MickeyBlog News for January 16th, 2023
Disney wasn’t messing around with its blockbuster theme park announcements this past week.
We will discuss all the shocking reveals in MickeyBlog News.
Photo:visitorlando.com
Ready Player One
Early in the week, Disney introduced a mystery with this tweet:
>◎//: Need a Clu? pic.twitter.com/fRflNcphH7
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) January 9, 2023
The video game scoreboard hinted at the opening date of the upcoming roller coaster at Magic Kingdom.
Disney fans quickly identified several of the high scores as references to the various theme parks and the history of Tron.
Photo: Disney
One score indicated the triumphant debut of Tron Lightcycle Power Run. Yes, this attraction will finally open on April 4th, 2023!
That’s two months and 20 days from today! So, you can expect the facelift on the new Tomorrowland to complete by that date as well.
Photo: Disney
At that point, Tron will replace Space Mountain and the Astro Orbiter as the skyline highlights of Tomorrowland, thereby ending a multi-year transition.
The other historical footnote here is that Disney will have introduced two Walt Disney World roller coasters within a calendar year! That…doesn’t happen often.
Photo: The Points Guy
Those of you visiting Walt Disney on or after April 4th will get to experience Tron when it’s brand new.
However, some of you will likely arrive sooner due to the various Spring Breaks across North America.
Photo: Disney
Don’t worry just yet! Disney often offers early sneak previews of its attractions. Keep reading MickeyBlog for additional details.
Disney Genie+ Adds New Benefit
Speaking of Disney roller coasters, ride videos have become a staple of any theme park visit.
Photo: TheCoasterKings.com
When guests board Slinky Dog Dash or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, they know that Disney will record a few moments from the ride and then create a video.
Usually, you must purchase these videos individually or by buying PhotoPass.
Well, Disney has altered that requirement for most guests as well. According to Disney’s leadership, more than half of guests purchase Disney Genie+.
You may recall that Disney recently increased the price of this service by changing it to a tiered cost model. How much you pay depends on the date of your visit.
Photo: Disney
Guests understandably groused about this. Disney has heard these complaints and reacted accordingly.
Starting on February 4th, guests who buy Disney Genie+ will receive free ride videos at Walt Disney World!
Photo: Disney
In addition, you’ll gain access to exclusive PhotoPass lenses and one-time complimentary use of the Cinderella Castle Mural of Memories.
Disneyland Resort will take an even more impressive approach to PhotoPass. All ticketed guests will get their on-ride videos free of charge.
Credit: Disney
Disney explicitly states that this offer counts as a Disney100 amenity. So, you shouldn’t expect it beyond 2023. But that’s a spectacular throw-in!
Everyone who visits Disneyland Resort this year can enjoy on-ride videos without paying anything extra!
Credit: Disney
While Disney hasn’t reduced the cost of its new FastPass replacement, it has dramatically increased the value of your purchase.
That’s the recurring theme for this week’s announcements. Disney has improved several facets of park visits.
Photo: Disney
Some of them decrease the expense of a Disney vacation, while others increase the value of what you’re getting.
Speaking of which…
Photo: Disney
Disney Hotel Parking Switches Back to Free
MickeyBlog has officially been around long enough to talk about a story and then cover its ending.
In March 2018, Walt Disney World changed one of its longstanding policies. Disney hotels started charging guests to park.
Photo: Wikimedia
This decision caused outrage within the Disney community, and it wasn’t the best system either.
Savvy guests realized that they could avoid parking fees by using My Disney Experience. The express check-in option allowed people to skip the hotel lobby.
Photo: Disney
So, they never told guest services that they were parking at the resort and never had to pay a dime.
This behavior forced Disney to post cast members at the hotel entrance gates to verify who was trying to park there and why. It was an adversarial system from the start.
Disney charged guests as much as $150 to park during a six-night hotel stay.
The amount depended on the hotel where the guest was staying, but it was a different variant of a resort fee.
Credit: Disney
You were paying for the privilege of staying at Disney. Period.
Thankfully, Disney has revoked that fee. From now on, guests who park at Disney resorts can do so free of charge. So, we’re back to 2017 rules!
Credit: Disney
Let’s be honest that any time we’re paying 2017 prices at Disney these days, we’re pretty pleased. And free is always best.
Disney and Disneyland Changes
Disney also provided guidance on the upcoming changes in nighttime presentations at the parks.
The company had previously announced that Harmonious and Disney Enchantment would end around the same time as Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary.
Sure enough, Disney will end the birthday party on March 31st. Then, on April 2nd, Harmonious and Disney Enchantment will perform their final shows.
Starting on April 3rd, EPCOT Forever returns at EPCOT. Meanwhile, Happily Ever Comes back to Magic Kingdom on that date as well.
These changes will occur in addition to the previously revealed January 27th start of World of Color – One and Wondrous Journeys at Disneyland Resort.
Photo: Disney
If you love Disney shows, you’ll have plenty of terrific options during the first half of 2023!
Speaking of Disneyland, Josh D’Amaro also confirmed one bit of cost-cutting for 2023.
Park officials have dramatically increased the number of dates when Disney will sell its least expensive single-day admission tickets.
Photo: Disney
According to D’Amaro, these $104 tickets will be available for roughly 60 days out of 365 in 2023.
That’s more than once a week you can visit the Happiest Place on Earth for cheap!
Credit: Disney
In equally great news, the former French Market Restaurant at Disneyland will undergo a re-theming this year. Here’s the tweet:
French Market Restaurant at @Disneyland will be reimagined into Tiana’s Palace, the newest restaurant on Orleans Street, later this year! Tiana’s Palace will offer authentic New Orleans flavors inspired by Tiana’s friends and adventures. Learn more: https://t.co/vJ8fAt4IEw pic.twitter.com/o0q4nosaXn
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) January 12, 2023
That’s right, folks! Tiana’s Place will come to New Orleans Square later this year.
Disney wants the Quick Service restaurant open in plenty of time for the impending debut of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in 2024.
Photo: Disney
Thematically, this restaurant fits perfectly with New Orleans Square and should become a favorite dining spot at Disneyland Resort.
Disney Changes Bosses Again
Finally, Disney announced the impending retirement of Susan Arnold as Chairman of the Board.
Image Credit: Health Quest Capital
This move will occur in March during Disney’s shareholders’ meeting. Arnold has ostensibly reached her 15-year limit as a member of Disney’s Board.
Disney has chosen Mark Parker, the current Disney Board member and Executive Chairman of Nike, as Arnold’s replacement.
Image Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Presuming that Parker wins the shareholder vote at the meeting, he will become Chairman of the Board on March 8th.
Unfortunately, this delay will lead to another two months of speculation and drama as Disney faces another activist investor showdown with Nelson Peltz.
Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images
In 2022, Disney went through the same thing with Daniel Loeb before eventually agreeing to place one of his allies on the Board of Directors.
Disney’s interactions with Peltz have proven more aggressive and indicate he’s not welcome on the Board.
Photo: Pexel.com
Will that opinion change? We probably won’t know for another eight weeks.
