Can you believe it’s almost 2022?! SO much has happened in Disney World this year, and we’re still waiting for some things to return after over a year of closure. After months of anticipation, Magic Kingdom celebrated its 50th anniversary, EPCOT introduced a new attraction, and two parks debuted new nighttime spectaculars (Enchantment & Harmonious). But there’s always something new around the corner, and there’s plenty to look forward to in 2022, too!

As we prepare to ring in the new year (either from home or in Disney World), let’s look back at the month of December and reflect on ALL the new things we learned about! 

1. Parking Trams are BACK

After MONTHS of walking to and from our cars, the beloved parking trams are FINALLY back at some locations in Disney World! Some people even think of the tram as the first attraction of their day! 

After Disney teased their return in early December, the trams officially returned on December 19th. It was a happy day!

Click here to check out the trams back in action!

2. Bob Iger’s Replacement Announced for the Walt Disney Company

Bob Iger stepped down as Disney’s CEO and was then replaced by Bob Chapek in 2020. One year later, we now have a new Executive Chairman at the Walt Disney Company.

Susan Arnold, who has been on the Walt Disney Company board for 14 years, will replace Bob Iger. Iger is set to leave the Walt Disney Company in December 2021. 

Click here to learn more about the NEW Executive Chairman

3. 5 Special Tours Are Coming Back to Disney World Next Year!

Some of Disney’s most popular tours have remained unavailable since the start of the pandemic! Now we finally have a return date for FIVE Disney tours, including the Keys to the Kingdom Tour, the Caring for Giants tour, the Wild Africa Trek!, the Up Close with Rhinos tour, and the Savor the Savanna experience. 

Each of these tours will be returning on February 6th, 2022, and you can start booking most of these tours now. 

Click here to learn more about the return of Disney’s special tours

4. Hotel Guests to Get MORE TIME in the Disney World Parks for a Limited Time

A popular perk for guests staying on property just got a little better! From December 19th through January 3rd, 2022, Early Theme Park Entry allows guests to enter the parks 60 minutes before the posted opening time!

Previously, Disney resort guests were allowed to enter the park 30 minutes early. Keep in mind that only select attractions, shops, and restaurants are available during that time.

Click here to read more about the added benefit of 30 extra minutes!

5. Limited Time CHANGES Announced for Genie+ and Pay-Per-Ride Selections in Disney World

On top of the extra time in the parks for Disney resort guests, some Individual Attraction Selection rides were instead added to the list of attractions available through Genie+. 

During this time, guests do not have to purchase an individual Lightning Lane return time to ride each of the following rides: Space Mountain, Frozen Ever After, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and Expedition Everest. All of these attractions are included with Genie+ from December 19th to January 3rd, 2022.

Click here to get ALL the details on this temporary change to Genie+

6. OPENING DATE Announced for Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort

MANY guests have been waiting for Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort to reopen, and we finally have a reopening date! Mark your calendars and pack your tennis rackets, Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort is set to reopen on March 31st, 2022! Reservations for the hotel opened on December 22nd.

For guests looking for an inexpensive (in terms of Disney pricing, anyway) place to stay, the All-Star resorts are some of the most popular value resorts on property.

8 Reasons You Should Definitely Consider A Disney World Value Resort Hotel

7. Another Replacement Service for Disney’s Magical Express Has Been Announced

As you may have heard by now, Disney’s free Magical Express service will no longer transport guests to and from the airport. Instead, guests will have to find a different way to get from the Orlando International Airport to their hotel. We’ve priced out all the current options and weighed the pros and cons of each, and now it appears that guests will have ANOTHER option to consider.

The new themed bus experience is called The Sunshine Flyer (cute name, right?). Like Magical Express, the busses will take guests from Orlando International Airport to their Disney World hotels. Tickets will cost $17 per adult and $12.50 per child for a 1-way trip. Round trip is $34 for adults and $25 per child. Kids under 2 ride free.

Click here for ALL the details on The Sunshine Flyer

8. Parades Are Now Available With Genie+ in Disney World!

Ever since Genie+ was introduced back in October, we’ve been keeping up with all the little tweaks and changes Disney has made to the Fastpass replacement service. In December, we noticed that Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade was available as a Genie+ selection!

Guests paying for Genie+ for the day have the option to reserve a special parade viewing area in the Magic Kingdom.

Click here to read about this NEW Genie+ Change

Now that December is over, it’s time to look ahead to the new year! Our New Year’s Resolution: go to DISNEY! What about you? Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney news and park updates. As you can see, a lot can happen in just one month!

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Are you excited about any of these changes? Let us know in the comments!