Parade RETURN Date, Restaurants Reopen, and More Disney World News You Missed!

It has been a BUSY week in Disney World!

With new merchandise, dining changes, and returning entertainment, there was a lot to share, so it makes sense if you missed a few announcements here and there. That’s okay — to help you keep it all straight, we’re rounding up the biggest Disney World news of the week!

Restaurant Reservations

We learned recently that several Disney World restaurants are reopening soon, along with returned offerings at some that are already open. This week, dining reservations became available for all those special meals! You can now reserve your dining at Jiko, Flying Fish, and the Turf Club Bar & Grill. On top of that, make your arrangements to eat at Ale & Compass for breakfast and lunch, or head on over to Cape May Cafe to enjoy their buffet that’s returning soon.

Characters Came Back!

We’ve slowly seen the return of character meet-and-greets in Disney World, although they’re still modified for social distancing — no hugs or autographs just yet! This week, multiple characters returned to the parks or returned to old locations, and we’re thrilled to have them back. First of all, the fan-favorite bird Kevin is once again roaming Discovery Island in Animal Kingdom.

We also got the return of Joy and Vanellope von Schweetz in the Imagination Pavilion at EPCOT! There haven’t been meet-and-greets in here since the parks closed.

And finally, Donald Duck is back again at the Mexico Pavilion in EPCOT. He’s decked out in his Three Caballeros ‘fit, sombrero and all!

On top of that, four character sightings were added to Disney Genie+ this week. If you purchase Genie+ and don’t feel like waiting in lines to meet characters, make sure to check out those new Lightning Lane options!

New Addition at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

Over at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT, we’ve been watching the construction progress for quite some time. However, this week, the ride hit a very exciting milestone, as the Xandarian ship was installed out in front of the ride building.

The official title of the ship is the Nova Corps Starblaster Ship, and it was installed in a few separate pieces on multiple days this week. It’ll be an important fixture that creates a very specific ambiance for the building. We can’t wait to see everything completed!

Entertainment News

Quite a bit of Disney World entertainment news was announced recently, starting with the Festival of Fantasy parade. The beloved Magic Kingdom offering will be returning to the park on March 9th, and we can’t wait to enjoy it in all its glory. On top of that, it was announced that the Maleficent dragon float would be coming back as well.

We also learned that the new Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade — Disney’s largest cavalcade yet — will premiere at Magic Kingdom on February 11th. It will feature more characters than any other cavalcade, including Judy and Nick from Zootopia, Miguel from Coco, Moana, Merida, and so many others!

On top of that, we’re getting a reimagined castle stage show! Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire premieres on February 25th at the Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage. It will have a new opening scene and a new finale in honor of the 50th Anniversary.

And finally, the beloved Frontierland Hoedown is coming back as well! This pop-up show will start performances again in Magic Kingdom on February 11th.

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Details

And as we get closer to the opening of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel, we’ve received more details on our upcoming stay. Those traveling in the first few weeks can check out their individual itineraries in the Datapad on the Play Disney Parks App. We’ve got quite the schedule filled with activities for our 2-night voyage — we can’t wait to see what it’s like!

That’s all the most important news from this week! Stay tuned to AllEars for the latest updates from Disney World and beyond!

Click Here to Get More Details on the Star Wars Hotel!

When is your next visit to Disney World? Tell us in the comments!

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