WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT DISNEY IN 2022
What do you need to know about Disney in 2022 for a successful visit?
A question we get every day is: Is Disney Worth It Right Now? Only you can decide that for your family but let us help paint the picture of what to expect in 2022 to make it easier for you. When words and phrases like “pandemic” and “social distancing” began to be a part of our everyday vocabulary, most of us didn’t expect things to go on for this long. But, they have. A new year has dawned and operations are still not fully back to pre-March 2020. It. Has. Been. Two. Years!
Should you postpone your Disney vacation until after Covid is no longer a threat? Or should you arm yourself with info and go with precautions? That’s a highly personal choice. Disney right now isn’t going to be exactly the same as Disney 2 years ago or 2 years from now. But is it still magical? We think so! Main Street U.S.A. is still Main Street U.S.A. The magic of Pandora and Splash Mountain and all of (well…most of) our favorites are still going strong. Read on for some of the biggest differences for the most magical place on Earth in 2022 and decide if it is right for you— then call us to help with the rest!
#1 - Get ready to learn all about Genie and Genie+
Whether you choose to purchase the new paid version of what used to be FastPass+ or not, you will likely use Disney Genie (or its paid counterpart, Genie+) on your next Disney World vacation. While these services launched in 2021, if you haven’t been to the parks since, then 2022 will be your first experience with these new programs.
Disney Genie is a free tool built into My Disney Experience, available to all guests. It provides customized itineraries based on real-time data as well as your personal preferences. You can take a look at current and projected wait times, dining reservation availability, and much more! Genie+ is a paid add-on that costs $15 per guest, per day. Genie+ gives its users access to booking return times for a ride’s Lightning Lane (formerly known as the FastPass lane). If you want an expedited wait for your favorite Disney World attraction, it will no longer come for free.
On top of the rides included with the purchase of Genie+, there are a select number of high-demand attractions. Disney calls them Individual Attraction Selections (IAS), but we like to call them “fancy rides,” These special attractions require a SEPARATE fee in order to book a return time for their Lightning Lane. Check out our video on what we learned using Genie+. There’s a LOT to digest if you’re unfamiliar with Genie+ which is why you have the experts in your pocket!
#2 - Disney Theme Park Reservations
Ah, the good old days when you could wake up and decide which park you wanted to visit that day. EPCOT and the World Showcase by day and Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Star Wars after dinner? While that would have been entirely doable with a park hopper ticket pre-2020, that plan doesn’t work in 2022. The reservations system to get into the park is one of the first post-Covid Disney World changes to roll out and it’s one that guests have mostly liked since it’s (so far) resulted in thinner crowds at the parks. We don’t expect them to drop this anytime soon so you’ll need park reservations for your Disney World 2022 vacation. In order to get into one of the parks you’ll need both a valid park admission ticket and a Disney park pass reservation. As of January 2021, park hopping is back but you will still need to make a park reservation So planning is a must. It will be much more of a production to move from one park to another. Park hopper hours begin at 2 p.m. and last until that park closes. As with all ticket and reservation related things, refer to your My Disney Experience App.
And, because it bears repeating: Guests must have both a ticket and a reservation. What? Yep. As soon as you buy your tickets book your park reservations. Immediately. Do not wait. Parks have filled up during the busy holiday season and popular weekends during the Disney World 50th Anniversary Celebration. This is probably the most important thing to know about Disney right now. You're welcome!
#3 - No Disney Dining Plans + Changes to Advance Dining Reservations
Disney Dining Plans are still on hold for Disney World 2022 visitors. However, we are hoping to see dining plans return later in 2022. We’ve noticed that even newer signage includes dining plan verbiage, spelling out what a snack is so we’re hopeful. Character Dining is made a socially distanced comeback. Characters no longer visit your table for hugs and autographs. There will be a character procession or socially distanced interaction. Guests will be reminded to stay at their tables while this happens. You’ll get an opportunity to get pictures with your favorite Disney friends from a safe distance.
Available character dining at time of publication:
Topolino’s Terrace, Disney’s Riviera Resort
Garden Grill, EPCOT
Chef Mickey’s, Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Hollywood & Vine, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Artists Point, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
While not historically considered character dining, Be Our Guest (Magic Kingdom) is open and the Beast is regularly making socially distanced appearances in his castle during meals. In addition, character dining is still unavailable at Cinderella’s Royal Table with Cinderella making more of a Be Our Guest style pass through during meals versus the full character experience. You can (and should) book dining reservations if you plan to eat at any table service restaurants. The current booking window is 60 days out, down from the 180 days it has been in the past. Disney’s goal is to allow people to make reservations closer to their actual travel dates.
#4 - No Extra Magic Hours – Early Entry Instead
Extra Magic Hours – a perk available to people who stay “on property” at a Disney hotel – was discontinued shortly after the reopening after the pandemic. Unfortunately, Disney has announced that they will not be returning. There are now two options available to some resort guests. Extra Magic Hours used to give resort guests access to one of the four parks each day, either before or after regular park opening hours. There was a published schedule that dictated which park had Extra Magic Hours on which day. This was pretty easy to plan around. Early Entry is 30 minute early access versus an hour. Guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel will be able to use Early Entry at any park on any day. More flexibility, less time. In addition, Extended Evening Evening Theme Park hours have been added. At this time these two hour time blocks are only available at EPCOT and Magic Kingdom on designated Mondays and Wednesdays. The biggest change is that these hours are only for deluxe resort guests and select other guests. It’s definitely something to consider when looking at resort levels at Walt Disney World.
#5 - Long-term temporary closures and refurbishments
Some of the biggest changes coming to Disney World in 2022 appear at first glance to be the more “mundane” changes: temporary closures and refurbishments. While there are plenty of exciting new offerings on the horizon like Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, we also wanted to make sure we cover some of the other changes that don’t sound nearly as thrilling, but are just as important and can still have a big impact on your vacation.
If your “must-do” Disney World list always includes Expedition Everest, then you may want to rethink your 2022 travel dates before booking. The popular “E-ticket” ride in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is set to undergo major refurbishments from January 4th through mid-April of 2022. This will last over three months and will span over the spring break season, so keep that in mind before booking your trip!
#6 - Waiting in Line – What to Expect Right Now
Disney World is currently operating at reduced capacity. Without getting into the math of it or a discussion of capacity versus average attendance, the park does feel relatively “normal” in terms of crowds right now. Walking onto Main Street U.S.A. and Hollywood Boulevard early in the morning felt pretty crowded. The wait times and population density – in my opinion seems about average. Disney Genie Service launched in fall of 2021. This service is both a planning tool and the Fastpass+ replacement. You can view wait times and see recommendations for the best times to ride using Genie. Several of our writers have utilized it and report that especially at Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios you can save time.
Wait times can be found on the My Disney Experience App and are also posted at the regular entrance to the attraction. For the most part, these posted wait times are accurate, although we did get through the line and the ride at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in less than 10 minutes versus the posted 40. That might have just been some good luck. In general, expect the wait to be about what is posted.
So are you ready? Is Disney right for you in 2022? If so, give us a call so we can help you plan! If not, we will be here next year with more tips and information for Disney in 2023 with hopes of a maskless experience!
