Five Reasons to Visit Disney World in 2016

Happy New Year! Did you make any resolutions for 2016? Did they include visiting Disney World? If not, they should! There are so many great things happening at Walt Disney World this year, but I'm limiting myself to just my top five reasons to visit this year!

5. Frozen Ever After ride! Yes, finally! The Frozen Ever After ride is scheduled to open late this spring in the Norway pavilion in Epcot. The new ride, located where Maelstrom was located in Norway, should transport you to Arendelle for a Winter in Summer celebration! On the ride, we will also visit Elsa's Ice Palace and the North Mountain before returning to Arendelle. The music and technology will make it worth the visit, I think! Of course, Anna and Elsa will be getting a brand new Meet & Greet location in their own cabin--the Royal Summerhus.

Photo Credit: Walt Disney World Resort

4. Symphony in the Stars: A Galactic Spectacular fireworks celebration. Star Wars celebrated in fireworks. Need I say more? Although it debuted in December 2015, it promises to be a huge hit in 2016 as Star Wars continues to delight multiple generations! Fabulous fireworks with the music from Star Wars: The Force Awakens should make a fabulous ending to a day at Hollywood Studios and make all the Star Wars fans in your group happy! Want even more fun? Try adding the Galactic Spectacular Dessert party and a visit to Launch Bay to meet some of your favorite Star Wars characters!

Photo Credit: Walt Disney World Resort

3. The Jungle Navigation Co Ltd Skipper Canteen opens in Magic Kingdom! Technically this opened in December 2015, but this is a fabulous addition to the restaurants already at the Magic Kingdom. Located near the Jungle Cruise in Adventureland, this new restaurant combines flavors of Asian, South America and Africa in three themed rooms. You can see the mess hall, a jungle-inspired parlor (supposedly used by the company's "founder") or the former meeting room behind the "secret bookcase" where the mysterious Society of Explorers and Adventurers met. Delicious flavors and unique offerings for everyone--including the kids--is on the menu here along with some fabulous desserts!

Photo Credit: Walt Disney World Resort

2. Soarin' Around the World re-opens at Epcot in the Land Pavilion. Already a fan favorite (and one of my personal favorites), Disney is adding an extra theater for even more seating, updating the projection and creating a brand new movie! Since it opened in 2005 (2001 at California Adventure), Soarin' has been an amazing overview of California's sights and all that makes it so unique. Now we'll be touring over some of the world's most amazing landscapes and wonders like the Great Wall of China and the African savannas. This promises to be a breathtaking update!

1. Rivers of Light will debut as the first night attraction at Animal Kingdom...and I can hardly wait! Seriously, this is what I am most excited about seeing in 2016.  Set on Discovery River between Discovery Island and Expedition Everest, this promises to be an experience never before seen at Disney World! The lights come to play as a water dance that is calling animal spirits. Fireflies will change the Tree of Life as the animal spirits of the tree are brought to life (brought to "light"). Since Animal Kingdom opened with its new ideas on open areas to house the animals, it has closed early with very little to do once it was dark. Rivers of Light will bring a whole new experience for Animal Kingdom!

Photo credit: Walt Disney World Resort

Honorable Mention: Safaris After Sunset at Animal Kingdom. While we don't have a lot of details on this yet, I'm excited to see how this! I did the Sunrise Safari (as a club level guest at Animal Kingdom Lodge), and the possibility of doing an evening safari is exciting! Disney has already added two new species, African wild dogs and hyenas, to Kilimanjaro Safaris. (Apparently they are NOT the same thing!) 

Stay tuned for more details as we move into 2016. 

If your 2016 plans involve a visit to Disney World or more family time or, hmm... more family time at Disney World, we are ready to help plan your fabulous vacation!

Susan Burks is a Disney travel planner at WishdrawalsTravel, a military wife, and a homeschooling mom to a 

 robot-programming, space-loving 11 year old!  

She and her family love visiting Disney World and taking Disney cruises. With six Disney cruises under her belt, she is now preparing to embark on a seventh Disney Cruise--this time to Norway--and planning her next Disney World visit, too!