Walt Disney World 2021 Year in Review: A Look Back and Ahead

For much of 2021, it felt rare for a week to go by without an update from Walt Disney World with news of more resorts and restaurants reopening and entertainment returning to the Most Magical Place on Earth. While the pandemic is by no means behind us, the return of offerings like fireworks, more intimate character experiences and beloved entertainment makes a visit to the House of Mouse feel a lot more like it did pre-Covid. Here's a look back at some of 2021's major highlights and most magical moments - and a look ahead and what's to come in 2022.

Walt Disney World kicked off "The Most Magical Celebration on Earth" on Oct. 1 in honor of the resort's 50th anniversary. The 18-month celebration pays tribute to Disney World's 50-year history and has introduced numerous new offerings with more to come. On center stage - Cinderella Castle's "EARidescent" glow-up, celebration anthem "The Magic Is Calling" reimagined across all four parks, and Mickey, Minnie and the gang in their shimmering partywear. Take a closer look at Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary Celebration.

When Walt Disney World reopened in July of 2020, it was without its iconic FastPass+ program, a free system that allowed guests to bypass the standby queue on select attractions. On Oct. 19, 2021, Disney launched Disney Genie, a complimentary itinerary planning tool, plus two paid, add-on components, Disney Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane attraction selection. For $15 per person per day, Disney Genie+ gives guests the ability to reserve Lightning Lane access to most attractions, skipping the standby queue and instead use the Lightning Lane (previously the FastPass+ entry). For select attractions, guests can instead purchase a la carte Individual Lightning Lane access at a cost of between $7 and $15 per attraction. Read all about Disney Genie, Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane in our comprehensive guide.

Disney discontinued free MagicBands for Disney World resort guests in 2021 but introduced a new complementary way for guests to access many of the same features performed by MagicBands. Disney MagicMobile is available on eligible iPhones, Apple Watch or Google Pay enabled Android phones and allows guests to enter theme parks (valid theme park reservation and admission required), connect Disney PhotoPass images to My Disney Experience, charge food and merchandise to the payment card on file at a Disney Resort hotel, and enter attractions through the Virtual Queue or Lightning Lane entrance where eligible.

EPCOT's beloved festivals returned with the park's reopening back in 2020, but for a full cycle they all bore a new "Taste of" moniker, letting guests know they'd be getting a scaled-back version of the seasonal celebrations of food, drink and entertainment. The 2021 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival was the first festival to drop the modified designation when it began this year on July 15, 2021. With outdoor masking guidelines eased in May of 2021, guests were again able to eat and sip as they strolled and more live entertainment returned. Festival fans were particularly delighted to once again experience of some of EPCOT's most beloved entertainment during the 2021 Festival of the Holidays with the return of holiday storytellers and the Candlelight Processional.

Once synonymous with a Walt Disney World vacation, fireworks were sorely missed during the first year of the resort's phased reopening. It was an emotional day when guests filled Main Street U.S.A. for the first showing in 472 days of Magic Kingdom's beloved nighttime spectacular, "Happily Ever After." The show ran for roughly three months in 2021 before being retired to make way for Magic Kingdom's new show, "Disney Enchantment." Temporary show EPCOT Forever also returned to EPCOT before also being retired to make way for the park's new show, "Harmonious."

Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary celebration brings guests two new ways to close out their evenings. At Magic Kingdom, "Disney Enchantment" has replaced "Happily Ever After" and features fireworks and new lighting and projection effects down Main Street U.S.A., new original song, "You Are the Magic," and a celebration of characters and songs from Disney and Pixar films including "Coco," "Moana," and "The Princess and the Frog." At EPCOT, "Harmonious" lights up World Showcase Lagoon nightly with fountains, projections, lighting and pyrotechnics centered on five massive barges. A soundtrack of reimagined Disney music by 240 different artists includes songs from "Beauty and the Beast," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "Mulan," and lots more.

In August, Disney announced that Walt Disney World Annual Pass sales would resume after a lengthy pandemic-induced pause and introduced four new pass types: Incredi-Pass, Sorcerer Pass, Pirate Pass, and Pixie Dust Pass. Disney began selling the new passes Sept. 8 but on Nov. 21 again paused Annual Pass sales, suspending sales of all new passes except the Florida resident-exclusive Pixie Dust Pass.

From smaller-scale performances like the Casey's Corner piano player at Magic Kingdom and Kora Tinga Tinga at Disney's Animal Kingdom to major productions like A Celebration of Festival of the Lion King at Disney's Animal Kingdom and Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Disney's Hollywood Studios, live entertainment continues to make its way back onto Walt Disney World's many stages.

2021 brought an endless stream of restaurant reopening announcements, with no reopening more hotly debated than 'Ohaha at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. The 'Ohana's news was met first with delight, but swiftly followed with outrage that a beloved menu item, the 'Ohana Noodles, had been left off the restaurant's "All-You-Care-to-Enjoy" dinner menu. Disney heard the feedback loud and clear and swiftly reinstated the noodles, much to the relief of the restaurant's devoted carb-loading supporters.

Other big-news restaurant reopenings included the first buffet to return to Walt Disney World at Boma - Flavors of Africa at Disney's Animal Kingdom, character dining at Chef Mickey's at Disney's Contemporary Resort, fan-favorite tiki bar Trader Sam's Grog Grotto at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, and Citricos, which reopened with a new menu and "Mary Poppins Returns"-inspired décor at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.

The sleeper hit of the 50th anniversary, "Disney KiteTails" at Disney's Animal Kingdom is a whimsical new daytime show featuring two alternating daytime performances, one themed to "The Lion King" and the other to "The Jungle Book." The shows feature a series of huge, stunning character kites pulled by jet ski and guests are loving the unpredictability and surprises that come with the kites' apparent "crash landings" (which are in fact intentional).

For the first time in forever, athletes laced up their sneakers and headed to the starting line for the first in-person runDisney race weekend since February of 2020. More than 30,000 runners competed in the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend Nov. 5-7, kicking off the 2021-2022 race season, which also includes the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (Jan. 5-9, 2022), the Princess Half Marathon Weekend (Feb. 24-27, 2022) and the Springtime Surprise Weekend (March 31-April 3). On Dec. 16, runDisney also announced dates for the 2022-2023 race season, giving runners plenty of time to train and make their travel plans.

Guests have been flocking to Disney's Contemporary Resort and Disney's Polynesian Village Resort since the hotels first opened with the Magic Kingdom on Oct. 1, 1971. This year, in conjunction with Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary celebration, both resorts have undergone extensive renovations. Updates to Disney's Polynesian Village Resort include a new façade and monorail station and a "Moana"-inspired makeover in guests rooms.

Disney's Contemporary Resort is also undergoing an ongoing reimagining of the hotel's lobby and guest rooms. Colorful new lobby artwork takes its inspiration from the iconic Mary Blair-designed mural in the Grand Canyon concourse as well as the Monorail that runs through the hotel's A-frame structure and original resort concept art celebrates the resort's history while giving the lobby a welcome refresh.

Just off Disney's Contemporary Resort's lobby, new restaurant Steakhouse 71 has taken the place of The Wave… of American Flavors. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the restaurant celebrates classic dishes like the Baby Iceberg Wedge Salad, Prime Rib & Classic Yorkshire Pudding, and a Tequila Sunrise cocktail served in a sharable fishbowl-sized glass, but the real star is the Steakhouse 71 Stack Burger, which has built up quite the cult following (there's even a plant-based version available for vegetarians and vegans!).

Guest rooms at Disney's Contemporary Resort are getting a super new look with theming inspired by Disney Pixar's "The Incredibles" as well as Disney World's iconic monorail. Guests will spot lots of nods to the heroic family, from super suits hanging in the closet to silhouettes on the curtains and artwork on the walls. Updates are still being completed, first in the hotel's main tower and eventually in the resort's outer buildings too.

EPCOT continues to unveil new offerings as part of its massive multi-year transformation. Fan-favorite tasting experience Club Cool reopened in September with a sleek new look. Guests can try free samples of Coca-Cola beverages from around the world and shop Coca-Cola souvenirs. Next door, Creations Shop, the bright new replacement for flagship merchandise outpost Mouse Gear, also opened in September.

Disney World guests looking for an "elevated" dining experience can blast off for a meal in space. Out-of-this world restaurant Space 220 opened in September in EPCOT's World Discovery neighborhood. Space 220 lifts guests 220 miles above Earth's surface via a virtual "stellarvator," aka space elevator, for lunch and dinner with views of Earth below and passing ships and space travelers floating by.

A new, expanded section of EPCOT's France pavilion officially opened on Oct. 1, and with it, Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, a new family-friendly, 3D trackless dark ride inspired by Disney Pixar's "Ratatouille." Read all about the ride plus how to join the Virtual Queue to ride it. Joining the little rat chef's new ride are two new dining options in the expansion area: La Crêperie de Paris and Crêpes À Emporter at La Crêperie de Paris. Serving authentic savory galettes, sweet crêpes, and hard ciders from France's Brittany region, the former offers table service and the latter quick-service bites from a to-go window.

Since the theme parks reopened, traditional meet and greets have been suspended and replaced with distanced appearances, cavalcades, motorcades and flotillas. In November, Disney began bringing back some character "sightings" that more closely resemble meet-and-greets in the before times. There are still no hugs and autographs, but characters like Mickey at Town Square Theater in the Magic Kingdom, Minnie Mouse in Red Carpet Dreams at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and the Disney Junior Pals in Animation Courtyard at Disney's Hollywood Studios are now doing individualized "sightings," where guests get a few moments to say hello, interact and pose at a distance for a photo with the character.

The first-of-its-kind partnership between Cirque du Soleil and Disney, "Drawn to Life" debuted Nov. 18 at Disney Springs. The breathtaking show, the result of a powerhouse collaboration between Disney Animation, Walt Disney Imagineering and Cirque du Soleil, is a moving 90-minute "love letter to the art of Disney animation" that features the design, acrobatics, costumes and choreography Cirque du Soleil is known for combined with the music and heartfelt storytelling Disney does best.

Disney fans from across the globe convened Nov. 18-21 at Disney's Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World and at home via livestream for "Destination D23, A Fan-Tastic Disney Celebration" presented by Topps and D23, the official Disney Fan Club. The weekend featured extensive looks back at Walt Disney World's 50-year history, but it also included a slew of announcements about new offerings launching worldwide across Disney's theme parks and resorts, the return of beloved experiences that have been suspended during the pandemic, and exciting events and opportunities on the horizon for D23 gold members.

Weary legs get a break from those long walks from the parking lot to Magic Kingdom. Parking lot tram service had been suspended since the parks reopened, leaving some frustrated guests to take to social media asking when they would return. Trams are now back in service at Magic Kingdom with service slated to return to EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom "throughout" next year.

EPCOT's transformation continues, more live entertainment returns and a galaxy far, far away is within reach. Here's a sneak peek at what's on the horizon at Walt Disney World in 2022.

EPCOT's first "Other-world Showcase" pavilion, "The Wonders of Xandar," will open this summer and will house the park's newest attraction and Walt Disney World's first-ever Marvel-themed ride, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. The highly anticipated "storycoaster" will debut in summer 2022 and will feature a reverse launch and rotating ride vehicles that focus guests on the action. Disney has recently revealed that Glenn Close will reprise her role as Nova Prime from the "Guardians of the Galaxy" film in the new ride.

A new generation of wearable technology is headed to Walt Disney World in 2022. MagicBand+, debuting at both Disney World and Disneyland next year, will retain the same features available in the current version of MagicBands, including park, guest room and Lightning Lane entry, hands-free payment at retail and dining, and Disney PhotoPass scanning, but will also introduce new features and interactivity, including lights, vibrations, and gesture recognition.

Move over, Alexa. Disney has teamed up with Amazon to create a custom assistant that's coming to Walt Disney World and Disneyland hotel rooms and will be available in homes as well. The new assistant, called "Hey, Disney!", will incorporate character voices, Disney film- and destination-inspired audio, and interactive elements.

At the end of 2021, Walt Disney World is ending its Disney's Magical Express service, which provided complimentary transportation from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Walt Disney World resort hotels for hotel guests. On Jan. 1, 2022, third-party transportation operator Mears will launch Mears Connect, a new shuttle service between MCO and Disney area hotels. One-way rates start at $16 per adult; $13.50 per child. And accepting reservations for travel dates beginning Feb. 1, 2022, The Sunshine Flyer is another shuttle service that will provide airport transportation starting at $17 per adult; $12.50 per child in themed motorcoaches inspired by 1920s locomotive and passenger cars.

Star Wars fans, this is the space cruise you're looking for. Beginning March 1, 2022, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will begin "transporting" (use your imagination) guests to a galaxy far, far away aboard the Halcyon, a luxury-class starship. Billed not as a hotel but as a two-night experience, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will immerse guests in interactive environments and scenarios where they'll rub shoulders with members of both the First Order and Resistance, test their skills in lightsaber training, sample culinary delicacies from across the galaxy, participate in an excursion to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, and more. Bookings now open.

More of Walt Disney World's most beloved shows and live entertainment are coming back in 2022. At Walt Disney World, the Festival of Fantasy Parade returns to Magic Kingdom. An updated stage show, Mickey's Magical Friendship Faire, will feature a new opening and finale and a new original song, "Where the Magic Feels Like Home." Magic Kingdom is also getting a new cavalcade, Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade, which will feature Disney and Pixar characters including Nick Wild and Judy Hopps from "Zootopia," the Incredibles, Mulan, Moana, Miguel from "Coco," Merida, Stitch, and more.

At Disney's Hollywood Studios, nighttime spectacular Fantasmic! will return with a brand-new segment. And at Disney's Animal Kingdom, a reimagined Finding Nemo musical will be called "Finding Nemo: The Big Blue and Beyond," and will take place in the timeline of "Finding Dory."

Walt Disney World hotels have continued their gradual reopening since July of 2020 and this spring that process will finally be complete. At the close of 2021, all but one Disney World hotel has reopened and Disney has announced that the last one, Disney's All-Star Sports Resort, will reopen on March 31, 2022.

Two massive fan events are coming to the Anaheim Convention Center in the span of just four months, and both are likely to include some news and updates that connect to Walt Disney World. First up, Star Wars Celebration will be held May 26-29, 2022 D23 Expo, and brings fans, collectors, cosplayers, artists and other members of the Star Wars community together with the creators and stars of the Star Wars Universe. Then, from Sept. 9-11, 2022, D23 Expo, the largest Disney fan event in the world, comes to town to showcase and celebrate all things Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel across film, streaming, TV, theme parks, merchandise, music, live entertainment, and more. Tickets for D23 Expo go on sale Jan. 20, 2022.