9 Important Disney World News Drops You Missed

May is already over? What?! How is 2022 going by so fast?

A lot of things happened at Disney World in May, but we’ve narrowed it down to a list of the BIGGEST and most important things that you need to know about. Let’s jump right in.

1 — Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Officially Opened

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind officially opened on May 27th in EPCOT! This ride does not currently have a standby line but instead utilizes a virtual queue, or you can opt for the paid Lightning Lane. This new roller coaster is one of the longest indoor coasters ever.

With the construction walls down and the ride fully open, you can now hang out in the Xandar pavilion and take photos with the Nova Corps Starblaster! You can read our spoiler-free review of Cosmic Rewind here.

Or if you’re ALL about the spoilers, click here. And click here to see our full thoughts on this ride when it comes to motion sickness.

Read all about our experience from the opening day of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind!

2 — Accidental MagicBand+ Release

On May 1st, the MagicBand+ (an upcoming new version of the MagicBand) was accidentally released early in Disney Springs. We were able to get one but it’s not fully functional at all spots just yet since the MagicBand+ hasn’t been officially released. Still, it has been interesting to see it in person and see its limited available effects.

It comes with a USB charging cord and it will be able to interact with certain things around Disney World with features like haptics, gesture recognition, lights, and more. It’s currently set to be released sometime this summer!

Reopenings Announced

3 — Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, the source of many tiny human princess makeovers, has been closed since 2020, but this month Disney announced that it will be reopening in 2022!

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique has historically been a reservation-based experience with a variety of packages for kiddos who want to get a princess makeover. Disney hasn’t shared an exact opening date yet, but we’ll be watching closely so that you’ll know when you can snag a reservation!

4 — Harmony Barber Shop

Did you know that you can get a haircut in Magic Kingdom? The Harmony Barber Shop is a unique hair salon located on Main Street, U.S.A. where guests can seek out adult and child haircuts, as well as the special “My First Haircut” experience for toddlers.

This salon has been closed since 2020, but in May Disney announced that it will be reopening on July 31st, with reservations opening on June 28th! You can book your reservation in the My Disney Experience app or you can take your chances with a walk-in appointment!

Check out the Harmony Barber Shop reopening news here.

5 — Fantasmic! Updates

Last year, Disney announced that the popular nighttime show, Fantasmic!, would be returning to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2022 with some changes, and in May we learned a little more about what will be changing in the show!

Fantasmic! will return with a new show sequence that features characters such as Pocahontas, Aladdin, Moana, Elsa, and Mulan, along with new technical enhancements. The Pocahontas scene will get a big change with Frozen 2 characters when the show returns.

Plus, Disney has announced that Fantasmic! will come back “later in 2022.” Not an exact date yet, but a little bit more detail than before!

With Fantasmic! already known for its extensive sets and special effects, we can’t wait to see what else is up Disney’s sleeve.

6 — Genie+ Changes

May also brought us some big Genie+ changes. First, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure got temporarily added to standard Genie+. The ride had previously been available through the pay-per-ride service. As of May 31st, however, the ride is temporarily available through the standard Genie+ service (not as a separate ride you need to pay individually for). This change will last until August 7th, 2022.

This month also brought us big news about the upcoming removal of the option to purchase Genie+ in advance.

Those with multi-day tickets or a vacation package have been able to purchase Genie+ in advance as an add-on, but as of June 8th, 2022, this policy is changing.

In May, Disney announced that starting June 8th, the only way to purchase Genie+ will be through My Disney Experience on a daily basis. You can purchase Genie+ as of midnight on each date of your visit, and you can start booking standard Genie+ Lightning Lanes at 7AM.

Learn more about this change to Genie+ here.

7 — Early Theme Park Entry Extended

In May, Disney also announced that Early Theme Park Entry would be extended through 2023. This perk is available to guests staying in participating Disney World hotels, and it allows qualifying guests to enter any of the four Disney World parks 30 minutes before official park opening time any day.

Unlike the Extra Magic Hours of the past, Early Entry is available every day at all four Disney World parks. Qualifying Disney hotel guests do need valid admission and a park reservation to enter the park, but it can be a great early start to your day.

Click here to learn more about Early Theme Park Entry extended here.

8 — 2023 Vacation Packages

In great booking news, in May Disney announced that Disney World bookings for theme park tickets, hotel stays, and vacation packages for 2023 will become available on June 8th.

Additionally, UK and Ireland residents have the opportunity for HUGE savings on a Disney World visit in 2023. The “Magic is Yours” Package package provides residents with up to $1,200 as a dining and merchandise credit, a 14-day ticket for the price of a 7-day ticket (including Memory Maker), and $200 in Disney spending money.

This offer applies to visits scheduled between January 1st and March 25th, 2023 and April 17th to December 17th, 2023. You have to book your trip by July 27th, 2022 in order to get this package deal!

9 — EPCOT Updates

Finally, we got some BIG news out of EPCOT in May. Disney revealed some details about a new character meet-and-greet coming to EPCOT, new concept art for the Moana attraction coming to the park…

…and more details about World Celebration will look like once it’s all complete. The World Celebration updates included news about 2 NEW spots — CommuniCore Hall and CommuniCore Plaza — which will be home to many festival events!

And we also got to see some concept art about a garden space coming to World Celebration that’ll change with the festival programs throughout the year.