When is opening for new norway?

[Jennygt]

My kids have always liked epcot, I think being able to roam around, not wait too much in lines and see some new things is a nice change from the more intense pace at the other parks.

 

[disfamz]

We leave on April 29th. I have read a few things that say April 30th, May 1st. Part of me would like to ride it while there but I'm afraid it will be chaos. I do hope it brings some of the Frozen fans to Epcot though!

 

[tripletmomsrock]

We are going in July and AandE are essential for my DD's. I know I don't book to until the beginning of May but what happens if I make a FP for AandE at MK and it changes? Do I loose my FP+?

 

[disfamz]

It would probably either change to the new princesses or you might get to switch to another FP like you can if the ride goes down.

 

[tlmadden73]

We are going in July and AandE are essential for my DD's. I know I don't book to until the beginning of May but what happens if I make a FP for AandE at MK and it changes? Do I loose my FP+?

Because of the "mess" it would cause guests making FP reservations, I doubt they will announce the opening of such a big new attraction less than 60 days before it opens.

If it is going to open in May, I would say they would announce it sometime in February.

 

[mom2rtk]

Because of the "mess" it would cause guests making FP reservations, I doubt they will announce the opening of such a big new attraction less than 60 days before it opens.

If it is going to open in May, I would say they would announce it sometime in February.

This is just opinion on my part, but I don't think they'll commit to a firm opening date 60 days out. Too much room for last minute issues. I don't think they'll issue fastpasses until closer to the date.

Whether they will continue to issue them in the MK all that time is a whole other matter. I'm curious to see how that plays out. Maybe they'll have a short overlap but if they don't plan to keep both spots open long-term (which I doubt) then they wouldn't have A/E staff for much overlap unless they understaff both spots.

 

[HopperFan]

They absolutely can announce less than 60 days, even less than 30 days.

7DMT was announced less than 30 days out. They are better off not committing too early should they run into issues.

When 7DMT was announced - less than 30 days out, I was able to book FP+ for opening day. They then had soft openings before that.

Disney's own words are "up to 60 days before check-in" so don't get hung up on the 60 day thing.

All FP+ are subject to change so if you do book A&E and if they move with any FP+ booked at MK, they will just notify you of the change. Up to the guest to use FP+ for something else in MK that they offer or to change their plans around to another park.

 

[tlmadden73]

They absolutely can announce less than 60 days, even less than 30 days.

7DMT was announced less than 30 days out. They are better off not committing too early should they run into issues.

When 7DMT was announced - less than 30 days out, I was able to book FP+ for opening day. They then had soft openings before that.

Disney's own words are "up to 60 days before check-in" so don't get hung up on the 60 day thing.

All FP+ are subject to change so if you do book A&E and if they move with any FP+ booked at MK, they will just notify you of the change. Up to the guest to use FP+ for something else in MK that they offer or to change their plans around to another park.

Thanks. I was just curious what the "procedure" would be for a new ride. I wasn't sure if SDMT existed before FP+ or not.

I guess Disney can't win no matter WHEN they announce:
- Announce too early, and you can have upset guests if the opening is delayed and their vacation was too early.
- Announce too late, and you have upset guests whose vacation didn't fall after that date (or can't get a FP for it due to the logjam created).

If they do announce it less than 30 days .. that will make quite a logjam of trying to get a FP for it .. heh. I know (as I still have a non-expiration ticket) .. I will keep an eye out for it and see if I can snag a FP for it and make a last minute trip to Epcot (the advantage of living "fairly" close).
At this point, (and I am sure there are many (non-annual pass repeat visitors like me)), I don't plan on going back to WDW this year until Rivers of Light AND the new Norway opens up to have potentially two new experiences.

 

[HopperFan]

Thanks. I was just curious what the "procedure" would be for a new ride. I wasn't sure if SDMT existed before FP+ or not.

I guess Disney can't win no matter WHEN they announce:
- Announce too early, and you can have upset guests if the opening is delayed and their vacation was too early.
- Announce too late, and you have upset guests whose vacation didn't fall after that date (or can't get a FP for it due to the logjam created).

If they do announce it less than 30 days .. that will make quite a logjam of trying to get a FP for it .. heh. I know (as I still have a non-expiration ticket) .. I will keep an eye out for it and see if I can snag a FP for it and make a last minute trip to Epcot (the advantage of living "fairly" close).
At this point, (and I am sure there are many (non-annual pass repeat visitors like me)), I don't plan on going back to WDW this year until Rivers of Light AND the new Norway opens up to have potentially two new experiences.

HAHA, most things for Disney create a reaction of lose-lose. There is no way to make everyone happy. Things have to close down for maintenance. Construction has to happen. It's never fast enough. Disney will never be done, there will always be folks who have to deal with something during their trip. So you are right, they can't win with many.

Yes, we just watched the live announcement for 7DMT early in morning before park opened. That night I waited until midnight (don't remember if I checked all day) and was able to grab FP+. We are AP and it was under 30 days. Now to give a nod to onsite guests they could announce at like 32 days to give them an edge over APs. We then booked our hotel room and we drove 8 hours just to ride. DS (who is disabled) had been waiting for the ride. I painted him a 7DMT or Bust shirt. We got there at rope drop to ride, had our FP+ and was able to ride again that night in dark. Hit SWW the next day and then drove 8 hours home.

 

[momof2n2]

I guess Disney can't win no matter WHEN they announce:

Well - many guests feel the same way.


With a May 7-14 trip planned I have, um, a few pre-park opening Akershus ADRs reserved. I hate how complicated touring has become.

 

[anniemae]

They absolutely can announce less than 60 days, even less than 30 days.

7DMT was announced less than 30 days out. They are better off not committing too early should they run into issues.

When 7DMT was announced - less than 30 days out, I was able to book FP+ for opening day. They then had soft openings before that.

Disney's own words are "up to 60 days before check-in" so don't get hung up on the 60 day thing.

All FP+ are subject to change so if you do book A&E and if they move with any FP+ booked at MK, they will just notify you of the change. Up to the guest to use FP+ for something else in MK that they offer or to change their plans around to another park.

This was my thought as well. They would wait until they are pretty certain all systems are go rather than announce it early and run into problems and have to retract the opening date.

 

[Micca]

Can you imagine the grief the CMs would have to take from guests if Disney touted a grand opening date and had to push it back a few days? "We specifically scheduled our whole vacation from (fill in the blank from some place at least 1000 miles away) just so we/my kids could ride this the first day it opened. What am I supposed to tell my children? We are leaving tomorrow to fly to (fill in the blank to some place even farther from where they flew in from) and our vacation is ruined." Nightmare inducing stuff.

 

[Bullseye]

When do they actually add it to available FP+ choices? Once they have a solid opening date, 60 days prior to that?

 

[helenb]

IIRC (and it's a bit vague, as it was 2 years ago) with SDMT they opened up FP reservations on the day the ride officially opened.

 

[Jennygt]

I think they should not announce until they are sure, as far as the meet /greet I hope they would honor all the current booked fp at mk,,, they must realize what a big deal it is to some children, that would be a major miscalculation on disneys part if they did that to the family who already had booked a fp for the mk location. I think that they will overlap locations for a time.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I know I've skipped Epcot on my past two trips with a toddler because there really isn't much there besides Nemo for little kids, but plenty for them to do at DHS (even now) and AK. A new Frozen ride would definitely get me to consider going to Epcot on the next trip and even go into the World Showcase.

It's obvious the goal of a Frozen Norway to draw more families with young kids away from MK and help distribute the crowds If they "Disney-fied" more pavilions in the World Showcase and added a new attraction or two .. that would help even more.

I think there's a lot in the pavilions, even for toddlers. I know my 3 y.o would enjoy watching many of the live shows that happen in the pavilions. My older nephews would also very much enjoy the AGent P adventure (and likely want to do every mission possible, knowing them). It's also a lot easier to do some popular character meet and greets in World Showcase. (which I don't have an issue with..meeting a character is different than retheming an entire pavilion to a fictional location). Kids can be entertained by more than just rides.

Even in Future World..My nephews (3 and 6 on their last trip) spent *forever* in the Seas pavilion. Not on Nemo, not doing Turtle Talk with Crush...but by talking with a CM about the exhibit of skulls on the 2nd floor (asking all kinds of questions..I swear I stood there for 20 mins listening to them ask questions), then another long stint (20+ mins) in the Manatee area...this was on top of the time spent seeing Crush and Nemo, and just looking at the Aquarium. We were in the Seas only pretty much from 9:30am-11:00 (when we had lunch at Coral Reef where they still watched the aquarium the entire meal, we left a little after 12). The 3 y/o couldn't ride TT, 6 y/o rode TT once and was scared and didn't go again. They both loved Soarin' and Figment. (and the exhibit after) But the places we spent the most time were the Seas (as described above), the post-ride area after Spaceship Earth playing all the different games, and Innoventions (exploring the various exhibits like the Piggy Bank one that used to be there).

Epcot was the first park we took them to, and it was their first trip. After seeing their reactions, I'll happily recommend that anyone I know take their kids and give it a shot. It may not be for *all* kids, but I definitely don't think it lacks in things *for* kids either.

 

[efam]

I was hoping for March.... Darn....

Same here. Darn is right.

 

[efam]

I think there's a lot in the pavilions, even for toddlers. I know my 3 y.o would enjoy watching many of the live shows that happen in the pavilions. My older nephews would also very much enjoy the AGent P adventure (and likely want to do every mission possible, knowing them). It's also a lot easier to do some popular character meet and greets in World Showcase. (which I don't have an issue with..meeting a character is different than retheming an entire pavilion to a fictional location). Kids can be entertained by more than just rides.

Even in Future World..My nephews (3 and 6 on their last trip) spent *forever* in the Seas pavilion. Not on Nemo, not doing Turtle Talk with Crush...but by talking with a CM about the exhibit of skulls on the 2nd floor (asking all kinds of questions..I swear I stood there for 20 mins listening to them ask questions), then another long stint (20+ mins) in the Manatee area...this was on top of the time spent seeing Crush and Nemo, and just looking at the Aquarium. We were in the Seas only pretty much from 9:30am-11:00 (when we had lunch at Coral Reef where they still watched the aquarium the entire meal, we left a little after 12). The 3 y/o couldn't ride TT, 6 y/o rode TT once and was scared and didn't go again. They both loved Soarin' and Figment. (and the exhibit after) But the places we spent the most time were the Seas (as described above), the post-ride area after Spaceship Earth playing all the different games, and Innoventions (exploring the various exhibits like the Piggy Bank one that used to be there).

Epcot was the first park we took them to, and it was their first trip. After seeing their reactions, I'll happily recommend that anyone I know take their kids and give it a shot. It may not be for *all* kids, but I definitely don't think it lacks in things *for* kids either.

I completely agree with you. My girls loved Epcot on our last trip. And there were no lines for Belle (in her apron dress in France) and Aurora (in a garden area in France) M&G.
Besides, Epcot is my favorite park and it's my vacation too. I'm ok with my kids getting bored for a few hours!

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

BOG lunch and breakfast ADRs opened a couple weeks before our trip last year. If I remember correctly, there wasn't much notice or fanfare - they just opened the flood gates and you had to be paying attention to snag one. Obviously rides are a little different because they don't open FPs 180 days out, but I would put money on them just throwing the FPs out there Darwinian style. BOG ADRs made for a terrible website day and I'm sure their CMs did not enjoy it one bit, but it largely cleared up after the one day feeding frenzy.

On A and E overlap, you'd hope they wouldn't cancel those FPs. They're not your garden variety FPs. I can only hope Disney wouldn't want to deal with a hundred adorable 3 yr olds in tiaras and princess dresses crying their little eyes out on the evening news (or YouTube).

We're potentially in that boat. DH5 and DH7 insist on meeting A and E again. I reminded them that they told me they were so over Frozen and won't wear the dozen A & E shirts that everyone gave them for every gift giving occasion. But somehow that is different. They must do the MG and will cry their little eyes out if I don't get them the FP.

 

[Jennygt]

That's tough,especially since it is so tough to get the A&e fp. I really think they will overlap both locations for a bit. I guess I should say I hope.