NEWS ROUNDUP: Magic Band Upgrade Now Available, New 6 Park Summer Ticket Announced, New Experiences Debut at Animal Kingdom, Summer After Hours Dates Added, Galaxy’s Edge Map Published & More

Summer is always a busy time at Walt Disney World, but it’s also a great time to be in the parks. This summer brings even more excitement than normal with some special events happening around property. Head over to Disney’s Animal Kingdom to celebrate the anniversary of ‘The Lion King.’ Also, as we reported earlier, resort guests and annual passholders now have the option to upgrade their free magic bands with a number of options featuring characters, attractions and more. Guests can have even more fun with recently announced summer Disney After Hours events. A brand new “One World Ticket” for Walt Disney World has been announced that brings savings when going to all four theme parks and both water parks! Guest’s traveling to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will have a new way of interacting with the new land. To learn all about the exciting news read below!

1 – New MagicBand Upgrade Option Now Available

MagicBands have been around for five years, and it’s hard to imagine a trip to Walt Disney World without them. MagicBands are bands that guests can wear and scan for admission into the parks, redeeming FastPasses, room keys, and easy payment around property. They are incredibly convenient and a must for any Disney vacation. MagicBands are complimentary for Disney resort guests and annual passholders. In the past, resort guests could only choose from eight solid colors. Now guests have the option to upgrade their MagicBand to a special design for a small fee. This past week the new option became available for guests in their My Disney Experience accounts.

When word of the upgrade option got out, people quickly ordered their upgraded bands and many styles sold out and are no longer available. Expect Disney to restock those styles soon. If your trip is more than 2 months away and you don’t see the style you want, we suggest you wait until that style is back in stock. Note that while the Disney site says you have up until 11 days before your check-in day, we heard from guests saying their bands shipped out after they hit the two-month mark before they got a chance to upgrade. So, keep an eye out on the current selection and be sure to make your customizations before the two-month mark just in case.

Disney annual passholders are also eligible for the upgrade. Do note that passholders are only given one complimentary band per year. If you have already received your band for your current pass year, you will not see the upgrade option in your account. I ordered my passholder band on Tuesday, and it shipped two days later.

Click here to read our news story to see the full collection of MagicBands to choose from. 

2 – Disney Announces New Summer “One World Ticket” for Walt Disney World

Florida is starting to heat up, and that means summer is here! Disney has announced a new summer ticket option that will allow guests to visit all four parks and the two water parks at a discounted rate! It’s a great deal for guests visiting this summer! You won’t want to miss it! Click here to learn more!

3 – Enjoy New Experiences at Disney’s Animal Kingdom this Summer!

If you love ‘The Lion King’, then you’ll want to get to Disney’s Animal Kingdom this summer where you’ll find a new nighttime show, new ‘The Lion King’ scenes added to the Tree of Life Awakenings, and other entertainment. Click here to read all about these experiences. Also this summer, Animal Kingdom will be offering a variety of different foods and drinks celebrating the film! Click here to learn more!

4 – More Disney After Hours Summer Dates Added 

Disney after hours is a popular special event similar to the Halloween and Christmas parties that allow guests to explore the parks with very limited crowds, little wait times, and special complimentary drinks and treats. This week Disney announced new summer dates for Disney After Hours at three Disney theme parks! Click here to learn more!

5 – Disney Announces New Holiday Décor and Entertainment Coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2019

Christmas time is a wonderful time of year to visit Walt Disney World. With all the decorations around the resort expect to be immersed in the Christmas spirit. This week Disney announced that Animal Kingdom would be getting an upgrade to its Christmas decorations. They have always had a Christmas tree out in the front of the park; however, we are very excited to see all of these new decorations later this year! Click here to learn more!

6 – New Merchandise Released at Disney World

There is always something new to find while shopping at Disney World. This week on our Instagram account, we shared photos from two new merchandise lines recently released at Disney World. With the rainy season nearly upon us, Disney has released an excellent rain gear line with themes from Mickey and Minnie, the Tiki Room, and Disney Snacks. Click here to see the photos. Also, just in time for Memorial Day weekend, Disney released an Americana line celebrating the USA! Click here to see the photos from this line. There are so many great things to choose from!

7 – Mobile Order Service Coming Soon to Three Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

Mobile Order is a service that allows guests to order from the MyDisney app on their phones and bypass the line! Now guests will be able to use this service at three of the Disney Resorts! We’re really excited to hear this! Back in April, we waited over twenty minutes at Contempo Café to check-out with our food, so being able to use the Mobile Order service at the resorts is a welcome upgrade! We expect more resorts to get the service in the coming months. Click here to learn more!

8 – More Details Released about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is opening this week at Disneyland in California, and we are super excited to finally be able to step into the world of Star Wars! Disney has released the Disneyland park guide map that includes the new land. Disney Cast Member Michael Ramirez shares more:

When it opens the park will be the largest and most technologically advanced single-themed land expansion ever in a Disney park. You’ll step right into a remote planet full of unique sights, sounds, smells, tastes and other immersive experiences.

As you can see, there are three entrances into the new 14-acre land. Once inside, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will be filled with plenty of stories to explore as you live your own adventure—from an authentic Star Wars cantina on the Outer Rim of the galaxy to exotic creatures, a Resistance encampment and daring missions aboard the Millennium Falcon!

You can now also navigate Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on your mobile phone or desktop! Check out the map on Disneyland.com and the official Disneyland App.

Disney has also announced super cool new features within the Disney Park’s app that will allow guests to interact with the land in both Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens on August 29. Click here to learn more!

9 – Enjoy New Disney PhotoPass Experiences at Walt Disney World Resort

Photopass is a wonderful service that captures the memories of guest vacations on rides and other iconic locations! Now for a limited-time guests can take pictures and video in front of the castle in a brand-new location with a completely new view! Cast Member Emily Southhard has all the details below:

Disney PhotoPass Service is constantly exploring new ways to capture your picture-perfect vacation memories at Walt Disney World Resort. The team has recently introduced several new offerings, so today I’m excited to share my favorites.

Capture Cinderella Castle like never before with a limited-time photo and video experience from Disney PhotoPass Service – featuring you! During daylight hours, look for a photographer in the East Plaza Garden at Magic Kingdom Park who will assist you with capturing two one-of-a-kind photos and a super-zoom video from a unique angle above the theme park.

The photos and video from this limited-time opportunity are included as part of a Memory Maker or Memory Maker One Day entitlement, so all you have to do is smile and share! If you don’t have one of these entitlements, you can purchase the individual photo downloads for $16.95 each, but the video can only be downloaded and shared by those with Memory Maker or Memory Maker One Day.

If you’re a fan of this bird’ s-eye perspective, you’ll love our three newest Animated Magic Shots. These videos give you a fun way of remembering and sharing moments when you meet Disney Friends.

Everyone who takes Animated Magic Shots can preview them in their Disney account, but only those with Memory Maker or Memory Maker One Day can download and share them.

We know how much you enjoy capturing the adventures, thrills and classic stories of your Disney vacation while onboard your favorite attractions. When it was time to launch Disney PhotoPass Service’s 13th attraction photo opportunity at Walt Disney World Resort, there was no better fit than the Haunted Mansion! To preview your attraction photo, be sure to wear a MagicBand or MagicBand 2 icon in a MagicKeeper that’s linked to your Disney account while riding in your Doom Buggy.

These new offerings are excellent ways to get even more out of your Memory Maker purchase. With Memory Maker, you’ll take home unlimited digital downloads of all your easy-to-share Disney PhotoPass photos and videos captured at more than 100 Walt Disney World Resort locations for one price.* Learn more here.

Enjoy capturing these and so many other one-of-a-kind memories with Disney PhotoPass Service during your next visit.

Parks, attractions, entertainment or character experiences may change operating hours; close due to refurbishing, capacity, weather, special events, character availability or other reasons; and otherwise change or be discontinued without notice and without liability to the owners of the Walt Disney World Resort.

*Disney PhotoPass Service and Memory Maker are subject to the applicable terms and policies. Includes photos taken during the applicable Memory Maker Window as defined in such terms (generally, photos taken (i) within one day for Memory Maker One Day or (ii) within 30 days from the date of first activation for standard Memory Maker). If Memory Maker is purchased at the advance purchase price, any photos taken within 3 days of the date Memory Maker is purchased are not included and must be purchased separately. Online registration required. Disney PhotoPass Photos in your account will expire pursuant to the expiration policy. Downloads are restricted to personal use only. Not responsible for missing, lost or damaged photos. Subject to restrictions and change without notice. Valid theme park admission required for certain photo locations.