The weeks have gone by in a flash, welcome already to Bitesize Orlando April 2022, your monthly catchup on all things Orlando related.
Bitesize Orlando Headlines April 2022
Good news if you don’t like wearing masks. A federal judge in Florida threw out the Biden administration’s mandate for mandatory mask-wearing on public transport calling it unlawful. All the parks have quickly followed the state law changes removing the need to wear a mask on buses and other forms of transportation. That means from now, mask-wearing is entirely optional and up to the individual.
Disney World April News
Busch Gardens April News
New Entrance Area & Park Wide Enhancements For 2022
Kennedy Space Center
New Interactive Lego Exhibition
Orlando International Airport News
Website Updates
Before we get into this month’s news I would like to update you on what’s been going on behind the scenes at OPG Towers. I’ve been saying that I wanted to have a new menu that is easier for you to navigate through the website. That has been ready since late February but a small menu redesign has morphed into a complete website redesign.
Over the last 2 months, I have completely rewritten every page and I’ve been working on some that currently don’t exist. The laying out is now finished and I have just started the technical task of importing it all into a staging environment so I can make sure everything works before I make it live. I am looking to hopefully launch version 3 of the Orlando Planning Guide website towards the end of May or early June.
Redesigning a website is very time consuming but I needed to get this redesign done now as a good basis for all the improvements I have planned in the near future, one of which I mentioned a couple of months back in my newsletter. Personal holiday planning is coming, I just need to make sure everything is working fine. This is all tied into the redesign as you will have one-click access to a personalised dashboard where we can communicate and share ideas while we work on getting your personalised itinerary in the best possible shape. You can access all the website downloads from one place and, in the future, you will have access to survival guides and more OPG content that won’t be available on the main site.
I’m getting a little ahead of myself so it’s on to this month’s news bites which have been dominated by Disney who is ramping up marketing at EPCOT ahead of Guardians Of The Galaxy Cosmic Rewind in 4 short weeks. That’s not to say the other parks have been quiet, they just haven’t shared as much.
Disney World News
Guardians Of The Galaxy Cosmic Rewind Opening Date & Details
The opening date has finally been set! Disney’s newest, and most anticipated roller coaster, Guardians Of The Galaxy Cosmic Rewind will open at EPCOT on the 27th of May.
Soft opening has been happening for the past few weeks with Disney staff. Amazingly, details of the ride are still being kept largely under wraps. A couple of ride POVs appeared briefly online but were taken down very quickly. Keep scrolling for a brief official look inside the new attraction!
Guardians Of The Galaxy Mix Tape
Disney also shared a look at the final choice of songs that will feature in the attraction. The final mixtape features 6 songs spanning multiple decades and genres.
- “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears
- “Conga” by Gloria Estefan
- “I ran (so far away)” by a Flock of Seagulls
- “Disco Inferno” by the Trammps
- “One Way or Another” by Blondie
- “September” by Earth Wind and Fire
The final choice was whittled down from an initial selection of 150 songs. With songs playing such an important part of the Guardians Of The Galaxy series, what do you think about the song choice?
Disney Shares A Brief Glimpse Of Cosmic Rewind In Action
Disney has shared a brief glimpse of the roller coaster in action for a US TV spot. It’s not enough to give you a feel for the ride, especially with a generic music track playing and not one of the ride’s mixtape tunes. Reviews from cast members that have been lucky enough to ride the attraction are universally positive. I will have my own thoughts on Dinsey’s newest attraction in mid-August when I return from my next trip to Disney World.
Expedition Everest Re-Opens
After being closed for major refurbishment for most of this year, Expedition Everest is back open. It has also been moved to Disney Genie+ from Individual Lightning Lane selection until 7th August when it will likely revert back to ILL status once again. This is to help spread the crowds during the busy summer season.
Cinderella Castle Mural Of Memories
Disney Photopass has launched “Cinderella Castle Mural of Memories,” a virtual mural that you can add your Disney Photopass photos to using the My Disney Experience App.
This being Disney, it isn’t free! For $9.99 you can choose any portrait orientated photo from your Photopass gallery to add to the AR mural inside My Disney Experience. You can choose the spot to pin your photo to which will be available for a minimum of 3 years. You also receive a special video of your photo flying out from the castle that can be downloaded and shared easily.
Hi-resolution printed photos are available for $16.95 in both the original form and with a special border that includes your first name.
Frustration With Disney Park Pass Reservations
Disney Park Pass has been with us since the parks reopened post-COVID lockdown. Unlike all other Orlando parks, Disney requires that all guests be in receipt of a valid ticket AND a park pass reservation. Many people in the past month have only realised about Park Passes at the last minute when all parks are at their capacity.
There have been reports of people being turned away at the gates and resorting to begging for tickets and park pass reservations in the parking lots of Disney World theme parks, desperate to get in.
One person even took to Reddit to mention his plight after booking a dream trip two months ago and leaving ticket arrangements to family members that didn’t realise a Park Pass reservation is also required to gain entry to the theme parks. The thread has garnered 433 comments so far.
I can’t stress how important this step is when booking your Disney World trip. That’s why I keep mentioning it! As soon as you book your Disney World theme park ticket make sure you get straight on to the Park Pass Reservation site to get your reservations in. You can change them at a later date, assuming there is availability, but at least you have a reservation in the bag to fall back on and you won’t have to resort to begging in the Disney World parking lots for reservations.
Disney prompts you to book your Park Pass reservations when you either book your tickets with them direct or sign in to your My Disney Experience account but it’s not been made mandatory. Please don’t be caught out by this. Get those Park Pass reservations in the bag as soon as you can.
Allocations change dynamically so keep checking if it is showing as fully allocated, many people have got lucky at the last minute and managed to grab a reservation just in time.
Finding Nemo Show Sneak Peek
Disney is all about sneak peeks this month it seems. The in-development “Finding Nemo: Into The Big Blue… And Beyond” show at Animal Kingdom is well into cast rehearsals. Things are going so well, Disney has already shared a sneak peek at the revised show that is due to arrive in Animal Kingdom this summer. Check it out below.
Connections Cafe & Eatery Now Open At EPCOT
The connections cafe, a centrepiece of the World Celebration neighbourhood in EPCOT opened this past week. The huge dining establishment is split, one half is an eatery offering lunch and dinner menus while a bakery and cafe on the other are open all day for snacks and drinks.
The Connections Cafe & Eatery features nods to Walt Disney’s original vision for EPCOT (hint; look down at the floor). A Giant mural spans one entire wall of the eatery while chefs prepare mouthwatering dishes on the other side in 3 show kitchens.
Check out the full lunch and dinner menu
New Permit Filed For Ongoing Work At Blizzard Beach
Earlier this month Disney filed a permit for a laydown yard in a backstage area of the currently closed Blizzard Beach waterpark. This filing could prove that there is no end to Blizzard Beach’s current closure.
A laydown yard is used for plant machinery, equipment and tools to be stored during ongoing construction work and this permit seemingly confirms that the refurbishment at Blizzard Beach is far from over. Typhoon Lagoon re-opened after nearly a 2-year closure. Could it be another year before Blizzard Beach is back open to guests? Disney has yet to comment on when the water park will be back open.
If, like me, you are heading to Disney World this summer with the hope of visiting Blizzard Beach you will need to make a mental note that the park could very well be closed this summer while ongoing renovations are continuing.
Magnolia Golf Course Closed Indefinitely
Disney’s latest closure won’t affect as many guests as Blizzard Beach but it could still come as a surprise to those that were expecting some peace and serenity of some Disney Golf. on their visit
If you are heading out to Disney World imminently you will be able to enjoy the front 9 holes of Disney Magnolia 18-hole golf course until 8th May. The course will be completely closed for renovations on the 9th with no opening date announced.
PLEASE NOTE!…During the dates of April 28, 2022 – May 8, 2022 only holes #1 – #9 will be available for play, and beginning on May 9, 2022 Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course will be closed indefinitely for a major renovation project.
Notice on Disney World Golf Website.
The Magnolia golf course is many people’s favourite of Disney World’s 3 18 hole golf courses. Disney hasn’t released any exact details of what the major renovations are.
Not So Scary Halloween Party Returns
JUST RELEASED! Disney just shared that after 2 years of silence, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party will return to the Magic Kingdom this Autumn.
Taking place over 37 nights Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is a separately ticketed event. Magic Kingdom will shut early on event days so if you don’t want to go don’t pick one of those days to go to the Magic Kingdom because it will be impossible to get everything done with shortened opening hours.
The event will run on the following dates:
- August: 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30
- September: 2, 5, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30
- October: 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31
Yes, you read that right, According to Disney, Halloween now starts in the middle of our summer break (it’s the week after US kids return to school for their new term).
Your ticket to the spooktacular includes a special parade, “Mickey’s Boo-Too-You Halloween Parade,” which is precluded by none other than the headless horseman riding down the middle of Main Street USA. Now that’s a way to kick off a party!
Join the Sanderson sisters in the “Hocus Pocus Villain Spectacular” show. Celebrate the season with your favourite Disney characters and take in the Magic Kingdom in it’s special Holloween overlay. Some attractions also get an overlay, it’s not just the park. Catch holiday overlays on Space Mountain, Mad Tea Party, Pirates Of The Caribbean and Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor.
Jack Skellington hosts “Disney’s Not So Scary Spectacular”, special Halloween fireworks to round out the evening. As part of the 50th-anniversary celebrations, this year you also receive a reusable tote bag for your trick or treating around the park and a special 50th-anniversary print.
Tickets for the event are priced between $109 to $199 depending on the date of your visit.
Busch Gardens Tampa News
New Entrance And Park Wide Enhancements Coming In 2022
Busch Gardens has announced a new park entrance marquee coming later this year. Some attractions in the park have already been enhanced. Cheetah Hunt and Montu have both had a fresh coat of paint over the winter months.
There is also new entertainment coming this summer to Gwazi Plaza, Dragon Fire Grill and the Pantopia Theatre. These additions are very welcome as entertainment is one thing that has tailed off in recent years at Busch Gardens, especially outside of the busier summer months of June to Mid-August. Hopefully, some of the new entertainment will see a slightly extended run so more people can enjoy it.
The updates to Busch Gardens come after Adventure Island, Busch Garden’s water park has already received a revitalised new park entrance area and 2 new attractions, Wahoo Remix and Rapids Racer, with both proving very popular with visitors.
Kennedy Space Center News
Kennedy Space Center Launches New LEGO Exhibition
Kennedy Space Center has launched (pardon the pun) and new interactive exhibition in partnership with LEGO.
The exhibit introduces guests to the Lego Space Team, which turns Lego mini-figures into members of the flight and ground crews for the forthcoming new Artemis I rocket that will take astronauts back to the moon.
The lifesize team mini-figures include Flight Director Maria, Program Manager Daniel, Engineer Avery and more. Visitors will learn and engage about each of their roles in the forthcoming mission that depends on teamwork wot be successful.
The exhibit has a free-build table for budding engineers and a photo opportunity that lets them become a member of the Lego Space Team.
If all this sounds too good for your budding young Lego engineer but you can’t visit, fret not! They can take part in the worldwide Build A Launch Series which explores 3 key themes of the Artemis I mission. The themes are:
- Getting to Space
- Testing and Transport
- Working in Space.
More information about the exhibition can be found on the Kennedy Space Center website. To take part in the Build A Launch series and for more info please visit the Lego Education website.
Orlando International Airport News
New Terminal C Opening Date Announced
September 19th is the date to bookmark if you are into airport terminals, That is the date Orlando International Airport has announced that the new international Terminal C will begin opening.
The whole process takes around 2 weeks to become fully operational. So far Jet Blue has been announced to have 15 gates at the new terminal. No other airlines have been announced as yet.
Terminal C cost $3BILLION to build. That’s a massive 10 times to cost of building the rest of the entire airport.
On that note, I will wrap up this month’s Bitesize Orlando catchup. Until next month!
