Haven't been to Disney since 2012...

[debdebdebby13]

...and haven't kept up with the chatter because it made me sad, lol.

Now we are considering a trip next spring and I need to know what has changed since Oct. 2012! What new areas of the parks are open? How does the fast pass band work?

Our daughter is now 11 (she was 6 at our last visit) and we also have a little boy now who will be 4.5 next spring.

Give me the scoop!

 

[mesaboy2]

For a FastPass primer I recommend scanning the first page of the FP FAQ, linked to in my signature.

 

[sharonabe]

...and haven't kept up with the chatter because it made me sad, lol.

Now we are considering a trip next spring and I need to know what has changed since Oct. 2012! What new areas of the parks are open? How does the fast pass band work?

Our daughter is now 11 (she was 6 at our last visit) and we also have a little boy now who will be 4.5 next spring.

Give me the scoop!

Find the fast pass sticky at the top of the forum and learn how that all works. It's not a fast pass band, the band is like your Key to the World card from before. The band is your room key (if onsite), your park ticket, and your FP entrance "ticket" (instead of the paper ones). You can also use your band to charge things back to your room. If on a dining plan, it will show that too.

Pandora in AK is definitely new.
Was the expanded Fantasyland done in 2012? 7 Dwarves Mine train and Be our Guest restaurant?
Many things in HS are closed, and construction is ongoing for Toy Story Land, but there's still plenty to do there.
EP is pretty much the same.

 

[debdebdebby13]

Find the fast pass sticky at the top of the forum and learn how that all works. It's not a fast pass band, the band is like your Key to the World card from before. The band is your room key (if onsite), your park ticket, and your FP entrance "ticket" (instead of the paper ones). You can also use your band to charge things back to your room. If on a dining plan, it will show that too.

Pandora in AK is definitely new.
Was the expanded Fantasyland done in 2012? 7 Dwarves Mine train and Be our Guest restaurant?
Many things in HS are closed, and construction is ongoing for Toy Story Land, but there's still plenty to do there.
EP is pretty much the same.

Some of the Fantasyland stuff was done but not everything. Be our Guest wasn't open but we did get back there and see Gaston, the Mine Train was definitely not open. We rode the new Dumbo and saw the big top.

 

[momjeeps]

I'm guessing the New Fantasyland stuff is all new for you since we just made soft openings of a couple of things and SDMT was still under construction for our last trip in November 2012. I've been reading up here as well. Here is the scoop that I have discovered. But I'm sure you'll learn a lot more around here on DIS too.

1. Be Our Guest - Breakfast QS (only worth the price for a prepark reservation, which may score you an early ride on Seven Dwarves), Lunch QS - seams to be the least expensive option for seeing the venue. Dinner TS - the favorite, but priciest option, only option that includes The Beast.

2. 7DMT - most difficult FP to obtain in MK.

3. Also probably new to you is the Little Mermaid ride, it's not as long a wait, more like a standard Fantasyland kid ride on steroids. (But Little Mermain is my favorite and I love it.)

4. At AK the whole Pandora area is new and the Flight ride is the most difficult FP to achieve. The Navi is also difficult to get. I don't have experience yet with this area at all. But there is a good information thread that talks about the best rope drop strategies etc.

5. I don't know about you, but for us Test Track was closed last trip too. It has reopened and a bit different.

6. New Frozen ride in Norway at EP. The most sought after FP there.

7. Soarin is now over the world and not just over CA and the technology is a little better. I've done this new world one in DL and really welcomed the change from the just CA version which I also enjoyed.

8. Can't tell you much about HS because I'm skipping it this trip. But be ready for crowd issues with the construction going on.

9. Disney Springs (was Downtown Disney) is supposed to be improved as well. Again I can't tell you much more than that, as long as my loved Raglan is still there (it is I have an ADR yay) I'm good.

Good luck, and happy planning! It's always great fun to plan a Disney trip!

 

[sharonabe]

1. Be Our Guest - Breakfast QS (only worth the price for a prepark reservation, which may score you an early ride on Seven Dwarves), Lunch QS - seams to be the least expensive option for seeing the venue. Dinner TS - the favorite, but priciest option, only option that includes The Beast.

And all three meals at BoG require an ADR; you can't do walk-up.

 

[momjeeps]

And all three meals at BoG require an ADR; you can't do walk-up.

Very important point. I forgot to mention that emphatically. I did mention breakfast reservation, but yes ADR even though it's QS.

 

[minniegirl19]

If you want to see even more "new stuff" I'd wait a couple of months and go when toy story land opens

 

[Bob Dolewhip]

I just want to note that our trip in 2016 was planned entirely differently from our 2013 trip because of all the new tools that were introduced between those few years.
You should definitely read up on all of that to get an idea of what you need to do when.
A few things -
My Disney Experience has an app you should put on your phone
People have reservations for everything now
There are more special experiences that Disney wants you to pay extra for

 

[CAS239]

MK:
Meet Ariel at her grotto
Under the sea little mermaid ride
Enchanted tales with Belle
Festival of fantasy parade
7dmt
Muppets hall of presidents overlay
Princess meet and greets
Happily ever after
Once upon a time

HS:
Star wars path of the Jedi
Frozen song along show
Star wars launch bay
Star wars a galaxy far far away stage show
March of the first order
Star Wars a galactic spectacular
Music of Pixar live (set to end soon though)
Disney movie magic projection show
Starlord and Groot meet and greet

Epcot:
Pixar short film festival
Frozen ever after
Anna and Elsa meet and greet

AK:
Rivers of light
Pandora land
Flight of passage
Navi River Journey

Disney springs complete overhaul
Magic bands

 

[flortlebap]

A lot has changed since 2012 - the PP sums it up really well.

It's my DC first trip back since 2023 too, they didn't want to go back before now because of the 9 hour flight, so they will hopefully really enjoy this trip now they're older and have had a bit of a break!