The Events And Attractions Coming To Disney World In 2018

One of the great things about Disney Parks is that they're never completed. There's always something new and interesting going on, giving you a reason, or at least an excuse, to keep returning. While the biggest update in park history, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, isn't set to open until 2019, there's plenty new on the way, as well as the return of some great events, at Walt Disney World this year.

Here's a rundown of what you can expect if you're planning to spend some time at Walt Disney World in 2018

Slinky Dog Toy Story

Slinky Dog Dash

The biggest new addition to Walt Disney World this year will be the new Toy Story Land opening this summer at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Two big attractions will be part of the new Pixar inspired area. The first is the Slinky Dog Dash, a roller coaster that will be fun for the whole family. It's designed to look like, well, a toy, of course. Specifically a Mega Coaster playset that Andy has constructed in his backyard. It should make for a fun introduction to roller coasters for a lot of smaller guests, which will hopefully lead to a lot more fun on Space Mountain later in life.

Toy Story green aliens

Alien Swirling Saucers

The second Toy Story Land attraction will have the Toy Story aliens in flying saucers chasing after guests in rocket ships. They'll all be rotating around planets while The Claw looms ominously overhead. The ride is based on the first Toy Story movie and the coin-op claw machine that the aliens all came from. Concept art makes the ride look like an updated and expanded version of the classic Mad Tea party teacups, which should be a fun ride for everybody, even those not into roller coasters.

In addition to these two new Toy Story Land rides, the currently existing Toy Story Mania ride will be expanded on, giving it a third track so that even more guests can use the ride, helping with line issues.

Up Dug and Russell

Up Show

2018 marks the 20th anniversary of Disney's Animal Kingdom Park, and while the park saw the massive expansion of Pandora - The World of Avatar, in 2017, 2018 will bring a brand new show to the park which will feature Russell and Dug from Pixar's Up. The show will follow the pair as they discover new species of birds. The show will take place in the theater that currently is the home of the Flights of Wonder show, so it appears this will be mostly a re-skin of the existing animal show.

Scarlett in Pirates of the Caribbean

Updated Pirates of the Caribbean

Pirates of the Caribbean isn't a new attraction to say the least. It's been at Disney World since the 1970s, but when the ride reopens after closing for renovation in February, the ride will include brand new material. The "bride auction" that has been in the ride since the beginning will be gone, and the famous redhead that has the attention of all the pirates will be transformed from an item for bid to a pirate in her own right. The transition has already taken place at Disneyland Paris, and will be done at both US parks this year.

The Edison

The Edison

The Edison is opening at Disney Springs in January of 2018 following a soft open event on New Year's Eve, and while the location is first and foremost a restaurant, we're including it here because The Edison is, in many ways, an event unto itself. The Edison is designed to look like a 1920s electric company, and the look and feel of that design extend to a number of different themed areas throughout the property. There will also be live performances of musical acts, acrobats and more, making The Edison a place you're going to want to check out. The Dapper Day crowd is going to love it.

Photo Courtesy Walt Disney World News/WDWNews.com

DMagic Kingdom fireworks

Disney After Hours

Disney Parks are massive and they can often be crowded. These things combined can make it difficult, or at least frustrating, when you're trying to check out all the attractions that are available. Disney After Hours is a hard ticket event that will be available a handful of nights starting in January that will see the Magic Kingdom closed early to the general public and left open only to those attending the special event. It will cost a bit more, but the greatly reduced lines will likely make it worth it for a lot of people.

Photo Courtesy Walt Disney World News/WDWNews.com

Epcot Spaceship Earth

Epcot International Festival of the Arts

Epcot is the park dedicated to bringing cultures together, which makes it the perfect place for an international festival of art. This year, the International Festival of the Arts will run from January 12- February 19, and will include examples of every conceivable art form. There will be a full schedule of Broadway caliber stage performances and great culinary arts on display (with the opportunity to try all sorts of food), as well as seminars and exhibits dedicated to visual arts. That's something we'd expect most Disney fans will be excited to check out considering the sheer volume of great art that Disney has both created and inspired.

Photo Courtesy Walt Disney World News/WDWNews.com

Epcot International Food and Wine Festival

Epcot International Food and Wine Festival

One of the most popular events at Disney World every year is the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. Last year, the event ran for 75 days, so it's likely the 2018 iteration will run at least that long. While specific dates haven't been announced yet, expect to see the festival run from early September until the holiday season events get rolling in November. Numerous kiosks will be set up around Epcot's World Showcase area that will offer different food and drink options, allowing guests to taste something new from all sorts of interesting places around the world.

Photo Courtesy Walt Disney World News/WDWNews.com

Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

2018 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

While it certainly helps if you really like flowers, the fact is that there's plenty to enjoy at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival even if Disney-shaped topiaries and colorful gardens aren't your thing. This year's festival just announced a massive lineup of musical acts that cover every conceivable genre of music, so there's bound to be something to your taste. There will also be interesting food to try, because there's always interesting food at Disney World. If you do have a green thumb or are trying to get one, there will be several lovely exhibits, along with seminars and demonstrations for fans of things that grow.

Photo Courtesy Walt Disney World News/WDWNews.com

Dirk Libbey
Content Producer/Theme Park Beat

CinemaBlend’s resident theme park junkie and amateur Disney historian, Dirk began writing for CinemaBlend as a freelancer in 2015 before joining the site full-time in 2018. He has previously held positions as a Staff Writer and Games Editor, but has more recently transformed his true passion into his job as the head of the site's Theme Park section. He has previously done freelance work for various gaming and technology sites. Prior to starting his second career as a writer he worked for 12 years in sales for various companies within the consumer electronics industry. He has a degree in political science from the University of California, Davis.  Is an armchair Imagineer, Epcot Stan, Future Club 33 Member.