New Additions to Orlando’s Theme Parks
At the Theme Park Capital of the World, there are always new attractions on the horizon for visitors and tourists to keep wanting to come. Here are new additions that are coming to Orlando’s Theme Parks.
Disney Parks
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
The water ride known as Splash Mountain, which is in Magic Kingdom, will become Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Disney has announced that this change is supposed to be complete in late 2024. This ride will be the first ride dedicated to the character and storyline of Tiana from Disney’s animated film Princess and The Frog. In addition, Disney has also announced that the ride will pick up where the Disney film left off. Riders will follow Tiana through the bayou, where you will hear music and help Tiana plan for a Mardi Gras celebration.
MagicBand+
MagicBand plus is a new implementation within the Disney World Parks that has just begun starting July 27th, 2022. This is a new model of the Disney magicband that offers more to your Disney experience. Certainly, the main takeaway is that these new bands are rechargeable and have a brand new design. This new design provides a more customized band; where the iconic mickey head sat on previous models now has a different center and lights up! These bands come with a charging cable. Similar to earlier magicband models, they are reusable within Disney Parks!
TRON Lightcycle Run
TRON Lightcycle Run is inspired by the hit movie TRON. This new Disney attraction has been in the works for a long time and was delayed at one point due to COVID. Disney has announced that the opening date is April 4, 2023. TRON will be in Tomorrowland next to Space Mountain. Riders will board a motorcycle with a similar seating style to that of the Avatar Flight of the Banshee in Animal Kingdom. However, unlike Avatar Flight of the Banshee, this new TRON ride will be a roller coaster.
Roundup Rodeo BBQ Restaurant
This new restaurant will be a new addition to the Hollywood Studios Toy Story Land. This restaurant will be a table service dining option. Disney announced that this Toy Story-themed restaurant will open sometime this year but did not announce an opening date yet. Roundup Rodeo will look like a giant cardboard box where Andy has set up a western rodeo arena housing some of his popular toys. This restaurant will create a kid-friendly dining experience that fits perfectly within the Toy Story Land theme. Roundup Rodeo will also provide some well-needed shade and a/c to that portion of the park.
Universal Orlando Parks
Shrek Character Meet & Greets are back!
After the closing of the Shrek 4D attraction at Universal Orlando, the Shrek encounter where guests can meet Shrek, originally located next to the Shrek ride, closed down as well. However, recently Universal Orlando brought back the Shrek character meet and greets! Fans will still have the opportunity to meet Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona. Guests will have the chance to meet and greet Fiona at certain times during the day. This meet-and-greet encounter is at the Kids Zone in Universal Studios Park.
Wantilan Luau @ Loews Royal Pacific Resort is back!
This experience is a dinner show full of dancing, eating, and FIRE! There are hula and fire dancers that keep you entertained while enjoying this Hawaiian Luau. Wantilan Luau is a separately ticketed event held on Universal grounds. So, you would have to purchase a ticket specifically for this show to attend.
A look into Universal Orlando’s EPIC Universe
For those who have not heard, Universal Orlando Resort has announced that it is expanding! There will be a FOURTH Universal Park here in Orlando called Epic Universe! Surprisingly, the only confirmed portion of this park is Super Nintendo Land! Even though we don’t have all the details, we know this project is set to be complete in the Summer of 2025.
Final Thoughts
As the year continues, we can expect more information to release about these additions and changes to our beloved theme parks! In the meantime, remember that in September, Disney holds their D23 conference; this conference is where they are known to announce more information and new things for the Disney Company! We are super excited about all these fun new attractions coming to Orlando! For more information, check out the corresponding links for each attraction to learn more!