SeaWorld's Aquatica will open it's all new body slide, Reef Plunge to guests on March 13 As guests slide through translucent cutouts and rings, they will twist and turn through over 330 feet of fiberglass, they will spot a vibrant array of marine life in the new habitat. Animals include Commerson's dolphins, leopard sharks, sardines, and a variety of other cold water fish which will all call the new attraction home. Reef Plunge is an update to the former Dolphin Plunge attraction at the water park, and many elements from the original attraction are still there, but there are some awesome changes which really enhance the overall ride experience. The top half of the slide now features fiberglass sections with translucent silhouettes of many different animals. There is also new ring elements, which gives you the illusion that you are sliding faster than you are. The highlight of the experience is that you slide through clear acrylic tubes giving you the chance to see an array of marine life in the new habitat. The great news is that with the changes, Aquatica has been able to lower the minimum height requirement for Reef Plunge from 48 inches to 42 inches, allowing younger visitors a chance to experience it. "2022 is going to be an exciting year for Aquatica Orlando. Aquatica was voted the No. 1 waterpark in the USA because guests love our year-round operations, one-of-a-kind attractions and laid-back beach vibe,” said Kyle Miller, park president. In addition to opening this brand new attraction, SeaWorld have said multiple enhancements are happening throughout Aquatica, including the addition of more that 1.000 loungers and beach chairs with increased shade, a new quick-serve pizza place, a new beach bar, plus upgrades to the popular Banana Beach Cookout. Multiple attractions will also receive upgrades, including enhancements to several slides.

It's great news to have parades and shows back at Magic Kingdom, and it's fair to say that Magic Kingdom has gotten even more magical with entertainment filling the streets and castle stage as part of the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration. We're delighted that the castle stage show is back with the debut of “Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire,” a newly enhanced show where you’ll see characters from “Frozen,” “The Princess and the Frog” and more join Mickey Mouse and all his friends in a musical extravaganza on the Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage. The opening and finale of the show feature a heartwarming new song and sparkling EARidescent fashions designed exclusively for The World’s Most Magical Celebration. Check out the video below to hear Show Director Tara Anderson and Principal Music Producer Dan Stamper talk about bringing this exciting experience to life. “Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire” is only part of the fun. The beloved “Disney Festival of Fantasy” parade is back – this time winding its way through the park not once, but twice each day! That’s double the chance to experience the enchanting floats – like the fire-breathing Maleficent dragon – and iconic music as characters from “The Little Mermaid,” “Tangled,” “Peter Pan” and more bring their individual stories to life in a spectacular way. Magic Kingdom sure feels like its getting back to it's magical self, you gotta go check it out!

Disney Vacation Club has released a new short documentary about Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, ahead of the new Villas opening for members this summer. Filmed on location with help from some familiar Disney characters, the video celebrates the past, present and future of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa as more Disney Vacation Club Members than ever call this approachably elegant getaway home. Debuting summer 2022 and on sale now, new accommodations will broaden the available range of room options, which have recently been excitingly enhanced. Hear insights about the resort’s design from Disney Legend Wing Chao, catch up with resort General Manager Cosmo Kapoor and peek inside its grandest villa with Disney Imagineer Shawn Moore. Celebrated for its 1890s Victorian architecture and elegance, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a favorite resort of Disney Vacation Club Members. Beginning summer 2022, approximately 200 new resort studios will be home to DVC members, a Disney Vacation Club room type unique to The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. At the same time, existing villas including deluxe studios, one and two bedroom villas, and three-bedroom grand villas will be enhanced. The expansion and enhancements provides guests with even more opportunities to make magical vacation memories together with Magic Kingdom Park close by. The new resort studios feature two queen size beds and a day bed with room for up to five guests. The existing villas will also receive exciting enhancements. The deluxe studios at the resort can also accommodate up to five guests and feature a queen size bed, a pull-down queen size bed that tucks away seamlessly into the wall, and a charming pull down bunk-size bed – perfect for the little ones. For an even grander stay, families staying in spacious one or two bedroom villas enjoy the comforts of home while staying inside the magic. These accommodations offer full kitchens and large living areas as well as added conveniences – like modern appliances, a farmhouse sink, and a washer and dryer. Living areas will feature a new pull-down queen size bed along with a pull down bunk-size bed that folds away to be hidden beneath the media center. For larger families and multi-generational vacations, guests enjoy plenty of room and comfort in the three bedroom grand villa. These spacious accommodations sleep up to 12 guests, with two bedrooms that include two queen size beds each, along with a primary bedroom that features a king size bed. Three bedroom grand villas also boast a dining area and expansive living room. Charming accents in the rooms include Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Victorian themed silhouettes and other artwork featuring Mary Poppins and Dumbo. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa sits on the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon and is located in the heart of the magic. Close by, guests can enjoy the monorail, buses, and water taxi services directly from the property to travel throughout Walt Disney World Resort. The resort is also literally steps away from the excitement via a new walkable promenade leading to and from Magic Kingdom Park.

Following the return of 'Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade' at Magic Kingdom, 'Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade' at Magic Kingdom is now only performing twice per day. The new Magic Kingdom cavalcade debuted February 11 2022 with four performances per day, but now has showings in the late afternoon only. 'Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade' takes place earlier in the day, twice daily.

Disney have announced that the Walt Disney Imagineering Presents the EPCOT Experience will be closing permanently on March 14, 2022. No specific plans for the space have been announced by Disney, but there are apparently new experiences in development for the space within the Odyssey building. Imagineer Zach Riddley said on Instagram, "With the transformation now well under way and many of those projects now open, including Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Harmonious and the upcoming debut of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind this summer, we have decided it is time to close the EPCOT Experience on March 14 and make way for exciting new activations of the Odyssey pavilion to create a great experience for our guests." Located in the Odyssey building between World Showcase and Future World, the exhibit opened October 1 2019 and featured a 360 degree movie and projection mapping onto a model of the park to tell the story of Epcot's future. The 12 minute show includes concept art, and guides guests through each of the new additions that were planned for EPCOT.

The Festival of Fantasy parade has finally returned to Magic Kingdom after two years. It's a wonderful sight to behold as excited crowds line the parade route to catch a glimpse of this whimsical, colorful and fun parade, and of course it's amazing to have the iconic fire-breathing Maleficent Dragon back, and as picture-perfect as ever before! Of course it’s great news that a daytime parade is back at Magic Kingdom, but there were some significant cutbacks to the parade. The number of characters, dancers, and performers were reduced throughout the entire parade. For example in the lead float, the Princesses were without their Princes, and the entire Brave float was cut out of the parade. We can only hope that these changes are only temporary. In addition, and in a move to further Disney's diversity and inclusion initiative, the song “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” has been removed from the finale section of the Festival of Fantasy Parade. “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” is a song featured in the Magic Kingdom's Splash Mountain, an attraction that Disney has said no longer aligns with company ideals. Plus, Disney have also removed a snippet of the parade's music that used lyrics from “When I See An Elephant Fly” lyrics from Dumbo, an attraction in Magic kingdom that Disney has not yet announced any changes for.

Spring is in the air, and the Gaylord Palms Resort takes on a uniquely springtime feel each year at their Once Upon A Spring celebration. The event which is up and running now, includes colorful decor, fun live shows, interactive adventures, an escape room, a scavenger hunt, new spectacular light display, and a springtime pop-up bar! The pop-up bar, The Art Bar, opens Friday's from 5:30 pm to 9 p.m. Inspired by the season, the Gaylord Palms mixologists have combined springtime floral and pastel colors to create nine yummy cocktails and mocktails. The Details: The pop-up ART Bar is located at the Castillo de San Marcos Fort, in the resorts St. Augustine Atrium. Whimsy and wonder are inspirations behind this home of colorful cocktails and multicolored mocktails. Enjoy a new menu of craft beverages, specially created by Gaylord Palms mixologists for this year's springtime celebration. March 4 through May 7, 2022, select days, 5:30pm to 9:00pm

According to Disney, Disney Stars at Red Carpet Dreams' at Disney's Hollywood Studios will soon be added to the Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane line-up. The Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse meet and greets will offer Lightning Lane access via Disney Genie+ beginning March 11 2022. The updated line-up for Genie+ at Disney's Hollywood Studios is as follows: Individual Lightning Lane Entrances Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane Entrances Alien Swirling Saucers Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage Disney Junior Play & Dance! For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Muppet*Vision 3D Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith See Disney Stars at Red Carpet Dreams—available beginning March 11, 2022 See Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight Slinky Dog Dash Star Tours - The Adventures Continue The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Toy Story Mania!

According to Disney, Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade will be receiving a Lightning Lane viewing area beginning March 11. The viewing area for Festival of Fantasy will be accessible via the Disney Genie+ upcharge.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek has commented on the future of the Mary Poppins attraction that was planned to be coming to EPCOT's United Kingdom Pavilion, and it's exciting news. In response to a question at the 2022 Shareholder Meeting, Chapek said that the project is in a holding pattern currently, but looks forward to refunding the Mary Poppins ride in the future. Back in July 2020, Disney officially announced that the United Kingdom Pavilion expansion was paused as the park's reopened, and recovered from the COVID-19 shutdown. Originally announced at the 2019 D23 EXPO, the expansion to the United Kingdom pavilion was to add an entirely new neighborhood at the pavilion, complete with a ride. In the plans that were revealed, guests would step in time down Cherry Tree Lane past Admiral Boom’s house, then enter Number 17, home of the Banks family, where their adventure would begin. Let's hope that it's not too long before we can all step in time down Cherry Tree Lane with Mary Poppins and Bert!

Despite it being widely publicized in a leaked social media post from a senior Disney executive that the new Guardians of The Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction at EPCOT will officially open on Memorial Weekend, Disney has bypassed a major opportunity to officially announce an opening date at the Walt Disney Company Annual Shareholders meeting. It was thought that the opening date announcement was being made at the presentation by CEO Bob Chapek at the Disney shareholders meeting. Chapek mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as simply opening "this summer." Guess we will just have to wait a little longer for an official announcement!

The day has dawned, the fire-breathing Maleficent Dragon float is ready to roll through the pretty streets of Magic Kingdom, and were so excited as the Disney Festival Of Fantasy Parade is back at Walt Disney World! After a near two year absence, the day we have all been waiting for is finally here! The enchantment and pageantry of the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade is truly a thrilling spectacular that can't be missed. The dazzling mix of floats, motion and original music will keep you humming along for days to come. Guests are able to enjoy everything the parade has to offer including the much loved characters from The Princess and the Frog, Tangled and Peter Pan. The Festival of Fantasy Parade will be performed daily at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm and will continue daily with these timings until Monday March 13 when the times will change by half an hour to 12:00 pm and 3:00 pm. .