Welcome to an all new series I call “Rumor Round Up.” Every month I will post an updated synopsis of the ongoing rumors around the Walt Disney World Resort. Everything from new attractions, eateries, resorts, and more.
Along with this series I would like to put out the disclaimer that none of the things I post in this article are officially announced by Walt Disney World. This means that the rumors may or may not come true in the future.
With that said let’s get going on this action packed rumor round of number one!
Magic Kingdom
Starting off in the Magic Kingdom there is not a whole lot rumored to be coming at this time except for some talk about a possible Frontierland expansion. This expansion would be centered around a new E-Ticket style attraction within the land. There is no timetable within this rumor but it does include another small rumor of the possible return of the Christmas overlay to Country Bear Jamboree. Another rumor suggests that the Magic Kingdom was given a $350 million budget for new things but it is not clear if that is connected to the Frontierland expansion rumor.
Also in the Magic Kingdom I would like to point out a few things regarding existing attractions. Pirates of the Caribbean recently received a large refurbishment which brought along new animatronics and updated effects. As many already know the boats have been problematic and many have getting wet on the ride. Disney is supposedly aware of the issue but it is going to take a long time to fix it. Another existing attraction that is set for a lengthy refurbishment is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. This ride, according to rumors, is to receive the Disneyland effects while it is down.
Finally, Adventureland is getting the all new Skipper Canteen. The new restaurant is rumored to have a projected opening date of December 20th, 2015.
Epcot
This park is also rumored to have a $350 million budget for new things. The rumor however is not clear in what it is for. It is very likely it would not be for existing projects like the Soarin’ expansion or the Frozen attraction in Norway.
There is a rumor that has been around for several years now that Illuminations: Reflections of Earth is set to go to the graveyard for a new show or at the very least the show will be updated. That seems to be the extent of the rumors going on at Epcot.
Animal Kingdom
There is a lot currently happening in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Pizzafari is undergoing an expansion of sorts. That expansion is to house a new table service restaurant. The rumors are that this new restaurant will be a signature dining experience and have possible views of Pandora: The World of Avatar. No opening date for the restaurant has been floating around. Continuing with Avatar, the first floating mountain went up this past week and it really changes the sight lines of the area. Avatar has been announced to open in 2017 but rumors indicate a possible late 2016 soft opening.
Another big project in Animal Kingdom is Rivers of Light, an all new nighttime spectacular. The audition notices show that it will have a Bollywood feel and is rumored to open in March 2016.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
I left the big one for last. As most already know this park is set to get a major investment over the next 5 to 6 years. The rumors indicate this is a $2.8 billion project and includes a lot of different things. Toy Story Land is first on deck and is said to go behind the current Toy Story Midway Mania attraction. This new land will of course feature two new attractions and is rumored to be opening in late 2017 or early 2018. Star Wars land is next, and will feature two major attractions as well as some incredible theming. One attraction is rumored to use trackless ride system technology. That land is said to be opening in 2019 in the Echo lake area. Phase three as it’s being called in the rumors is floating around with three concepts right now. The top two being The Incredibles and Monsters Inc. and the third is Cars. Phase three is part of the multi-billion dollar budget but the concept for the land is not set in stone and is rumored to open in 2021 and go where the Backlot Tour and Lights, Motors, Action currently sit. The final, phase four is very blue sky right now and has not been approved by Disney yet. Concepts for phase four aren’t even being talked about at this time.
That’s all I have for you this month. Come back next month to see if any of these rumors come true or what else is being rumored to be done by Disney in the future.
