Breaking Disney News: Dining Plans Officially Coming Back, Park Pass Reservations for Dated Tickets Say Cya Later, and More

 Disney announced some very good news for Walt Disney World visitors today that beginning in 2024, the Dining Plan is coming back, park pass reservations for date-based tickets will be going away, good-to-go dates will be coming for Annual Passholders and Cast Members, extended park time will continue and even simplifying the ease of Genie+ by allowing for planning ahead of your trip.

Beginning January 9, 2024 guests visiting Walt Disney World who's reservations include date based tickets will no longer require Theme Park Reservations. Date-based tickets for reference are the standard tickets that guests purchase. For other admission types, including non-dated tickets, theme park reservations may be required to help Disney to continue managing attendance and delivering a great experience for everyone.

Also for reservations for January 9 or later guests may begin purchasing the Disney Dining Plan. The Dining Plan finally returns after being halted in July 2020 after the parks reopened during COVID. Packages for 2024 will open for purchase May 31. Guests will have the option to choose between the Quick Service Dining Plan and the regular Dining Plan. Pricing has not yet been released for the return of the Dining Plan.

For Annual Passholders and Cast Members, Disney is introducing good-to-go days. These select days will allows annual pass holders and cast members to enter the 4 parks without a reservation. Once introduced, good-to-go dates at the park will be rolled out on an ongoing basis. Good-to-go days will vary by park and  pass block out days as well as park capacity limitations will continue to apply. More details on good-to-go days will be released in the future.

Disney will continue to offer extended morning park hours at all four theme parks for guests staying at Walt Disney World Resorts in 2024. Extended evening hours will also continue to be available for Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villas guests for select days and select parks.

Finally, Disney will also begin offering the ease of planning your days with at the park ahead of your trips with Genie+. While a date of this rollout was not announced they do plan on releasing more details on this feature at a later date.

Magical Express Going Back to Picking Guests Up 3 Hours Before Flights

Back in November, Disney's Magical Express ahead of the busy holiday season began picking up guests 4 hours before their flights out of the Orlando International Airport instead of the usual 3 hours. This was due to heavy traffic in the airport security lines. Good news as now they will be returning to picking up guests 3 hours ahead of their flights home. 

This will begin on January 11 for Walt Disney World Resort guests. Good news as what guests call the 'Tragical Express' going home just got a little less tragical and a little more magical. This is according to Cast Members from Disney's Magical Express.

Milestone Celebrated for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge; First Look at Crait Plus a New Scene Coming to Star Tours

Milestone Celebrated for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios:

Just recently a big milestone was celebrated on construction of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Thousands of Cast Members got the chance to sign the support beam that will top out the land that will debut in 2019.

Look closely and you’ll see that cast members and Imagineers put their mark on theme park history by drawing artistic pictures and writing messages on the beam that’ll eventually be part of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – a 14-acre remote outpost that will transport guests to a galaxy far, far away.

Beam signings are part of a longtime construction tradition at Disney Parks. Recent updates on beam signings for expansions like Pandora – The World of Avatar, plus the Disneyland park site of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge were also celebrated by Cast Members. 

Stay tuned for even more updates and milestones on Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge construction in the coming months and year. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge will debut at Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2019.

Source: Disney Parks Blog

First Look at Crait Plus Another New Scene to Debut at Star Tours:

The new Crait scene from "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" will debut at Star Tours at Disney Parks beginning tomorrow November 17. The other day the Disney Parks Blog gave us a first look at the StarSpeeder scene on the planet of Crait.

They also snuck a teaser that Crait wasn't the only new Star Tours destination that will debut this week as they teased that there is another set to debut at Disney's Hollywood Studios and at Disneyland. 

Source: Disney Parks Blog