Full List of Open Attractions & Entertainment with Disney World Reopening

What everyone wants to know is: “What rides and attractions are open in Disney World now that the parks have opened back up?”

We’ve now had some time to visit the parks since reopening, and this list will give you some insight into what we can expect to experience when you visit Walt Disney World. In this post, we have the Full List of Disney World Attractions, Entertainment, and Shopping that are currently open and what’s missing still…

Make sure to read our Walt Disney World Reopening Guide for more info on everything else you need to know before visiting.

Before we get started, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. There we bring you the latest Disney World Entertainment updates as well as vacation planning tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!

(UPDATE) Fantasmic! Returning to Hollywood Studios in November

We’ve been patiently waiting for over 2 years to see Fantasmic! in Disney World once again, and finally Disney has let us know when that is going to be, sort of.

Today on its social media channels Disney announced that Fantasmic! is returning to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in November 2022.

This is great news for a park that is sorely missing nighttime entertainment and it will be great to have a reason to stay after dark there once again. We saw fireworks return to Disney World last year, but Fantasmic! has been mysteriously missing from the lineup of nighttime spectaculars since 2020.

The only thing we still don’t have is an exact returning date. Disney announced November 2022, but we still don’t know when in November it will be.

If you haven’t seen the show before, Fantasmic! is a nighttime spectacular at Disney’s Hollywood Studios held in the theater off Sunset Blvd. It features Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters in a battle against good and evil with plenty of pyrotechnics, projections, and water effects to show off.

When it returns it will also have a new sequence featuring Moana, Aladdin, and Frozen. No more details have been given at this time as to what will happen during that sequence but we can’t wait to find out!

Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks including an exact reopening date.

New Shows and Festival of Fantasy Parade Returning to Walt Disney World

We’ve had a lot of good news about entertainment returning to the Disney World theme parks recently, and now even more is coming back!

The Disney Parks Blog filled us in with some of the details including the “Festival of Fantasy” parade and “Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire” both returning after being gone for almost 2 years. They also announced the brand new “Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade!” to the Magic Kingdom.

Let’s take a look at each of them…

“Festival of Fantasy” Parade

The news we are most excited about is the “Festival of Fantasy” parade finally returning to Disney’s Magic Kingdom after its long hiatus. It will debut on March 9, 2022.

Festival of Fantasy is a popular daytime parade that debuted in 2014. It rolls through the Magic Kingdom daily and features some of your favorite characters from Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, Tangled, each either walking alongside or standing on one of the enchanting floats.

And don’t worry, Maleficent is also coming back! Our favorite part of the parade is of course the steampunk-inspired, fire-breathing dragon Maleficent. She stands 26 feet tall and 35 feet long and Festival of Fantasy wouldn’t be the same without her!

Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade!

There is a brand-new character cavalcade coming to Disney’s Magic Kingdom next month. “Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade!” will debut on February 11, 2022, and feature nearly 30 of your favorite Disney and Pixar friends.

Some of the characters include:

• Nick and Judy from “Zootopia”
• Baloo and King Louie from “The Jungle Book”
• José Carioca and Panchito from “The Three Caballeros”
• Merida
• Moana
• The Incredibles
• Miguel from “Coco” in his mariachi best.
• and more…

Up to this point, all parades at Walt Disney have been replaced by new Character Cavalcades, which at one time or another have been in all 4 Disney World theme parks. We are happy to see that even with Festival of Fantasy coming back, Disney continues to add more character cavalcades to the mix.

It looks like they are sticking around for the long haul.

Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire

Disney also announced a new castle stage show coming to the Magic Kingdom: “Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire.”  It’s actually an updated version of the old show “Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire.”

It will incorporate favorite scenes inspired by “Frozen,” “Tangled,” and “The Princess and the Frog,” plus a new opening and a new finale with Mickey Mouse and all his friends who are wearing their sparkling, EARidescent outfits.

The show will be presented multiple times a day, and also include an all-new, original song entitled “Where the Magic Feels Like Home.”

“Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire” debuts on the Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage on February 25, 2022.

All of these returning entertainment options is great news as they are considered classics among Disney World guests that have been dearly missed over the past 2 years. We are also excited to see the new shows debuting this year.

Stay tuned for the opening dates for all these new entertainment options as soon as we have them, and read on for other Disney World entertainment that has made its way back to the parks already.

Voices of Liberty Returning to American Adventure Rotunda

It seems like every week we are hearing about more and more entertainment options returning to Disney World, and it’s nice when we see things starting to return to normal.

This week we found out that the acapella group “Voices of Liberty” are returning to the rotunda in the American Adventure pavilion in EPCOT’s World Showcase. The Voices of Liberty have been performing at the American Gardens Theater since November 2020, but now they are returning to their home in the rotunda, where they have been performing since 1982!

The group is returning to the rotunda starting Sunday, January 9, 2022.

The Voices of Liberty originally moved to the American Gardens Theater because the rotunda was not accommodating for social distancing. Since that is no longer being enforced at Disney World, it makes sense for them to move back to their home.

The announcement was made public on an Instagram post from Kelly Morris Rowan, one of the performers in the group. She said: “On this Sunday, January 9th…#VoicesofLiberty will be returning home. Come see us in the ROTUNDA!!! First set is at noon!”

Since their move to the American Gardens Theater, the group has been performing songs from the Disney songbook, but now that they are returning to the rotunda, we expect them to perform the usual patriotic songs they have always done.

Recently Returned Entertainment & Shows at Disney World

You probably have already heard of the dozens of Disney World shows and entertainment that were canceled over the last year+ or put on hold for a future date. In fact, the lack of entertainment options has been our number one complaint with our recent trips to the most magical place on earth.

Thankfully, in recent months that has been changing and many favorite shows have been returning. Now Disney has announced that the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular is coming back, among other popular acts this Fall!

Let’s check out the details…

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) – Perhaps my favorite show in all of Walt Disney World is making a return to Hollywood Studios on December 19, 2021.

Everything you love about the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular is back including Indiana Jones and Marion battling the bad guys in this action-packed, behind-the-scenes look at movie magic.

Even the audience participation is returning to the show and you can still participate as one of the extras.

This is a huge crowd-eater and it will do wonders when the crowds pick up more. It also makes a day in Hollywood Studios a bit more full now by adding another long show.

EPCOT Street Entertainment (EPCOT) – World Showcase just hasn’t felt the same without all the beloved street performers in all the countries. However, since October 1, 3 acts have returned to amaze guests once again.

Matsuriza is back in the Japan pavilion and they are beating those drums like never before. The live musical group Alberta Bound is back in Canada, and Sergio the mime is also performing in the Italy pavilion.

It certainly makes a difference and just adding some of the smaller entertainment options already is making EPCOT feel much more normal.

Chakranadi, Kora Tinga Tinga, and Tam Tam Drummers (Disney’s Animal Kingdom) – Chakranadi and Kora Tinga Tinga are making their way back to the streets of Africa in Harambe Village starting next week. The Tam Tam Drummers will be back starting in November.

Let the Magic Begin (Disney’s Magic Kingdom) – This show started again on October 1 and takes place in front of Cinderella Castle daily. The Magic Kingdom had been without an opening show since the closure in 2020 so it’s nice to have one back. It begins 5 minutes before the official park opening time that day.

Yeehaw Bob (Disney’s Port Orleans Resort) – The comical and talented Yewhaw Bob will be back at the River Roost Lounge at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort starting October 14.

“Disney Movie Magic” (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) – This cinematic nighttime experience is coming back to Disney’s Hollywood Studios starting November 7, 2021. When this projection show resumes it will feature a new sequence from Disney’s “Mulan.”

Earlier this year we got back some of our favorite Disney World shows like ‘Festival of the Lion King’ at the Animal Kingdom and the nighttime fireworks shows ‘Happily Ever After’ and ‘EPCOT’ Forever at the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, which have now become Disney Enchantment and Disney Harmonious.

Over the summer, Disney brought back some of the other long-missed entertainment options too. Here are the details:

Wonderful World of Animation (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) – This is the first nighttime spectacular to come back to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It is returning August 1 with projection mapping technology that transforms the park’s iconic Chinese Theater and takes guests on a journey through more than 90 years of Disney animation.

Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor (Disney’s Magic Kingdom) – Opened August 8, this classic attraction in Tomorrowland reunites guests with the monsters of comedy in Monstropolis including the one and only Mike Wazowski.

Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) – Opened August 15, Beauty and the Beast returned to the stage at the Theater of the Stars on Sunset Boulevard. The show is the same as before and features your favorite scenes and music from the film.

Turtle Talk with Crush (EPCOT) – This kid-favorite show featuring Crush from ‘Finding Nemo’ returned starting August 21.

All of these shows are a huge boost to the parks and it means that we are another step closer to having a full slate of entertainment in the parks once again.

Stay tuned as we will keep you updated as more shows come back to Walt Disney World.

(NEWS) Pre Shows Return to Disney World Attractions

Over the last few months, more and more experiences have returned to Walt Disney World, and now we have even more great news to share with you as pre-shows have returned to some of the most popular attractions.

Here is a list of the pre-shows that have returned as of this writing:

• Dinosaur (Animal Kingdom) – Previously the room with the movie explaining your mission was empty and you walked through. Now the pre-show film has returned and you get the usual film with Dr. Marsh and Dr. Seeker.
• Avatar Flight of Passage (Animal Kingdom) – The decontamination room is back and guests are scanned as usual during the pre-show.
• Haunted Mansion (Magic Kingdom) – The “Stretching Room” is back as one of the best effects in Disney imagineering.
• Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway (Hollywood Studios) – The cute Mickey & Minnie short before the last section of the queue is back as well as the explosion effect in the wall.
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (Hollywood Studios) – Areosmith is back in the pre-show and you now have free back stage tickets to the show!
• Test Track (EPCOT) – The design station are is now open again so have fun building your dream car.
• Tower of Terror (Hollywood Studios) – This pre-show with Rod Sterling is one of the most timeless in any Disney World ride and really gets riders scarred before plummeting 13 stories.

When the Disney World theme parks reopened most of the attractions came back without their respective pre-show areas. At that time Disney was enforcing a strict 6-foot physical distancing guideline and it was just not possible to fit people safely into those thighs spaces.

However, since the CDC recommendations have changed and Disney has essentially eliminated physical distancing in the parks, there is no reason to keep the pre-shows empty.

This is obviously a huge positive for the attractions as the pre-show areas are extremely important in setting the stage for the story of what you are about to experience next. The Tower of Terror and The Haunted Mansion are great rides, but you aren’t pulled into the story nearly as much without going through the full experience in the pre-show room first.

We’ll continue to update you as more pre-shows reopening in rides across Walt Disney World. Stay tuned for more soon.

List of Open Disney World Attractions, Entertainment, and Shopping

REMEMBER: This list of attractions can change as the reopening moves ahead. Some missing attractions will eventually be added, but some might get removed too. So far this is the official list.

Magic Kingdom

Disney’s Magic Kingdom Reopened July 11, 2020.

Attractions 

• “it’s a small world”
• Astro Orbiter
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station
• Country Bear Jamboree
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Enchanted Tales with Belle (Returning February 19, 2023)
• Jungle Cruise
• Mad Tea Party
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
• Liberty Square Riverboat
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom
• Space Mountain
• Splash Mountain
• Swiss Family Treehouse
• The Barnstormer
• The Hall of Presidents
• The Haunted Mansion
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover
• Tom Sawyer Island
• Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
• Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
• Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

Entertainment

• Main Street Philharmonic
• Character Cavalcades throughout the day, with Guest-favorite Disney friends appearing along the parade route—which will include:
  • The Royal Princess Processional
  • Mickey & Friends 50th Cavalcade
  • Fantasyland Friends Cavalcade
  • A Goofy Cavalcade
  • Tinker Bell & the Lost Treasure
  • Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade
• Disney Enchantment (Closing April 3, 2023)
• Festival of Fantasy Parade
• Happily Ever After (Returning April 4, 2023)
• Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire
• The Dapper Dans
• Let the Magic Begin

Shopping

• Arribas Brothers
• Baby Care
• Big Al’s
• Box Office Gifts
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin Photos
• Crystal Arts
• Emporium
• Fantasy Faire
• Hundred Acre Goods
• Island Supply by Sunglass Hut
• Main Street Confectionery
• Memento Mori
• Mickey’s Star Traders
• Plaza del Sol Caribe Bazaar
• Rubio Arts
• Sir Mickey’s
• Splashdown Photos
• Strollers & Wheelchairs
• The Chapeau
• Tomorrowland Light & Power Co.
• TTC Cart / Wheelchairs
• Uptown Jewelers & Cinema
• Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe

What’s Missing?

Attractions

• Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade
• Main Street Vehicles

Entertainment

• Move It! Shake It! MousekeDance It! Street Party

The majority of attractions are open in the Magic Kingdom with Enchanted Tales with Belle being the biggest one remaining closed at this time.

It’s sad to see Happily Ever After discontinued, and we are still taking some time to see how much Disney Enchantment grows on us. At least fireworks at the Magic Kingdom are back. It just didn’t feel right without them.

Character Cavalcades however are present throughout the day and give guests a great opportunity to still see their favorite characters, even if it’s not in the traditional way they are used to.

More Reading: Best Magic Kingdom Rides & Attractions Guide

Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Reopened July 11, 2020.

Attractions

• Affection Section
• Avatar Flight of Passage
• DINOSAUR
• Discovery Island Trails
• Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
• Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond!
• Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
• It’s Tough to be a Bug!
• Kali River Rapids
• Kilimanjaro Safaris
• Maharajah Trail
• Na’vi River Journey
• The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
• The Boneyard
• The Oasis Exhibits
• TriceraTop Spin
• Wilderness Explorers
• Wildlife Express

Entertainment

• Animal Encounters: Winged Encounters – The Kingdom Takes Flight
• Character Cruises throughout the day, with Guest-favorite Disney friends appearing in boats around Discovery River—including the following:
  • Discovery River Character Cruise
  • Discovery Island Drummers
  • Donald’s Dino Boat Bash!
  • Mickey & Friends Flotilla
• Festival of the Lion King
• Feathered Friends in Flight
• Disney KiteTales (Debuted October 1)
• Street Entertainment
  • Chakranadi
  • Kora Tinga Tinga
  • Tam Tam Drummers (Returning in November)

Shopping

• Africa Hub Cart
• African Heritage Wood Carving
• Baby Care
• Chester and Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures
• Discovery Trading Company
• Garden Gate Gifts & Strollers
• Kilimanjaro Safari Cart
• Mandala Gifts
• Mombasa Marketplace
• Out Of The Wild
• Serka Zong Bazaar
• The Dino Institute Shop
• Windtraders

What’s Missing?

Attractions

• Primeval Whirl (Permanently Closed)

Entertainment

• Pandora Drummers
• Pandora Rangers
• Rivers of Light: We Are One (Permanently Closed)
• Tree of Life Awakenings
• UP! A Great Bird Adventure

Not too many surprises at the Animal Kingdom. With Festival of the Lion King now back we are still waiting for Finding Nemo – The Musical to return, though we have to wait until 2022 when a new Finding Nemo show will debut.

While nighttime entertainment has come back to the other parks, not much is going on at the Animal Kingdom. “Rivers of Life: We Are One” has been shelved permanently and we are still waiting for the Tree of Life Awakenings.

• More Reading: Best Animal Kingdom Rides & Attractions Guide

EPCOT

EPCOT Reopened July 15, 2020.

Attractions

• Advanced Training Lab
• Awesome Planet
• Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along
• Bruce’s Shark World
• Canada Far and Wide
• Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
• Friendship Lagoon Boats
• Frozen Ever After
• Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
• Impressions de France
• Journey Into Imagination with Figment
• Kidcot (modified)
• Living with the Land
• Mission: SPACE
• Project Tomorrow: Inventing the Wonders of the Future
• Reflections of China
• Soarin’ Around the World
• Spaceship Earth
• Test Track
• The American Adventure
• The Seas with Nemo & Friends
• Turtle Talk with Crush
• Walt Disney Imagineering presents the Epcot Experience

Entertainment

• America Gardens Theatre Presents… featuring popular EPCOT performers such as:
  • JAMMitors
  • Mariachi Cobre
• Character Cavalcades throughout the day, featuring favorite Disney friends traveling around World Showcase promenade—including:
  • Frozen Promenade
  • Mickey & Friends World Tour
  • Princess Promenade
• EPCOT Forever (Closed September 28)
• Disney Harmonious (Debuted October 1)
• Voices of Liberty
• World Showcase Street Entertainment
  • Sergio Italian Mime (Italy)
  • Matsuriza (Japan)
  • Alberta Bound (Canada)

Shops

• African Heritage
• Arribas Brothers
• Art of Disney
• Baby Care
• Canada Cart
• China Kiosk
• Disney Traders
• Galerie Des Halles
• Gateway Gifts
• Glas Und Porcellan
• ImageWorks
• Karamell Kuche
• La Bottega Italiana
• Mexico Indoor Plaza
• Mission: SPACE Cargo
• Mitsukoshi
• Mouse Gear Temporary Location
• Pin Traders – Camera Center
• Port of Entry
• Puffin’s Roost
• Sea Base Alpha Gift Shop
• Strollers & Wheelchairs
• Tea Caddy
• Test Track Simporium
• Wood Carver
• World Traveler

What’s Missing?

Attractions

• Nothing

Entertainment

• Many of the popular EPCOT performers throughout World Showcase

Again, all the big E-Ticket attractions in EPCOT have reopened. Most of the shows are now back but World Showcase is sure missing a lot of the incredible performers that are usually stationed along the promenade.

• More Reading: Check out our Best EPCOT Rides Guide for a more detailed look at all the attractions in the park, which ones are must-do and which ones to skip.

Hollywood Studios

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Reopened July 15, 2020.

Attractions

• Alien Swirling Saucers
• Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Muppet*Vision 3D
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
• Slinky Dog Dash
• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
• Star Wars Launch Bay
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™
• Toy Story Mania!
• Vacation Fun (at Mickey Shorts Theater)
• Walt Disney Presents

Entertainment

• Character Cavalcades throughout the day, with favorite Disney friends appearing along Hollywood Boulevard—including:
  • Disney Junior Stars Motorcade
  • Mickey & Friends Motorcade
  • Pixar Motorcade
• Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage
• Disney Junior Play and Dance
• Disney Movie Magic
• For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
• Indiana Jones Stunt Show
• Wonderful World of Animation

Shopping

• Celebrity 5 & 10
• Crossroads of the World
• Dok Ondar’s Den of Antiquities
• Droid Depot Experience
• Droid Depot Store
• Fantasmic! (Returning November 2022)
• In Character
• Legends of Hollywood
• Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
• Mickey’s Of Hollywood
• Movieland Memorabilia
• Once Upon A Time
• Sid Cahuenga’s One-of-a-Kind
• Rock Around The Shop
• Rubio Arts
• Savi’s Workshop – Build Your Own Lightsaber
• Strollers & Wheelchairs
• Tatooine Traders
• The Market
• Tower Hotel Gifts
• Toy Story Mania Shop

What’s Missing?

Attractions

• Nothing

Entertainment

• Citizens of Hollywood
• Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple
• Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid

Of all the parks, Hollywood Studios has been hit the hardest with closed attractions and entertainment. Recently, however, Hollywood Studios has brought back some of its big crowd-eaters in Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage and Indiana Jones. Voyage of the Little Mermaid is still missing, but much progress has been made.

For a while, we were wondering why the Mickey Shorts Theater, Walt Disney Presents, and MuppetVision could all be open, but the rest of the indoor shows couldn’t. In the end, we realized that Disney was first bringing back the shows with a minimal amount of entertainers to keep costs down.

Unfortunately, even before the closure the Studios had big problems with capacity and not having enough attractions to eat the giant crowds that came for Rise of the Resistance. Judging by how quickly Hollywood Studios park reservations are selling out, that is going to still be an issue for a while.

Hollywood Studios is extremely top-heavy right now and has the best E-Ticket attractions in Disney World, but not much else. Until the park adds more new attractions and shows, Hollywood Studios will continue to be problematic moving forward.

• More Reading: Our Best Hollywood Studios Rides Guide shows a more detailed look at all the attractions in the park, which ones are must-do and which ones to skip.

Summary

Overall I’d say the 4 parks have a pretty good lineup of attractions with all the BIG ones already open. Entertainment is obviously getting better with fireworks now back and more shows opening every month.

While we are sad not to have the normal character meets or parades in the parks at this time, to make up for it, look for the various Character Cavalcades that make their way through the parks, giving guests a chance to greet the Disney characters from a safe distance. Distanced character meets are also coming which will fill a big hole for guests.

Before going back to the parks we highly recommend reading our Guide to Genie+ at Disney World for a better understanding of how Lightning Lanes work and will affect your trip.

Stay tuned for more changes to the Disney World reopening attractions and entertainment list.

If you want the latest Disney World Reopening Updates don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about the list of Disney World attractions reopening with the parks…

• Which attraction are you most looking forward to riding?
• What is missing from the list you are most upset about?

Let us know in the comments section below!

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