grand scale with stunning floats, artistic costumes and imaginative music co-composed by singer-songwriter Todrick Hall.
6. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
Opened: March 4, 2020
Perhaps the biggest opening of the year was Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which is a trackless dark ride that uses “2 1/2 D” technology to transport guests inside the zany world of the Mickey Mouse shorts.
Though this attraction’s pre-show is not running due to social distancing and trains have been outfitted with plexiglass, this attraction is essentially still running the same way it did on opening day.
7. The Bourne Stuntacular
Opened: June 30, 2020
After Universal Orlando Resort reopened over the summer, the resort surprised guests by announcing that the new Bourne Stuntacular show would be opening on June 30, 2020, just after the parks themselves began welcoming guests once again. This new live-action stunt show features chase scenes, fistfights, death-defying leaps and more, with live performers, high-tech props, and a giant LED screen.
8. Orion (King’s Island)
Opened: July 1, 2020
Though King’s Island was only open for a few weeks this past summer, the park was able to debut its new Orion giga=coaster, which plummets guests down an exhilarating 300-foot first drop, sending them on a high-speed journey over seven more hills and 5,321 feet of track at speeds up to 91 MPH, making this attraction Kings Island’s tallest, fastest and longest steel roller coaster.
9. Candymonium
Opened: July 3, 2020
For thrill-seekers, the new Candymonium steel roller coaster opened this past July at Hersheypark along with with a newly-themed section of the park called Hershey’s Chocolatetown. This attraction is the tallest and fastest at the park, and brings guests on a 210-foot ascent before plunging them through a series of thrilling drops including 7 camelback hills that serve up the ultimate feeling of freedom with the most airtime in Hersheypark.
