Disney Parks 2021: Park Hopping, New Attractions, and Financial Outlook

Disney Parks News and Updates

• 🎢 Park hopping has returned to Disney parks, offering guests the ability to visit multiple parks in a single day.
• 🎨 The Festival of the Arts is set to begin on January 8th, with operations aiming for full readiness, including merchandise and food components.
• 💡 A rumor suggests another "old favorite" attraction may be returning soon, though details are not yet available.
• 🔍 Hidden Mickeys have been discovered in the knots of light fixtures in the Polynesian Village Resort lobby, possibly added during its redesign.

Harmonious Barge and Epcot Developments

• 🎆 The Harmonious barges on World Showcase Lagoon represent a departure from the previous Disney standard of hiding nighttime spectacular elements during the day.
• ⛲ This approach is seen as a return to early Disneyland practices, where temporary stages and props were visible.
• 🎶 Discussions are ongoing regarding the musical underscore for the Harmonious water features, balancing continuous music with not intruding on country-specific music.
• 🍽️ The Remy's Ratatouille Adventure attraction is anticipated for a soft opening in January and an official opening in February, with a focus on driving local attendance to Epcot.

Disney's Financial Performance and Disney+

• 📈 Disney's stock price has seen significant growth in 2020, closing at $181.70, a substantial increase from $143.67 a year prior.
• 📉 Despite a financial hit from park closures, with an estimated $5 billion loss in Q2 2020, the reopening of Florida parks in July led to a turnaround.
• 🚀 Disney+ has exceeded expectations, acquiring 86.8 million subscribers in 13 months, far surpassing the initial 5-year goal of 100 million.
• 📺 The streaming service's success is attributed to people being at home during the pandemic and Disney+'s diverse content, including acquired shows like "The Simpsons."

Future Attractions and Park Expansions

• 🏙️ Zootopia Land construction has topped out at Shanghai Disneyland and is planned for Animal Kingdom, though its Florida opening is delayed to the mid-to-late 2020s due to paused capital expenditures.
• 🚗 Tron Lightcycle Power Run at Magic Kingdom is tentatively scheduled for a late fall/early winter 2021 soft opening.
• 🚀 Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is now looking at an early 2022 opening, dependent on filming of necessary media elements.
• 🌌 Galaxy's Edge may see an expansion of character meet-and-greets, including The Mandalorian, Grogu (The Child), Boba Fett, and Ahsoka, potentially shifting the timeline focus.
• 🕸️ Avengers Campus in California is anticipated for summer 2021, with features like an animatronic Spider-Man and a Doctor Strange attraction.
• 🚂 Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway in Toontown, Disneyland, has been pushed to a 2023 opening.
• 🚢 Updates and improvements are being discussed for the Jungle Cruise attraction, potentially incorporating elements from the Dwayne Johnson movie.

Disney World's 50th Anniversary and COVID-19 Impact

• 🎂 Disney World's 50th anniversary celebration, originally planned for January 2021, has been postponed to Fall 2021, starting October 1st.
• 😷 While mask mandates and safety protocols are in place, Disney is seeing increased capacity in attractions like Flights of Passage and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
• 📊 Posted wait times at Epcot have been significantly inflated, with actual wait times being roughly half of what is advertised.
• 🌟 The success of characters like The Child from The Mandalorian is driving demand for park appearances and merchandise.