Since Disney World’s historic closure and reopening in 2020, we’ve gradually seen hotels, restaurants, and entertainment return to the resort.
Some experiences still haven’t made their comeback — but we do know that we will get to see the glorious return of some of our favorite things in 2022!
Fantasmic!
The nighttime show, Fantasmic!, has been closed since Disney World reopened. During its downtime, it’s been getting a bit of an update, and we’ve since learned that it will have a few brand new scenes! How exciting!
Even better, Fantasmic! is returning in 2022 — we don’t have a specific date yet, but Disney has confirmed that much.
Festival of Fantasy Parade
Since Disney World’s reopening, parades have been replaced with character cavalcades, although this holiday season saw the return of daytime parades with the Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade. But what about the amazing Festival of Fantasy Parade? Well, it’s coming back this year, too.
The parade will return on March 9th, 2022 and you can read ALL the details about it here!
Finding Nemo — The Musical
Finding Nemo — The Musical still hasn’t returned to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and the show is being reimagined into a brand NEW show (but with some of its existing guest-favorite songs). The show will be renamed Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond and takes place during the events of the Finding Dory movie.
The newly-reimagined show will return sometime in 2022, and we can’t wait!
Disney Dining Plan
Guests have missed the Disney Dining Plan, which makes it easy to budget for food because it’s basically all pre-paid for before you arrive. But when will it return to Disney World? Well, Disney has promised it WILL return, but they haven’t given us a set date.
So we’re hoping to see the return of the Disney Dining Plan this year. Fingers crossed!
Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire
There’s another show missing from Disney World right now — Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire — and it will soon return as a reimagined show! It will be renamed Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire and have a 50th Anniversary theme.
The show will have a brand new opening number as well as a new finale with an original song called “Where The Magic Feels Like Home.”
Annual Passholder Sales
Last September, Disney World debuted a new Annual Passholder program with Annual Passholder sales resuming for the first time since the resort’s closing. At the time, Disney also shared that it could pause Annual Passholder sales to maintain limited capacity at its theme parks — those sales have been on pause since November 2021.
However, we expect to see Annual Passholder sales resume sometime this year, although Disney has not made any official announcements about it yet.
Disney On Broadway
One thing we missed at last year’s EPCOT Festival of the Arts was the Disney On Broadway concert series that brings some of today’s hottest Broadway stars to the American Gardens Theater for special concerts. But that entertainment will return this year!
And we already have the line-up for this year’s concert series, so if there’s a Broadway star you’d really like to see this year, plan accordingly. The festival runs from January 14th through February 21st, 2022.
Garden Rocks
Another concert series returning to an EPCOT festival is Garden Rocks, which will return to this year’s EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival. Garden Rocks brings in a variety of popular bands to entertain guests during the festival.
This year’s festival will feature Blood Sweat & Tears, Little River Band, and more! The EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival runs from March 2nd through July 4th, 2022.
Quick-Service Dining In The Middle of EPCOT
We are still mourning the loss of Electric Umbrella because it gave us a counter service restaurant in the middle of EPCOT. But a new restaurant, Connections Cafe and Eatery, will be arriving soon to pick up where Electric Umbrella left off.
We don’t have an exact opening date or any details about the menu, but we can’t wait to try it out.
Tours
Theme park tours are making a comeback in 2022, with many returning as of February 6th! The following tours are now accepting reservations for that date and later: Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom Tour, Caring for Giants, Wild Africa Trek, Up Close with Rhinos, Savor the Savanna.
Each tour offers some unique behind-the-scenes peeks at the magic of each park. Reservations are highly recommended.
Walt Disney World Railroad
Okay, so this one is mostly wishful thinking, but we HOPE the Walt Disney World Railroad will return in 2022. The railroad has been down since the construction for TRON Lightcycle Run began in Magic Kingdom three years ago, but Disney has started testing on the railroad!
The railroad has been getting a refurbishment in its downtime, though, so let’s hope we see it running regularly again soon!
Typhoon Lagoon
The first thing that returned in 2022 was Typhoon Lagoon, Disney’s OTHER water park. Blizzard Beach reopened last year, but now that water park is under refurbishment and Typhoon Lagoon has reopened to guests.
So if you’re feeling like heading to a water park in 2022, head on over to Typhoon Lagoon for some good old-fashioned Disney water park fun.
So here’s looking forward to 2022 and everything we’ll get to see again at Disney World! Happy New Year!
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What are you most excited about returning to Disney World in 2022? Let us know in the comments!
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Quoting your article: Connections Cafe and Eatery, will be arriving soon to pick up where Electric Umbrella left off. I certainly hope that it does not take up where Electric Umbrella lefts off.
Electric Umbrella was the worst restaurant in Epcot and possibly in all of the parks. I hope that Connections Cafe has edible food, unlike its predecessor. And I hope it is clean, unlike its predecessor.