Star Wars Resort at Walt Disney World and More News You Need!

Welcome to the News You Need! July saw the D23 conference come to Disneyland and bring a TON of awesome news with it! Let’s find out what’s coming that will make your Disney vacations that much more fun!

Very Merry Scheduling Change – During this year’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas parties, Magic Kingdom attractions will close to day guests beginning at SIX P.M. instead of seven p.m. to help clear the way for party guests. Day guests may remain in MK to shop or dine until 7. This change does not affect Halloween parties, and is a test to help make determine if earlier ride closures will make the transition between regular operating hours and party hours run more smoothly.

“Minnie Vans” Roll Out – While Orlando’s airport (MCO) has recently announced that it will finally begin allowing rideshare services Lyft and Uber to pick up guests, Walt Disney World is debuting its own ride service that travels around property much like Lyft and Uber (but not off property). Minnie Vans are in testing now, and will be $20 per ride per family (of up to 6 people) from any destination on property to any other. Best part? Because they’re Disney, they’re driven by CM’s and can drop off at the front of Magic Kingdom rather than at the Taxi Stand. Vehicles come equipped with two car seats and can be hailed with an app on your phone, coming soon.

The Fifteenth DVC Resort – During the announcement madness that came from D23 (more on this later), Disney Vacation Club debuted plans for its fifteenth resort on Walt Disney World property. “Disney’s Riviera Resort” will be next to Caribbean Beach and will be a 300+ room deluxe resort with its own access to the new Gondola system. For more details on the resort, check out this article and stay tuned to DVCResalemarket.com as we learn about this exciting property!

The Total Star Wars Experience – Droids, space, lightsabers – they’re all coming to a resort hotel experience at Walt Disney World. Described as a “fully immersive experience”, Disney’s new Star Wars themed resort will let guests “…become a citizen of the galaxy and experience all that entails, including dressing up in the proper attire. Once you leave Earth, you will discover a starship alive with characters, stories, and adventures that unfold all around you. It is 100% immersive, and the story will touch every single minute of your day, and it will culminate in a unique journey for every person who visits.” Stay tuned for new and exciting details as they come to us!

Disney Vacation Accounts Discontinued – The Disney Vacation Account program has been discontinued. If you are a guest who holds an account, you have four ways to get your funds including using the money toward a Disney vacation of your choice, requesting a refund, waiting for the account to close to be refunded, or getting a Disney Gift Card. Members who choose the gift card will receive a 5% bonus added onto the card. Gift cards need to be purchased by Sept. 27, and will be emailed to members who have selected this option. For more information, visit your Disney Vacation Account homepage.

So much news! D23 brought announcements like a Tron roller coaster coming to Magic Kingdom, a new Mickey Mouse ride that will replace the Great Movie Ride, the Star Wars Resort, the Gondola System with themed character cars, new ships coming to the Disney Cruise Line, a re-theming of Paradise Pier at Disneyland, and much more! Check out this article on the Disney Parks Blog for the complete rundown and try to keep your eyes from bugging out!

That’s your News You Need for July! As always, visit the DVC Resale Market Facebook page for great prices on DVC resale and awesome information. And for up-to-the-minute parks news, visit DVC Central on Facebook as well!

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Morgan Crutchfield is the owner of DVC Central, a valued DVC Resale Market partner that focuses on getting you the information you need to Maximize your Disney Experience. Morgan hopes the News You Need helps DVC Resale Market clients and fans plan fantastic vacations!