New for 2020

Many Disney fans are taking a deep breath after the arrival of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2019, and preparing themselves for the golden anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort in 2021.  That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a lot to look forward to in 2020. Here are just a few of the things that we are excited to see kick off the new decade.  

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure 

Epcot finds itself in a state of change.  Anyone who has entered the park in the last six (6) months has been greeted by temporary barriers and a mountain of scaffolding.  By the end of 2021, the landscape of Epcot will look very different, but many of the planned changes are coming in 2020.  

The one that we are most excited about is Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure which is coming to the France pavilion.  The ride is very similar to the attraction at the Disneyland Paris resort. Guests are shrunk down to the size of Remy and travel through Gusteau’s kitchen on WDW’s second trackless ride.  

Via Disney Parks Blog

This will also be the third attraction featuring Disney characters to be found at the World Showcase.  With wait times at Frozen Ever After typically hovering around an hour, it will be nice to have another e-ticket attraction to help ease the load.  

HarmonioUS

If you read our 2019 year-end post, you’ll note that we highlighted Epcot Forever as one of our favorite park attractions of the year.  So it might seem somewhat odd that we are already looking forward to it’s replacement.  

Epcot Forever was built to be a placeholder show, and yet in spite of that, the music and history of attractions past and present from Epcot made it a wonderful night time spectacular.    But in 2020, Epcot will be bringing the music of Disney movies to life with the new Epcot night time show HarmonioUS. This show is expected to be on the scale of Illuminations with floating sets, lasers, fireworks and of course Disney music.  

For Epcot purists, this is a departure from “old Epcot” which featured original music and stories.  As Epcot begins its next phase, it’s clear that Disney’s vision for the park integrates the complement of Future World and World Showcase with Disney stories, movies, and music.   HarmonioUS will bring that new vision front and center.  

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway 

Many Disney World fans were sad to see The Great Movie Ride leave Hollywood Studios.  The Great Movie Ride was one of those attractions that opened with the MGM Hollywood Studios Park and was arguably the centerpiece of the third Walt Disney World theme park.  The Chinese Theater, which was the facade for the Great Movie Ride, can be seen almost immediately as you enter the park on Hollywood Boulevard. 

As the makeup of Hollywood Studios changes, from an east coast Hollywood replica, to an immersive land that brings movies to life, the Great Movie Ride no longer fit the mold of the new park.  Enter Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. This new family ride will take you through the movie screen and smack dab into the middle of a Mickey and Minnie cartoon. The ride is based upon the new comic style of the Mickey and Minnie shorts that have been airing on Disney Channel.  

Via DisneyParksBlog.com

Imagineers have already leaked a few Easter eggs that we can look forward to when this ride opens in March, 2020 including the original whistle used in Steamboat Willie!  

Slap Bracelet Magic Bands 

OK how did these make the list?  Yes, it’s incredibly nerdy but if you’re a child of the 90s like we are then you remember how awesome it was wearing slap bracelets.  And yes, these WERE released in 2019, but they have been taken off the shelves as Disney had issues with the RFID readers.  

Via WDWNT.com

The slap bracelets, in addition to the obvious functionality, also have an enlarged puck holding center.  

We are HOPEFUL that these awesome slap bracelets will make their way back to shelves around the Walt Disney World Resort.  There are some available on the secondary market (i.e. EBay), but we aren’t sure what kind of connectivity issues you will have.