All of the construction at Disney's Hollywood Studios will mean that new attractions will be available soon!  No more rumors, we have learned at the D23 Expo that DHS will see 2 new major attractions on an 11 acre themed area set to debut during the summer of 2018!

In 2018, you’ll find yourself shrunk to the size of a toy to explore the world of Andy’s backyard with your favorite Toy Story characters, including Woody and Buzz. And Toy Story Land will feature two new themed attractions.
Slinky Dog Dash will be a family coaster attraction where you’ll zip, dodge and dash around many turns and drops that Andy has created to really make Slinky and his coils stretch to his limits.
Alien Swirling Saucers will also be a new attraction at Toy Story Land. It’s designed as a toy play set that Andy got from Pizza Planet, inspired by the first “Toy Story” film. Aliens are flying around in their toy flying saucers and trying to capture your rocket toy vehicle with “The Claw.”

 Stay tuned to Only WDWorld for more Disney World News and updates!

Things will be changing dramatically at Disney's Animal Kingdom starting on April 22nd (aka Earth Day 2016!)  The Disney World theme park that has typically closed as the sun went down will now provide a compelling reason to stay well into the evening hours!

Rivers Of Light

The first, immediately noticeable change will come in the form of the first night time show in the park's 18 year history.  The new 'Rivers Of Light' show will now become the signature end of the day event at Disney's Animal Kingdom set to rival the Magic Kingdom's Wishes, Epcot's Illuminations, and Disney's Hollywood Studios' Fantasmic!



For those of you that have visited recently, you have probably seen the construction that has been taking place surrounding the water that is located on the Asia & Dinoland side of the park.  Unlike Epcot's Illuminations that only provide standing locations around the water, this show will have a large number of seats built into the waterfront for prime viewing of the Rivers Of Light.

Light, Water, Fire, & Animal Spirits!

Disney Imagineers have created a night time setting that is set to transform the entire theme park into a totally different experience from the day.  It will all start at the iconic Tree Of Life and manifest itself throughout the park, drawing guests to the Rivers Of Light performance that will take place on the water and into the sky.



Joe Rohde narrates the short video explaining the emotions and sense of family that this new show will evoke.

More Attractions To Come!

This is just the beginning for Disney's Animal Kingdom in terms of nighttime offerings.  Along with the new signature end of night show will be a new evening version of the Kilimanjaro Safaris and ultimately the addition of Pandora - World of Avatar  which will bring even more options and attractions into the evening hours.

We are excited about these changes to the best themed Walt Disney World Resort park.  There will now be several reasons to stay all day and into the night to explore all that Animal Kingdom has to offer!

Construction continues at Disney's Animal Kingdom on the mysterious "The World of Avatar." One glimpse into what the future holds for Disney World guests is the above picture that shows a scene from the Na'vi River Journey.

Here is the brief description and details released from Disney:

New Disney World Attraction Excitement

Disney World has officially announced that the Maelstrom attraction in the Epcot Norway Pavilion will be replaced with a 'Frozen' Themed Attraction.  They also announced additional opportunities to meet & greet Anna and Elsa from Frozen in Epcot, as well as, a 'Frozen' themed lighting of Cinderella Castle starting in November to turn it into an ice palace.

Check out all of the 'Frozen' themed news reported from the Disney Parks Blog:

We’ve made “Frozen” a part of the guest experience in a number of ways already and our guests have both loved them and asked for more. So I’m pleased to say that we’re starting construction at Walt Disney World Resort on a brand new “Frozen” attraction at the Norway Pavilion in Epcot. The new attraction, which replaces Maelstrom, will take our guests to Arendelle and immerse them in many of their favorite moments and music from the film. The pavilion will also include a royal greeting location where Anna and Elsa can meet our guests. We think these “Frozen” elements are great complements to the Norway Pavilion, which showcases the country and region that inspired the film.

“Frozen’s” popular characters will also have a bigger presence at Magic Kingdom Park this holiday season. In addition to the ongoing character appearances, Queen Elsa will use her powers to transform Cinderella Castle into an ice palace every night starting in early November. And Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party-goers can see Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf in “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.”

We’re extending some favorite elements of Frozen Summer Fun LIVE!, too, so that guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios can continue singing along to “Frozen” songs with Queen Elsa and Princess Anna. Wandering Oaken’s will set up shop closer to the show through the holiday season and will feature a larger play area with real snow (in Florida!). 

From the moment we screened the film several months before its release, we were inspired by the possibility of bringing this great story to life for our guests. Frozen Summer Fun LIVE! has been extremely popular, and now we’re looking forward to doing even more to allow our guests to experience the “Frozen” phenomenon.

Recently, at the D23 Expo in Japan, Disney had James Cameron and Joe Rohde announce some of the upcoming visions for the new Avatar based attractions that will be added to Disney's Animal Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

The video clip below shows both James Cameron, the writer and director known for such great films as: Titanic, The Abyss, The Terminator, Aliens, and Avatar, as well as, Joe Rohde, the Senior Vice President of Creative at Disney Imagineering and one of the lead designers of Disney's Animal Kingdom, talking about combining the world of Avatar, known as Pandora, and bringing it to Disney's Animal Kingdom as a transformational, immersive experience for guests.


Construction has begun to make the necessary space within what is currently known as Camp Minnie Mickey to prepare the space where the Avatar based version of Pandora will exist.

Here are more pictures of the current sketches of what may be coming:






The last picture shows James Cameron and Joe Rohde looking at early models.

This will be a major expansion to Disney's Animal Kingdom and give it a version of the original land of Mythical Creatures that it was originally designed to contain.

Disney's Animal Kingdom is already the most well themed of all of the Disney World Theme Parks, mostly in part to the hard work and relentless vision of Joe Rohde and it will be exciting to see what he can come up with to bring James Cameron's fantasy world of Avatar and Pandora to life.

For the past couple of years, when visitors made their way to Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom of Walt Disney World they were greeted by construction and promises of attractions to come.  Although the construction is not completed, Disney World Guests can now see and experience many of the new attractions that they have been waiting not so patiently for.


The change is remarkable.  This is not the Magic Kingdom Fantasyland that you are used to seeing.  The first change you notice is the presence of the regal gateway that now exists.  Cinderella Castle is now not the only royal landmark in Fantasyland.  This is now the place to visit and experience the Disney Princesses.  The landscaping and detailing do not disappoint!


The first new attraction you will come across is Enchanted Tales with Belle.  This is a totally different attraction than anything else you will experience at the Walt Disney World Resort.  It is a truly interactive attraction that combines technology with live action characters.  My family enjoyed it and I saw happy faces on all that experienced it.  The only question is how it will hold up as a "must do every time" attraction over the long haul.  I give the Disney Imagineers credit for creating this unique attraction that makes the Disney Storytelling both interactive and personal for the Guests.


The other major attraction that has opened is Under The Sea Journey Of The Little Mermaid.  Here you will find Ariel and her friends presented in a classic Disney dark ride attraction.  This attraction is visually impressive from the moment you catch sight of it from the outside.

The ride queue incorporates interactive elements to keep you occupied when times are busy and the lines are long.  For the first time rider there is so much detail to take in, you almost want the wait to be longer so that you can see it all.


On the ride itself you board a Clam-mobile that looks very familiar to the vehicle you ride at The Living Seas with Nemo and Friends in Epcot.  The ride includes characters and audio-animatronics as only Disney can do.  The Little Mermaid story is told as you progress through the ride.  It is a pleasant experience that all Disney fans will love.

After checking out the new attractions, odds are your family will either be hungry or thirsty.  The Fantasyland Expansion has included two new dining destinations that you will definitely want to check out.


The first is Gaston's Tavern.  You will find yourself transported to the world of Belle and the boisterous Gaston, complete with statue of himself.  The Tavern is decorated in Antlers, just as you would expect.  You can get a snack here, try a pork shank (the true alternative to the turkey leg), or try LeFou's Brew (a non-alcoholic beverage).


The dining location that is creating the most buzz is the Be Our Guest Restaurant.  This restaurant changes the mold for Disney World Restaurants.  During lunch hours this is a Disney Quick Service Restaurant that is truly like no other and MUST be experienced.


At night, the restaurant turns into a full Table service restaurant that scandalously serves alcoholic beverages inside the Magic Kingdom.  The 3 different dining rooms each present a different part of the Beauty & The Beast movie and are each amazing in their own respect.

Summary Of New Fantasyland Expansion
The new attractions and dining locations that you will find in Fantasyland of the Magic Kingdom are definitely a big hit!  The Disney Imagineers did a great job designing this area.  They brought in an amazing amount of detail and landscaping that you may not find in the "older" part of Fantasyland.  They get high marks for creating different attractions and dining experiences than you can find anywhere else within Disney World.

Look for the Only WDWorld Blog to review each of these attractions in detail over the coming weeks.

The Walt Disney World Resort will be receiving an early Christmas present this year in terms of new attractions that will be opening this holiday season.  The Magic Kingdom will have several additional attractions open as part of the massive Fantasyland Expansion that has been underway.

Joining the Storybook Circus attractions of Dumbo The Flying Elephant, The Barnstormer Starring The Great Goofini, and Casey Jr. Splash "N" Soak Station will be several new attractions.  With an official Grand Opening of December 6th and a Preview Date starting on November 19th, Disney World Guests will get to experience the new Under the Sea- Journey Of The Little Merrmaid, Ariel's Grotto - meet & greet, Be Our Guest Restaurant, Gaston's Tavern, & Enchanted Tales With Belle.

Here are details that were recently released by Disney about each of these attractions:

• Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, a major attraction where guests will travel with Ariel and her friends through their exciting adventures above and below the waves – all against a musical backdrop of songs from the film. The new attraction combines the enduring appeal of a classic Disney “dark ride” with wonderful technological innovations to offer guests a personal journey into the scenes of the film. Adventurers will feel as if they are descending below the ocean’s surface. Once “under the sea,” guests will find themselves immersed in the story of “The Little Mermaid,” sharing Ariel’s adventure through a magical cast of characters and a captivating musical score that will entice everyone to sing along. The fun continues at “Ariel’s Grotto,” a meet-and-greet with the mermaid heroine herself.

• The castle of the Beast stands majestically upon a hill across an old stone bridge from Ariel’s new home. The Be Our Guest Restaurant will feature a lavish dining experience in the elegant ballroom, gallery, and mysterious “West Wing” of the castle. With seating for 550, this magnificent facility will offer “great food fast” service by day and full table service dining in the evening. Nearby in Belle’s Village, guests will find the rousing Gaston’s Tavern and Bonjour! Village Gifts.

• Just outside the village is Belle’s cottage and Enchanted Tales with Belle. The adventure begins in Maurice’s workshop, where a magical mirror is the doorway to a captivating new kind of storytelling experience: guests will be transported to the Beast’s library to meet Belle and Lumiere, and share in a lively, interactive re-telling of the “tale as old as time.”

“Fantasyland is a place where a very special kind of memory is made: where children just old enough to understand the moment come in contact with princesses and heroes and meet their most beloved friends,” said Meg Crofton, president, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations, United States and France.
“We are excited about sharing our treasured stories in new ways and giving guests the opportunity to interact with their favorite characters like never before.”
Beyond 2012, there’s more in store for Fantasyland guests:

• Located in the Castle Courtyard in the center of Fantasyland, Princess Fairytale Hall will be the new home for visiting royalty in the Magic Kingdom. The castle-like entrance will feature walls of stone and stained glass windows, opening up into a large gallery – an airy space with a high ceiling, where portraits of the Disney princesses adorn the walls. When it’s time for their audience with a princess, guests will proceed to elegantly finished rooms to meet Aurora, Cinderella and other Disney princesses, such as Tiana and Rapunzel (2013).

• The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will take guests on a rollicking, musical ride into the mine “where a million diamonds shine.” The coaster will feature a first-of-its-kind ride system with a train of vehicles that swing back and forth, responding to every twist and turn of the track. The journey will be accompanied by music from the classic Disney film and animated figures of Snow White and the Dwarfs (2014).

The Pirates Of The Caribbean movie series, which was inspired by the Pirates Of The Caribbean Disney World and Disneyland theme park attractions, has now inspired a new theme park attraction called The Legend Of Jack Sparrow to be located at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

The new attraction will be much more than just a "making of the Pirates Of The Caribbean movies," it is actually supposed to be an immersive guest experience into the world of Jack Sparrow, excuse me, I meant to say: Captain Jack Sparrow.

Here are the details released at Disney Parks Blog:


...we can now officially confirm that The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow will open this fall at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.



Details are still emerging, but the attraction will give guests a chance to become immersed in the world of the four “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, and an opening date will be announced later this year.

According to Jason Roberts, show producer for Walt Disney Imagineering, “This is going to be an immersive experience. We’ll really delve into the story of Captain Jack Sparrow and put our guests in the middle of it all in new and exciting ways. Story is always the most important thing for us at Walt Disney Imagineering, but we’re always looking at new ways to tell the story that our guests have never seen before. In this attraction, we’ll let you walk in the footsteps of Jack Sparrow. It’s not ‘the making of,’ not ‘behind the scenes’ … it is really a first-person experience. We worked with the archives as well as the filmmakers while they were shooting the last movie. And as a fan, I just loved sitting through those films again and again, going through all the details and leveraging them for this new experience. It’s really been a blast.”

BREAKING NEWS: Disney has just announced that they have reached a long-term creative partnership with James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox Filmed Entertainment to bring AVATAR to Disney World!

Plans are being made to created an entire land within Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park dedicated to the world of AVATAR.  Construction will begin by 2013.

Here is an excerpt from the announcement at the Disney Parks Blog:

James and his producing partner Jon Landau and their team at Lightstorm Entertainment will serve as creative consultants on the project and will work side-by-side with our Walt Disney Imagineers as we dream up experiences that will take our guests deep into worlds of AVATAR like never before. There are also two sequels to the record setting first film in the works, which will offer more fascinating stories, characters and locations to explore in the AVATAR universe. Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort is planned as the site of the first AVATAR-themed land with construction expected to begin by 2013.


We believe Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a great fit for this project because it was created to give guests the opportunity to experience the worlds of animals and nature – real and mythical – in new ways. Disney’s Animal Kingdom also celebrates adventure, living in harmony with nature and environmental stewardship – themes that are deeply rooted in the story of AVATAR.

Beastly Kingdom - Re-Imagined!
Since the beginning of Disney's Animal Kingdom there was always intended to be another land based upon the "mythical" creatures tentatively named Beastly Kingdom.  This partership with James Cameron and his fantasy world of AVATAR appears to be the land that we have been waiting for.

Stay tuned to Only WDWorld for further updates and news as it develops.