MickeyBlog News for October 28th, 2024

This past week started with so much news that it made me want to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over my head.

Yup, we’ve got another full slate, including Rope Drop changes, price increases, Magic Key sales, festival dates, and a new Disney boss.

You’ll fall way behind if you don’t read this week’s MickeyBlog News.

One Disney Park Changes Rope Drop

Let’s begin with a story that will make everyone happy. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is restoring a pre-pandemic policy.

Once Walt Disney World’s theme parks reopened in 2020, Hollywood Studios modified its Rope Drop behavior.

Part of the reason why was that Disney altered its entry policy, replacing Extra Magic Hours with Early Theme Park Entry.

Guests staying at official Disney resorts can enter Disney World parks 30 minutes before other guests.

Anyone who isn’t staying onsite cannot enter the park until it officially opens.

So, these guests previously had to wait outside the entrance gates, which slowed the start to their days.

That hadn’t been the case in 2019, as people could enter the parks early. They just couldn’t ride anything.

Disney is currently testing a return to this practice, based on what our reporters have tracked recently.

At 8:30, the new practice allows everyone in the parks early.

However, only guests staying onsite can enter most attraction queues. You can read the above link for exceptions.

Disney simply scans MagicBands to verify that the person is a hotel guest.

Presuming they are, they can enter the line queue. It’s a much more efficient practice for everyone.

You can enter the park early. Then, you can hover in the area of your preferred Rope Drop attraction once the park officially opens.

That’s vastly superior to running across the park to beat the crowd.

Smuggler’s Run Entrance

Note that there are some (figurative) roadblocks in place. Guests who aren’t staying onsite cannot enter these areas:

• Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• Sunset Boulevard back)
• Toy Story Land

So, you can enter the park and stand near the place you like but not necessarily in that location. It depends on what you want to do.

Our park reporters sounded thrilled with the change.

The Latest Price Increases and Magic Key News

Photo:visitorlando.com

We’ve got a lot happening at the parks this month as Disney plans for fiscal 2025.

Whenever that happens, Disney typically raises its theme park prices, as it has done most of the past 35 years.

Photo: Disney

We all hoped this day wasn’t coming, but if we’re being honest, we expected it.

Walt Disney World has raised prices, just a few weeks after Disneyland did the same with its Magic Key sales and admission tickets.

Photo: Disney

First, Disney World increased the cost of its annual passes from $30-$100, depending on which one you use.

For example, I have the Sorcerer Pass, which now costs $1,079, as opposed to $999 earlier last month.

Photo: Disney

Meanwhile, the Pirate Pass and Pixie Dust Pass increased by $30 each, while the Incredi-Pass soared from $1,449 to $1,549.

Management didn’t stop there, though. It increased the prices of hundreds of menu items at various restaurants and snack carts.

Disney World also raised the rates for some November/December 2025 tickets.

However, you can mitigate that price increase by booking one of the holiday 2025 Disney packages the company just announced.

Photo: Disney

Speak with a MickeyTravels agent to learn more about the best ways to maximize your vacation budget.

Speaking of which, you’ll also find some limited-time Disneyland discounts available if you contact MickeyTravels quickly!

Photo: Disney

Also, Magic Key annual passes will go back on sale on Wednesday, November 6^th.

When this has happened on most recent occasions, the most popular Magic Keys have sold out lately.

Photo: Disney

There was one recent sale when everything lasted for a few days, but I wouldn’t count on that.

If you want to buy a Magic Key, you should be ready first thing on the morning of November 6^th. Otherwise, you risk getting shut out.

Disney Miscellany

Okay, let’s start with the holidays, and I don’t mean Halloween.

Some recent sellouts demonstrate that some Disney fans have already moved on to December.

Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks at Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom park reservations aren’t available on Christmas, and Disney World’s other three parks will book soon.

Then, we have New Year’s Eve, when reservations are selling out as well.

Christmas Parade – Mickey and Minnie

Along those lines, three different Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party dates have already sold out, too.

So, before you put on your Halloween costume and enjoy all the parties, you should probably plan your holiday 2024 Disney visit.

Candlelight Processional

Otherwise, you run the risk of getting shut out. Speaking of which, Disney also announced its Candlelight Processional Dining Packages.

Elsewhere at the parks and resorts, Disney just revealed details about the Moana Splash Pad.

Photo: Disney

It’s the new water play area at The Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

At Disney’s BoardWalk, The Cake Bake Shop & Bakery has opened after years of anticipation.

There was a recent online brouhaha regarding the initial pricing, but the restaurant modified its menu to address concerns.

MickeyBlog was one of the first people in the building when The Cake Bake Shop & Bakery opened.

The Cake Bake Shop

You can read our glowing review here, and we even posted a TikTok encapsulating our lovely experience.

Warning: after watching that, you’re gonna need a cake fix. I’m going to the store as soon as I finish typing this.

Disney Miscellany Part II

Lightning Lane

At Disney World, there’s some interesting Lightning Lane news.

International travelers were initially left out in a cold a few weeks ago when Disney introduced the modified system.

Photo: Disney

Well, I’m happy to inform you that international tourists may now book their Lightning Lanes ahead of time, just as Americans can.

Also, some shows will add a new trick soon, and it’ll involve the new MagicBand+ tech.

Photo: Disney

Beauty and the Beast—Live on Stage, For the First Time in Forever: Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, and Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond! Have added some functionality.

Limited Release Christmas 2024 MagicBand+

When you watch these shows, your MagicBand+ will interact with some auditorium vibrations and lighting effects.

If that sounds vaguely familiar, it should. This is a modified version of the old Glow with the Show tech. Now, it’s on your MagicBand+!

Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter

The other big Disney World news this week is that my beloved Disney’s Port Orleans – French Quarter has extended its refurbishment.

Disney will continue updating the rooms into early 2025.

Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Buildings

Also, we learned the dates for the 2025 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts. You can attend from January 17^th through February 25th, 2025.

At Disneyland, the Railroad Train Station is also undergoing refurbishment.

Disneyland Resorts Decked Out for D23

Meanwhile, Disneyland Hotel just repurposed a hotel lounge into the Sleeping Beauty-inspired Broken Spell Lounge.

Finally, Disney just confirmed that James Gorman will replace Mark Parker as Chairman of the Board.

However, Disney won’t announce a new CEO until 2026, and we’re so tired…

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