5 Things To Look Forward To This Fall At Disney World

It’s full steam ahead at Walt Disney World when it comes to announcements, news, and upcoming projects.

How do we even keep it all straight?

From highly-anticipated future attractions like TRON at Magic Kingdom, to the hopeful return of more entertainment (and so much more), the parks are slowly getting back to “normal” — with a twist, because that’s what happens when you experience a pandemic.

There’s certainly a lot to look forward to, but there have been some current announcements that are a bit more controversial than others (ahem, Disney Genie+).

All that said, Disney is always coming up with something new. We can only imagine what they’ll announce next.

And with Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration right around the corner, there’s so much to experience!

So, let’s go over 5 things that we have to look forward to this fall at Disney World.

Hopefully this will not only get you pumped for what’s to come, but also help you keep upcoming events organized.

Here we go!

In this article

The 50th Anniversary Celebration

Beginning Oct. 1, Disney World’s 50th anniversary officially begins — and lasts for 18 months through April 1, 2023.

A few things to look forward during the anniversary:

Early Theme Park Entry and Extended Evening Theme Park Hours (both for select guests)
New nighttime spectaculars, including Disney Enchantment at Magic Kingdom and Harmonious at Epcot, and a daytime show at Animal Kingdom (more on these below)
Beacons of Magic, aka nighttime projections and fancy new lighting, on each of the park icons
An “EARidescent” theme and even the Sensational Six will wear these colors
The Disney Fab 50 Character Collection, in which you can see gold statues of 50 characters across each theme park

And so much more!

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (and crepes)

Remy's Ratatouille Adventure sign in Epcot

The brand new attraction that we all know as Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will finally open on Oct. 1 in Epcot’s France pavilion.

The 4D ride is modeled after Ratatouille: The Adventure in Disneyland Paris. It’s family-friendly, trackless, and shrinks guests down to the side of a rat as they go on an exciting journey through Gusteau’s kitchen.

Keep in mind that Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will offer a virtual queue similar to Rise of the Resistance when it opens at Epcot on Oct. 1.

Once available, Remy will also offer a paid individual Lightning Lane selection (via Genie+, the new paid FastPass system coming to Disney World in fall 2021), which is another option for those who can’t snag a boarding group.

In the beginning, a Standby Line won’t be available.

Don’t forget that Remy isn’t the only exciting addition to the France pavilion come Oct. 1.

La Crêperie de Paris, a new Quick and Table Service option, will also open its doors.

You can order sweet crepes, savory buckwheat galettes (naturally gluten-friendly), and authentic French hard cider.

The Quick Service option will be a walk-up window called Crêpes À Emporter. Upon opening, you don’t need reservations for the Table Service side, which will be first-come, first-served.

You can browse the menus over on Disney Parks Blog.

New Daytime & Nighttime Shows

Who’s ready for some new shows during the day and at night?

Well, you’re in luck come Oct. 1 at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom.

At Magic Kingdom, the new Disney Enchantment begins.

According to Disney, the new nighttime show “will take you on a journey filled with adventure, wonder and empowerment.” It will also include, for the first time, projections extending from Cinderella Castle down Main Street, U.S.A.

And, yes, Tinker Bell will take flight during the finale! Whew!

It’s unclear if Disney Enchantment will become permanent or if it will only run for the duration of the 50th. We’ll keep be sure to keep you in the loop.

After what seems like a very long wait, Epcot’s brand new nighttime show Harmonious will finally begin playing on Oct. 1.

It replaces both Illuminations and the temporary show Epcot Forever.

As Disney describes it, “It’s a grand, powerful tribute to the stories and songs that unite us, embracing new technical magic that incorporates pyrotechnics, choreographed moving fountains, lighting and media in new ways.”

It’s also important to note that Happily Ever After at Magic Kingdom will end for good on Sept. 29 to make room for Disney Enchantment.

Epcot Forever will also end its run on Sept. 28, so Harmonious can debut.

Finally, there is a new daytime show coming to Animal Kingdom called Disney KiteTails at the Discovery River Amphitheater in Asia.

The show will feature performers flying windcatchers and 3D kites, with some stretching 30 feet long!

These kites and windcatchers will depict well-known characters like Simba and Zazu from The Lion King and Baloo and King Louie from The Jungle Book.

Two New Food & Wine Booths

The 2021 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival started on July 15 and concludes on Nov. 20, 2021.

There’s a total of 34 booths. On the first day of the festival, 25 of the global marketplaces opened, with 7 more opening in August.

Now, we wait for the final 2 booths — Belgium and Brazil — to open their windows on Oct. 1.

Belgium’s booth will serve, you guessed it, Belgian waffles, along with a savory beer-braised beef dish. Browse the full menu.

As for Brazil’s booth, you’ll be able to purchase South American cuisine, including the popular Brazilian Cheese Bread. Browse the full menu.

You can find both Belgium and Brazil between France and Morocco pavilions.

The Opening of More Resorts

Ever since Disney World shutdown in March 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic, they’ve reopened their hotels in phases.

By the end of 2021, every single Disney Resort hotel on property *should be* open once again.

Here is the current reopening schedule for the remaining hotels that have yet to welcome guests:

Aug. 26 — Animal Kingdom Lodge and Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
Sept. 16 — Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
Oct. 14 — Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside
Oct. 28 — Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter
Dec. 9 — Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort

Note: There’s a chance that All-Star Music’s opening may be delayed. Some guests have received notice from Disney that their reservations have changed and they’ve been moved to another hotel that’s currently open. Disney has not confirmed whether or not Music’s reopening has been delayed. We’ll let you know if or when we hear more.