by Avery Maehrer, Manager of Communications, Walt Disney World Resort. In this post, we’ll take a look at the schedule, how refurbishments and construction are impacting opening dates, and offer commentary. Next up is Beach Club Resort. Disney World giving away free theme park tickets with select 2021 hotel bookings Disney deal seems designed to draw foot traffic, but health and safety remain paramount For more information on our data collection and use practices, please read our Privacy Policy. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Park Hopper hours will start at 2 p.m. each day and end at the park’s scheduled close time. As the phased reopening of Walt Disney World Resort continues, we are nearing another exciting milestone we know many guests have been looking forward to: the return of the Park Hopper option! You can withdraw your consent for these messages at any time. Finally, Wilderness Lodge (we’ve already covered Polynesian’s delayed reopening and reimagining separately). Will you be attempting to visit Walt Disney World in 2021, or are you waiting until 2022? Guests who already booked All Star Movies for the window between February 9 and March 21 will likely be relocated to Disney’s Pop Century Resort since the rooms there are almost identical to the All Stars. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. All Star Sports is also a wild card. Guess Priceline didn’t get the message. If you have any questions, you may visit our Know Before You Go page on DisneyWorld.com, call the Disney Reservation Center, contact your travel professional or reach out to planDisney to get helpful tips and information on your upcoming Disney vacation. As a reminder, guests with a ticket or pass that includes Park Hopper benefits get the chance to see and do more during their visit, which could mean a morning on the savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and an evening stroll by Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park or starting the day living your Star Wars adventure at Disney’s Hollywood Studios before an afternoon traveling around the world at EPCOT. I cannot make another park reservation (EPCOT) for the same day for some reason…what do I do? At this time, a park reservation is not required after the first park, however, reservation requirements are subject to change. This is a huge upgrade from the previous design, which was more minor leagues than all-star caliber. This included the DVC units in hotels that were–and still are–otherwise closed. This was going to be the year for Wilderness Lodge’s big room refurbishment, with the Club Level closing and briefly reopening prior to the closure of the parks way back in March. It’s unlikely to be “needed” until events resume at the ESPN Wide World of Sports, or if occupancy rates at the other two All Stars somehow spike by next fall. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. Occupancy at the resorts has started to increase, but it was very low over the summer and early fall when only weekends were even moderately busy. As a quick recap, all Disney Vacation Club resorts welcomed guests back during the summer, before the parks even reopened. Park Hopper Option Returns to Walt Disney World Resort Starting January 2021, Know Before You Go page on DisneyWorld.com. Once Florida’s off-season hits in January 2021, we’d expect those numbers to fall further. That’s a decent upgrade–moving to a Skyliner resort. Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets, Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Wilderness Lodge, Coronado Springs Resort & Gran Destino Tower, March 22, 2021 – Disney’s All Star Movies Resort, May 30, 2021 – Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Summer 2021 – Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House (, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter. It would make sense for Disney to finish this construction while the hotel is closed–and hotel projects have resumed elsewhere–but we don’t know if that’s the case. We look forward to starting the new year with the return of this guest favorite option! The vaccine is expected to be widely available for the general public by March or April 2021–right around the time that Spring Break and Easter crowds would normally start hitting Walt Disney World. With all of that said, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! From then on, we expect hotel bookings to increase, allowing for the reopening of more resorts as Walt Disney World continues its slow and steady process of returning to normalcy. Any questions we can help you answer? Park-hopping has returned in a new way. The most extreme example of this is at Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is operating at about ~10% occupancy because the hotel rooms are not in use. This is not the first (or second) time a resort reopening date has been pushed back. Does anybody know when Jelly Rolls on the Boardwalk will reopen? Our expectation for it would be Summer 2021, assuming occupancy increases at the other Value Resorts and it’s needed. Walt Disney World Resort Update for January 5-11, 2021 Writer's Note & News (Combined) I hope you safely welcomed in 2021 in good health. Each also are higher demand properties thanks to their unique characteristics and/or location. We take your privacy seriously. Moreover, the increased occupancy right now is mostly attributable to what’s normally the peak Christmas season, and bookings are not even remotely on par with what they’d be in a normal year. From MagicBand fees to Park Hopping procedures to ride openings, boarding changes, delays and more. Starting Jan. 1, 2021, guests who purchased a ticket or annual pass with Park Hopper benefits will be able to visit more than one park per day, with some new modifications as part of our ongoing focus on health and safety. Additionally, we will set specific Park Hopper hours during which this option will be available. It’s not a huge surprise here as the timeline moves from the winter off-season to the start of Spring Break. These modifications are designed to help us continue managing attendance in a way that fosters physical distancing. Passholders can save up to 40% on Deluxe and Deluxe Villas, 35% on Moderate, and 30% on Value Resorts. A lot is changing in these redesigned rooms–new feature wall art, walk-in showers, elevated beds, and removal of bunkbeds. In this post, we’ll take a look at the schedule, how refurbishments and construction are impacting opening dates, and offer commentary. Please note that the ability to visit another park will be subject to the park’s capacity limitations. The range of a Walt Disney World ticket in 2021 is $109 to $159 – that is the same range as 2020 prices. Members of the U.S. military can enjoy great rates at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels for stays most nights January 1, 2021 through December 17, 2021 when they book by December 17, 2021.. To book this offer, you must be active or retired U.S. military personnel (including active or retired members of the National Guard, Reservists, the U.S. Coast Guard, … What do you think about these reopening dates for Walt Disney World hotels? Related: TPG’s guide to visiting Walt Disney World . The two share facilities and a lot of amenities, and a lack of demand is the only thing that has kept Beach Club from reopening before now. As we noted at the time, Movies is the logical first choice of the All Stars because it’s the only one of the trio to complete the room redesign project prior to the closure of Walt Disney World. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your … Any surprises on this list for you? The hotel side of Wilderness Lodge has not reopened since. This is a logical one because Yacht Club, its sister resort, reopened several months ago. The global vacation destination has announced an end date for the Disney's Magical Express Service and announced a new program to replace Extra Magic Hours. Would dinning reservations for park #2 guarantee entry? Additionally, Disney might intend upon some light cosmetic and signage changes before reopening one of them. In many cases, only the DVC wings of the properties are open, with the hotel side yet to open. Our expectation is that Walt Disney World is projecting that this work will finish by the start of summer, hence the June 6, 2021 reopening date. Your email address will not be published. Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! Will the Epcot monorail line restart? For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know! By providing my email address I'd like to receive updates, special offers, and other information via electronic messages and postal mail from Disney Destinations, LLC and other members of The Walt Disney Family of Companies. Excited that Beach Club and Wilderness Lodge now have dates? The Port Orleans Resorts are another story entirely, as they don’t have DVC wings, are not connected to the parks via non-bus transportation, and the two have a ton of room inventory that likely won’t be needed anytime soon. You can revoke permission to mail your email address at any time using the unsubscribe link, found at the bottom of every email. Since reopening, it has a range of more ambitious entrees, plus an array of seasonal desserts. It should go without saying, but most locals are not booking hotel rooms for their park visits. Here are the Disney Vacation Club & Deluxe Villa resorts that are currently open at Walt Disney World as of December 2020: Here are the hotels open at Walt Disney World as of December 2020: Note that it might appear some hotels are listed on the ‘currently open’ list above and the ‘reopening timeline’ below. It's the 50th anniversary of the resort opening. At this point, most hotels either are operating or have reopening dates in Spring or Summer 2021…, Let’s start with a look at the resorts that are currently operating at Walt Disney World, followed by the hotel reopening timeline for 2021…. Hi, my family is excited to hear about this news, but is there a time frame of when fastpass+ will return? by Laurel Slater, Manager of Communications, Walt Disney World Public Affairs, Start planning your dream Disney Vacation Also valid for most dates January 3rd to April 17th, 2021, there are some REALLY great resort rates for Walt Disney World’s Annual Passholders! Yes, we already have our resort booked but I’m always looking. Ultimately, this protracted timeline is not a huge surprise given what we’ve observed at the Disney Vacation Club resorts and hotels thus far. In this post, we’ll share the updated calendar, plus new commentary on best & worst days of the week for each park. 2021 is a big year for Walt Disney World. (Or, stated differently, the NBA using Yacht Club is the only thing that allowed it to open so early–occupancy has been pretty low prior to the holiday season.). Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend November 5 - 8, 2020; Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend January 6 - 10, 2021; Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend February 18 - 21, 2021; Star Wars Rival Run Weekend April 15 - 18, 2021 In the months since the parks reopened, Walt Disney World has resumed operations at numerous hotels, starting with those on the Skyliner gondola and monorail routes, and also opening some other properties that are only connected to the parks via bus transportation. For official information concerning Disney, visit Disney.com. With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. By submitting this form, you are granting Disney Parks Blog permission to email you. Disappointed that All Star Movies is pushed back? However, we don’t have the slightest idea where things presently stand because the All Star Resort complex is closed off to the public. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments! The Walt Disney World resort has announced two operational updates that will impact vacations in 2021 and beyond. Your email address will not be published. What happens if 2nd park is at capacity? Will park to park transportation be provided again? Do you agree or disagree with our advice? Walt Disney World has released a resort reopening timeline for 2021, with new dates for hotels that were simply TBD, plus a delay. It’s entirely possible that the two Port Orleans resorts and All Star Sports won’t reopen until 2022. Things are different at Walt Disney World in 2021. Paid FastPass+ for Club Level at Disney World: Thoughts & Info. Air transportation is no longer offered as part of a Walt Disney World vacation package with arrivals beginning January 1, 2021. Starting Jan. 1, 2021, guests who purchased a ticket or annual pass with Park Hopper benefits will be able to visit more than one park per day, with some new modifications as part … On the plus side, the delayed reopening has allowed Walt Disney World to make some improvements around the resort. View Videos. It’s Time for the runDisney Virtual 2021 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend by Sarah Harris , Disney Sports Social Community Manager The time has come for our largest race weekend of the season and this year, we’re bigger than ever with runners taking to … As a quick recap, all Disney Vacation Club resorts welcomed guests […] That said, there was a 2.7% increase in pricing when you consider that Disney is bumping the prices in-between the two extremes. One big, under-the-radar update came to Beach Club Marketplace. Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. Be sure to take a look at our Walt Disney World Reopening Information & Updates page for an extensive look at all of what's changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began. This is awesome…but how bout letting FL residents buy annual passes too ? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I have a reservation for Hollywood Studios on the 4th of January. With the updated Park Hopper experience, guests must make a Disney Park Pass reservation for the first park they plan to visit AND enter that first park prior to visiting another. Happy new year, theme park fans! This is great news! This site is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or in any other way associated with The Walt Disney Company. Park-hopping — where you can visit more than one Disney World theme park in a day on one eligible ticket — was suspended for the rest of 2020 when the park reopened. As for what is returning, the reopening of All Star Movies was previously announced for February 9, 2021 but is now being delayed until March 22, 2021. After delay, work was finally seen resuming on the lower levels of the hotel side in early fall. For more information on our data collection and use practices, and managing your preferences, please read our privacy policy. This was once arguably the worst counter service restaurant in all of Walt Disney World. Based on what we currently know, although capacity has yet to increase past 35%, Disney World is bringing back Park Hopping! Coronado Springs Resort Update: Gran Destino Prepares to Open! Guests will soon be able to check DisneyWorld.com/ParkHours and the My Disney Experience app for the most up-to-date Park Hopper hours, as they could start earlier at a later date, depending on the day and park. Credit: Disney. 12:26 AM EST 2/3 and the Priceline app is showing All Star Movies available for our 2/13-2/17 trip at an average of $171/nt. Okay, now how about actually selling annual passes again? As of this past spring, the room overhaul was in progress at All Star Music was in progress and had not yet started at All Star Sports. Required fields are marked *. Here’s the new timeline for 2021 Walt Disney World resort reopenings: Additionally, the following hotels do not have 2021 reopening dates yet: Starting with the hotels that do not have reopening dates, our expectation is that BoardWalk Inn and Jambo House are the next in line, likely before Fall 2021. Where are the photos in the RSS feed???????? Are you allowed to return to park #1 and what if it’s choice #3 is at capacity? Disney has passed on other opportunities to do work without guests present during this whole saga, so nothing would surprise us. You have to leave or choose yet another park and waste hours trying to get in another park? Can I upgrade my park passes to park hopper? Thanks! Disney World and Disneyland will likely debut some of what they have on tap in 2021, but the coronavirus pandemic leaves some plans in flux. Walt Disney World Operational Updates. Obviously, last year wasn't the year that any of us wanted or expected, but even though there's hope on the horizon, 2021 doesn't look like it's going to be a return January 11, 2021. Suffice to say, we’re fans. Walt Disney World has released a resort reopening timeline for 2021, with new dates for hotels that were simply TBD, plus a delay. As the phased reopening of Walt Disney World Resort continues, we are nearing another exciting milestone we know many guests have been looking forward to: the return of the Park Hopper option! We stayed in one of these new rooms at All Star Movies, which you can read about in our Photos & Video: Newly Reimagined Rooms at the All Star Resorts post. Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Both are already operating in some capacity due to their DVC wings, so it makes sense to bring the hotel side back. Additionally, other enhanced health and safety measures remain in effect, including face coverings required for all guests ages two and up. I’m just wondering if anyone has heard anything about when or if the Disney Dining Plans are going to come back. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. On that basis, it makes sense that All Star Music would be the next to reopen. However, that’s because some resorts have both standard hotel room wings and Disney Vacation Club villa wings. Here are 10 changes to expect at Disney World in 2021. Disney World to Reopen 4 Resort Hotels in 2021 Disney's All-Star Movie Resort, Beach Club Resort, Wilderness Lodge, and Polynesian Village Resort will be reopening next year. Walt Disney World has added new hours through early April 2021 for Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios, while also extending hours for late January and February 2021. Concerned that it might be a while before the Port Orleans Resorts return? This should have been addressed in announcement. Let’s begin with […] While park crowds have steadily increased over every month since reopening, this is attributable mostly to increased Disney Park Pass availability for Annual Passholders and Cast Members. Or where any of the performers there might be appearing in the Orlando area?