Happy New Year and Happy Vacation Planning


Here's 18 New Experiences and Events to Plan for at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and the Disney Cruise Line in 2018:

18-Disney After Hours Event Nights Return to Magic Kingdom Park in 2018


Disney After Hours event nights will return to Magic Kingdom Park on January 19, 26, and 30, February 8 and 15, March 1 and 8. This separately ticketed event takes place after the park closes and is only open to a limited number of guests (which means much shorter lines) at 25 attractions and experiences.

17-Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival Expands to 6 Weeks in 2018


Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival will return March 2 through April 12, 2018, bringing delicious cuisine, specialty beverages and exciting entertainment to Disneyland Resort guests for its third season. The culinary festival will expand to six weeks, with more days for guests to enjoy the flavors of the Golden State. More than a dozen Festival Marketplaces will feature California-inspired tastes and sips. Guests will experience presentations and demonstrations with celebrity chefs such as Robert Irvine and Alex Guarnaschelli; food and beverage tastings; winemaker dinners; beer, wine and spirit seminars – all in addition to live music, entertainment and special activities throughout the festival.

16-Disney Cruise Line Visits New Destinations in Summer and Fall 2018

Disney Cruise Line offers families a chance to see the world and explore magnificent destinations in 2018, including first-time visits to ports in Italy and Ireland during the summer and to Bermuda and Quebec City, Canada in the fall. Throughout the year, Disney Cruise Line will return to popular destinations in the Caribbean and Bahamas, Alaska, Europe, Canada and Mexican Riviera.

15-Disney Springs Will Welcome Eight New Dining Locations

A total of eight exciting dining locations will be open for business at Disney Springs in 2018. By year end, Guests will be able to choose to dine at The Edison, Maria & Enzo’s Ristorante, Enzo’s Hideaway, Pizza Ponte, Terralina Crafted Italian, Wine Bar George, Jaleo, and Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill.

14-Disney’s Animal Kingdom Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary

Walt Disney World’s theme park dedicated to celebrating life in the animal kingdom will mark a milestone 20th anniversary on Earth Day, April 22, this year. A replacement for Flights of Wonders has already been announced as part of the celebration, however; more elements are expected to commemorate this Wild milestone.

13-Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Enhancements Will Debut Summer 2018

Several areas of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort are currently undergoing enhancements, including a transformation for the resort’s existing lobby, an expansion of Centertown Market, and the addition of a new Caribbean-inspired restaurant and pool bar. Guests may expect to see the results of this re-imagining beginning this Summer.

12-Epcot’s International Festival of the Arts Expands for 2018 Run

Epcot’s art festival returns for a second year, with this year’s event offering seminars, workshops classes on drawing animation, photography and the art of making topiaries. Guests can also enjoy world-class cuisine at the food studios, or enjoy a Disney on Broadway series performance. This expanded festival will run daily January 12 - February 19, 2018.

11-ESPN Wide World of Sports To Expand

ESPN Wide World of Sports will open a new multi-use sports and entertainment venue in 2018. It will seat more than 8,000 guests and have the ability to host six regulation basketball courts, six regulation volleyball courts or concert configurations. For cheer and dance events, it will accommodate performance and warm-up space and include a flexible design for one large competition space that can be set up for as many as four competition areas. Additional areas can be tailored for warm-up and practice, along with areas for judges and officials. There will be concessions throughout the building, and additional box office and entry to the complex.

10-New Christmastime & Winter Holiday Season Events Will Return

Christmastime and Holiday Season events introduced in 2017 are scheduled to return in 2018. The Epcot International Festival of the Holidays and the Flurry of Fun celebration Disney’s Hollywood Studios are set to celebrate a second Christmas & Holiday Season.

9-New Experiences Coming to Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort in Early 2018

New dining and entertainment experiences are coming to Downtown Disney District very soon, including Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire by ILMxLAB and The VOID and Splitsville Luxury Lanes. D-Street will also be reimagined into a retail space that offers Disney fans a variety of Disney-themed home goods.

8-Pixar Fest Brings Celebration of Friendship Throughout Disneyland Resort

Beginning April 13, 2018, this limited-time celebration of friendship and beyond will feature the debut of an all-new “Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular” and the return of two favorite parades as well as even more beloved Pixar characters, new décor, atmosphere entertainment, themed food and beverage and new merchandise items.

7-Pixar Pier Will Debut Summer 2018


This summer will bring a transformed land for guests to experience at Disney California Adventure park when Pixar Pier opens along the southern shore of Paradise Bay, with newly themed attractions, foods and merchandise throughout. This new, permanent land in the area that is now Paradise Pier will introduce four new neighborhoods representing beloved Disney·Pixar stories: “The Incredibles,” “Toy Story,” “Inside Out” and a fourth neighborhood that will be a celebration of many of your favorite Pixar stories.

6-Rapunzel’s Royal Table Debuts on the Disney Magic in March 2018

Exciting new spaces and experiences designed for guests of all ages are coming to the Disney Magic cruise ship in March 2018, including an enchanting dining experience for families at Rapunzel’s Royal Table. The first table service restaurant themed to “Tangled” that features characters and live entertainment will transport guests to the kingdom of Corona for an evening of music and interactive fun.

5-Star Tours – The Adventures Continue Now Offers Two New Destinations

This attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios now takes passengers to two exciting new destinations: Crait, the site of an epic battle in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Batuu, the remote outpost guests will discover when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens at the park in 2019.

4-Star Wars Day at Sea and Marvel Day at Sea Return from January through April 2018

Epic adventures at sea return to Disney Cruise Line with special engagements of two popular events – Star Wars Day at Sea and Marvel Day at Sea. Spanning two Disney cruise ships, sailing across the Caribbean and Bahamas, these cruises bring Disney and fan-favorite fun to families and guests of all ages.

3-The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary

This year’s festival will run from February 28-May 28. The 90-day event brings with it a multitude of Disney character topiaries, tasty offerings at 15 Outdoor Kitchens, garden tours, the Garden Rocks music series, new kids’ activities, the Egg-Stravaganza scavenger hunt and much more.

2- Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire is Disney Springs Must-Do for Star Wars Fans in 2018

Located in Disney Springs, Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire transports guests deep into the Star Wars universe, allowing them to walk freely and untethered throughout a multisensory experience with friends and family. In groups of four, teams will go undercover as stormtroopers to capture Imperial intelligence vital to the budding rebellion’s survival.

1- Toy Story Land Opens in Summer 2018 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The stars of this expansion are two new attractions: Alien Swirling Saucers and the Slinky Dog Dash family coaster. Guests can already catch a glimpse of what’s in store inside the park’s Walt Disney Presents attraction, where they can view the model and some attraction vehicle maquettes.