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 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.

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 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.

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 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.