20 new attractions, restaurants, opening at Disney World in 2020
This coming year will be one of the busiest at the Walt Disney World Resort as it continues its massive re-imagining of itself and gears up for the resort’s 50th anniversary that takes place in 2021.
The year will see the completion and opening of many new attractions and restaurants, as well as new entrance areas for all of the parks. In addition, Disney Springs continues to go through its own renaissance on the west side of the shopping/eating/entertainment district.
In addition to all the annual events and festivals taking place at the resort (see the full list here), there are numerous new things coming to the resort. Let’s take a look at the 20 big new things comings to Disney World to look forward to in 2020, in no particular order.
1. Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along – opening January 17, 2020 – This new interactive sing-along, similar to the Frozen one found in Hollywood Studios, will share the current theater with “Impressions de France” at the France pavilion in Epcot and will run multiple times per day.
2. New Canada Circle-Vision 360 – opening January 17, 2020. This is a new film at the Canada pavilion at Epcot. “Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360,” will debut with new scenes and a new story.
3. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. –opening March 4, 2020 – The Mickey-themed ride will open at Hollywood Studios and will be the first-ever ride-through attraction themed to Mickey Mouse. Disney describes the ride this way: “The fun begins when you see the premiere of a new cartoon short with Mickey and Minnie preparing for a picnic. As they head out, they drive alongside a train and find out that the engineer is Goofy. Then, one magical moment lets you step into the movie and on Goofy’s train for a wacky, wild ride.” New technologies will transform the two-dimensional cartoon world into an incredible multi-dimensional experience.
4. Mickey Shorts Theater – Opens March 2020 – Thistheater will show an original short film in the style of the popular Disney Channel animated series “Mickey Mouse,” and will feature photo-opportunity locations for guests.
5. Disney Genie – Sometime in 2020 – Disney has announced that it plans to debut a new app designed to make planning easier and provide customized itineraries geared to your interests. The app is being designed to help you make the most out of your visit, whether you’re a first-time guest or a seasoned pro. No further information about this app has been announced.
6. City Works Eatery & Pour House. Opening in January 2020 – This new restaurant on the lower level of the NBA Experience at Disney Springs will offer 80 draft beers with a selection of local, regional and global craft brews with a constantly rotating draft list, complemented by classic American cuisine with chef-driven twists.
7. Cirque Du Soleil – Debut April 17, 2020 – Walt Disney Animation Studios have joined forces with Cirque du Soleil to create a show that combines Disney storytelling and heart with Cirque du Soleil’s signature artistry. Previews for the show start March 20, 2020. The show opens on April 17, 2020.
8. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure – Summer 2020 – This new ride at Epcot is causing the France Pavilion to expand. The entrance to the ride will be behind the Eiffel Tower. The attraction is based on the popular Disneyland Paris ride. This is a 4D experience where you are shrunk down to the size of Remy when he and his friends are cooking up a delicious meal, but are discovered by Chef Skinner, who chases you through the sights, sounds, and smells of Gusteau’s famous Parisian restaurant.
9. A New crêperie restaurant – Summer 2020 – This new restaurant next to Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will feature the cuisine of celebrity chef Jérôme Bocuse, the mastermind behind the pavilion’s Chefs de France brasserie. The menu will be inspired by the Brittany region of France and offer table service dining as well as a quick-service stop for guests craving crepes called galettes and sweet crepes.
10. Awesome Planet film – Opening January 17, 2020 – A new film called “Awesome Planet” is coming to the Land Pavilion in Epcot. The film will showcase the spectacular beauty, diversity, and dynamic story of the planet in World Nature.
11. Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue. – January 2020 – Step inside a smokehouse celebrating the regions of American backyard barbecue and craft beers at this new restaurant. The new restaurant outside at the American Adventure was supposed to open in December and while there is still one day to go, this is still something to look forward to visiting in 2020. Here is a look at the menu.
12. HarmonioUS – debuts in 2020 – The new “permanent” nighttime show at Epcot is being touted as the largest nighttime show ever created for a Disney park. It will celebrate how the music of Disney inspires people the world over. A placeholder show called Epcot Forever is now running.
13. Space 220 – Opening in February 2020 – A new space-themed restaurant will open in Epcot between Mission: Space and Test Track. The restaurant will be operated by the Patina Restaurant Group, which operates several other restaurants at Disney World including Tutto Italia and Via Napoli at Epcot and Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs. The restaurant will feel as if it is on a space station and you will have a view from space at every window. It is called 220 because the views from space are supposed to give you views of the Earth from 220 miles up.
14. Roundup Rodeo BBQ Restaurant – Opening something in 2020 – A new restaurant is coming to Toy Story Land. The restaurant will be located in the area just right of the large Woody as you enter Toy Story Land. The restaurant will feature toys, games and playset and is geared to continue the concept of the fully-immersive experience.
15. New China Pavilion Circle-Vision 360 – Early 2020 – The new film “Wondrous China” will take guests on a spectacular journey across China, filmed and presented in a completely seamless 360-degree digital format.
16. Disney’s DuckTales World Showcase Adventure – Debuting sometime in 2020 – Using the Play Disney Parks mobile app, guests will be able to take a trip around World Showcase in Epcot discovering exotic destinations, exciting mysteries, and maybe even a few thieves, villains and supernatural guardians of ancient artifacts. Guests will join Scrooge McDuck, Donald, nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie, Launchpad and Webby in search of priceless treasure. This will be the next iteration of a popular interactive scavenger hunt around World Showcase
17. M&M’s Store – Sometime in 2020 – The M&M’S experiential store will be moving from Orlando to Disney Springs. The new state-of-the-art store will be located in the West Side of Disney Springs near the NBA Experience.
18. New Swan and Dolphin Hotel Tower – Scheduled for 2020. A new 14-story hotel tower will be built on the Swan and Dolphin resort complex. The 349-room hotel tower will feature more than 21,000 square feet of meeting space, a restaurant, a full-service health club and an outdoor pool. It will be built next to the Swan hotel on the hotel’s tennis courts.
19. JW Marriott Hotel – Scheduled for 2020 – The 516-room hotel will be built on the last available site zoned for hotel use in Bonnet Creek, a 482-acre, mixed-use resort community near Orlando’s popular theme parks. Marriott International’s turnkey management solution, Managed by Marriott (MxM), will operate the hotel when it opens in first quarter.
20. D23 Destination D: Fantastic Worlds – Nov. 20-22, 2020 – Returning to Walt Disney World Resort, Destination D will honor Disney’s many magical places, from the extraordinary to the fantastical. In addition, the Walt Disney Archives, which turns 50 in 2021, is creating an all-new exhibit that will include 50 iconic treasures, representing the 50 years of the Archives. And Walt Disney Imagineering’s store, Mickey’s of Glendale, will once again open a pop-up shop featuring exclusive items, just for the weekend. Additional details, including special hotel rates and ticketing information, will be announced in late spring.
