20 Reasons To Visit Walt Disney World In 2020

With the new year comes new magic and we have 20 reasons to visit Walt Disney World In 2020.  Walt Disney once said that as long as there is imagination left in the world, Disney will never be completed and 2020 sees us ushering in a new era with something for everyone in the family.

With so many new things on the horizon, it’s almost impossible to narrow it down to our top 20 reasons to visit Walt Disney World in 2020.  From attractions that take riders to a whole new immersive level to shows with entertainment like never before to just when you thought the eating experience couldn’t get any better, it does, here are our favorite 20 reasons to visit Walt Disney World In 2020 and beyond:

Star Wars: Rise Of The Resistance:

Never before have I have experienced anything quite like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. I had seen the pictures, watched some of the videos but nothing can prepare you for the most epic attraction ever created in this galaxy or any other-it is just that good. Created in a way never before imagined, the

Disney Imagineers have gone above and beyond and truly brought to life a ride never before imagined -out of this world scale and proportions. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is a massive attraction with multiple ride systems that is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced at Walt Disney World Resort… or anywhere else in the galaxy and it MUST BE EXPERIENCED as nothing can prepare you for it-it is just that good.

And yes IT IS WORTH GETTING UP AT 5:00 to get your coveted boarding group! For the whole inside scoop about this next level attraction, all of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and how to score those elusive boarding group spots, check out our recent information on Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

3 All-New On-Screen Experiences Now Open At Epcot

Several new on-screen experiences are now open and are waiting just for you:

“Awesome Planet” – This new 10-minute film in The Land pavilion offers a breathtaking look at Earth’s beauty and diversity through spectacular imagery, in-theater effects and an original score from Academy Award-winning® composer Steven Price.

“Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along” – Directed by Don Hahn, who produced the animated and live-action “Beauty and the Beast” films, this magical experience at the France pavilion invites guests to embrace a twist on a “tale as old as time.” Angela Lansbury, who played Mrs. Potts in the original film, narrates the new sing-along that runs in rotation with “Impressions de France,” just upgraded to 4K projection.

“Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360” – Canada pavilion’s original “O Canada!” is refreshed with dazzling new scenes, a new musical score by Canadian composer Andrew Lockington and insightful narration by award-winning actors Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy.

A New Era In Transportation Disney Skyliner NOW Boarding

The all-new Disney Skyliner is now open and is smooth sailing across the skies of Walt Disney World and is the best addition to the Walt Disney World transportation system to ever take flight. This Innovative gondola system transports guests in style from four Disney resort hotels to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This “most magical flight on Earth” connects Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios

to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and the new Disney’s Riviera Resort, a Disney Vacation Club resort that is now open. With approximately 300 vacation homes, including various accommodation types, Disney’s Riviera Resort is available for traditional hotel reservations as well as membership sales.

Disney Skyliner guests have a bird’s-eye views of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, including the Hollywood Tower Hotel. Approaches to Epcot are equally eye-catching, as the countries around World Showcase Lagoon come into view with iconic Spaceship Earth in the distance.

In addition to convenient theme park access, guests staying at Disney resort hotels accessible by Disney Skyliner now have quick-and-easy transportation to a world of other dining and entertainment options. These include all the fun of Disney’s BoardWalk entertainment district, access to Epcot through the International Gateway station, and restaurants and recreation found at the resort hotels serviced by Disney Skyliner.

Epcot International Festival of the Arts Now Through February 24

Now back for its 4th year, here’s your complete guide to the Epcot International Festival of the Arts which opened on January 17 at Epcot and runs through February 24.

The now annual event  The event features visiting artists, an array of foodie delights and opportunities for guests to embrace their own inner artists. This year is bigger and more magical than ever before with something for every member of the family. Whether you’re a fan of all things Broadway, or getting up close with artisans of all kinds or

just love great food and are ready to get up close and personal and learn how that food comes to life. Be sure to check out our complete guide and our  5 not to miss things at the Epcot International Festival of the Arts.

Celebrate Your Villainous Side at Disney Villains After Hours

Disney Villains After Hours which returns to the Magic Kingdom Park on 24 select nights starting Feb  7

Based on the popularity of Maleficent dragon’s journey through the park, we are enhancing the experience to include even more villainous fun. New this year, the Villains’ Cursed Caravan will join Maleficent the dragon as she creeps through the park twice nightly. The wicked procession will feature Gaston, Oogie Boogie, Cruella DeVil, Captain Hook and more! As a reminder, this event does not include character greetings.

There is more villainous action at the event of course!

• Hades and Meg from “Hercules” will set the castle stage ablaze in “Villains Unite the Night,” featuring appearances by Jafar, The Queen, Dr. Facilier and Maleficent.
• During this sinister soiree, guests can dance the night away as a party DJ spins monstrous music on the Cinderella Castle Forecourt stage.
• Guests can also experience the surprising, villain-inspired enhancements at Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain.
• As they make their way through each land, guests can strike a pose as they come across sharable photo opportunities scattered throughout the park.

Disney Villains After Hours also includes wickedly good food and beverage selections. A few of the new treats this year are Painting the Roses Red (Available at Cheshire Café), a cheesecake mousse with raspberry gelée, red cocoa butter, and buttercream leaves; Body Language (Available at Storybook Treats), a cookies and cream mousse with chocolate cake, glaçage, and meringue tentacles garnished with a chocolate shell; and Five Dozen Eggs Slush (Available at Gaston’s Tavern). A frozen custard with brown sugar topped with whipped cream and garnished with a cinnamon stick.

• Across the park, guests can enjoy access to more than 25 attractions and experiences.
• Guests can also purchase new event merchandise, as well as items from a curated collection of the best Disney villain merchandise available.

 Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

On March 4 get ready to ride! Mickey and Minnie are getting ready to take you on a leisurely drive to a picnic in their sporty roadster—with Engineer Goofy’s train following merrily along. Climb aboard a runaway railway and embark on a whirlwind ride through a world where the rules of physics don’t apply. Prepare for unexpected twists, slapstick gags and mind-boggling transformations at every turn, as Mickey and Minnie try to save the day. There’s no telling where this train is heading!

This is an adventure for Mickey and Minnie fans of all ages—coming March 4, 2020. This first of its kind ride is based on the recent award-winning Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a brand-new attraction unique to Walt Disney World Resort and Disney’s Hollywood Studios—and the first ride at any Disney park that stars Mickey Mouse and friends. Be sure to keep those peepers peeled—there are more hidden Mickeys here than any other Disney attraction or area in the world!

 Step Into the Mickey Shorts Theater

A new Mickey Mouse-inspired theater will debut at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in March. Stop in to watch an original cartoon short and enjoy special photo opportunities.  As you can see from the new artist concept rendering above, the interior of the theater will evoke the same wacky fun of the Disney Channel cartoon series. You’ll see an original short in this same style, plus have the chance to take your picture in special photo locations.

 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival 

Welcome spring’s arrival with this popular festival, which runs March 4-June 1. This year’s event will feature delectable bites at outdoor kitchens, as well as dozens of world-renowned, Disney-themed topiaries. In addition, the Garden Rocks Concert Series will include three shows a day for all 90 days of the event.

 New Cirque du Soleil Show ‘Drawn to Life

Get ready to journey into a world where an animator’s desk becomes the stage and drawings come alive. This show is a Creative Tour-de-Force Set that invites your imagination in motion with Drawn to Life—a love letter to the art of Disney animation.

 Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park Earth Day Celebration

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is gett ready to for a huge milestone and celebration. It’s the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and the 25th anniversary of the Disney Conservation Fund. Plus, our gorilla family will be celebrating Lilly’s 10th birthday and Grace’s 1st birthday this spring!

 Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

Set to open in Summer 2020 in the France Pavilion at Epcot, the Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure attraction will invite you to join Chef Remy on a super-sized journey through Gusteau’s kitchen.  Walt Disney Imagineering is hard at work developing a new attraction for the park’s France pavilion, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, planned to open in summer 2020. Based on Disney and Pixar’s hit film, “Ratatouille,” this family-friendly attraction will invite you to shrink down to the scale of a rat for a culinary adventure with Chef Remy.

You’ll race across Gusteau’s kitchen floor aboard special trackless ride vehicles, which you can see in the image at the top of this post – just released today – as Disney Imagineers work on bringing this attraction to life.

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is one of several new experiences coming to Epcot as part of the park’s historic transformation already underway.

 La Creperie de Paris 

Soon you will be able to savor a sweet treat at La Crêperie de Paris, offering both table- and quick-service options, opens this summer. Scheduled to be built in an all-new location near Remy’s Ratatouille Adventureattraction, the new crêperie will feature the cuisine of celebrity chef Jérôme Bocuse, the mastermind behind the pavilion’s Chefs de France brasserie and its celebration of gourmet cuisine, Monsieur Paul.

With a menu inspired by the Brittany region of France, the new location will offer table service dining as well as a quick-service stop for guests craving savory crepes called galettes and sweet crepes.

 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

The aromas and flavors of global marketplaces will welcome you to the 25th anniversary of this fan-favorite festival. You’ll have a chance to meet celebrity chefs, try new food and wine pairings, and listen to great music during the Eat to the Beat Concert Series.

The Holidays Return

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party 

Mid-August is a spooktacular time of year as everyone’s favorite event – Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party! Last year we were treated to several returning favorites and some all-new experiences, highlighted by the debut of the incredible new “Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular.”

Jack Skellington from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” serves as the host of this all-new nighttime extravaganza, with state-of-the-art projection effects, lasers, lighting and dazzling fireworks filling the sky above Magic Kingdom Park. Jack has come to tell a not-so-scary story about how anything can happen on Halloween night. Jack’s ghost dog, Zero, then flies off carrying everyone along on a trick-or-treating adventure, where four friends – Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy – find themselves drawn into a mysterious haunted house. Their journey takes them from one room of the house to another, encountering dancing skeletons, waltzing ghosts and a whole series of troublemaking Disney villains. “Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular” promises to be the perfect Halloween treat!

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. a special ticketed event at Disney’s Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort is back bringing with it all of the nostalgia and family feel you’ve come to love and remember from days gone by.

From specialty merchandise and holiday treats including a cookie trail to magical parades, shows, and fireworks, to snow on Main Street USA and yes, even Santa Claus, it’s a magical night where the holidays reign supreme.

When Mickey celebrates the season, Magic Kingdom park lights up with excitement for Guests of all ages. Cinderella Castle shimmers. Joyful music fills the air. Disney Characters don their most festive attire. Favorite attractions take on a holiday theme. And enchanting surprises lie around almost every turn!

 City Works Eatery & Pour House 

Get ready to grab some grub because there’s an all-new eatery coming to Disney Springs. City Works Eatery & Pour House is set to open on the West Side of Disney Springs this winter. The restaurant and bar, offering more than 80 beers on tap, will feature plenty of high-def TVs including a 165-inch screen, perfect for viewing live sporting events.

‘Harmonious’ 

 In 2020, Epcot is on track to debut the largest nighttime spectacular ever created for a Disney park. It will celebrate how the music of Disney inspires people the world over, carrying you away harmoniously on a stream of familiar Disney tunes reinterpreted by a diverse group of artists from around the globe. The show will feature massive floating set pieces, custom-built LED panels, choreographed moving fountains, lights, pyrotechnics, lasers and more.

 Roundup Rodeo BBQ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Get ready to lasso some grub atRoundup Rodeo BBQ, a new table-service location is riding into Toy Story Land in 2020. This immersive restaurant will surround guests with a kaleidoscope of toys, games, and playsets while serving up delicious dishes.

 Grab Barbecue at Regal Eagle Smokehouse at Epcot 

One of the first restaurants set to open in 2020 is Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue a fast-casual barbecue experience at The American Adventure. Expect sliced Texas beef brisket sandwiches, Kansas City smoked chicken, Memphis dry-rub pork ribs, North Carolina chopped smoked pork butt, power green salads and more.

 Journey to Space 220 for ‘Out of this World’ Cuisine  

Set to open this winter at Epcot next to Mission: SPACE, Space 220 restaurant will offer a one-of-a-kind dining experience. You’ll board a special elevator for a journey 220 miles above Earth to a space station where you’ll enjoy fantastic meals and drinks while taking in views that are truly out of this world.

Cool Down with Ample Hills Creamery Sweet Treats

Ample Hills Creamery Sweet Treats at  Disney Springs throwbacks to another era as you tempt your taste buds with flavors like Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, Peppermint Pattie and Nonna D’s Oatmeal Lace  Every flavor tells a story! Head to Ample Hills Creamery for some of the most decadent ice cream desserts this side of the East River—including bowls, cones, cakes, pints and sundaes handcrafted with house-made mix-ins and farm-fresh ingredients. Part of Ample Hills’ mission is to connect people by creating a “sweet” sense of community, so gather family and friends for classic ice cream with a novel twist! 

And Coming To A Galaxy Far, Far, Away…

An Out of This Galaxy Stay- Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will begin “transporting” guests to a galaxy far, far away in 2021. This two-night vacation experience will surround guests 24/7 in Star Wars storytelling, including a visit to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Guests will start their arrival experience at the Galactic Starcruiser Terminal, as well as the out-of-this-world transport that will take guests from Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

This is a new type of immersive vacation that only Disney could create – a two-night, cruise-style itinerary where you become the hero of your own adventure in an experience that surrounds them 24/7 in Star Wars storytelling. Your stay begins at the Galactic Starcruiser Terminal is where you will begin their Star Wars experience! Your curb-side check-in prepares you to leave Earth behind, jump to lightspeed and begin your Star Wars story.

From the Starcruiser Terminal, you and your family will enter an exclusive launch pod for travel up to the Halcyon, the starcruiser in a galaxy far, far away. Through the pod’s viewports, it will in every way feel as though that you are traveling through space to approach the massive ship that is much too large to land on any planet. A “spaceport of call” to Black Spire Outpost is included in the itinerary, where special passenger transports are waiting to take you to the planet Batuu  It is truly an out of this world experience.

From newly reimagined beloved attractions to all new experiences of galactic proportions and so much more, now more than ever create the memories that will last a lifetime for you and your family at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Now more than ever is the perfect time to make plans to visit the most magical place on earth. With so much to see, do and experience what tops your list of must-experience things at the Walt Disney World Resort this year and what things would you add to our top 20 reasons to visit Walt Disney World In 2020 and beyond?