9 Reasons Why Now More Than Ever Is The Time To Start Planning Your Fall Vacation to Walt Disney World!
Spring is in the air! But, as you know, when it comes to Disney vacations and Walt Disney World, it’s never too early to start planning your next visit. That’s why I want to highlight 9 experiences going on later this year that make now more than ever the right time to start planning your Fall vacation to Walt Disney World!
1. New Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Fireworks
A new Halloween-themed fireworks show debuts this year during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. This new show will feature state-of-the-art projection effects, lasers, lighting and dazzling fireworks that come together to tell a not-so-scary story about how anything can happen on Halloween night. The show will take guests along for a trick-or-treating adventure, where four friends – Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy – find themselves drawn into a mysterious haunted house.
Held for a record 36 select nights from August 16 to November 1, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a specially ticketed event that captures the spirit of the season with spooky décor, lighting and music parkwide, along with returning favorites such as “Mickey’s Boo to You Parade,” the “Hocus Pocus Villains Spelltacular” castle stage show and trick-or-treating throughout the park. Also returning for this year’s party will be special attraction experiences for Mad Tea Party, Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain. Children are encouraged to dress in costume and enjoy the spirit of Halloween with their families.
2. Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Will Be Held for a Record Number of Days
The Epcot celebration of cuisine, music and more takes place August 29 to November 23 – a record 87 days. During this foodie festival, the park will brim with marketplaces, culinary demonstrations, beverage seminars, the Eat to the Beat Concert Series, specialty merchandise and much more. In some fun for the whole family, Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak will send guests on an adventure searching for Remy in a savory scavenger hunt around the festival. Over 245 Eat to the Beat concerts will be held brining a lineup of pop, rock, R&B, country, Christian, swing and Latin artists, with three shows every night of the festival through November 19. Families will find a play area for kids and an international flair – including kid-approved menu items – at many of the 30-plus Global Marketplaces.
3. Last Showing of “Illuminations” and First Showing of “Epcot Forever”
For nearly 20 years, “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” has entertained millions as the nighttime spectacular that brought each day at Epcot to a thrilling close. Guests have marveled as World Showcase lagoon came to life with fireworks, fountains and lasers paying homage to the joyful story of humanity and the remarkable achievements of our time. The show’s final night will be Sept. 30, to make way for an all-new, limited-time spectacular, “Epcot Forever,” debuting October 1. This new show will be a celebration of the past, present and future of Epcot featuring fireworks, lasers and choreographed special-effect kites accompanied by a stirring collection of songs celebrating Epcot.
4. NBA Experience Opens and Special Seasonal Offerings at Disney Springs
Basketball is officially “in season” this fall, after NBA Experience holds a championship-worthy grand opening August 12 at Disney Springs – just another reason why now more than ever is the perfect time to start planning your Fall vacation to Walt Disney World. When guests step into this re-creation of a modern NBA arena, they’ll feel what it’s like to be a basketball superstar. The one-of-a-kind destination features 13 unique interactive and hands-on experiences where Disney magic merges with the thrills of the NBA and WNBA. Once open, the facility will span over 44,000 square feet of basketball action and fun.
NBA Experience is part of the ever-evolving Disney Springs area. Also new is Jaleo, offering the very best of Spanish cuisine and design seen through the creative lens of renowned Chef José Andrés. Jaleo (which means “revelry” in Spanish) treats diners to an extensive tapas menu, reflecting the rich regional diversity of traditional and contemporary Spanish cuisine, complemented by sangrias and a premier selection of Spanish wines. Just off the main entrance is Pepe by José Andrés, the first brick-and-mortar location of the chef’s wildly popular Spanish food truck.
Jaleo is one of six restaurants at Disney Springs featuring James Beard Award-winning chefs, and dining venues throughout the district will offer sample-sized fall food and drinks. With the help of a printed guide, guests can make their way through Disney Springs and sample all the flavors of the season from select locations.
The fall season is also a great time to enjoy entertainment and shopping at Disney Springs. Colorful backdrops will make great seasonal photos for the entire family, while new fall looks will be available in shops throughout the shopping district, including Halloween costumes for kids and clothing for adults featuring their favorite Disney characters.
5. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
On the heels of its August 29 opening, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge offers Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests the chance this fall to live their own Star Wars stories. The action takes place on Batuu, a far-flung planet populated by scoundrels and adventurers. While visiting the land, guests can stop for a drink at Oga’s Cantina or discover rare artifacts at Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities, among other immersive Star Wars experiences. The groundbreaking attraction Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run gives guests control of the iconic spacecraft as the ship hurtles through space on a smuggling mission. Guests will play one of three unique and critical roles in Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run – pilots, gunners, or flight engineers- providing multiple ways to experience the attraction. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, a second attraction opening later in 2019, will put guests in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance.
6. Disney Skyliner Takes Flight
A new mode of transportation will float through the air around Walt Disney World this fall when Disney Skyliner, a state-of-the-art gondola system, begins gliding guests across the sky in custom cabins. Disney Skyliner will conveniently connect Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot to four resort hotels – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, as well as the 15th Disney Vacation Club property, Disney’s Riviera Resort (planned to open in mid-December). Select gondolas will have iconic Disney characters incorporated into their exterior designs to give the appearance that a Disney pal is riding along with guests. Disney Skyliner will offer a new way to experience Walt Disney World with amazing views only available from the sky.
7. New Rivers of Light Show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
“Rivers of Light: We Are One” is the next chapter for this nighttime show on Discovery River. Updates include dramatic new imagery and familiar animal characters from Disneynature films along with a colorful tapestry of unforgettable moments from Disney animated films.
8. There’s Plenty New to Explore at Disney Resort Hotels
To welcome fall travelers, there’s always something new at Disney resort hotels. Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort will greet guests with its new 15-story Gran Destino tower (opening this summer), adding 500-plus guestrooms, including suites and concierge-level services. New waterfront dining and a retail shopping area have come to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, while a mid-December opening is planned for Disney’s Riviera Resort, a Disney Vacation Club property inspired by the grandeur and enchantment of the European Riviera.
9. 10th Anniversary of Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon
This fall’s runDisney race season is a delectable celebration 10 years in the making as the 2019 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend takes place Oct. 31-Nov. 3. Filled with a delicious slate of events and Disney magic along every mile, this year’s event includes a 5K, 10K, half marathon and kids’ races. During this year’s Disney Fall Feast 5K, guests can run, jog or walk their way around Epcot for the first time during this fall event. At the November 3 post-race party, guests enjoy after-hours access to the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, including marketplaces and select Epcot attractions. Some races for this event are still available. CLICK HERE for additional details.
So, what are you waiting for?! Now more than ever is the time to start planning your Fall vacation to Walt Disney World.
For additional information and a free, no-obligation quote, fill out the form below or send an email to Holly@MickeyTravels.com. When you book your Disney Cruise with me, you will also receive a competitive onboard credit. (FREE spending money!) I work with all Disney Destinations. Best of all, my services are absolutely FREE. Get in touch via email at Holly@MickeyTravels.com or calling 954.401.9577. Also, make sure to CLICK HERE to follow along with my Facebook page for all things Disney and giveaways!
Fill out the form below or send an email to Holly@MickeyTravels.com for a FREE, no-obligation quote to start planning your Fall vacation to Walt Disney World. As an agent with MickeyTravels (a Platinum Earmarked Agency), I will be on hand to help you with everything from finding your perfect package to nabbing those hard-to-get dining and FastPass reservations. I work with all Disney Destinations. Best of all, my services are absolutely FREE. Get in touch via email at Holly@MickeyTravels.com or calling 954.401.9577. Also, make sure to CLICK HERE to follow along with my Facebook page for all things Disney and giveaways!
Image/Source Credit: Disney
