There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

By Peyton Schultze

A holographic version of Rey, the Jedi hero of the Resistance, greets guests alongside BB-8 in the queue for “Rise of the Resistance”, the brand-new thrill ride at Disneyland Park in Anaheim and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando (via ABC15 Arizona).

It’s going to be an awesome year for Disney Parks in 2020.

With so many brand-new attractions and experiences coming to the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World throughout the year, 2020 has a great chance to be one of the best years in recent memory for the theme park empire. A year ago, 2019 was headlined by the massive opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, becoming the first new major land expansion at Disneyland Park since Mickey’s Toontown was built in 1993. Now, with tons of projects underway at both North American resorts, it’s a great time to go and visit the parks to check out some of the latest and greatest that Disney has to offer.

So buckle up and head on down. Here’s our list of some awesome attractions, delicious restaurants, and heartwarming experiences coming to the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World for 2020.

The Starring Role

Coming soon in spring 2020 to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, “Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway” will become the first-ever ride to bear the namesake of the infamous characters at any Disney Park in the world (via Mouse Hacking).

Mickey and Minnie Mouse are, of course, at the forefront of all things Disney. But it’s strange to realize that they have never had their own ride dedicated to them, isn’t it? That won’t be a problem any longer, as “Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway” comes to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World on March 4. Taking over the residence at the Chinese Theater previously held by “The Great Movie Ride”, the new attraction promises to be a true one-of-a-kind experience that takes guests ride into the middle of Mickey and Minnie’s wacky adventures.

Using the same previous concept of a dark ride from “The Great Movie Ride”, the new attraction transports guests via train throughout plenty of unique cartoons settings featuring Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald. Using unique mapping technology to project the idea that guests are truly living among the characters for the time being, Walt Disney Imagineering seems to be going all out for the attraction so that they can respect the legacy and impact that Mickey and Minnie Mouse have left on their entire company as a whole. In addition, although not as important, the ride figures to help funnel out any of the chaotic traffic over at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which could help control crowds and any sort of over-packed lines that seem to be running for hours and hours.

When the new ride opens in March, expect one of the most innovative and technologically advanced rides found throughout Walt Disney World to make a big statement and become a fan-favorite among tourists at the resort. The countdown to the debut has already begun, and we can’t wait to finally see what is behind the curtain in “Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway”.

The Year of the Rat (or Mouse)

The Lunar New Year Celebration at Disney’s California Adventure remains a fan-favorite with plenty of park-goers ready to devour some delicious food options at one of the many booths along Paradise Gardens Park (via D23.com).

Returning from a year ago, the Lunar New Year Celebration at Disney’s California Adventure will return for a select time in January and February of 2020. Already underway, the experience will celebrate 2020 as the “Year of the Rat”, with plenty of unique shows and foods to grab on the go for your next trip around the park.

One of the highlights of this year’s festival is a small parade called “Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession”. Taking over the Paradise Gardens Park area of California Adventure, this mini parade is made to encourage guests to celebrate Chinese culture and ring in the Lunar New Year with plenty of singing and dancing in the streets. In addition to this, several food and drink booths are also set up all along the area, most of which have ties to the Lunar New Year. Two examples of foods that seem to have become favorites for the for the festival this year are a Mickey Chinese Hot Dog Bun and a Mango Pineapple Pastry, both located at the Prosperity Bao & Bun booth alongside the parade route. And if you always want to stop by and get a drink at the park, most booths along the route have plenty of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, including beers on tap and refreshing wines. The Lunar New Year Celebration is sure to be at treat for all guests at the park, but make sure to stop by very soon; the party ends on February 9th, so get to Disney’s California Adventure as soon as possible.

One of the marquee signs for “Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure” was recently installed over at EPCOT, showing major progress at the attraction nears it opening over summer (via WKMG).

Meanwhile, over at EPCOT in Disney World, another well-known rat is almost ready to open his own unique attraction that will surely have guests pouring through the main gates. Located in the back portion of the French Pavilion, “Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure”, a near clone of its counterpart at Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris, is a thrilling dark ride journey that shrinks guests to the size of a rat. Following alongside Remy during his towering kitchen adventures, guests will be able to experience how it feels to be inside of Remy’s own shoes as he looks to be an elite cook in the middle of Paris. Using a great combination of advanced screening technology with physical props, the ride will be an outstanding example of how great a dark ride can be in the modern-day with a great setting, plenty of thrills, and a unique trackless system that only Imagineers could find a way to stir up.

The attraction was a smash hit right out of the gate when it debuted in Paris, and nobody really expects anything different when it opens at EPCOT this summer. Fitting in perfectly on World Showcase during phase one of EPCOT’s massive remodeling project, “Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure” should be one of the marquee attractions in the park and prove to be just another reason to visit the resort in the coming years with so many new rides on the way.

Avengers… Assemble

Coming this summer to Disney’s California Adventure, the state-of-the-art Avengers Campus is sure to be a treat for all fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (via WDW News Today).

Also coming this summer to Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim is the area that will be known as “Avengers Campus”. Featuring the likes of favorite heroes throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe such as Captain America, Doctor Strange, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and others, the entire area is set up around the notion that the entire group of Avengers are in the process of recruiting future heroes to join their ranks. Adding into the scenery near the area that already features “Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout”, the entire land is sure to be a thrill for any diehard Marvel fan who has always wanted to feel like they were in the moment of saving the world.

But what exactly will be found within the land? While there have not been a ton of specific details about the contents, we surely know a few small details about what exactly the campus will hold. One of these things is a brand-new Spider-Man attraction, which will let guests follow Spidey around on a web-crawling adventure. On the ride, guests will use unique technology developed by Peter Parker that allows them to shoot their own webs, giving every user the ability to feel as if they are swinging along with the friendly neighborhood hero from Brooklyn. In addition to the ride, the land will also feature an Ant-Man themed microbrewery and a Doctor Strange stage show, which will let guests meet up with the Master of the Mystic Arts. In the future, a massive Avengers themed attraction will also be built within the land, but don’t look for that attraction to be built until the second phase of the land comes around.

Outside of Galaxy’s Edge, there has never been more hype for an entire land being built than Avengers Campus at Disney’s California Adventure. Especially with the immense success of Marvel movies in recent years, the idea of building an entire themed area around Marvel’s greatest heroes is a dream for fans young and old. With phase one right around the corner and future developments constantly being floated around the company, the possibilities are endless for what guests may encounter on their next trip to Avengers Campus, starting in summer 2020.

A Tale as Old as Time

Timeless attractions such as King Arthur Carousel in Fantasyland are sure to receive extra attention this year in celebration of Disneyland’s 65th anniversary (via RG Lee, 2017).

Walt Disney once said, “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”

For one, this could not have been a more accurate statement from the founder all the way back on July 17th of 1955. From new parks opening in Asia and Europe to stunning attractions all over the world such as Indiana Jones Adventure, Expedition Everest, Tron Lightcycle Power Run, and Pirates of the Caribbean, progress and constant development has been at the core of Disney Parks since opening day in Anaheim. Yet one of the things that remains so unique about Disney Parks, and Disneyland in particular, is how much tradition and nostalgia lies at the middle of the park’s charm.

As Disneyland heads into its own 65th Anniversary since opening, it is a marvel how far the park seems to have come. After all, in a day and age that it so dependent upon technological advancements in nearly all forms of entertainment, it is crazy to imagine how popular some of Disneyland’s original rides from 1955 remain on an everyday basis. Especially considering how there is likely a limited amount of children in today’s age who have seen many of the films that the rides have been based around such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Peter Pan, it truly speaks to the imaginative and progressive minds that helped create the park in the mid ‘50s.

Hence, this is why Disneyland’s anniversary remains a major event every single year. With that being said, this summer will see some extensive improvement in one of the park’s original attractions: “Snow White’s Scary Adventures”. With plenty of promised additions on the way such as mapping systems and several unique charms being kept under wraps for now, one can only expect near perfection from Walt Disney Imagineering as they prepare to tirelessly work upon one of their oldest and most cherished attractions. In addition to this, as Disneyland has often done with other major milestone moments to celebrate the park’s anniversary, expect extra attention on some of the park’s original rides that still stand today such as the Jungle Cruise, Autopia, and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. It should be a great year to visit the resort in 2020, especially as Disneyland prepares to celebrate the worlds of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy in its 65th year of operation.

Exciting and Eccentric Eats

Many eats around Disney World, such as the Grilled Burger with BBQ Pork at the new Regal Eagle Smokehouse in EPCOT, are sure to delight guests in 2020 (via Disney Parks).

Disney Parks always have their fair share of delicious foods to get your hands on, and the new year will not change that by any means. In fact, four new restaurants are scheduled to debut over at Walt Disney World this year, including three inside EPCOT. The most anticipated of the three at EPCOT is surely “Space 220”, a new table-service restaurant that shoots guests up into space to enjoy an intergalactic meal. Featuring all sorts of American fare, the restaurant figures to present some of the most unique views in all of the resorts as guests can look out one of the many windows into the deep depths of space.

The two other restaurants at EPCOT that are scheduled to open soon are “Regal Eagle Smokehouse” and “La Crêperie de Paris”. The former is due to open up on the left side of the American Pavilion on World Showcase, and takes its namesake from the serious and patriotic Muppet character, Sam the Eagle. Presenting plenty of unique American options such as beers, burgers, pork, chicken, and other unique forms of barbecue, “Regal Eagle” should be a welcome addition to World Showcase when it opens soon. Meanwhile, “La Crêperie de Paris” will open up on the French Pavilion on World Showcase, presenting plenty of great French choices with the personal option for quick-service or table-service.

In addition to this, EPCOT’s annual Food and Wine Festival is once again scheduled to take place alongside other main events such as the Festival of the Arts, the International Flower and Garden Festival, and the Festival of the Holidays. Each of the events has its unique flare to attract guests, especially when it comes to the unique food booths that are usually displaced all around World Showcase and Future World. With at least one of the festivals almost always taking residence at the theme park, EPCOT is the place to be for all of your food and drink options all year while in Orlando.

Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is due to receive a brand-new restaurant in 2020 featuring toys such as Woody and Buzz called “Roundup Rodeo BBQ” (via WDW News Today, Disney).

Meanwhile, over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, “Roundup Rodeo BBQ” will become an almost necessary addition to Toy Story Land when it opens later this year. Although it has had major success since opening, the land certainly has had a fair shortage of food options since it released to the public, which makes the opening of this restaurant something to be very excited about. Soon to be providing great barbecue options in a toy-like environment within Andy’s backyard, the new joint should be a hot commodity once it is debuts.

Filling the Streets with Magic

The new “Magic Happens” parade at Disneyland Park is sure to be a hit for guests when it debuts in late February of 2020 (via Thrillist, Disney).

Disneyland Park has been a little overdue for a daytime parade upgrade for some time now, so the new “Magic Happens” parade should be a great addition to Disneyland’s entertainment schedule. With several massive parade floats featuring Disney/Pixar films such as Coco, Sleeping Beauty, Frozen, and Moana, “Magic Happens” should be a great replacement for “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade”, the longtime parade favorite that has been running since May of 2011.

Meanwhile, back over at EPCOT, a brand-new nighttime spectacular called “HarmonioUS” will come to the park in spring 2020. Replacing former nighttime shows such as “Illuminations” and “EPCOT Forever”, “HarmonioUS” should be a state-of-the-art and one-of-a-kind nightly show taking place on the World Showcase Lagoon. By combining Disney characters, music, and images with some of EPCOT’s ties to the world and particular countries of origin, the show should be a true treat for all who witness it on a nightly basis.

The Circle is Now Complete

Among many stunning moment in Disney’s new “Rise of the Resistance” attraction, Kylo Ren makes an appearance in the middle of a galactic starfight in the depths of space above Batuu (via WTKR.com).

With immense success on both coasts in terms of its sheer size, focus, and attention to every single detail, Rise of the Resistance has up opened to rave reviews who touted the ride as “a technical marvel that delivers on its promise to fully immerse riders in the Star Wars galaxy” (IGN.com). Fitting in perfectly in the cinematic timeline alongside the rest of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Rise of the Resistance takes place in between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, therefore immersing guests right in the middle of the storyline in the fight for freedom between the First Order and the Resistance. Spanning almost 20 minutes in terms of its overall ride experience, the ride takes place in four very separate portions: a transport ship, an interrogation room, a vehicle operated by a droid, and an escape pod. What mostly happens in and between all of those portions will be kept for the surprise of readers, but expect appearances from key Star Wars characters, objects, and vehicles, all of which help to surround guests in the thrilling story of conflict around them.

One of the things that has somewhat “plagued” Galaxy’s Edge since opening last summer in Disneyland Park and then in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the lack of another ride alongside Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run throughout the land. While there are certainly other awesome things to do in the land such as build a droid in Droid Depot, drink a beverage over at Oga’s Cantina, or shop on the planet’s market, the area did initially miss out on having that other major attraction to attract guests into the land. In the case of Rise of the Resistance, it seems to have corrected that problem, and then more. Deploying a virtual queue line online to limit aggravating wait times for guests around both resorts, the attraction has been perhaps the most anticipated ride in the history of Disney Parks, but seems to be delivering at all costs. One of the only things that seem to be a bit of an annoyance for the ride has been some technical delays in the first months of operation, which figure to smooth out over time due to the attraction’s advanced protocol in its system.

With nearly immaculate attention-to-detail from Walt Disney Imagineering, “Rise of the Resistance” may be the crown jewel of any Disney ride found around the world (via Fortune).

With Rise of the Resistance off to a red-hot start in terms of its crazed popularity among guests (visitors have been lining up hours before park opening in hopes of securing a boarding pass for the ride in the virtual queue), any doubt on the success of Galaxy’s Edge seems to have all but foiled over now. With such an advanced ride that has thrown guests right in the middle of the Star Wars universe, Disney has changed the game in the theme park industry once again, setting the bar for what guests can expect to see in one of their many sensational attractions.

In The Last Jedi, a concerned and curious Rey is speaking to a worn-down Luke Skywalker and tells him “Something inside me has always been there. But now it's awake.” In the case of Rise of the Resistance, Walt Disney Imagineering has created an attraction that has always been there in concept in the minds of Star Wars fans around the world, but is finally awake and now in our own real world. With adventure and surprises at every corner, the ride figures to be the smash hit of the industry in 2020 and a Disney favorite for years to come.