Disney World News: Starbucks at Epcot, Airport Transport Sales Suspended, More Normalcy
We’re back with another Walt Disney World news roundup, wrapping up the peak week of Spring Break 2022! This one covers the latest extensions to park hours, more on Connections Cafe at Epcot, return of another hard ticket event, suspension of airport transportation sales, and more returning to normal in the parks & resorts.
As usual, we’ll start with the latest release of new and modified operating schedules. All four theme parks have had hours for another week added to DisneyWorld.com’s park hours, and the current calendar now runs through May 29, 2022. Here are the hours for the newly-added dates in the lead-up to summer season in May 2022:
- Magic Kingdom: 9 am to 10 pm
- Epcot: 10 am to 9 pm
- Hollywood Studios: 9 am to 9 pm
- Animal Kingdom: 9 am to 7 pm
- Disney Springs: 10 am to 11 pm (11:30 pm on Fridays & Saturdays)
As always, these are boilerplate hours that are simply a placeholder that’s subject to change if or when internal forecasts show higher attendance at Walt Disney World. (For example, several hours per day have been added to mornings and evenings for the current weeks around spring break.) Nevertheless, it’s good to see that Magic Kingdom’s “standard” closing time is moving to 10 pm starting May 16, as 9 pm is simply too early for Walt Disney World’s most popular park.
In addition to these boilerplate hours for May 2022, there are also extensions to park hours from now through April 9, 2022. These are more or less the same extensions that’ve been occurring since the start of spring break season. Magic Kingdom has had its closing extended until 11 pm on many of those dates (from 9 pm), with Extended Hours until 1 am on select dates.
For its part, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is now opening at 8 am on some mornings and 8:30 am on others, and Animal Kingdom is now operating from 7:30 am until 8:30 pm. Epcot now opens at 8:30 am daily instead of 10 am through then, which is relatively unprecedented. Given that Easter isn’t until the following weekend, it’s safe to assume all of these same extensions will soon be made through at least April 17, 2022. What happens after that is the big wildcard–we’re hoping to see crowds let up to some degree, but that may not happen.
One potential red flag is that Disney Park Pass availability is already limited on April 19, 2022. Both Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are currently unavailable. This seems like something of an anomaly, given that the calendar is all-green for April 12-18, 2022.
The week leading up to Easter is usually busier than the one after the holiday, and it’s also pretty rare for random weekdays to book up one full month in advance. Either that week is also going to be busy and other dates around it will soon follow suit in booking up, or there’s some random error with that particular date and it’ll go back to being green soon. Either way, it’s worth booking your park reservations sooner rather than later to hedge your bets if visiting Walt Disney World in the next month-plus.
Next, Walt Disney Imagineering has shared some new details about Connections Cafe & Eatery opening Spring 2022 in World Celebration at Epcot. The latest update features a new piece of concept art offering another look inside the soon-to-open counter service restaurant from another angle.
Honestly, I wouldn’t have even realized this was new concept art if it wasn’t labeled as such. Just as boring and bland as the previous piece, but now from a different perspective. Electric Umbrella’s aesthetic was definitely dated and in need of an overhaul, but at least it had theme and personality. Connections Cafe looks like it would fit right at any mixed-used urban development. (In other words, a perfect thematic fit for the new tower at the Polynesian!)
Additionally, the company has officially confirmed that Epcot’s new Starbucks will be located inside Connections Cafe & Eatery. This has been pretty well unofficially assumed for the last couple of years, but with radio silence from Walt Disney World about the subject even a month or so ahead of the counter service restaurant’s opening, we were beginning to wonder if that was bad info.
It’s safe to assume that the current Starbucks (Traveler’s Cafe) near Honey Bee-stro (near the entrance to World Showcase) will close when Connections Cafe opens. No official word on that yet, but it’s unlikely Epcot will have two Starbucks locations.
Here’s hoping the menu for Connections Cafe is more inspired than its interior design. It’ll have to be pretty good to compete with Epcot Sunshine Griddle and Farmers Feast, the nearby food booths that are both top tier.
Next, a positive development. It’s being reported via multiple sources on social media that the siren, flashing emergency light, and loud announcement have all returned to Beaches & Cream when the Kitchen Sink Ice Cream Sundae is delivered to a table. This has been absent since Beaches & Cream reopened in June 2020, and made for a quieter–but also less amusing–experience at Beaches & Cream.
We are all for the ruckus returning. When the reimagined Beaches & Cream reopened, one of our biggest complaints was the loss of personality–the Kitchen Sink fanfare might be loud and over-the-top, but no one is going to Beaches & Cream expecting a quiet, romantic dinner. It’s good to see some of the spunkiness restored. Unfortunately, I cannot independently confirm with 100% certainty that the Kitchen Sink celebration is back (those social media videos could be deepfakes). I guess I’ll have to convince Sarah that we need to make an ADR and go order the Kitchen Sink again…for research!
During the first episode of the planDisney podcast, the hosts dropped the news that H2O Glow Nights would be returning to Typhoon Lagoon in 2022. That’s literally all they announced–nothing about dates, details, tickets, or anything else. It was a simple one-line tease with a ‘stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for more information soon.’
We are not particularly excited about H2O Glow Nights (although Typhoon Lagoon in the evening is fantastic), but we are interested in the implications for other events. Between this and the recent return of Moonlight Magic (speaking of which, didn’t hear great things about the first night at Epcot!), it seems like a summer After Hours event is within the realm of possibilities.
The bigger wildcard is what happens with the Halloween and Christmas events. As we’ve said before, we could see this going either way–the full Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party could make their triumphant returns, or the holiday After Hours events could come back for another year.
It really all depends on what Walt Disney World is expecting for crowds from October through December. The After Hours events have later start times, allow for Magic Kingdom’s regular fireworks to be shown, and don’t screw with attendance dynamics nearly as much. Regardless of what it’s called, expect the Halloween event to get a stage show and Boo to You Parade, minus some performers.
In some odd news, the Walt Disney Travel Company reported that it is suspending new bookings for private ground transportation to and from Walt Disney World resorts and Good Neighbor Hotels. This Walt Disney World vacation package add-on (which just started less than 2 months ago!) will be unavailable until further notice.
According to the company, this is “due to unforeseen circumstances” and some existing private ground transportation reservations may be impacted–meaning that they will be cancelled. Affected guests and/or their travel agents will receive a phone call if their reservation has been cancelled. In that event, guests will be responsible for booking alternative transportation. Walt Disney World advises that options include taxis or rideshare services.
We don’t really know what to make of this. Don’t get too excited or start reading between the lines that this means the company has rethought its decision on Disney’s Magical Express or Minnie Vans. While those would be good ideas, that’s probably not what is happening. (At least with DME. Minnie Vans are another story.)
The explanation here is probably far less exciting and interesting.
As one resort option goes, another returns. We’ve been following the “Modified Mousekeeping” saga in What’s Up With Housekeeping at Walt Disney World? and recently shared that Deluxe Resorts had returned to their normal, pre-closure schedules at the start of this month.
Tomorrow, some Deluxe Villas will follow suit. Disney’s Riviera Resort, Old Key West Resort, and Saratoga Springs Resort will soon be tending to guest rooms more frequently, as the original cleaning schedule will be officially restored at these resorts on March 20, 2022. Note that this applies to cash bookings and not reservations made with DVC points.
Finally, Walt Disney World has started to slowly remove plexiglass barriers from various locations around the parks and resorts, including at checkout locations in gift shops and interpersonal interaction areas, like restaurant host stands. That’s right–no more leaning around a giant piece of plexiglass to hear what a Cast Member is trying to say.
This is probably a much bigger deal to me than it is to any of you, as the plexiglass has irritated me to no end. I’ve come to realize that I’m slightly hard of hearing and unknowingly rely on reading lips, so these barriers have resulted in “I’m sorry, could you please repeat that” becoming one of my most-used phrases in the last couple of years.
On top of that, Walt Disney World has been much slower to remove all of the pointless plexiglass (the ones mentioned above don’t necessarily qualify as that) in queues and elsewhere that were health safety theater all along. Disneyland did this all virtually overnight last June 14. Walt Disney World began removing these dividers last May…and just sort of stopped later in the summer. Last I saw, there were still barriers in the outdoor FriendShip boat queues outside International Gateway, among many other locations.
In case you missed it, Walt Disney World and Disneyland both dropped indoor mask rules last month. Earlier this week, Walt Disney World further relaxed transportation mask rules for the Skyliner gondola system and the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Batuu transport. I’m still not sure how they managed to do this given the DOT/TSA order extending the transportation face mask mandate for conveyances until at least April 18, 2022. I guess Walt Disney World found an exemption for the Skyliner and Batuu bus?
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think about all this Walt Disney World news? Pleased to see plexiglass barriers coming down, or were you a fan of them? Thoughts on the company already suspending third party airport transportation sales after less than 2 months? Expectations for crowd levels the week after Easter? Excited for Connections Cafe & Eatery? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
How can Disney World offer better deals to theUK than to Americans? They do!!!!!!!
Might be because UK travelers have to spend $$$ on international flights, costing far more time, money, and resources than US travelers. They often stay for 14-21 days and likely are spending more money overall than a US resident going for a 4-5 night trip.
To be ridiculously positive about Connections …
WDW has moved beyond the 1990s trend of unfinished ceilings, it’s not ridiculously dark, and I see where Disney found a way to reuse all that plexiglass! (That mural will make or break this design, which is currently themed to be a “newer Starbucks.”)
For the Skyliner, at first I thought that Disney Imagilawyers determined that it is a “ride” rather than “transportation,” but then I saw that the returning Disneyland trams don’t require them either. I’m now guessing that it is a ventilation thing?
Hi Tom, we ate at Beaches and Cream yesterday and witnessed the wonderful return of sirens, flashing lights and announcing fanfare twice for kitchen sinks! Also endured the plexiglass at Gran Fiesta and Living with the Land…those are definitely the worst. I really enjoy your blog, keep up the good work!
Making connections the Starbucks location will make it a cluster and not somewhere I’d want to sit and eat food. I don’t understand why WDW doesn’t make Starbucks kiosks spread out or maybe I’m a coffee junkie. They could have runners for supplies much like the food kiosks and Joffrey spots.
I can’t say I think Connections cafe will be much better than Electric Umbrella was. Too much good food there to ever try.
Do they offer the kitchen sink in dairy free? Would hate to go try this and my daughter not be able to participate.
Most menus have a section of ‘allergies ‘ and list items that meet needs for children with allergies. My daughter has a dairy allergy as well and it looks like there are several options for her at most restaurants.
Beaches and Cream uses Edy’s, which according to their website does not offer dairy free products. (Indeed the worse ice “cream” means dairy.) So I suspect you are out of luck for this dessert. There are other desserts without ice cream on the menu, however.
A little birdie told me NYC schools are out the week after Easter. So still spring break.
So is the entire state of Massachusetts, at least at some districts in NY state (along with NYC), and I image other districts in the northeast. I think it’s going to be a busy week.
Same here in Massachusetts- It’s will be busier than February break guaranteed.
I live in Upstate NY and we also have the week after Easter off. We will be in WDW from 4/15 to 4/23.
Skyliner mask rule might be because its singke parties in each gondola?
They no longer put one party per gondola. They changed that quite a while ago. If it’s busy, you’ll be riding with others. I’d love to know the reason though.
My hearing is also not spectacular and I agree that asking CM’s (or other service professionals in the world) to repeat themselves over and over gets old!
We have done the (chocolate lover’s) kitchen sink twice in our lives. Sure there is better ice cream, but this is a ton of fun. Glad to hear the hoopla is back.
Is connections cafe and eatery actually just a Panera Bread airport location?
Hi Tom.
Was just at Beaches & Cream a few days ago and there was no less than 10 kitchen sinks ordered. It was great to experience the sirens and the flashing lights with the whole cast yelling out “a whole can of whipped cream?!” In response to the table servers description of the kitchen sink as it was brought to its respective table. Glad to be here when some normalcy is returning. Now if we can only get rid of genie plus and overflowing trash cans… one can dream lol
Wait! Don’t leave me hangin!
the recent return of Moonlight Magic (speaking of which, didn’t hear great things about the first night at Epcot!),
What’s up with that?
Hi, Rachel:
We were there at the first Moonlight Magic event at Epcot on Thursday night. We have been to nearly all of these events ever since they began, and this one was by far the worst one ever. Instead of issuing vouchers for a counter service meal that was redeemable at numerous locations through the event, they issued coupons for three “delectable delights” for each person. They were good for any regular snack product before the park closed at 9:00. After that, they could only be redeemed at one of three popcorn carts. Yes, that is it–for all of those thousands of people. If you wanted a simple bottle of water, you had to wait in line at a popcorn cart, and the lines were VERY long (when we checked, each one would have been at least two hours counting the number of people in line and the time it was taking to serve each guest). And no restaurants, stands, kiosks, or stores were open, so you could not buy a snack or beverage elsewhere. They did have Mickey ice cream bars at separate carts, so those were available. All of our vouchers went unused. We heard many people justifiably grumbling in frustration. We finally left in frustration at midnight because our group was hungry and thirsty. We headed to the all-night McDonald’s nearby and waited 45 minutes at the drive-through because apparently a lot of other people had the same idea.
I thought I was the only one who had come to the conclusion that I was slightly hard of hearing as well and relied more on lip reading than I realized. The last time I was in the parks I was constantly giving cast members a quizzical look because I had no clue what they had just told me. Thanks for all the great information you provide to us. Have been a reader of your blog for years and always find it not only helpful, but always entertaining. Have recommended your blog many times to people planning a Disney trip. Tell Sarah I think you deserve the Kitchen Sink.
I think their is an exception for masking in Gondola’s. Every Ski Gondola I have been in this year 2 in different states only required masks when their was a general mask order. Once that was lifted we were allowed to go maskless.
Did those ski gondolas have their vents open?
My working theory is that the Skyliner is exempt because it’s considered an “open-air” conveyance by virtue of its vents. I don’t know why else it wouldn’t be subject to the DOT Order, as “cable cars” are specifically mentioned. (Batuu buses are likely considered private transportation, and the order doesn’t apply for that reason.)
Does this mean I can remove the plexiglass barrier from my laptop no while reading this site safely?
Most medical professionals and even the armchair experts on Twitter are actually recommending that you add a second layer of plexiglass to your laptop when reading this site. Not sure what that’s about, but there you have it.
“That’s right–no more leaning around a giant piece of plexiglass to hear what a Cast Member is trying to say.”
You are so right on! Instead of the plexiglass being an actual barrier, it was just used to make sure chiropractors stayed employed during COVID. I’m so happy for the cast members — what a relief for them and their voices. Thanks for a great update!
Hi, is anything happening at the parks on April 4 -5? I checked and the IRun event is over by then. Any suggestions on which parks we should do those days to avoid crowds?
Hi, is anything happening at the parks on April 4 -5? I checked and the IRun event is over by then. Any suggestions on which parks we should do those days to avoid crowds?
April 4-8 is Georgia spring break. So, parks will be extremely busy that week too
Rumors seem to be swirling regarding the return of Minnie Vans. I know it’s a long shot and Disney has let me down more than usual lately… but, I’m going to hold out hope. I REALLY want to be able to utilize the Minnie Vans to and from the airport this fall.
So glad to see the plexiglass go!
I can explain the transport pod and Skyliner mask rules easily. *lol* The transport pod is in space and no virus lives in space. (Making this up as I go along.) The Skyliner is high off the ground (using wild hand gestures) so the Skyliner is close to outer space…ish. Therefore the rules can be relaxed. It’s science!
My understanding is that Walt Disney World now “intends” for Minnie Van service to resume. I’d stop short of calling that a rumor…it’s more like a future status update.
Walt Disney World also “intended” for the Disney Dining Plan to resume “soon” as of last July. 😉 In other words, don’t hold your breath on anything changing quickly. It might…but it also might take several more months.
Disney posted Minnie Vans have been postponed again.
I’m happy to hear about the pointless plexiglass barriers coming down. The ones in the cow pens for Gran Fiesta make that queue too tight for comfort.
David, I agree! I have never felt so closed it. It was hot and hard to breathe in there!
I was trying to think of the “worst” one for the post itself and kept coming back to Living with the Land–but you’re right, Gran Fiesta Tour definitely takes the cake. Way overdue for removal.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is pretty bad too
Each time I’m in line for Gran Fiesta Tour I can’t stop mooing much to my wife’s displeasure. I wil be so glad when the partitions are gone.
Our district in MD has off that week too, and that’s when we’ll be there.