NEWS ROUNDUP – New Resort Coming, Major Ticket Changes, AK Land Closes, New Dining, New Planning Tools & More

It’s been a busy month so far for Disney World news. We’ve seen announcements of a new resort hotel and lots of updates on other resort projects around Disney World. Significant ticket changes went live, new planning tools unveiled, and new dining and retail locations were announced at Disney Springs.

All this and more in this week’s DisneyLists News Round-Up.

1 – Disney World Announces New Resort Hotel

Disney announced another awesome new resort is coming to the Magic Kingdom Resort area. The new nature-inspired deluxe resort will be located on Bay Lake between Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. The new resort will add 900 additional rooms and also includes proposed DVC accommodations. The location currently features a nature trail connection Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness along with the remains of the long-defunct River Country water park.

For more details and artwork, check out the full story here.

2 – Date Based Ticketing Now Live at Disney World

Disney World had announced a significant change to how it will price tickets. Beginning October 16, 2018, Disney World moved to date-based ticket pricing. This change is a continuation of the effort to manage crowd levels by charging more for peak times and less for traditionally lower travel periods.

Several years ago, Disney World introduced seasonal based pricing where the cost of single-day tickets varied depending which of three seasons (low, regular and peak) guests were visiting. The new date-based ticketing model will move pricing changes from seasonal to specific dates. Also, date-based pricing now applies to multi-day passes in addition to single day tickets.

Overall, the new date-based pricing doesn’t appear to have had any significant impact on ticket prices. In a random sampling throughout the year, for every day the ticket price may have gone up there was another day it was cheaper. The overall average ticket price appears to be unchanged.

For complete details, check out the full article here.

3 – New Online Vacation Planning Tools Unveiled

DisneyWorld.com also unveiled new vacation planning tools. While there is a variety of new content, the centerpiece of the new planning tools is the interactive ticket calendar. The new date-based ticket pricing adds in a layer of complexity to vacation planning that most guest never had to worry about. The interactive calendar makes it easy for guests to get an idea of how much they can expect to pay for park passes on any given date range.

4 – Rafiki’s Planet Watch Closes

October 20^th, 2018 marked the final day of operation for Rafiki’s Planet Watch and the Wildlife Express Train that transported guests from the Africa area of the park. Disney has stated that the area will get an “extensive refurbishment.” What exactly that means is still unclear. Will the land reopen as a new and improved Rafiki’s Planet Watch or with a new theme completely? Many fans are hoping for a Zootopia land. We’ll report details as they become available.

5 – WDW Releases New Information and Renderings for Coronado Springs Resort

Coronado Springs resort is in the midst of a massive overhaul and expansion. When finished, the expansion will add a new lobby and 540 additional rooms in the centerpiece 15-story tower along with two new restaurants.

For more details and artist rendering of the new tower, check out the full story here.

6 – Disney Springs Adding Another New Restaurant and New Retails Locations

It’s hard to believe, but Disney Springs transformation is not yet complete! Disney has announced three new retail locations and a new restaurant coming to the shopping and restaurant mecca! The latest addition to the dining scene is City Works Eatery & Pour House which will open summer of 2019 on the West Side. It will provide classic American food along with a vast array of craft beers. The location will feature 80 beers will on tap including rare, limited supply, special tapings from local breweries and others from around the world.

On the retails side, look for Disney Tails, an excellent addition featuring Disney themed offerings for our four-legged friends; Lovepop, a 3D sculpted paper greeting card store; and finally, a Disney Art Gallery.

For full details and lots of pictures, check out the full story here.

7 – Disney Unveils New Merchandise Ahead of World of Disney Grand Re-Opening

The grand reopening of the completely redesigned World of Disney at Disney Springs will be on October 27, 2018. Ahead of that grand reveal, Disney invited us to a sneak peek at some awesome new merchandise that will be available at the flagship store and then later across Disney World. Mickey Mouse Club is the theme, and new offerings include ears, headbands, tote bags and more.

For more details and pictures of some of the new merchandise, read the full article here.

8 – Thanksgiving and Christmas Meal Locations Announced

For guests lucky enough to be visiting Disney World on Thanksgiving or Christmas, a holiday meal is a perfect way to top off a great day. Below is a list of Disney World dining locations that will be offering unique holiday-themed menu offerings. Make reservations NOW!

Thanksgiving:  Thursday, November 22nd, 2018

• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall: Lunch and Dinner
• Biergarten Restaurant: Lunch and Dinner
• Coral Reef Restaurant: Lunch and Dinner
• Le Cellier Steakhouse: Lunch and Dinner
• Cape May Cafe: Dinner
• Whispering Canyon Cafe: Lunch and Dinner
• California Grill: Dinner
• Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room: Lunch and Dinner
• Sanaa: Lunch and Dinner
• Trail’s End Restaurant: Brunch and Dinner
• Ale & Compass Restaurant: Brunch and Dinner

Christmas Day:  Tuesday, December 25th, 2018

• Ale & Compass Restaurant: Brunch and Dinner
• Biergarten Restaurant: Lunch and Dinner
• Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room: Lunch and Dinner
• Sanaa: Lunch and Dinner
• Whispering Canyon Cafe: Lunch and Dinner

Photo Credit: Disney Photo Snapper