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As one of Florida’s biggest attractions clocks up half a century of magical holidays, James Draven reveals how they’re celebrating and what’s new since Brits were last in Orlando
Guardians of the Galaxy sold out in 13 seconds this morning,” says Bre, a helpful Disney “cast member” who is explaining how post-pandemic queuing works at Walt Disney World.
Admit it, you’d have bet hard on the Star Wars rides being the biggest attractions at Walt Disney World this year, but Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – which opened on 27 May 2022 in Disney’s Epcot park – has to be the hottest ticket in all of Orlando.
Imagine Disney’s classic Space Mountain ride, plus Chris Pratt and a funky soundtrack, minus the whiplash. This indoor rollercoaster launches backwards (a Disney first) before gliding swiftly and smoothly through the darkness, spinning past luminaries of the galaxy.
Each ride is accompanied by one of six retro hits, from I Ran by A Flock of Seagulls to Disco Inferno. If you’ve seen the movies, it’s very appropriate — if not, you’ll be laughing too hard to care. Guardians isn’t the most terrifying rollercoaster but it’s hands-down the most fun, whether you’re the sort that likes thrill rides in flying saucers or you usually prefer the teacups.
Getting onboard for this intergalactic space trip can prove difficult however, with Bre explaining: “There is no physical line for Guardians. You have to use the Disney World app to join a virtual line at 7am; if you don’t get a place then, you can try again at 1pm.”
Since Brits last visited Walt Disney World, the resort has introduced the Genie system on the Disney World app, which helps guests plan their days across all of Disney’s four parks. Visitors can see live wait times for each ride, and – if they purchase the Genie+ upgrade – book fast-track admissions to one attraction every two hours (works once per attraction). Bear in mind that Genie+ does not work on the newest, most popular experiences, like Guardians and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. For a selected few attractions, guests will have to pay extra (around $14) to book Lightning Lane passes if they don’t want to queue.
It’s worth doing because we found wait times of up to four hours for Rise of the Resistance. That said, the pre-ride experience – which features a mash-up of animatronics, CGI, live actors and innovative trackless tech – blurs the line between what constitutes a queue and the attraction itself. Rebel encounters, a space flight, and a genuinely jaw-dropping confrontation with a platoon of stormtroopers all feature in the attraction’s preamble before strapping in for the final ride.
Of course, Disney isn’t all about the thrill rides. 1 October 2021 marked 50 years of Walt Disney World, and – perhaps because many couldn’t visit due to Covid – celebrations will last 18 months until 1 April 2023. Parades, performances, fireworks and light displays across all parks are bigger and better with reimagined Disney songs. Magic Kingdom is dotted with bronze statues of characters from Goofy to R2D2, and it’s not just Cinderella’s Castle illuminated with magical projections each night – for the first time they now extend all along Main Street USA. It’s a spectacle unlikely to be seen again… until 2032.
Book it: Walt Disney Travel Company International offers a seven-night stay at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida from £1,255pp, including accommodation, flights and Disney 7-Day Magic Tickets. Price based on two adults and two children (aged 3-9) sharing a standard room. disneyholidays.co.uk
A Disney 14 Day Magic Ticket with unlimited access to all six Disney parks plus free Memory Maker costs from £535 per adult and £508 per child (3-9). Visits before 25 October 2022 get 14 days for the price of seven. dosomethingdifferent.com
Part role-playing game and part immersive hotel stay, those who board the Halcyon starcruiser for two nights will find themselves thrust into an adventure in a galaxy far away. Guests’ cabins feature windows with views into outer space and, in communal areas, they’ll meet familiar characters from the Star Wars universe, learn to operate the navigation and defence systems, and – of course – wield a lightsaber.
Using the same trackless technology seen in Rise of the Resistance, Disney has gone back to its roots with its first Mickey ride, which seems to have been designed with reels and TikTok in mind. Styled like the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood from the outside, once within visitors find themselves sucked into a cartoon screen, which plays out like a classic runaway railway with a dazzling twist. Micky and Minnie may look like their vintage versions, but this child-friendly experience is very 21st century.
For those wanting to be close to Epcot, Disney has opened a new hotel offering a spa, fine dining, landscaped gardens, waterslides, a children’s activity centre, and in-room celebrations for big events and birthdays.
Although it opened in Walt Disney World in October 2021 to coincide with the resort’s 50th anniversary, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure has been running in Disneyland Paris since July 2014. It’s another virtual, Instagrammable experience that whisks guests around Paris’s rooftops and down to a rat’s-eye view of a Parisian kitchen.
