Hollywood Studios has never been my favorite Walt Disney World park. However, recent updates have turned Hollywood Studios into a very exciting place to visit. Where do the newer lands stack up against the old ones?   7. Animation Courtyard   The Animation Courtyard is in a bit of an identity crisis. No longer is the area about animation, but a mish-mash of The Little Mermaid, Disney Junior, and Star Wars. Well, kind of. At the time of wiring, the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show is still down. So the area is basically just a photo op for tots and Star Wars nerds.  I briefly expereinced the Animation Courtyard pre-Star Wars, and it was much better. The Animation Building actually showcased - gasp - animation! There were drawing classes held in the building where guests could learn how to draw an iconic Disney character and then take their picture home for a unique souvenir. This experience still exists, but has been moved to Animal King...

  The latest rumor about Disney is that Walt Disney World is replacing Mickey Mouse as their mascot. This rumor, of course, is false .  The rumor was first published by Mouse Trap News. According to the website's about page, " Mouse Trap News is the world’s best satire site. We write fake stories about Disney Parks stuff. From Disney Park announcements to Disney Hotel and resort news to made-up Disney partnerships, you can be assured that anything you read here is not true, real, or accurate, but it is fun." So basically, Mouse Trap News is like The Onion, but for Disney.  The satire piece was then posted on Instagram by a user with 10 million followers. Naturally, the post went viral and caused panic amongst the general population. The Instagram user has yet to admit to spreading this false information, and the post still generates concerned comments.  Within the original article, Mouse Trap News stated the reason for the mascot replacement being that Mick...

  Oh, Epcot. As part of a decade-long plan, each of the four parks at Walt Disney World Resort were supposed to undergo major additions and changes. Just when it was Epcot's turn for a makeover, a worldwide pandemic happened. While Epcot never received all of the changes it was supposed to , we will still see some exciting things happening in 2023.  Festival Dates Walt Disney World guests love to visit Epcot during one of its many festivals. In the past, Epcot only had a couple of festivals running for a couple of months each. In recent years, the Festival of the Arts has been added and the dates for the other festivals have been lengthened. Now, Epcot has more festival days than non-festival days! At the time of writing, only the dates for Festival of the Arts and Flower and Garden Festival have been confirmed.  Festival of the Arts has speciality vendors selling crafts, unique photo ops, and activities guests can participate in. There is a giant panic-by-number mural th...

As previously reported, Rock ’n’ Rollercoaster is about to undergo a lengthy refurbishment this year. Disney has reported that no major changes are to occur during this refurbishment. Naturally, fans are still speculating on the fate of the coaster.  Aerosmith, while iconic in their own right, is not really a poppin’ band anymore. The band is heavily associated with the sounds of the 70s and 80s. However, they did have another moment in the late 90s with the hit “I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing” in 1998. Rock’n’Rollercoaster opened a year later in 1999. So, Aerosmith was still very relevant.  In recent years, the popularity of the band has waned, especially amongst newer generations that are now going to Walt Disney World. But who could replace Aerosmith?  The last time I was in line to ride Rock ’n’ Rollercoaster, this exact conversation came up with my group. I asked who would be able to replace Aerosmith with, as there really aren’t many rockstars today. In this day ...

Hollywood Studios has become of one Disney's most visited theme parks, second only to Magic Kingdom . The additions of Toy Story Land and Star Wars Land, along with the opening of Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railroad have certainly boosted this park's status.  2023 will seen even more changes to Disney's Hollywood Studios.  Woody’s Roundup BBQ Since its opening 5 years ago, not much has changed in Toy Story Land. This year, a new restaurant will be added. When this land first opened in 2018, Woody’s Lunchbox Quick Service food stand quickly became one of the most popular places to grab a bite to eat in all of Hollywood Studios. This was one project that was supposed to be completed in 2020. Disney announced that the restaurant will finally be opening on March 23, 2023.  However late it is, we are sure looking forward to this much needed addition!  This will be a table-service restaurant. The meal is all-you-can-eat and will be served family style. Some of the me...

    Magic Kingdom is Walt Disney World's most popular park, and it is about to see some changes this year. Among those anticipated changes are the return of certain characters and entertainment. And as one beloved attraction closes, another is about to open.  Looking for more info about visiting Walt Disney World Resort in 2023? Check out these posts for Epcot , Hollywood Studios , and Animal Kingdom !  Tron Of course, the most exciting addition to Magic Kingdom this year is Tron. The highly anticipated Tron Lightcycle Run is finally expected to open on April 4th, 2023. Tron is a rollercoaster with both indoor and outdoor sections. You'll hop on board a Lightcycle - a motorcycle-like seat - and race through the Grid. There is a height requirement of 48 inches. The ride is supposed to be one of the fastest at Walt Disney World, and parts of it will be in the dark. Guests will also be required to store items in a locker before boarding.  Tron will use a virtual qu...

Are you planning on visiting Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World in 2023? DAK is a fantastic park, dedicated to Walt Disney's love for animals and nature.  There is so much to explore. No Walt Disney World vacation would be complete without a trip to DAK.  Here are some of the things you can expect for Disney's Animal Kingdom to offer in 2023: Enjoy the Classics Even if Animal Kingdom isn’t getting many new additions this year, guests can still enjoy the current attractions. After all, the classics are classics for a reason.  The most popular attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom are Flight of Passage, Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest, and the Festival of the Lion King show.  As one of the newest attractions at DAK, Flight of Passage still draws long lines. Luckily, you can usually avoid these wait times by arriving early to the park. Even so, the wait is worth it. This is a spectacular ride with intricate theming, and I cannot recommend it enough....