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16
INTERVAL WORLD
n
Issue 2, 2019
intervalworld.comNEWS & NOTES
On Oct. 1, 1971,
Walt Disney World Resort
opened its gates for the first time,
forever changing Central Florida and ushering in a golden age of theme park–centric vacationing.
In celebration of its 50th anniversary in 2021, Disney World is set to unveil a bonanza of new
attractions, shows, restaurants, and more. Let the smiling commence!
Magic Kingdom Park
If you build it, they will come
—
and come they did! The park
that started it all is about to give you even more reasons to visit
The Most Magical Place on Earth:
Tron
Lightcycle Power Run
—
Based on the action-packed
Disney movie franchise, this sensory-bending thrill ride is the
most popular attraction in Shanghai Disneyland Park. We wager
it will be the same this side of the globe. (ETA: 2021)
Tomorrowland Makeover
—
Details are scarce, but what we
do
know is that the land of Space Mountain will be undergoing
a major transformation from the retro sci-fi style of its current
state into a futuristic fantasy just in time for the big celebration.
(ETA: ongoing)
Epcot
Disney World’s second park, Epcot (then Epcot Center),
opened on Oct. 1, 1982, and was a first-of-its-kind per-
manent World’s Fair of sorts. It is divided into two sections:
Future World, which contains the majority of rides, and World
Showcase, where guests can visit a selection of countries,
complete with authentic cuisines, entertainment, architecture,
and cast members representing the host nations. Here’s a look
at what’s coming:
Guardians of the Galaxy
Adventure
—
An indoor, high-tech
rollercoaster (said to be one of the world’s longest enclosed
coasters) based on the hit Marvel movie series will follow a
young Peter Quill’s visit to Epcot as a child, before he became
Star-Lord. (ETA: 2021)
Save Space for Dessert
—
An out-of-this-world experience
where you dine in the cosmos (galactic views included)! The
as-of-yet named restaurant is sure to be light years ahead of any
you’ve tried before. (ETA: late 2019/early 2020)
Make Way for Remy
—
A mouse may have built it all, but a rat
will keep them coming back for more.
Ratatouille
: The Adventure
debuted in Disneyland Paris (naturally) in 2014, and is now set to
duplicate its success in Epcot’s France Pavilion. (ETA: 2020)
Epcot Overhaul
—
Long the subject of rumors among Disney
insiders, the proposed Future World face-lift will see more green
spaces, water features, and an overall warmer aesthetic to this
section of the park. (ETA: ongoing)
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
In a ribbon-cutting race with Universal Studios Florida,
Disney-MGM Studios opened its gates on May 1, 1989,
as an ode to the heyday of filmmaking. The since-renamed
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will host what might very well be
the most anticipated addition in the history of Walt Disney
World (along with another first):
Star Wars
: Galaxy’s Edge
—
The force will be with everyone
who enters this new land, opening late August. Expect to be
Walt Disney World Turns 50
Tron
Lightcycle Power Run, Magic Kingdom Park