Walt Disney World is so magical you can’t help but want to go back. If you’re planning a trip back to Disney, you may be surprised to know many things have changed since you were last there.
Disney World changes all of the time. Its goal is to stay fresh and relevant, bringing its guests the best possible experience. Before you finish your plans, take a look at some of the ways your trip may look different this time around.
You Need a Theme Park Reservation
As of 2020, you’ll need both an admission ticket and a theme park reservation to enter the park of your choice each day. Technically you can make your reservation the day before, but if occupancy for that park is full for the day, you’ll have to change your plans and choose a different one.
You should consider planning well in advance which parks you want to see each day so you can make your park reservations early.
Food Is Allowed in the Parks
You may be excited to know Disney allows you to bring your own food to the parks. Bringing snacks or a meal with you can free up more time for attractions. It’s also a great way to save money or plan for family members with dietary restrictions.
Disney World has specific rules around what you can and cannot bring. Glass containers aren’t allowed except small baby food jars. Coolers must be a certain size and can’t have loose ice in them. Also, you can’t bring in your own alcohol.
Amazon Delivers to the Resorts
Did you forget to pack sunscreen or a comfortable pair of shoes? Amazon has you covered. Prime members receive free same-day delivery to any of the Walt Disney World resorts, so you can order any items, big or small, that you need.
Also, you can use Amazon Fresh or Pantry to order snacks and food to take with you to the parks or eat in your room.
You Can’t Park Hop Until 2 pm
Park Hopper tickets have been available for a long time now. For an added cost, you can travel to different Disney World parks within the same day. The hopper option still exists but has some new limitations.
You can’t park hop until after 2 pm, and you have to visit your reserved park first. If you’re going to Disney for more than four days, you may want to save your money and skip this feature altogether. It isn’t difficult to spend a whole day or more at each park.
Disney’s Experience App Is a Life Saver
Don’t leave your phone in the room — take it with you for the best experience. Using the Disney Experience app, you can access everything you might possibly need. You can open your room, buy food and souvenirs, make reservations, see a park map, check on wait times, and more!
Use the Experience app on its own or pair it with a Magic Band.
The Magical Express Is Gone
As of right now, you’ll need to find your own way from the airport to your Walt Disney World resort — no more Magical Express. Disney didn’t own the Magical Express, and now it’s ended its partnership with that company. In the future, Disney may work on rolling out its own transportation service, one that encompasses the original vision for its theme parks.
Until then, you can use a ride-sharing service or get tickets for one of the busses that make stops at the Disney hotels, like Mears Connect or Sunshine Flyer.
They Can Send Souvenirs to Your House
Are you worried about having room in your suitcase for the souvenirs you find on your trip? Disney has the perfect solution — skip the hassle and have them mailed to your house. You’ll have to pay shipping fees.
If you just want them to hold it for a little while, you can ask at the register to have your purchases left at the entrance to the park or sent back to your hotel for you.
Disney Genie+ Replaced FastPass
Disney World has replaced FastPass with a new program. Genie+ still gives you the option to skip long lines, but there’s now an added cost. For $15 a day, you can reserve your spot in line as soon as you enter the park.
FastPass used to be free, so more people used it, making the FastPass lines still quite long. With Genie+, you need to pay to use the service, so fewer people might use it, and the Lightning Lanes won’t be so long.
Downtown Disney Is Now Disney Springs
One last exciting change has nothing to do with the parks themselves but a significant change to Disney World’s shopping area. If it’s been a while since you last visited, you may remember Downtown Disney. It was a bit all over the place and not very cohesive.
After a rebranding and new design, Disney Springs emerged. This “town” has its own history, and the architecture is stunning. If you have time in your vacation, you could easily spend a day here looking around.
Still the “Happiest Place on Earth”
Even with all of these changes, there’s no doubt you’ll still have a fantastic vacation at Walt Disney World. Most of the changes will make your trip even better than last time.
When deciding what attractions you want to see during your visit, also make sure to check out Disney World’s website to see what rides have closed and what new ones have been added. There’s always something new to do at Disney.
