Bitesize Orlando February 2022 – Issue 8

Welcome to Bitesize Orlando February 2022 – news direct from the parks. Before we get into those I have exciting news for those of you planning your trips.

2022 Planning Guide Now Available

After 3 months of writing, my fully updated and expanded Orlando Holiday Planning Guide has finally been released for 2022. For those of you that have read previous versions, the structure remains the same although it has been completely rewritten in a professional DTP program to make incremental updates much easier to roll out. I have listed a brief overview of the updates below. Grab your copy now!

Bitesize Orlando February 2022 Contents

Face Mask Policies Updated At All Parks

Disney, Universal, Seaworld Parks, and Legoland have been quick to retract the need for all guests to wear masks indoors or in queues, in line with Florida state restrictions updates. Their websites now state that fully vaccinated guests no longer need to wear a face mask indoors if they so wish. It is recommended but no longer compulsory. The rules are different for non-vaccinated guests who must still wear a mask while indoors and in queues.

Rather than strict rules, these are just guidelines as policing of this new rule will be non-existent as there is no mandatory check on your COVID status on entry nor a requirement to prove your status at any point through your stay. Of course, if you would like to wear a mask at any point in your stay you are welcome to do so.

Disney World News February 2022

Construction continues quietly around the resort. World Of Water infrastructure is going in fast with pipework for this ambitious attraction now buried and multiple foundations have been poured.

Over in the Magic Kingdom, huge crowds have had to contend with two popular attraction closures because Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain have both been undergoing refurbishment but are expected to open again soon. Work on the outdoor canopy of Tron continues but still with no word of an opening date.

Park Pass System Extended to 2024

With the on-again/off-again mask policy, one stubborn rule will be sticking around for some time to come. The much-derided park pass system has been officially extended to 24th January 2024.

Anyone wanting to visit a Disney World theme park in 2022, and now 2023, will have to book a virtual entry slot once they have their theme park tickets. Disney hasn’t shied away from its love for this new system because of the cost efficiencies it has brought in staffing and operations costs.

Booking a slot while still months away from your trip isn’t generally an issue, it becomes an issue the closer you get to your visit. This takes the spontaneity out of your Disney trip.

It really becomes an issue if you decide to book a last-minute trip at a great price only to find out you can’t get into any of your chosen parks because they are at their (virtual) capacity.

Likewise, if you want to change your plans last minute. You CAN NOT change your park pass reservation, you can only cancel them before booking again. You have better be crystal clear there is availability on your chosen date and chosen park before you cancel your original choice otherwise you could be left in park limbo.

There is no requirement for Disney to continue with their Park Pass system but it looks like this most unpopular of COVID protocols is here to stay for quite a while.

Lightning Lane Attractions Moved To Genie+ Temporarily

In effect from now until the 7th August, the following attractions have been moved from Individual Lightning Lane only selections to Disney Genie+

• Space Mountain in the Magic Kingdom
• Frozen Ever After at EPCOT
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Hollywood Studios

If you are visiting Disney World between March and August this year, this will affect how you will plan your day as Genie+ attractions can be chosen from 7 am on the day of your visit, no matter if you stay on or off the resort. Individual Lightning Lane passes are given to Disney Hotel guests as a priority from 7 am with everyone else having to wait until the respective park opens for the day.

Genie App Updated With Popular Feature

Genie has been a controversial addition. Whether you love it or loathe it, it is here to stay. Disney has been listening to feedback and a much-suggested issue has been solved with a recent addition to the app.

Linking people in the same booking is easy in Disney Genie. This lets everyone or select people book slots using Genie+ reservations but it wasn’t so easy if your friends wanted to get the same time. Now Disney has introduced a sharing feature.

You can now find a sharing code under your profile in the app to give to friends and family for easy sharing to make booking Genie+, Lightning Lane or table service reservations together much less frustrating.

It’s a small step in the evolution of Disney’s latest holiday planning tool. It doesn’t fix the broader issues of attraction availability or app crashes but it shows Disney is listening to feedback and in the coming months, the app will get less frustrating to use.

Don’t Forget To Compliment Cast Members

In October Disney introduced Mobile Cast Compliment to the My Disney Experience app. Until then, if you wanted to say thanks to a cast member that has gone out of their way to make your visit stand out you had to go to guest relations. Mobile Cast Compliment is a super convenient way for you to show your gratitude for those special cast members that made you smile.

To send a compliment search for “cast compliment” in the My Disney Experience app. So the correct cast member can be recognised personally you only need to remember their first name and hometown as printed on their name badge.

Private Photo Sessions Expanded To All Disney Parks

Launched initially as a pilot program at Magic Kingdom to gauge interest, the “Capture Your Moment” initiative has proven so popular it is now to be rolled out to all 4 of Disney’s main parks.

Capture Your Moment is part of the “Enchanting Extras” section of the Disney World website. $79 entitles up to 8 people to a private 20-minute photo session in front of some of Disney’s most iconic backdrops. You can book more than one slot (for an additional $79) and get a choice of backdrops.

Availability will vary but there are several places in each park to choose from with availability discussed on the day. Photos are not included in the cost but prints and digital downloads can be purchased separately. If you have the Memory Maker addon (note; every official UK-bought ticket includes Memory Maker as standard) you can download the photos at no extra cost.

If you cancel within 24 hours or don’t show up no refund will be given. Despite the cost, these are popular experiences and will sell out so booking in advance is definitely recommended. A very limited number of same-day reservations will be made available by visiting Guest Relations at your chosen park.

For more information and to book a slot click the appropriate link below:

• Capture Your Moment Magic Kingdom Reservations
• Capture Your Moment EPCOT Reservations
• Capture Your Moment Hollywood Studios Reservations
• Capture Your Moment Animal Kingdom Reservations

Grand Floridian Hotel Refurbishment

Disney has shared that the extension and refurbishment to their Grand Floridian Hotel & Spa will impact guests during daytime hours beginning 1st March 2022 and will last until 2023.

The work will be centred on buildings furthest out from the lobby and main entrance and they expect most amenities will remain open. As well as renovating existing villas the work will add around 200 resort studios, a Disney Vacation Club room type unique to The Villas At Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Construction work is never ideal but it will be concentrated in the quietest part of the day for resorts while most guests are in the theme parks.

If you’re thinking of booking a stay at the Grand Floridian please bear in mind this work may have a small impact on your stay for the next year or so.

Blizzard Beach Winter Refurbishment Extended

While on the subject of refurbishments, Disney has extended Blizzard Beach’s scheduled yearly maintenance closure indefinitely on their park calendar.

Both Disney’s water parks close for an extended period during the cooler winter months. Typhoon Lagoon has only recently reopened after a very long extended closure thanks to COVID pressure affecting park capacities.

Previously, Blizzard Beach’s closure was listed as ending in a couple of weeks. Disney’s park calendar lists it as shut now until the end of the calendar period, currently set to the end of May, potentially meaning Blizzard Beach will have its own extended closure. If Disney gives an official announcement in the coming weeks I will update you in next month’s newsletter.

New Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Promo Video

With the first voyage of Galactic Starcruiser now imminent Disney Parks has just released their latest video to entice us all to part with a huge sum of money for a 2 night scripted short stay. New images have also been posted online but I will just link to the video today.

The video below finally gives us a sneak peek inside the Halcyon as well as a little more info on where the fictional Halcyon ship sits within the Star Wars timeline. Despite a backlash in December that led Disney to take down two previous marketing videos amid cries the experience looked cheap and decidedly un-Star Wars, Disney CEO Bob Chapek is adamant that the experience will leave visitors blown away.

If you haven’t yet booked a spot on the Halcyon then this video is unlikely to persuade you to part with your cash anytime soon. Is the backlash against this all-inclusive Star Wars experience justified?

I am going to hold out my decision until it actually opens. What is clear is that Disney has put a lot of thought into an experience that they believe still lives up to the considerable hype.

Will I be going? No. I can’t possibly justify that kind of expenditure on a 2-night break, not to mention the cost of the return flights on top. Plus I was always more of a Star Trek guy than Star Wars. But I do understand that this experience caters to a certain kind of visitor. The backlash Disney is getting, I believe, is unfair. They are catering to a very small market with this experience. A market that will happily pay to be immersed in their own story for 2 full days. If they want to drop that kind of cash for a 2-night stay they will be very quick to point out to Disney if it doesn’t live up to the hype.

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Preview

Just as I was about to make this month’s Bitesize live, online reviews of Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser started appearing.

Last week Disney invited select media outlets and blog sites to a preview of what guests will experience. Bear in mind the reviews are based on a 4-hour preview of a 60+ hour experience.

The Verdict? A claustrophobic but natural evolution of immersive theatre with a price tag. Check out Polygon’s review for a brief overview of the experience. If you want a much more detailed breakdown of what you can expect, the Disney Food Blog has a much more comprehensive guide for you to digest.

Guardians Of The Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Opening Date Confirmed

It’s perhaps one of the most anticipated attractions ever to come to EPCOT. The opening has been delayed almost a year by COVID but we finally know when Disney’s brand new storytelling coaster, Guardians Of The Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will be open and it’s not that far away!

Work has been reaching a crescendo on the outside of the show building which is usually, a good sign that an opening is on the horizon. That date is Memorial Day Weekend in the US. That translates to Spring Bank Holiday for us Brits, or the last weekend in May.

If you are visiting after this date be in no doubt this attraction will instantly catapult to the top of hard-to-get-on attractions in Disney World once it opens. Lightning Lane passes will sell out very quickly and the queue line will run into hours for some after it launches. There is no news yet on whether the Virtual Line will be re-introduced temporarily for the opening of this mega attraction.

NEW COSMIC REWIND LOADING AREA CONCEPT ART pic.twitter.com/OHGna6zkiy

— Phil‎ ✦ The Horizoneer (@TheHorizoneer) February 22, 2022

Universal Orlando Resort News February 2022

Making Of Velocicoaster Video Now Available On Youtube!

Were you left as frustrated as me when you realised the making-of mini-documentary for this amazing attraction was streaming on Peacock TV but, inexplicably, only for US audiences

Frustratingly, Peacock TV is available through Sky and Now TV in the UK but there was zero communication that this documentary was locked to US-only audiences. Contacting both Sky and Peacock TV through Facebook frustratingly got me nowhere. Neither could confirm why it wasn’t available let alone when it might stream on our shores. Thankfully, Universal has finally released the full 21-minute documentary for free on Youtube!

Velocicoaster is one of the best roller coasters anywhere. Period. And I haven’t even ridden it yet, it was still an unannounced building site on my last visit (thanks COVID). But, to say I am beyond excited to finally get a chance or three to ride this beast in July is an understatement. There are a lot of new experiences in Disney, Universal, and the Space Coast I am looking forward to but none more than this.

Take a look at the documentary below and you will see the incredible detail, thought, and workmanship that brought this world-leading attraction to life.

Possible Wizarding World Attraction Cancelled

Although permits were filed weeks ago, the Fear Factor Live stage is still upright at Universal Studios. Noted Orlando park blogger Alicia Stella sniffed out permits hinting that the replacement could be a VR-based attraction set in the Wizarding World (think broomstick flying!).

Despite a notice of commencement being filed no work has been done on-site. In January Universal was issued a publicly filed permit from the Florida Department Of Environmental Protection for generic dewatering. It is this permit that lists the project as cancelled.

For one, I think this is the right move for Universal. They have more than enough resources to bring us something truly unique, something you can’t find at a heavily themed store. And, yes, if you ask me the one criticism I have of Universal Studios is their dependence on multimedia-based attractions.

Will we see Wizarding World expand at some point? I have no doubt we will with the popularity. But, as Alicia says, Universal may have cancelled this multimedia-based attraction based on customer feedback that there are too many attractions of the same type already in the Studios. And Warner Brothers upstaged them when they opened a Harry Potter store in New York that features 2 VR-based attractions to lure visitors in. The final nail in this particular attraction, despite being rumoured in development for the last 4 years, is Disney’s January patent application approval for an immersive attraction without the need of a headset that goes beyond virtual reality and augmented reality. Could this attraction have been too dated before it even got off the drawing board? We may never know.

Seaworld Orlando February 2022 News

Ice Breaker Now Open With Taller Height Restriction

Ice Breaker has only been open a few days but, due to operational reasons surrounding smaller riders, and “out of an abundance of caution” the minimum height requirement to ride has been raised. Originally opening with a minimum height restriction of 48″, this has been increased, possibly only temporarily, to 54″.

With the opening of Ice Breaker Seaworld jumps to the top theme park ranking in Orlando based on Roller coaster count. Ice Breaker is described by Brian Andrelczyk, Vice President of Design & Engineering as “moderate” on the thrill factor. Even though it features Florida’s steepest beyond vertical drop at 100 degrees and 93ft in height.

Ice Breaker is a nice addition to Seaworld’s lineup of attractions. Now that it has opened rumours are swirling once more that Seaworld could be on the verge of announcing Florida’s first wing coaster as a major addition to the entrance area of the park. Given the scarcity of wing coaster-style rides where riders sit either side and level with the track, this could be the big draw that Seaworld really needs to get visitors back through the turnstiles. Watch this space for more information.

Area News

2 New Behind The Scenes Tours At KSC

The bus tours at the Kennedy Space Centre are arguably the highlight of everyone’s visit. The KSC Bus Tour is included in your entry ticket and takes you past some of the most iconic areas of Cape Canaveral. In the past this tour used to stop at the mammoth Vehicle Assembly Building and iconic Launch Pads 39A and 39B, world-famous as the launch sites for the Space Shuttle.

Compared to years gone by, this tour has been watered down somewhat, the VAB was reduced to a drive-by, and LaunchPad 39 had an observation gantry opened quite some distance away from where the tour used to go. This is currently closed due to operational requirements on Launch Pad 39A that is now used by Space X along with Launch complex 40.

To fill the insatiable gap for historic tours of the former Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Kennedy Space Center has just launched two new tours focussing on the history of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The Cape Canaveral Early Space Tour takes in the Air Force Space & Missile Museum, Launch Complex 34, the memorial site of the Apollo 1 space crew, and the Mercury 7 Monument before concluding at the Apollo/Saturn V Centre. The tour lasts roughly 2.5 hours and you must wear flat closed-toe shoes. This tour runs Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 11 am. Tickets must be purchased at least 72 hours in advance.

The Cape Canaveral Rise To Space Tour runs in at 4.5 hours and starts with a docent-led tour of the Sands Space History Center before a stop at the Pad 26 Blockhouse and onto the Air Force Space & Missile Museum. You also get the chance to visit the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse, the Mercury 7 Monument and Blockhouse at Pad 14 before driving by Pad 19 on your way to pay respects at the Apollo 1 Memorial at LaunchPad 34. This tour is only available Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 11 am and must also be booked at least 72 hours in advance. Unlike other tours, this tour doesn’t conclude at the Apollo/Saturn V Center. If this is your first visit you will be hard pushed to see everything Kennedy Space Center has to offer.

Both tours operate within restricted areas of Cape Canaveral, an operating and highly restricted space facility and require pre-registration. Entry to Kennedy Space Center which isn’t included in the tour cost is also required. There is a minimum age of 14 years for the Cape Canaveral Rise To Space Tour.

That’s it for another month. March is really the start of a busy year for Florida’s theme parks. Peppa Pig Theme Park is now open. Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens is getting rave reviews in its soft opening phase ahead of its official opening in 2 short weeks. Sister park Seaworld is celebrating the opening (finally) of Ice Breaker. The Guardians are finally landing at EPCOT and there is plenty happening outside the main parks to keep you busy.