September is here and some special Disney World offerings are going away soon as others are just kicking off. While the summer drone show is over in just a few days, Halloween is happening and other fall fun debuted recently. Also, the Encanto show is staying for now! In August, we learned about lots of Disney news from the D23 event. Now we know about plans for many new Disney World rides, lands and more. We’ve got all the details here for you here in our Disney World News September 2024 update. Whether you’re planning your next vacation or looking for inspiration to book one, we hope this Walt Disney World news and updates roundup helps keep you in the know.
Reminder: Members with a February use year must bank points by September 30th.
Disney World News September 2024 Dates to Remember
Here we have some dates related to Disney World news September 2024 and beyond.
May 24 – September 2 | Disney Springs Drone Show Dreams That Soar
June 10 – Extended! | ¡Celebración Encanto! show at Epcot (More Encanto at Disney World)
June 10 – September 6 | Animal Kingdom celebrates 30 years of The Lion King
August 9 – October 31 | Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party on select nights
August 26 – October 17 | Jungle Cruise closed for refurbishment
August 29 – November 3 | EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival
November 8 – December 20 | Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on select nights
November 9 – December 21 | Disney Jollywood Nights event on select nights
November 29 – December 30 | EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays
What’s New at Disney World September 2024
2024 D23 Expo Disney World Announcements
We have more details about upcoming Disney additions we’ve been covering for a while and brand new things just announced. The D23 Disney announcements 2024 brought us were pretty surprising. Some details are followups and opening time frames for previously announced offerings while others are first time announcements that came out of nowhere.
- Magic Kingdom is getting a new nighttime parade in the summer of 2025! The Disney Starlight parade has the magic of the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio with friends from Peter Pan, Encanto, Frozen and more!
- An entire Monsters Inc. land is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios with a door rollercoaster taking inspiration from scenes from the film!
- We got confirmation the Pirates of the Caribbean Lounge at Magic Kingdom is opening in 2025.
- The tropical Americas Animal Kingdom expansion has an Indiana Jones ride with a new story in an ancient Mayan temple.
- The Encanto house coming to Animal Kingdom is a dark ride! The tropical Americas land will open in 2027.
- Disney Cruise Line is adding FOUR new cruise ships to the fleet! These set sail from 2027 to 2031. That will bring the fleet to 13 ships.
Disney Stockholder Call Format Change
Sometimes the stockholder and earnings presentations of The Walt Disney Company are a place for us to get exciting announcements and updates in addition to fiscal reports. Disney changed the earnings results webcast to a new format this last quarter. Instead of the typical hour long data presentation and question and answer session, just a thirty minute question and answer session was hosted for quarter three in fiscal year 2024. We didn’t hear the usual update or any announcements at all about what’s coming up. It was all business with investor questions this quarter. This was just a few days before the D23 event where Disney gives the most major announcements though so there’s no shortage of things to be excited about.
Construction Underway for Magic Kingdom DVC Lounge
Earlier this year, DVC announced Magic Kingdom would be getting its very own Disney Vacation Club lounge. They later shared the venue would be the former Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade which closed pretty abruptly this summer. A construction fence has been up for a while and things are clearly happening. We still don’t have an opening date.
See more in our Disney Vacation Club Lounge Guide.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Starts
September means Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom is well into it’s run! Though some may be sold out, the remaining dates are:
- September 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29
- October 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31
If you’re going, remember virtual queues are not in use at the event. Tiana‘s Bayou Adventure and Tron Light Cycle/Run both have a standby queue at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party!
Villains at Mickey’s Not So Scary
New this year at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is a villainous lineup of characters around the park. Different than years past, villains are casually around the park a few different places. There are other organized places to see them too. Here are the new spots where villains may be seen at the party:
- The Evil Queen and Maleficient have been seen in front of their respective princess portraits inside Princess Fairytale Hall
- The Evil Queen and Maleficient have also been up on the top of the train station when you enter the park in the town square area at the start of Main Street U.S.A.
- Cruella de Vil has been.. spotted.. on a platform on the entrance path that veers you off behind Main Street U.S.A.
- Like we’ve seen in years past, Gaston may be found around Gaston’s Tavern..
- and Anastasia, Drizella and Lady Tremaine might be waiting to say hello around the castle walls behind the carousel in Fantasyland
Other special characters at the party include Bruno meeting with Mirabel in the special meet and greet on the path between the castle and the tea cups.
Always a popular meet and greet, Jack Skellington is back with Sally meeting guests on Main Street in the Town Square Theater.
Island Tower Polynesian Restaurant, Pool and More Revealed
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort gets a new restaurant, Wailulu Bar & Grill, with the opening of the Island Tower. This indoor, outdoor setting has a walk up pool bar as well. For food, you can expect a coffee bar with pastries in the morning and a shared lunch and dinner menu later in the day. There is Moana art in Wailulu Bar & Grill along with some custom installations channeling the ocean and way finding.
The Island Tower also ushers in the zero entry Cove Pool. Nearby, Moana’s Voyage is a new splash area that features a life size sculpture of Moana and her boat. The Cove Pool and Moana’s Voyage are open for all guests of the Polynesian resort.
Disney Vacation Club also shared a look at one of Terrace Gardens at the Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows. There are four of these unique building cut outs that provide stunning views. Two face the direction of Cinderella castle and will surely be a great place to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks. The Terrace Gardens are only for resort guests.
This Polynesian Island Tower Disney Vacation Club building addition opens on December 17, 2024. This is part of the existing DVC resort at the Polynesian. That means if you purchase a resale DVC contract at the Polynesian, this is part of your home resort!
See DVC resale Polynesian listings that are available right now.
runDisney 2025 Marathon Weekend Medals Shared
The Disney Parks Blog has shared a look at the 2025 runDisney marathon weekend medals. From the 5K all the way up to the Dopey challenge, participants get a shiny piece for finishing. Take a look at the medals and all of the details that are out about 2025 runDisney events.
Disney Movie News, Updates and Announcements 2024
At the recent D23 fan event, Bob Iger came on stage during the Disney Entertainment Showcase to kick things off. We learned quite a bit about new Disney movies coming out over the next few years. These heavily influence what happens at Disney Parks. Here’s what we have to look forward to.
- A new, stormy Moana 2 trailer debuted with the help of Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson.
- James Cameron talked about Avatar 3 and revealed the title: Avatar Fire and Ash.
- Pete Docter showed the logo for an Inside Out show called Dream Productions that’s coming to Disney+ in 2025.
- Andrew Stanton will write and direct Toy Story 5 which explores kids’ shift in interest to electronics.
- Pixar announced a new film coming in 2026 called HOPPERS.
- Zoe Saldana is in the previously announced Pixar film Elio. It’s out of this world but in theaters June 13th, 2025.
- At Pixar, Brad Bird is working on Incredibles 3!
- Ginnifer Goodwin shared a Zootopia 2 update: Gary the snake is a new character played by Ke Huy Quan.
- Frozen 3 now has a 2027 release date. It is the first of a two part story. Frozen 4 is also in development.
We also got some theatrical updates!
- Frozen from Broadway is coming to Disney+ in 2025.
- A Hercules musical opens in London’s West End in the summer of 2025.
- The Greatest Showman is also being produced as a musical!
- Freakier Friday with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis is coming to theaters in 2025.
Epcot Food and Wine Concert Schedule – Eat to the Beat Concert Dates
The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival just started August 29th! The event runs through November 23rd this year. See more in our Epcot Food and Wine Festival Guide 2024.
| 2024 Eat to the Beat Concert Dates | 2024 Eat to the Beat Concert Bands |
| August 30-31 | The Fray |
| September 1-2 | Sugar Ray |
| September 6-7 | Hoobastank |
| September 8-9 | Yellowcard (New this year) |
| September 13-14 | Tiffany |
| September 15-16 | MercyMe |
| September 20-21 | Sheila E. |
| September 22-23 | The Wanted (New this year) |
| September 27 | Luis Figueroa |
| September 28-29 | Mau Y Ricky (New this year) |
| September 30 | Jesse & Joy (New this year) |
| October 4-5 | Aloe Blacc (New this year) |
| October 6-7 | Joey Fatone & Friends |
| October 11-12 | We The Kings |
| October 13-14 | Switchfoot |
| October 18-19 | David Archuleta (New this year) |
| October 20-21 | Billy Ocean |
| October 25-28 | Hanson |
| November 1-2 | Haley Reinhart featuring Emily Estefan, Casey Abrams and Janel Parrish (NEW) |
| November 3-4 | Boyz II Men |
| November 8-9 | Magic! (New this year) |
| November 10-11 | Parmalee (New this year) |
| November 15-16 | Smash Mouth |
| November 17-18 | 98 Degrees |
Jungle Cruise Closed for Refurbishment at Magic Kingdom
Beginning August 26, 2024, Jungle Cruise closed temporarily for a refurbishment. The Adventureland attraction will be back open before too long. Disney says, “The attraction is scheduled to reopen for Guests before the winter holidays begin at Walt Disney World.” It seems we can assume Jingle Cruise will be back if Disney is putting emphasis on the attraction being open before the season. Jungle Cruise will reopen October 18th. This joins other construction in the Adventureland area. The Pirates of the Caribbean attraction has had some construction going on around the gift shop.
You Can Fly Again: Peter Pan’s Flight Reopens
Fantasyland’s star is shining once again. The classic Peter Pan attraction is now open after a lengthy, planned, summer refurbishment from July through late August. This popular Fantasyland attraction has some changes inside. The scene with Tiger Lily and her family has been updated to be more culturally authentic.
Disney has been on a mission to update depictions of certain cultures, making sure that they are respectful. In the animated classic Peter Pan, the character Tiger Lily is an important part of the story. Before the film plays on Disney+, Disney has added a disclaimer about outdated or harmful stereotypes. Films are left as originally created but shown with these disclaimers stating some things are wrong with the film.
The Peter Pan’s Flight attraction is based off of this film and was updated. According to Disney, “In Peter Pan’s Flight at Magic Kingdom Park, a serene lagoon transitions into a mountaintop community where brightly colored teepees frame the Never Land Tribe’s harvest celebration. Here, Tiger Lily and her grandmother gracefully perform the traditional Fancy Shawl Butterfly Dance by the fire, capturing the vibrant spirit of the occasion.”
This ride reopening after this refresh brings back one of the most popular rides in the park. It’s especially helpful now that it’s Halloween season. It’s always nice to enjoy Peter Pan’s Flight during special events when crowds are lower.
¡Celebración Encanto! Show Extended
The ¡Celebración Encanto! show with Mirabel and Bruno will stick around for longer than planned. This is a sing along style show on an outdoor stage at EPCOT. The two characters make an appearance at the end of the show. It was originally scheduled to run through September 6th. ¡Celebración Encanto! has been extended to coincide with Disney World’s resort wide Hispanic and Latin American Heritage Month celebration which runs September 15TH through October 15TH. However, no end date has been shared for the show specifically. This is one of a few places you can see Encanto at Disney World right now.
Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs Open at Disney BoardWalk
The corn dog kiosk company loved at Disneyland Resort has made its way to Disney World. Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs is now open on Disney’s BoardWalk, serving some classic and some wild menu items like a pickle corn dog. You can add this to the long list of Disney BoardWalk dining options available to enjoy.
Disney’s BoardWalk has been undergoing some major changes over the last few years. Blue Ribbon Corn Dog took over an existing kiosk. There is still no opening date for The Cake Bake Shop on the BoardWalk which also should open this year.
Recent Disney World News to Remember
- Country Bear Musical Jamboree is open at Magic Kingdom and now features Disney songs.
- Test Track is down for refurbishment. The reopening date is unknown.
- The Fast Pass style program Disney Genie+ is now Disney World Lightning Lane.
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is now open using a virtual queue and Lightning Lane Multi Pass.
- 1900 Park Fare has reopened with new characters: Aladdin, Tiana, Mirabel and Cinderella.
Continued Reopenings at Walt Disney World Resort
We’ve been covering Disney World’s pandemic closure reopening come back for years. Disney World reopened in 2020 running a very lean operation. So many things have returned to the parks and resorts but many have not. There are still many temporarily unavailable closures. Some of which may greatly impact your trips. We want to help you set expectations and plan your trip based on what is available.
What’s not back at Disney World?
- The tea room at the Grand Floridian is not open but resort construction has reached the lobby.
- The Pirates and Pals Fireworks Voyage has not returned to Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
- The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutiques at the Grand Floridian and Disney Springs are still not open.
- It’s A Wonderful Shop, Stage 1 Company Store, In Character and Disney Studio Store are not open at Hollywood Studios.
- Disney says DVC pool hopping is still suspended.
- Saratoga Springs Senses Spa and Beach Club’s Ship Shape Massage Salon Fitness are not open.
- Services like sending your purchases to the front of the park or to your room are on pause.
- Disney Annual Passholders still need park reservations to visit parks for a full day.
- Many shows have not reopened like: Citizens of Hollywood, Jedi Training, Citizens of Main Street, Main Street Trolley Show, Move It! Shake It! Street Party, Once Upon a Time, The Jeweled Dragon Acrobats, Serveur Amusant, Swotu Waya Pandora Drummers, Pandora Utility Suit Pilot and more.
We do our best to continue to share things as they come back.
The Disney World news September 2024 update did not bring any returns that we saw. The most recent notable things to come back are probably the in person character meet and greets at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and the reopening of 1900 Park Fare.
DVC Resale Experts Can Help, Disney World News September 2024 and Beyond
Does this Disney World news September 2024 edition leave you needing more Disney trips?
DVC Resale Experts is a licensed real estate broker with a team that specializes in resale DVC. Whether you’re adding on points, buying or selling Disney Vacation Club, the Experts can help you find the right price to place a bid with or list your contract for. Our independent, licensed real estate agents are former Disney Vacation Club Guides. They have decades of pixie dusted experience selling DVC and delight in providing excellent service to their clients. The Experts have seen it all and are happy to answer your questions throughout the process.
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