Nine Reasons to Be Excited about Disney in 2021
Okay, 2020 is best described as a living hellscape of constant frustration…but it’s December now! The year’s nearly over!
Yes, 2021 lurks just around the corner, the hero on the white horse who rides in and saves the day. It’s gonna be glorious.
So, while Disney has unquestionably suffered through a harsh year, it’s only a month away from a better year.
Here are nine reasons to be excited about Disney in 2021.
The First Voyage on Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
Let’s start with a heavyweight. Star Wars Hotel is real, and it’s spectacular!
This project was rumored for years before it finally came to fruition, but now it’s almost here.
Imagineers have constructed an immersive hotel experience that will simulate a space cruise.
You’ll “board” a vessel that will transfer you aboard the starship Halcyon.
While you’re riding on this ship, you’ll engage in normal tourist activities like practicing Lightsaber duels, avoiding The First Order, and trying not to get kidnapped.
During your trip, you’ll also visit Batuu, aka Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Disney promises a full-fledged Star Wars vacation, and the first starship journey will depart in 2021.
The Return of Disney Cruises
Speaking of cruises, I’ll let you in on a little secret. Galactic Starcruiser isn’t real. You’re at a hotel the whole time.
However, Disney does operate cruises, and it plans to restart this particular tourism business in 2021.
In fact, CEO Bob Chapek recently stated that sales have proven strong for the second half of 2021 and early 2022.
After being stuck at home all year, guests are ready to set sail on the high seas and go back to pre-pandemic joys like Disney cruises.
Thankfully, you can do this again once the pandemic subsides, which appears likely to happen by the middle of 2021.
The Opening of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
When the Disney Skyliner hosted guests for the first time, it provided a tantalizing view of the next excellent EPCOT attraction.
Guests could look over the walls and see how far along the ride was in its construction.
Before Walt Disney World closed down, park officials had hinted that Ratatouille would host its first guests in June.
Well, we’re half a year past that, and the ride remains offline. Disney understandably didn’t want to introduce a new attraction right now.
Guests would crowd the ride building and violate social distancing practices.
As such, Disney had to save Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure until 2021. But it’s nearly 2021 now! The wait is almost over!
The First Performance of Drawn to Life
Out of everything listed here, COVID-19 impacted this project more than any other.
Coronavirus-related closures absolutely devastated Cirque du Soleil, the traveling circus performers.
The company laid off – and this isn’t hyperbole – 95 percent of its entire staff.
People couldn’t participate in public gatherings like concerts and stage shows, which means that Cirque du Soleil couldn’t perform.
This statement applied to residency in Las Vegas and the scheduled one at Disney Springs.
So, Drawn to Life Presented by Cirque du Soleil went into hibernation. For a time, nobody was even sure whether it would happen.
Well, I’m happy to report that Drawn to Life is preparing for launch. It will earn its rightful place as the best show at Disney Springs at some point in 2021.
The Debut of Space 220
I may have had this on my list for things to look forward to in 2020 as well. Oops.
In my defense, nobody could have predicted a pandemic at this time a year ago.
Instead, we all expected the oft-delayed Space 220 to debut soon at EPCOT’s Future World.
At the time, the only confirmed reason for the outer space restaurant’s delay was the head chef’s sudden departure.
Since then, Space 220 has struggled with staffing and technological issues. However, it was nearly ready to open right as the pandemic hit.
So, we should finally get to experience this (literally) out of this world restaurant during the first half of 2021.
Relishing Disneyland’s Majestic Comeback
As I type this, the Happiest Place on Earth remains closed, which I maintain works perfectly as a metaphor for the entirety of 2020.
However, nothing lasts forever, and you can’t keep a good man theme park down.
At some point in 2021, presumably during the first half of the year, Disneyland will reopen its gates and allow guests inside once more.
Imagine how great that’s going to feel and how much jubilation that will cause!
The Arrival of Avengers Campus
Soon after Disneyland Resort opens, Disney California Adventure will introduce a new themed land.
Avengers Campus will anchor the park for years to come, and we’re all anxiously awaiting its arrival.
In one of the cruelest twists of fate, Disney had revealed the opening date for Avengers Campus mere hours before the world lost its collective mind.
So, we’ve been stuck in neutral, knowing full well that a Marvel themed land is just around the corner. We all need this place to open.
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney World
On October 1st, 1971, Roy Disney honored his brother’s final ambition in life.
Walt Disney had purchased swampland in Florida with an eye on creating the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.
After Walt’s death, Roy took over the project and worked diligently to create Walt Disney World.
This place would evolve into the most popular paid tourist destination on the planet, a mecca for theme park/Disney fanatics.
Fast forward a little over 49 years, and here we are! We’re preparing for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World.
Frankly, this date will signify more than a half-century of Disney dominance. It’ll also feel like the moment when we’ve put 2020 in the rearview mirror for good.
Of course, for that to happen, we’ll need…
The Introduction of a Coronavirus Vaccine
Believe it or not, something matters even more than Walt Disney World’s half-century celebration.
While we’re all Disney fans here, we’re also humans, people who have just suffered through the worst year imaginable.
The one thing we’ve wanted throughout 2020 appears certain to happen in early 2021.
Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna have both readied Coronavirus vaccines that have already received some form of government approval.
Their mass distribution will ensure that our society never experiences a year like 2020 again.
We can go back to traveling to Disney whenever we want, and it’s gonna be glorious! 2021 cannot get here fast enough, can it?