Everything New for 2020 at the Walt Disney World Resort

by Janet Jonus photo courtesy of The Walt Disney World Company

What is new at Disney World for 2020? Rides, restaurants, hotels, and more!

Epcot

While Magic Kingdom (Fantasyland), Animal Kingdom (The World of Avatar), and Hollywood Studios (Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge) have seen major premiers, Epcot has lagged behind. Starting in 2020 and years to come, Epcot will see many changes. Epcot has many premiers and Grand Openings in 2020.

The Canada Pavilion in World Showcase debuts Canada Far and Wide on January 17th. See the beauty of Canada in Canada’s Circle Vision Theater.

Warm up your voice and head over to the France Pavilion for the Beauty and the Beast Sing Along starring Mrs. Potts (and the voice of Angela Lansbury) premiering on January 17th.

Explore the wonders of Earth at Awesome Planet in the Land Pavilion. According to Disney the new film features, “spectacular nature photography, immersive in-theater effects, and space sequences created by none other than Industrial Light & Magic (which provided the cinematic foundation for the Star Wars franchise).” Awesome Planet opens on January 17th.

Epcot launches into Outer Space with the opening of the Space 220 Restaurant. This unique, immersive dining experience is set to open sometime this Spring. Guests will be welcomed aboard the Space 220 restaurant and launched into space! (Not really, it will just look that way.) The restaurant features viewports of stars and planets and a futuristic decor that looks like you are dining in space.

HarmonioUS – the new evening show at Epcot will debut in the late Spring or early Summer 2020. HarmonioUS is a celebration of the Music of Disney. The show will feature laser and LED lights, floats spread throughout the World of Nations lake, dancing fountains, pyrotechnics, and of course fireworks. Harmonious will be Disney World’s largest, most elaborate nighttime show ever.

The long-anticipated ride, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, will be premiering in the Summer of 2020. Guests shrink down to the size of a rat as they careen through Gasteau’s kitchen in this trackless adventure ride. Based on the popular Pixar movie, Ratatouille, the ride is the centerpiece of the expanded France Pavilion in the World of Nations.

France also gets a new restaurant this summer. La Crêperie de Paris will be both a walk-up, Quick Service Restaurant and a sit-down Table Service Restaurant. The menu is from celebrity chef Jérôme Bocuse. La Crêperie de Paris is set to open in the Summer of 2020.

The Regal Eagle Smokehouse is set to open in the American Pavilion in the Spring of 2020. The Smokehouse will feature American-style smoked meat dishes and craft beers.

Disney’s Duck Tales World Showcase Adventure is set to debut in 2020. Join Scrooge McDuck, Huey, Dewey, and Louis, Webby, and Launchpad on an immersive, interactive adventure through Epcot’s World Showcase. Solve clues, find hidden treasure, and join the Adventures with everyone’s favorite Duck Family. The Adventure includes numerous interactive elements triggered by you. (In the current iteration of this Adventure, Agent P from Phineas and Ferb, you get to make a hidden volcano erupt in the Mexico Pavilion and Agent P himself escapes an explosion in the Japan Pavilion lagoon.) This is a Family+FunVacation favorite and is highly recommended. (It is a lot of fun to trigger these special effects and be able to tell the amazed guests next to you how you did it!) Epcot is also the host to three popular Festivals throughout the year.

The 2020 Epcot International Festival of the Arts runs from January 17- February 24. Celebrate art in all of its forms. Learn the Art of Animation, Grab a seat and catch a performance from one of the Disney on Broadway touring shows. Enjoy a taste of the world at the many Food Kiosks around the World Showcase.

Epcot blooms at the 2020 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is March 4 – June 1. (This is one of our favorite times of the year to go to Epcot!) Epcot is immersed in flowers, gardens, and topiaries in the shapes of all of your favorite Disney characters. Kids love the play areas and everyone enjoys the flavors of the Outdoor Kitchens around the World Showcase.

Epcot’s 2020 Food & Wine Festival returns to Epcot this fall. Celebrate food from around the world, live entertainment, and demonstrations. Dates to be announced later.

Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios has seen two major new lands open in the past two years. In 2020, it Mickey Mouse himself who is front and center with two new attractions featuring the Mouse himself.

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad debuts on March 4th. Hop on-board Goofy’s train with Mickey and Minnie as it careens through amazing twists and turns, laugh-out-loud site gags, and astounding visuals. Even more amazing, this is the very first Disney ride ever to feature Mickey Mouse himself!

Fans of Mickey will love to stop by Mickey and Minnie’s Shorts Theater. The Theater will feature cartoons starring Mickey and Minnie plus unique photo opportunities. The Theater is set to open in March 2020.

Disney Springs

Cirque du Soleil is (finally) premiering their new, exclusive production for Disney World. (La Nouba, Cirque du Soleil’s long-running production went dark at the end of 2017. Fans have been waiting for this new production for two long years.) Cirque du Soleil’s Drawn to Life follows a young girl who finds one last story form her animator father. She is drawn into a magical world of Disney-based animation and the mind-bending acts from Cirque du Soleil. Drawn to Life opens at the Cirque du Soleil Big Top in the West End of Disney Springs on March 20th.

Magic Kingdom

There are no major additions to Magic Kingdom this year. We expect some new shows and entertainment as the year progresses. There are two areas of construction. The entrance to the Magic Kingdom is still in the middle of changes with new entrance and security procedures. Tomorrowland is being updated with new theming before the launch of the new Tron attraction in 2021.

Animal Kingdom

Otter Grotto is open in Animal Kingdom. Anyone who has ever seen otters know how adorable they are. Watch them play in under water and above the water viewing areas.

Kevin, the full-plumed bird from Pixar’s Up, is walking around Animal Kingdom. This crowd-pleaser often has large crowds around her.