"Disney World is constantly changing. While the theme parks’ popularity as a top family destination has stood steady for the past 50+ years, what’s inside the parks (and their policies) has not remained as steadfast. This year alone, we’ve seen several major changes occur at the parks, including the return of popular services such as the Disney Dining Plan, all-day park hopping, and the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, formerly Splash Mountain.
But the experiences and changes didn’t stop there. In 2024, we’ve also seen changes to Lightning Lanes, as well as exciting announcements at this year’s D23 2024: The Ultimate Fan Event about new attractions coming to the four theme parks (not to mention all the new Disney movie announcements!). Along with returning experiences and updates, there will be lots of Disney World newness coming to the parks. To help break it all down as you plan your next trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth, we’re sharing some of the major changes and experiences coming to Disney World in 2025 (and beyond).
Disney World Lightning Lane Changes
In July 2024, Disney World and Disneyland both made some major changes to how you can skip the standby line for rides and experiences. Previously, Disney had Genie+, a paid service that allowed you to purchase the ability to select Lightning Lanes at the parks, which gave you a chance to skip the regular standby line. Additionally, the parks offered Individual Lightning Lanes, which were single rides you could pay for faster entry.
Confused? You’re not alone. With tons of rules, confusing name choices, and a harder overall guest experience, Disney decided to shake things up with a new way forward. Now, instead of Disney Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lanes, you can purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Lightning Lane Single Pass. These work quite similarly to Genie+ and individual Lighting Lanes, but with a few key changes.
Now, Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass can be purchased per person per park in advance of your trip. If you have a trip booked on-site, you can book up to seven days in advance (for the length of your trip). If you have a ticket with no hotel reservation, you can book up to three days in advance.
The way it works is also a bit different. Now, you’ll have the opportunity to make up to three advanced Lightning Lane selections per day, choosing one from Group One and two from Group Two of available attractions (a tiered system that we’ll break down below). Lightning Lane Single Pass is also available for individual high-demand rides, so it’s a separate purchase from Multi Pass. You can purchase up to two Lightning Lane Single Passes per person per day, with the price depending on the ride and date.
Magic Kingdom
Single Pass Attractions:
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- TRON Lightcycle Run
Group One Attractions:
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Jungle Cruise
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Space Mountain
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Group Two Attractions:
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Haunted Mansion
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- “it’s a small world”
- Dumbo The Flying Elephant
- Mad Tea Party
- Mickey’s Philharmagic
- Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor
- The Barnstormer
- Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Journey of the Little Mermaid
EPCOT
Single Pass Attraction:
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
Group One Attractions:
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Frozen Ever After
- Soarin’ Around the World
Group Two Attractions:
- Journey Into Imagination with Figment
- Living with the Land
- Mission: SPACE
- Spaceship Earth
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Turtle Talk With Crush
- Disney Pixar Short Film Festival
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Single Pass Attraction:
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Group One Attractions:
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
- Slinky Dog Dash
Group Two Attractions:
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
- Toy Story Mania!
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Star Tours: The Adventure Continues
- Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
- Disney Junior Play and Dance!
- Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
- Muppet*Vision 3D
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the only park that does NOT use this new Group 1 and Group 2 system and lets you choose from any three attractions for Multi Pass.
Single Pass Attraction:
- Avatar Flight of Passage
New Walt Disney World Attractions Coming in 2025 and Beyond
The last few years have included some exciting new attractions and experiences at Disney World, including Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in 2021, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in 2022, Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana in 2023, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in 2024. This year includes more exciting Disney World changes, with far more planned and announced for the future.
At the 2024 D23: The Ultimate Fan Event, Disney leadership announced a long list of new projects planned for the park (with some dates included, and others not). While we can’t expect a groundbreaking on all these projects this year, this is what we have to look forward to in the years to come.
The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure
From 1993 to 2020, Voyage of the Little Mermaid was a live show available at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The stage show featured a combination of live performers and puppets to tell an abridged version of the 1989 film.
This year, Disney officially revealed that the show will be getting revamped, with The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure set to open in fall 2024. The transformed show will feature new set pieces and effects but will feature the return of musical numbers such as Part of Your World and Poor Unfortunate Souls.
A New Test Track
In June 2024, Test Track at EPCOT closed for a lengthy refurbishment. When it reopens, Test Track will look a little different. Disney has confirmed the reimagined Test Track will open in 2025. The concept art that’s been shared shows more futuristic-looking vehicles, with plans for the new ride to include a new show scene showcasing technological advancements that have happened since the last major 2012 refurbishment.
Disney Starlight Parade
Beginning in the summer of 2025, a new nighttime parade called Disney Starlight will open at Magic Kingdom. The new parade will continue the legacy of the previous Main Street Electrical Parade (which retired from Disney World in 2016), featuring characters and stories from Peter Pan, Encanto, Frozen, and more.
Zootopia: Better Zoogether
Fans of Disney’s Animal Kingdom likely remember the thrilling (or terrifying, depending on your insect aversion) experience of It’s Tough to Be a Bug, a show at the Tree of Life Theater.
Beginning in winter 2025 (which we take to mean late 2025), this will be redone as Zootopia: Better Zoogether, a new Zootopia-themed show. Details are sparse, but we can expect to see fan-favorite characters like Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde come to life.
New Cars Land
A new Cars-themed expansion will be arriving in the next few years at Magic Kingdom. The area will be located in Frontierland, taking over the current spot for Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America.
The new land will not be Radiator Springs (which is currently located at Disney California Adventure). Instead, it will feature two attractions, including a rally race through the mountains, as well as a ride tailored to younger Disney guests. Work on the land will begin in 2025, but no opening year has been revealed.
Tropical Americas Land
Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, DinoLand, U.S.A. is set to be replaced by a new Tropical Americas-themed land called Pueblo Esperanza. The new land will feature an original Indiana Jones-themed ride (taking the place of DINOSAUR), as well as an exciting new Encanto ride. Plus, you’ll find a large carousel, as well as one of the biggest quick-service restaurants at Walt Disney World.
Construction is planned to begin in phases in fall 2024, with an opening year projected for 2027.
Monsters, Inc. Land
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, a new Monsters, Inc.-themed land is planned for the park. Details (including its location) are sparse, but what we do know is that it will feature a roller coaster inspired by the hanging doors in the film. This coaster will be the first suspended coaster ever at a Disney Park!
Construction is set to begin in 2025, with no confirmed opening year.
Villains Land
Another addition coming to Magic Kingdom? A land themed to the Disney Villains! This major expansion was first teased in 2023 and confirmed at the fan expo in 2024. Details are few and far between, but we do know the new area will include two major attractions, as well as dining and shopping. We’re still waiting to hear on any dates, including for construction.
New Restaurants at Walt Disney World
In 2023, Disney World welcomed a host of new restaurants. These included Roundup Rodeo BBQ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as well as eet by Maneet Chauhan and Summer House on the Lake in Disney Springs. Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya is another new restaurant that opened in the Japan Pavilion at EPCOT.
In 2025, Disney is opening two new lounges! At Magic Kingdom, a new Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge will be available at Adventureland, while EPCOT will add a Spaceship Earth-themed lounge.
Walt Disney World Resort Hotel Refurbishments
If you’ve visited Walt Disney World during the past few years, you’ve likely seen some changes and updates to many of the Disney hotels. The rooms at Disney’s Contemporary Resort got an Incredibles-themed makeover, while Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort now has Moana-inspired rooms.
Also, in summer 2024, Disney unveiled their newly refurbished cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort will be the newest Disney Vacation Club Resort, with a refreshed look that’s perfect for the whole family. Each cabin will sleep up to six guests and will even be dog-friendly if you’re bringing along a pet!
Many of these refurbishments are still ongoing, including a new lobby and Mary Poppins-themed rooms at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and an in-process makeover at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. If you’ll be staying at a Disney World Resort hotel, make sure to check the official website for the most up-to-date information on refurbishments as they are announced.
Another hotel change will be the completion of the Disney Vacation Club tower at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, a new expansion slated to open on December 17, 2024. The exciting new addition will include studios, as well as one- and two-bedroom villas for guests. Each guest room will feature custom art pieces inspired by Moana, with that inspiration extending to a brand new Moana-themed splash pad as well!
Disney World Disability Access Service (DAS) Changes
If planning a Disney trip in 2025 and have accessibility needs, you’ll want to know Disney World and Disneyland made changes to their Disability Access Service earlier this year. DAS has been a service available for years at each of the parks, a program designed to help accommodate individuals who have trouble standing in long lines at the parks. The way the program works is not terribly dissimilar from Lightning Lanes, allowing registered guests and their families to skip the process of physically waiting in a queue and instead sign up for return times that will allow you a shorter wait to get onto the ride.
According to the Disney World DAS information page, “DAS is intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar disorder, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.”
2024 Changes to Disney World’s DAS
Previously, the DAS system was something you could sign up for ahead of time or in the park, allowing. Now, the system of signing up for Disney’s DAS is quite different. The major changes from the previous program include doing away with the ability to register for DAS in person and only being able to hold one return selection at a time (it was previously two).
For Disney World, guests can now register via a live video chat up to 30 days in advance of their visit. If the Cast Member determines a guest is eligible, they can register for themselves and up to three additional party members (four people total). DAS will then be valid for the length of the ticket, up to 120 days. Once the service has elapsed or when a new ticket is required, that guest must be re-registered.
Once registered, a guest with DAS can make a return time selection on the first day of their visit, with the option to do so digitally through the My Disney Experience app. You’ll receive a return time to visit the attraction, comparable to the current standby wait for the ride. You can hold one return time selection at a time.
Planning a Disney Vacation in 2025 and Beyond
So, as you can see, Disney World is going to look a lot different in the coming years! If you plan on visiting in the next year or two, make sure you’re doing your research and looking at what will and won’t be available. For example, if DINOSAUR is a must-do for your group, you may want to plan a trip sooner rather than later before it closes to make way for Indiana Jones!
But with those changes come a lot of fun and exciting updates. Guests staying in the next year will have the chance to check out the new Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian or perhaps witness the new Disney Starlight starting next summer at Magic Kingdom. No matter when you visit, though, you’ll find plenty of things available to make memories that will last a lifetime.
Morgan Flaherty, Contributing Writer
Morgan is full-time writer, editor, and mom. Along with her work as a contributing writer for The Everymom on all things Disney World, beauty products, and the latest fashion trends, her writing has appeared in Well + Good, InStyle, Scary Mommy, Byrdie, and Baby Chick.