What Has Disney Confirmed Will Return, and What Remains in Limbo?

Three months ago, I compiled a list of ten attractions and amenities that have yet to return at Walt Disney World.

So, let’s look at what Disney has confirmed will return and which absentees remain in flux.

Photo: Disney

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

Several of today’s updates will fall into the same bucket. Disney has confirmed the returns of these amenities and attractions.

However, the company has yet to provide a firm return date. So, we know they’re coming back. We just don’t know when.

Photo: Disney

The first member of this list is Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, the beloved children’s dress-up experience at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Disney just announced that this creative fashion exercise for princesses and knights will reopen in 2022.

Photo: Disney

Happily, that date is relatively soon, too! This wonderful shop will return on July 31^st, 2022!

The Disney Dining Plan

I feel your pain on this one. I’m an evangelist for the Disney Dining Plan, as I love knowing that I’ve already paid for my vacation meals.

Photo: Disney

Over the years, I’ve evolved into something of an expert on maximizing the dining plan and absolutely despise trips wherein I don’t use it.

Thinking about the cost of my meals takes away from my enjoyment while I’m at Disney.

Photo: Disney

So, I’m paying close attention to this story, but the song sadly remains the same. Disney has indicated that the dining plan will return in 2022.

Realistically, that should have happened by now. Now, when we parse the wording from last year, it’s notable that Disney didn’t ever say 2022.

People assumed that fact, and park officials responded as if it were the case. Something might have changed in the interim.

For this reason, I’m advising friends that if the dining plan does come back in 2022, they should consider it a bonus, not something to expect.

Photo: Disney

What I believe is that Disney will wait until after the 50^th-anniversary celebration ends in 2023 to restore the dining plan.

I really want to be wrong about this one, though.

Enchanted Tales with Belle

There are three items on this list that Disney hasn’t mentioned at all. I suspect that two of them have either ended or won’t return anytime soon.

The other is Enchanted Tales with Belle, and its continued absence at the parks perplexes me. 

Photo: Disney

Last fall, rumors persisted that Disney would reopen the attraction soon. But, frankly, none of those made sense at the time, given the pandemic and casting member hiring crunch.

Recently, some paperwork suggested that construction is occurring within the building. This work could lead to the attraction’s return.

Photo: Disney

Conversely, we may hear that Disney is re-theming the experience. I believe that’s an unlikely fear, though.

Kids (and their parents) love Enchanted Tales with Belle too much for Disney to kill it.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Fantasmic!

I honestly expected Fantasmic! to have reopened by now. Remember that early in 2022, Disney announced its impending return to Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The Disneyland version has since come back, but Hollywood Studios remains in flux. In fact, Disney recently drained the moat, a decidedly mixed message.

The work presumably involves the technical enhancements that park officials have promised. Still, that move confused many of us who follow Disney.

I thought Fantasmic! would be back by Memorial Day. Now that it’s come and gone, I don’t know what’s a reasonable timeframe at this point.

Disney has said it’ll return in 2022, but it also hinted at a spring comeback. So…

Finding Nemo: The Musical

The answer here is that this one’s technically dead. That’s misleading, though.

Photo: Disney

Disney has updated the former Finding Nemo presentation to make it more entertaining for modern audiences.

The new show is Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!, and it’s back in business as of last week!

Here’s Nick at Magical News Live showing off the new version of the show:

Minnie Vans

Okay, I have a solid update on this one, albeit a weird one:

Disney has published a TikTok that says Minnie Vans are returning this summer.

The company wouldn’t lie to us through TikTok, would they? I’m happy to report that they wouldn’t.

Disney recently confirmed these stylish rides are back in service as of June 29^th!

Photo: Disney

However, one of our MickeyBloggers noticed that Disney is already testing the service. Here’s Greg in front of his Minnie Van ride!

So, we can already think of Minnie Vans as back!

Photo: ReportLoop.com

Star Wars Launch Bay

I swear I’m not meaning to repeat myself here. It’s just that Disney has made the same general statement about several attractions.

The company recently reopened Star Wars Launch Bay at Hollywood Studios.

Photo: Disney

Technically, you can visit the place right now. It’s just not quite what you remember.

None of the character interactions are back yet. Cast members have roped off those areas.

Photo: Disney

So, Launch Bay is a walkthrough museum at the moment, and much of what’s there won’t impress anyone.

Disney has stated that the characters will reappear at…some point. But, until then, it’s like visiting Walt Disney Presents if it didn’t have any Walt Disney memorabilia.

Tables in Wonderland

This fantastic service allows frequent Disney guests to save up to 20 percent on their meals at various Walt Disney World restaurants.

I’ve been a subscriber before and quite enjoyed it, although I still stick with the dining plan for the most part.

Photo:doctordisney.com

However, you can figure out why Disney hasn’t brought back Tables in Wonderland. It allows guests to reduce costs.

That’s the opposite of Disney’s current business model. Realistically, the absence of this program plays a factor in guest per capita spending increases.

Photo: Disney

So, if Tables in Wonderland does return, it probably won’t be for a while. But I’m operating under the assumption that it’s somewhere between comatose and dead.

Voyage of the Little Mermaid

Everyone holds an unpopular Disney theme park opinion. I have several, but I think the one that perplexes people the most is that I love this show.

For many years now, I’ve always stopped at Voyage of the Little Mermaid to watch the park retelling of my favorite Disney Renaissance movie.

Alas, I’ve always known on some level that the attraction wasn’t popular. For this reason, when it closed for the pandemic, I wasn’t sure it would return.

Photo: Trip Advisor

After all, rumors of its demise had been around for several years before then.

Lately, nobody has talked about the show much at all. So, I’m bracing for the worst. But, if it does return, I’ll write that one off as a pleasant surprise.

Photo: DisneyFanatic.com

Disney probably can use this space for something better. However, the live-action remake should enter theaters in May of 2023.

At that point, we could witness a reboot of this presentation similar to what’s happening with Finding Nemo.

Image Credit: @Thrillgeek/Twitter

Walt Disney World Railroad

I still don’t have anything official for you on this front…yet.

What I can say is that Disney has recently laid the track for the new ride around Tomorrowland.

Photo: Disney

For a while, many insiders have operated under the assumption that the railroad will reopen on or around the same time as Tron Lightcycle Power Run’s debut.

I believe that more and more with each passing month. It definitely matches the current timeline of a Tron debut late in 2022.

Photo: Disney

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Feature Photo: Disney