Disney 2024 Preview: What’s Coming to Disney Parks, Hotels and Disney Cruise Line This Year

Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park.

We’ve looked back at the biggest Disney news of 2023, so now it’s time for our annual look ahead at what the coming year will bring to Disney fans around the world at Disney’s parks, resorts and on Disney Cruise Line.

At the domestic parks, 2024 introduces a mix of returning and updated offerings, plus some brand-new experiences, from the return of Disney Dining Plans and the easing of park reservation requirements at Walt Disney World to the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, to new and reimagined places to stay.

Meanwhile, Disney Cruise Line is set to embark on new journeys with the launch of the Disney Treasure and the debut of Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. Internationally, Tokyo DisneySea gears up for a major opening — its eight port, Fantasy Springs — and Disneyland Paris will soon open the gates to a total overhaul of the Disneyland Hotel. Here’s your look at all that 2024 holds for Disney travelers.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to Open at Walt Disney World and Disneyland

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is easily the most highly anticipated domestic parks update coming in 2024. Replacing Splash Mountain at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, The Princess and the Frog-themed musical adventure down the bayou picks up where the 2009 animated film left off.

The new ride will feature dozens of new audio-animatronic figures and a soundtrack of new music as well as familiar songs from the film, created in collaboration with award-winning artists PJ Morton and Terence Blanchard. Original cast members from the film, Jenifer Lewis, Bruno Campos, Michael Leon Wooley, and Anika Noni Rose, return to reprise their voice roles. Opening dates have not been revealed yet.

Walt Disney World

Major changes to the Walt Disney World guest experience debut Jan. 9, 2024.

Disney Dining Plans Return

Disney Dining Plans are back. Debates will continue to rage as to whether the dining plan is a better deal than paying as you go (It really depends on how you use it — there’s no one-size-fits-all answer), but for guests who prefer to budget and pre-pay for their meals and snacks on their vacation, the return is a welcome one. Guests who book Walt Disney World vacation packages for stays beginning on or after Jan. 9, 2024 have the option to add either the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan or the Disney Dining Plan to their package.

Theme Park Reservations Will No Longer Be Required for Date-Based Tickets

Many Walt Disney World guests will finally get to bid farewell to park reservations. For visits with a start date of Jan. 9, 2024 or later, guests with date-based tickets will no longer need a theme park reservation to visit the park of their choice.

All-Day Park Hopping Returns Jan. 9, 2023

No more waiting until 2pm to park hop! Beginning Jan. 9, guests with Park Hopper tickets and Annual Passholders can visit their next park at any time of day.

Good-To-Go Days for Annual Passholders

The Jan. 9 lifting of the theme park reservation requirement for date-based ticketholders doesn’t extend to Annual Passholders, but passholders will still get some reprieve in the new year. Beginning Jan. 11, Walt Disney World will begin publishing a calendar of “good-to-go” days for Annual Passholders — days when passholders can enter the theme parks without a park reservation. Good-to-go days will be added periodically and may be added to the calendar days or weeks in advance.

In addition to good-to-go days, Annual Passholders can also visit any theme park after 2 pm without a reservation, except for Magic Kingdom Park on Saturdays and Sundays.

A New ‘The Little Mermaid Show’ Is Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios

A new show based on the classic animated Disney film, “The Little Mermaid,” is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in fall 2024. The reimagining, called “The Little Mermaid — A Musical Adventure,” will replace “Voyage of the Little Mermaid,” which never reopened following the park’s pandemic closure. The new show will feature an updated design, new set pieces, and effects, and will be staged in the Animation Courtyard theater, which is also getting a refresh. The new show will feature iconic songs from the film, including “Part of Your World,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” and “Kiss the Girl.”

New Adventures Coming to Star Tours at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

New adventures to a galaxy far, far away are headed to Star Tours — The Adventures Continue at Disneyland Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Paris. The new destinations haven’t been revealed yet, but Walt Disney Imagineer Scott Trowbridge first hinted at Star Wars Celebration that they would come from new “Star Wars storytelling” (which could include “Ahsoka,” “The Mandalorian,” and “Andor”), and at Destination D23, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro confirmed Ahsoka would indeed be part of the update. Of the three locations, only Disneyland Resort in California has confirmed a debut date of April 5 for the new adventures.

Country Bear Jamboree Is Getting an Update

Changes are coming to Country Bear Jamboree in 2024. The Country Bears will be performing new songs in an updated Grand Ole Opry-inspired act. Walt Disney Imagineers are collaborating with Nashville musicians to produce the new lineup of country takes on Disney classics in genres including bluegrass, rockabilly, and pop-country.

CommuniCore Hall and Plaza Will Open, Completing EPCOT’s Transformation

EPCOT’s multi-year transformation will reach completion in 2024 when World Celebration’s CommuniCore Hall and CommuniCore Plaza open. CommuniCore Hall will be “a dynamic exhibition space that can transform with each new festival throughout the year,” and CommuniCore Plaza will be an outdoor event space with “flexibility to host intimate musical performances that extend out into the nearby gardens, as well as large-scale concerts.”

Disney Vacation Club Cabins Coming to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort

Disney Vacation Club will soon open their 17th property, The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. The new cabins accommodate up to six guests per cabin, with some dog-friendly cabins available. They will also include a living area with a dining nook, fully equipped kitchen and queen-size pull-down sofa bed, a main bedroom with a queen-size bed and two bunk beds, and a personal patio with charcoal grill. Whimsical Disney details include artwork featuring Chip ‘n’ Dale, River Country, The Junior Woodchucks of the World, Mickey Mouse, and Pluto. The Cabins are projected to open in the summer of 2024.

New Disney Vacation Club Tower Coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Construction is well underway on the new Disney Vacation Club tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas Resort. The tower, projected to open in late 2024, is situated along the Seven Seas Lagoon and will “complement the existing resort and evoke the spirit of the Pacific Islands.” The expansion will also offer new recreation and dining options.

New Dining Debuting at Disney’s BoardWalk

Two new dining locations are set to open at Disney’s BoardWalk in 2024. Blue Ribbon Corn Dog, a quick-service stand already popular at Disneyland’s Downtown Disney District, will take over the BoardWalk To-Go location. The walk-up stand will serve classic corn dogs and more playful and inventive takes like the Pickle Dog and Mexican Street Corn Dog, alongside drinks and treats like lemonade and fresh-spun cotton candy.

Also coming to Disney’s BoardWalk in the space previously occupied by ESPN Club, The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers is scheduled to open in 2024 and will include a table-service restaurant serving brunch, lunch, dinner and afternoon tea service, and a quick-service bakery. The menu will include savory dishes as well as the Indianapolis-based restaurant’s famed baked goods including cookies, French macarons, and handmade cakes.

A Simplified Disney Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane Experience Could Be Coming

In May, a Disney Parks Blog post teased future updates to the Disney Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane planning experience, stating that Disney is “working on” “ways to plan with Disney Genie+ service and Individual Lightning Lane selections before the day of their park visit.” Additional details and timeline have yet to be shared.

Disneyland Resort

runDisney Races Return to Disneyland Resort

2024 will reintroduce the first runDisney race weekends at Disneyland since 2017. First up, Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend will take place Jan. 11-14, 2024. Later in the year, a second Disneyland race weekend will launch the 2024-2025 runDisney race season. The Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon Weekend, Sept. 5-8, 2024, will feature a Halloween-themed 5K, 10K, and half marathon, plus yoga and kids races. Registration opens Feb. 13, 2024.

Pixar Place Hotel Opens Jan. 30

Pixar Place Hotel, the first fully Pixar-themed hotel in the US, will open on January 30, 2024. This transformation of Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel includes Pixar-themed decor throughout, from the lobby to guest rooms to a rooftop “Finding Nemo”-themed pool and splash area. Guest rooms will feature colorful Pixar Ball bedding, Pixar Lamp-inspired lighting, headboard concept art from films like “The Incredibles” and “Toy Story 3,” and unique artwork by Pixar Animation Studios artists.

Entertainment Returns to Disneyland Park

Disneyland has shared return dates for popular entertainment in Disneyland Park in the first half of 2024.

“Magic Happens,” the parade that made its first comeback in February 2023 after a hiatus due to the pandemic, will resume again on Feb. 2, 2024.

After dark, nighttime projection and music show “Mickey’s Mix Magic” is scheduled to run from January 8 to March 21, and then again from April 15 to April 25, 2024, with fireworks on select evenings.

“Wondrous Journeys,” the nighttime spectacular that debuted in tandem with the launch of Disney100 on Jan. 27, 2023, will return for a surprisingly limited engagement, running nightly with fireworks from March 22 to April 14, 2024.

Fantasmic! Is set to return to Disneyland Park following an extended fire-induced closure. The show will return on May 24 with some updates, including new special effects, a new battle sequence between Sorcerer Mickey and Maleficent, and the return of a classic “Peter Pan” segment. The must-see nighttime spectacular will continue to showcase advanced projections, iconic music, and dozens of live performers and characters.

Downtown Disney District Transformation Continues

Disneyland’s Downtown Disney District continues its ongoing transformation. Updates in 2024 will include the opening of new Mexican Restaurants Paseo and Céntrico by Michelin-starred Chef Carlos Gaytan, and world-renowned Chinese Restaurant Din Tai Fung.

Disneyland Holidays, Festivals and Limited-Time Celebrations

Disneyland Resort provided an early look at the 2024 events calendar, including dates for many of the year’s key events, festivals and limited time celebrations. Here’s an overview:

• Lunar New Year (Jan 23 – Feb 18): A celebration of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean traditions with special décor, food, character appearances, and entertainment at Disney California Adventure park.
• Celebrate Gospel (Feb 17 and 24): Gospel music takes center stage at the Fantasyland Theatre, with acts including headliners Marvin Sapp and Tasha Cobbs Leonard as well as other award-winning musicians and local choirs.
• Anaheim Ducks Days (Feb 22 – 23): A 30th anniversary celebration for the Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club, with player appearances, a cavalcade, fan zone, photo ops, and activities at Disney California Adventure.
• Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival (Mar 1 – Apr 22): A culinary celebration of California, with the added bonus of the limited-time return of Soarin’ Over California.
• Pixar Fest (Apr 26 – Aug 4): This updated version of Pixar Fest introduces a new parade, “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” and the return of “Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular” with new scenes. New character appearances by Ember and Wade from “Elemental” and Red Panda Mei from “Turning Red” will also debut during the festival.
• Season of the Force (Apr 5 – Jun 2): This Star Wars-themed celebration includes special food, merchandise, attraction updates and entertainment. Highlights include the Star Wars-themed Space Mountain overlay, Hyperspace Mountain and the debut of new adventures on Star Tours — The Adventures Continue. Also debuting during Season of the Force, “galactic music” will play in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge during Disneyland Park’s fireworks displays.
• Halloween Time (Aug 23 – Oct 31): Spooktacular decor, attractions and characters enhance both parks, and Oogie Boogie Bash — a Disney Halloween Party, returns select nights to Disney California Adventure.
• Plaza de la Familia (Aug 23 – Nov 2): A celebration of Día de los Muertos with elements from Coco at Disney California Adventure.
• Holidays at Disneyland Resort (Starting Nov 15): The resort-wide celebratory festive season features holiday decor, food and drink, attraction overlays, parades, cultural festivities, merchandise, and Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure.
• Disneyland After Dark Events: Separately ticketed, after-hours themed “Nites” return in 2024 with Sweethearts’ Nite (Jan. 23, 25, 30, Feb. 1, 6, 8, 12, 14), Star Wars Nite (Star Wars Nite (Apr. 16, 18, 23, 25, 30, May 2, 7, 9), Pride Nite (Jun. 18 and 20), and the debut of Disney Channel Nite (March 5 and 7). The themed celebrations feature exclusive entertainment, special foods, photo ops, merchandise, rare characters and more.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Debut

2024 promises to be a huge year for Disney Cruise Line. First, summer 2024 brings the debut of Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. Located on the island of Eleuthera in The Bahamas, the immersive island destination will celebrate Bahamian culture with authentic, immersive entertainment, activities, dining, and spaces for family fun and relaxation.

After arriving at Mabrika Cove — “Mabrika” means “welcome” in Taino, the language of the the indigenous people of The Bahamas, — guests can experience “the sights, sounds and spirit” of the Bahamian festival “Junkanoo” at the Goombay Cultural Center. Other island offerings include Triton’s Trumpet Stage, a home for family entertainment; Treasures of Eleuthera, a shop selling locally made gifts and artisan crafts; and Serenity Bay, the 18 and older retreat also popular on Disney Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line’s other island destination.

The destination will also feature a family beach, interactive water play area with two slides, market-style family dining, and games and activities for kids of all ages.

Guests will get their first opportunities to visit Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point during a three-night preview sailing from Fort Lauderdale on the Disney Magic June 6-8, 2024, followed by an epic seven-night inaugural cruise from Port Canaveral on the Disney Fantasy June 8-15, 2024 that will include two stops at Disney Lookout Cay and one at Disney Castaway Cay.

Disney Lookout Cay stops will be offered on numerous summer 2024 cruises from Florida with options for three-, four-, five- and 10-night sailings.

The Disney Treasure Sets Sail on Its Maiden Voyage

Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Treasure, will embark on its maiden voyage Dec. 21, 2024. The ship shares the layout of its sister ship, the Disney Wish, but introduces a theme of “adventure,” inspired by iconic Disney stories of exploration and discovery, in place of the Wish’s “enchantment” motif.

Brand-new offerings on the Treasure include “Coco”-themed restaurant “Plaza de Coco,” which will feature live music and performers and a menu of “modern twists on traditional Mexican fare.”

In Worlds of Marvel, an Avengers-themed restaurant that debuted on the Disney Wish, the Treasure will introduce a second show in addition to “Avengers: Quantum Encounter.”

Several of the ship’s themed bars and lounges are inspired by iconic Disney Parks attractions. Skipper Society is an homage to the world-famous Jungle Cruise; Periscope Pub is based on “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”; and Haunted Mansion Parlor invites guests to join 999 happy haunts for spirited sips and sympathetic libations.

Staterooms are inspired by films like “Aladdin,” “Pocahontas,” “Up,” and “Encanto;” concierge rooms and suites get the “Lion King” treatment; royal suites honor feline sidekicks from “The Jungle Book” and “Aladdin;” and the bucket list-worthy Tomorrow Tower Suite celebrates EPCOT’s iconic design and legacy.

With an inaugural season of seven-night sailings, the DIsney Treasure caters to guests seeking a longer cruise than the Wish’s three- and four-night itineraries and replicates some of the Wish’s core offerings. These include the AquaMouse water ride, which introduces a new storyline, “Curse of the Golden Egg,” on the Treasure, as well as duplicated dining destinations: Marceline Market, Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods, 1923, and adults-only The Rose, Palo Steakhouse, and Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallermentare. The Wish’s excellent Kids clubs are also replicated on the Treasure.

Bookings are now open at disneycruise.com/treasure.

International Parks

Fantasy Springs Opening at Tokyo Disney Resort

Tokyo DisneySea will open its eighth port, Fantasy Springs, on June 6, 2024. The new port takes its inspiration from “Frozen,” “Tangled” and “Peter Pan,” and will be comprised of three new worlds within the port — Frozen Kingdom, Rapunzel’s Forest, and Peter Pan’s Never Land.

Each area will introduce new attractions and dining, including Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival attraction and The Snuggly Duckling Restaurant; Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure, Fairy Tinker Bell’s Busy Buggies, and Lookout Cookout; and Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey attraction, Royal Banquet of Arendelle restaurant, and Oaken’s OK Foods.

Guests will also have a new hotel option right next door — Tokyo DisneySea Fantasy Springs Hotel, which includes two new restaurants and a lobby lounge.

Reimagined Disneyland Hotel at Disneyland Paris

The Disneyland Hotel at Disneyland Paris will reopen on January 25, 2024. The five-star hotel received a total overhaul to its interiors, including guest rooms and dining. Design inspiration and theming comes from numerous Disney royal stories including “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Cinderella,” “Sword in the Stone,” and “Beauty and the Beast,” as well as famous European castles.

New gourmet dining experiences include the Royal Banquet, where guests can meet Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and friends in hotel-exclusive regal costumes, and La Table de Lumière, French fine dining featuring appearances by Belle and her Prince, Aurora and Philip, Tiana and Naveen, and Jasmine and Aladdin.

Additional amenities and offerings include the Crystal Pool, Disneyland Hotel Spa by Clarins, and special experiences for young guests at the Royal Kids Club and the Royal Collection Boutique.

D23 Changes

At Destination D23 in September, D23 announced that in 2024, D23 Expo will be replaced by a larger event: D23 — The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. The celebration, which will still be held in Anaheim, California, will be a week long, with core events taking place Aug. 9-11, 2024.

Hall D23 presentations will move from the Anaheim Convention Center to the Honda Center, nearly doubling the capacity.

Tickets and additional details are still forthcoming but discounted hotel rooms for the week are now available to book.