Welcome to another news update. The months are just flying by! As is usual for this time of year news tidbits were relatively quiet because the parks have been busy finishing off Halloween celebrations and almost immediately starting Christmas events and decorations which are now available in all the theme parks. Then Disney had to throw a spanner in the works!
Website Updates November 2022
I have been working hard behind the scenes this month releasing a lengthy article rating all the roller coasters you can find in Orlando’s theme parks. If roller coasters are your thing you should definitely check out my guide to Orlando’s best and worst roller coasters in 2022. but that’s not all I’ve been working on. For the last couple of months, I have been working on a free tool to help you plan your time in the theme parks better and smarter.
Orlando Theme Parks Attractions Selector
Have you ever been frustrated that you have to browse multiple pages or websites to find out the attractions in all the theme parks in and around Orlando? I know plenty of first-time visitors have this problem when trying to figure out what they want to do. Some common questions arise again and again on Facebook planning groups and internet forums. Is Harry Potter its own theme park? Where can I ride the Avatar ride? What are the best roller coasters to ride in Orlando? Plus plenty more.
The Orlando Attractions Selector is now live. With only a couple of clicks, you can discover what rides are where or choose a specific type of attraction. Narrow it down even further to a specific park and the Orlando Theme Park Attractions Selector will tell you exactly what types of rides there are in a given park or any park.
Want to know what water rides there are? Just select the attraction type and leave the location blank and every water ride in Orlando will be displayed no matter whether it is in Disney World, Universal Orlando, Seaworld, Legoland or Busch Gardens. No more checking multiple websites to see what there is to do, it’s all in one place.
Currently, the Orlando Theme Parks Attractions Selector lets you choose your location, as well as your attraction type and thrill level but more options will be coming soon such as minimum rider height. I hope you find it useful! If you have any suggestions on how it can be improved please let me know.
Disney World News November 2022
Disney Does A Bob Swap, Again!
The past 33 months have been a somewhat turbulent period for Disney under the stewardship of CEO Bob Chapek. The theme parks have seen unprecedented price rises while the benefits of a Disney holiday have been slowly chipped away. Bob Chapek was not a popular leader with pretty much anyone in the company, unlike former highly respected CEO Bob Iger.
It seems tensions in Disney were getting to such a high level that the board felt they had to act leading to the sudden and dramatic news announced earlier this week that Bob Chapek has left Disney with immediate effect. His replacement? Former CEO of 15 years Bob Iger! Yes, Disney has done a Bob swap. Again!
What’s so surprising about this news is the fact Bob Iger, since taking his leave from the company last December, has expressed multiple times he had no intention of returning to Disney in any capacity. Bob Chapek also had his contract extended for 2 further years only 5 months ago leading to Disney reportedly paying him $44 MILLION dollars to go away quietly.
I don’t usually cover the business of Disney as such here, this is a Florida planning website after all but this story could have repercussions for your holiday plans over the next few years so I think a little backstory is appropriate.
Bob Chapek’s decisions in the 33 months of his tenure since replacing Bob Iger have been marred by a little bad luck (pandemic) mixed with some bad business decisions and public spats. This lead to a lawsuit from Scarlett Johannsen about her pay in the Black Widow movie and the disolvement of the Reedy Creek District by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis after Chapek’s flip-flop commentary on the widely derided Florida “don’t say gay” bill. Not bad for 2 years’ work Bob!
The theme parks have seen historic price rises across the board for tickets (see further down this article for more info), food, drink and merchandise as well as the introduction of demand-based pricing for Disney World’s Genie+ premium queue option (more on that a little further down as well).
It’s unclear what convinced Bob Iger to return for the next two years so soon after his supposed retirement but he has been given a mandate from the Disney board to set the company on a strategic direction for renewed growth while looking out for and grooming another successor.
“The Board has concluded that as Disney embarks on an increasingly complex period of industry transformation, Bob Iger is uniquely situated to lead the Company through this pivotal period.”
Disney Board Chairman Susan Arnold on the re-appointment of Bob Iger as Disney’s CEO
Don’t read that this is going to mean a return to the past for Disney. The paid-for Genie+ was always going to be coming at some point, I’m amazed it took Disney as long as it did and price rises are nothing new when it comes to Disney.
What we are likely to see in the short term is a return of control to the creative people that dream up the stories and attractions that are so endearing to everyone worldwide. Under Bob Chapek, Disney has been run by moneymen for the past couple of years, only ever interested in the return they will get.
Bob Iger’s re-appointment should be looked at as an early Christmas present but one that may not lead to drastic cost reductions. Hopefully, he will be able to steer Disney in the right direction with the right person at the helm.
That could start with the reviled Park Pass system which, it is rumoured, may be receiving a major overhaul in the new year, possibly eliminating the need for all but annual pass holders to have to book dates in the theme parks they want to visit. Hallelulah!
Disney’s Genie+ Service Hits Highest Price Ever!
In an unfortunate coincidence, the day Bob Iger stepped back into the big boy shoes at Disney, Genie+ obliterated its highest price barrier. The timing kind of sucks but the two events are unrelated. We have arrived at Thanksgiving week in America, typically one of Disney World’s busiest periods and we see that reflected in the new all-time high pricing for Genie+.
To go with one of the busiest weeks of the year a price rise in Genie+ was expected, but the amount of the rise caught many off guard. On 21st November purchasing Genie+ in Magic Kingdom reached an all-time high of $29, a 100% increase on what used to be a $15 flat rate fee per day and 50% up on it’s previous high of $22. Remember that is pre-Florida state tax. Once that is added on people will be looking at paying nearly $31 per person to activate Genie+.
Last year, the parks were inundated with people for Thanksgiving, marking it the busiest week of 2021, surpassing Christmas to New Year. The price increase has likely been introduced to stop Genie+ from collapsing under the weight of people trying to use it. This year, unlike in 2021, there is also a cap on the number of people who can purchase Genie+ on a given day.
Reportedly, Bob Iger is as shocked as we are at some of the price increases in the parks. Time will tell if we see the price of Genie+ decrease.
Disney To Personalise Experiences Using Disney+
“It’s the physical and the digital aspects of your Disney lifestyle coming together,”
Disney CEO, Bob Chapek
Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced (before his swift overnight departure) that Disney is working on ways for Disney to personalise your theme park experiences based on your viewing habits in Disney+, assuming you have given permission for Disney to track that data when you signed up for the Disney+ service.
Chapek went on to say, “If you’re on Disney+, we should be aware – assuming you give us the permission to have that awareness – of what happened, what you experienced, what you liked the last time you visited a park.” That awareness also works in reverse; when you visit a park, Disney will tailor its recommendations of what you can experience based on your viewing habits within Disney+.
Let’s take an already popular Disney property, the “Pirates Of The Caribbean” franchise as an example. If you went on Pirates Of The Caribbean in the parks, Disney could recommend programming based around the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise or behind-the-scenes programs about the making of the attraction. Likewise, the Pirates Of The Caribbean would be a top attraction recommendation if you had watched the movies on Disney+.
There is no current date as to when this could go live, instead, Chapek stated that Disney is, “putting the arms and legs on it right now inside our own technical groups.” Now Chapek isn;t in charge, file this for the future. It’s so early in development it could be pulled by Bob Iger. Just in case, If you don’t want Disney to have such a deep understanding of your personal tastes, you better hop into your preferences and see what they can and can’t use on your profile. The same is true in the My Disney Experience App when visiting the parks, although, arguably turning location access off will make large swathes of the app redundant.
Chapek went on to note that his aim for Disney+ is to not just be a movie streaming service but a meta-verse-style platform aimed at the 90% of people that will never be able to get to visit a Disney Park. They will eventually be able to ride attractions virtually and then see programs about their making and how they work.
All this is quite a way in the future with Chapek stating that “we are in the very embryonic beginnings of this”. Disney has made two high-profile hirings in the past few months to help bring Chapek’s vision to reality. Mark Bozon, a former creative and gaming executive at Apple has joined Mark White, the Senior Vice President for next-generation storytelling and consumer experiences to oversee Disney’s Meta-verse plans.
Same-Day Dining Reservation Cancellations
Following a system upgrade at the beginning of November, Disney now allows you to cancel your advanced dining reservation without a penalty up to two hours before your booking. Previously you needed to contact Disney on another channel to cancel the reservation and avoid the no-show fee, typically $10 per person being levied. Not all restaurants allow cancellations as each restaurant maintains its own policy regarding cancellations and no-shows so please check the fine print before you book.
This small update is proof that Disney is listening to criticism of My Disney Experience and is constantly looking at making it easier and more intuitive to use. This update may be small but it’s very welcome. Unfortunately, pre-paid reservations cannot currently be cancelled and refunded using this feature in the app. Hopefully, Disney will add this feature soon.
Disney has also updated their terms and conditions regarding advanced dining reservations which now states:
You can cancel your dining reservation online. Please refer to the cancellation policy provided at the time of your booking and in your email confirmation.
Restaurants offering advance reservations charge a $10 per-person cancellation fee for reservations cancelled within 2 hours of the reservation time, or for no shows. Each restaurant at Walt Disney World Resort maintains its own cancellation policy, so be sure to confirm the policy before finalizing your reservation. For additional assistance, please call (407) 824-1391.
This policy is subject to change without notice
Disney’s new T&C regarding Advanced Dining cancellations
Disney Raises Ticket Prices For 2nd Time In 2022
Price rises are nothing new to Disney visitors but Disney has raised ticket prices for the second time in 2022. The price rise currently only applies to one-day one-park tickets which you cannot purchase in the UK without a VPN connection.
Previously when wanting to only book a one-day one-park ticket the price was dynamically set depending on availability on a given date no matter which park you wanted to visit. Now the price will also be dependent on which park.
More popular parks are going to cost more so a one-day ticket to Magic Kingdom will be more expensive than a ticket to Animal Kingdom on exactly the same day.
The price bands for one-day tickets will be as follows when the new reservations system opens on 8th December:
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $109-$159
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $124-$179
- EPCOT: $114-$179
- Magic Kingdom Park: $124-$189
Only Animal Kingdom has kept the ticket price the same as it is currently; all other parks have seen a small increase on busier days.
Magic Kingdom Park is the most popular theme park in the world so it will always be the most expensive but the popularity of Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios has seen that park’s admission jump despite not having even half the number of attractions as Magic Kingdom. The eye-watering $189.99 cost to enter Magic Kingdom will be reserved specifically for the week of Christmas and New Year, the most popular time to visit the park. At other times of the year the price will be less. Theme Park Reservations will automatically be made for these ticket sales but all other ticket types will still need to make their own reservations. This could be the precursor to sweeping changes I’ve reported about higher up in this article.
Clearly, Disney has no interest in one-day ticket sales and this change will not hurt most UK visitors as the official ticket packages for us come in either 7-day or 14-day durations with park hopping and memory maker thrown in.
Festival Of The Arts 2023 Dates Released
Disney has released the dates for EPCOT’s first festival of 2023. The Festival Of The Arts will run throughout EPCOT from 13th January until 20th February.
Throughout the festival, you can feast on a wide range of inspired culinary delights from 16 Food Studios (2 brand new for 2023).
During the festival, more than 100 Disney and outside artists will be showcasing their art. You can learn to draw Disney characters at the Animation Academy.
Each evening a Disney On Broadway Concert Series will feature talented entertainers performing Disney songs live at America Gardens Theatre. A full list of entertainers is being finalised and will be released nearer the dates.
2 EPCOT Experiences Closing For Long Refurbishments
Two popular behind-the-scenes tours in EPCOT’s The Seas With Nemo And Friends Pavilion will be closing soon for a multi-month-long refurbishment. No opening date has been announced, only that the refurbishments will take an extended period to complete.
Dolphins In Depth, a $199 intimate 2-hour interaction with the dolphins, plus Divequest, a $219 scuba experience in the 5.7 million gallon salt-water tank that makes up the Seas pavilion will be closing 13th January for several months according to Disney.
If you are visiting EPCOT for at least the first half of 2023, maybe longer, don’t expect to be able to book these upcharge experiences while they are refurbished.
Universal Orlando News November 2022
First Halloween Horror Nights 2023 House Revealed
2022’s event is still being cleared away but an event the size of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal is a year-round operation. Details of the first brand-new haunted house for 2023 has already been released by the HHN team. View the announcement teaser below.
KidZone Area Officially Closing in January 2023
After years of hopes, false starts and more than a few rumours, Universal Orlando has officially announced that Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone area of Universal Studios will be closing permanently on 16th January to make way for “exciting new family entertainment”.
While the timing and suddenness of the announced closure is somewhat surprising, rumours of KidZone being retired have been swirling for years. The writing appeared to be on the wall when the very popular Barney show closed in 2021. Dreamworks characters have been introduced into the area since. Shrek and Donkey moved in temporarily when they were evicted from their former home next to the old Shrek 4D theatre which is becoming a new Minions attraction.
The Universal announcement confirms that most of the area will shut but E.T. Adventure, Animal Actors On Location, Spongebob Squarepants (including the Meet and Greet) and KidZone Pizza Company will remain open.
Fievel’s Playland, Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster, Curious George Goes To Town, Dreamworks Destination and Shrek And Donkey Meet And Greet will be closing permanently. The last day of operation for the area will be 15th January.
What exactly is going to be replacing the area isn’t yet clear but an injection of Dreamworks IP would work. Universal’s exclusive deal with Pokemon could see that popular franchise take over the area. Could Orlando even get a clone of Illumination Entertainment’s Secret Life Of Pets dark ride currently at Universal Studios Florida? That’s also a possibility; there’s plenty of land Universal can make use of. Would we necessarily need two huge dark rides in such close proximity though with E.T. Adventure still open and operating? One thing we know will not now be happening is the previous rumour of Super Mario Land as an extended version is currently under construction in Epic Universe, Universal’s brand new gate is expected to open in summer 2025.
As soon as Universal confirms what will be replacing KidZone you will find it here.
Seaworld News November 2022
Seaworld Shares First Look At New Pipeline Car
At a recent IAAPA trade show, Seaworld shared the first look at the new ride car for its brand new 2023 roller coaster titled “Pipeline: The Surf Coaster“.
The car is themed to resemble a giant surfboard so riders will feel like they are “shredding gnarly waves and hanging 10 on the surf.”
Jonathan Smith, Vice President for rides and engineering for Seaworld Parks & Entertainment also shared that the first two elements have been completed with work currently underway on the world-first “wave curl” element.
“It has decals and elements to it that celebrate surf cultures from every single era…” “It’s bright, it’s spectacular … and it’s beautiful.”
Jonathan Smith, vice president for rides and entertainment at Seaworld Parks & Resorts Group.
Legoland Florida News November 2022
Legoland Sets New Opening Date For Attraction
Following a turbulent summer of storms in Florida and the Caribbean, Legoland Florida has delayed the opening of their new attraction until 2023 due to high water levels in the waterways surrounding Legoland Florida.
Pirate River Quest was originally due to open on the 2nd of November but the opening date has now been pushed back to the 12th of January to allow water levels to recede.
Pirate River Quest takes guests on a thrilling journey on Lake Elouise and Cypress Gardens in captain-driven boats to find the lost treasure of Captain Redbeard. Along the way, they encounter rowdy pirates mischievous monkeys and even a Kraken.
The new opening date coincides quite nicely with Legoland Florida’s first celebration of 2023. Pirate Fest Weekends begin on the 21st of January running for 5 consecutive weekends and will feature meet & greet opportunities, lego building, entertainment and speciality food.
Orlando Area News November 2022
Kennedy Space Center To Open Peanuts Immersive Experience
In one of the more unusual news stories for the past year, Kennedy Space Center will open a brand new immersive yet educational experience in the KSC visitor centre’s 300-seat ‘Universe Theatre’ in Spring 2023.
‘All Systems Are Go‘ will feature a host of Peanuts characters including Snoopy, Woodstock, Charlie Brown, Sally, Linus, Lucy, Franklin and Shroeder.
In an interactive twist, using state-of-the-art augmented reality, visitors will be able to explore the theatre with their smartphones discovering space-themed elements and a special music score composed in conjunction with the main score featuring an “eclectic mix” of orchestral, contemporary and jazz music.
The Universe Theatre is currently being fitted out with 20 integrated laser projectors, motorised scrims and a Dolby Atmos surround sound system to bring the immersive experience to life.
The Peanuts characters will appear as 5-foot-tall articulated puppets as they narrate key moments in NASA’s history, plus inform you about Artemis missions and the future of space travel in a 20-minute live presentation.
All Systems Are Go will “entertain and educate the audience about what NASA has achieved and will pursue in the future”
Ella Louise Allaire & Martin Lord Ferguson; CEO and Chief Content Officer of Monlove Production Co
Peanuts characters may seem a strange choice, but according to Craig Herman, VP of global brand experiences and publishing, they have long been associated with space missions starting with Apollo 10 in the 1960s. Snoopy was also the zero gravity indicator on the recent successful Artemis 1 launch just down the road from the visitor’s centre.
The Great Florida Road Trip To Debut At ICON Park In 2023
ICON Park, a 20-acre shopping and entertainment destination on International Drive will be debuting a brand new interactive experience at “The Wheel” attraction in Spring 2023.
Its full title is a bit of a mouthful, “The Great Florida Road Trip, A Classic Vacation and Photo Travelogue with the Flamingo Family”, will be a brand new interactive addition opening and ICON Parks “The Wheel” attraction.
The aim of the attraction addition is to educate and inspire visitors through an interactive nostalgic holiday in mid-20th-century Florida. The idea is to convey that Florida has long been a popular holiday destination and has a lot more to offer than massive theme park conglomerates.
The core aesthetic of the new experience will be rooted in the history of the Sunshine State but the technology powering the interactivity is anything but. A collaboration between ICON Park and 3 companies has resulted in a proprietary camera-themed gameplay device that utilises existing infrared technology to pick out targets from 1000ft.
The device is lightweight and simple enough for any rider on The Wheel to take part during the 20-minute rotation. Guests need to take quality snapshots of classic billboards dotted around ICON Park that represent classic destinations around Florida, not just Orlando which was a sleepy town surrounded by orange groves in the mid-20th century. The winner will be the person with the highest number of quality, focused snapshots who will win a special prize that enhances their own Florida holiday. Every party will receive a special memento of their time with the Flamingo Family.
At the end of the experience, guests will also receive a retro-style postcard to fill out and drop in a themed mailbox for ICON Park to mail out to friends and family if they wish. To complement the new experience the existing queue will be rethemed with an added pre-show and merchandise mix to help transport guests back to the golden age of Florida tourism.
That’s it for another month of news bites from Orlando. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas whether you’re heading to the parks or not.
