Credit: Inside The MagicAfter a shocking change earlier this year, a popular Disney World location returns to its former glory.
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With the Walt Disney World Resort being as massive as it is, things are constantly changing. From new rides and attractions to dining and shopping locations, guests can always expect to discover something new during their trips.
This extends to menu changes at the various restaurants in the parks, both quick-service and sit-down, with a popular Magic Kingdom spot once again serving a fan-favorite dish.
Popular Dish Returns to Magic Kingdom Restaurant
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Hush puppies have returned to Columbia Harbour Restaurant at Magic Kingdom. This quick-service dining location serves a variety of seafood, including fried fish and shrimp, lobster rolls, and a whole host of sides.
Hush puppies disappeared from the side menu in June 2024, vanishing mysteriously without a trace.
However, according to new reports, hush puppies have returned. While not shown on the menu or the My Disney Experience app, guests can order hush puppies again at Columbia Harbour House.
Columbia Harbour House eliminated hush puppies from its menu last month, sending a shockwave of panic and disappointment to fans of this classic fast-food establishment. While fried food abounds at the Disney theme parks, seafood is a little rarer, making Columbia Harbour House a must-visit destination for fans of shrimp and fish.
Hush puppies are often paired alongside seafood, making their removal earlier this year perplexing.
It’s likely that supply chain issues caused Disney to temporarily remove the item from the menu until they could once again fulfill orders.
Columbia Harbour House is located in Liberty Square in Magic Kingdom, a history-filled area meant to evoke the colonial stylings of early America. The centerpiece of this land is the Hall of Presidents, a riveting show that seeks to educate guests on how America came to be.
This attraction features one of the largest assortments of animatronics at the entire resort, featuring every single person to serve as President of the United States of America in lifelike form.
Columbia Harbour House is one of the many quick-service locations at the Magic Kingdom, with several other locations, like Casey’s Corner and Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, being some of the most popular fast-food options at the park.
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe in Frontierland is another popular spot where guests can get burgers, nachos, and other standard theme park fare. Of course, Magic Kingdom offers plenty of sit-down restaurants, such as Tony’s, Jungle Skipper Canteen, and The Plaza Restaurant.
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Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe is another legendary Walt Disney World Resort dining establishment. It serves various southwestern dishes, such as tacos, fajitas, and nachos. This location is found toward the entrance to Frontierland, right after guests pass by Pirates of the Caribbean.
However, rumors suggest that Pecos Bill will not last much longer at the Magic Kingdom, with a particular New Orleans princess set to take over. With the addition of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom, many fans assume Princess Tiana will soon take over Pecos Bill, offering guests an authentic taste of New Orleans.
A similar transformation already occurred at the Disneyland Resort last year, and with the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure this summer, Pecos Bills’ days are likely numbered.
The Magic Kingdom itself is undergoing a massive transformation at the moment, with several attractions closing and new experiences opening up.
Perhaps the most significant change the park has seen in recent memory is Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, a new spin on a Disney park classic. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opened on June 28, 2024, and replaced Disney’s once-iconic Splash Mountain log flume ride.
This new attraction takes guests on a journey inspired by Disney’s animated film The Princess and the Frog from 2009, sending them through an authentic Louisiana-style bayou. Along the way, guests are greeted by several critters and characters, including the titular Princess Tiana.
The decision to close Splash Mountain came after decades of controversy surrounding the ride and its source material, which stemmed from a long-forgotten animated film from 1946 titled Song of the South. As a way to erase the problematic nature of this film and provide guests with an exciting new experience, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure was born.
This ride is located in Frontierland, which itself is undergoing several renovations. Prior to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opening, Magic Kingdom lost two opening-day attractions: Country Bear Jamboree and the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade.
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Disney announced the closure of its Country Bears attraction last year, revealing a new show would take its place. The bears aren’t going anywhere and will be featured in a new show called Country Bear Musical Jamboree, where they will sing popular Disney songs.
The Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade, however, faired worse, with Disney pulling the plug on the decades-old attraction permanently. Disney announced the closure of this classic arcade experience earlier this summer, revealing the space would be turned into a lounge for Disney Vacation Club members. It’s unclear when another one of these new attractions will open, but Disney is making it loud and clear that it wishes to revitalize and reenergize Frontierland.
Last year, The Walt Disney Company announced a mysterious new project that is currently taking shape “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain,” with many theories spreading like wildfire online. Big Thunder Mountain is, of course, one of Magic Kingdom’s most popular rides, offering guests an exhilarating roller coaster experience.
Frontierland has undoubtedly changed over the years, but with Disney’s “Beyond Big Thunder” announcement, it’s clear the land is set to undergo its most extensive transformation yet, with the recent closure of the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade and Country Bear Jamboree being the first steps.
Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland also changed significantly with the addition of TRON Lightcycle / Run. This thrilling and futuristic roller coaster opened at the beginning of 2023, offering guests one of the most technological and visually stunning experiences at Magic Kingdom.
The coaster can be found next to Space Mountain, and despite its rather lengthy construction process, TRON Lightcycle / Run is certainly a worthy addition to an already action-packed theme park.
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Outside of Magic Kingdom, the rest of the Walt Disney World Resort is also undergoing significant changes. EPCOT, the second-oldest theme park in Walt Disney World, recently wrapped up its years-long renovation, and several new lands, locations, and attractions have opened over the last few years.
In 2022, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind officially opened, marking an exciting new chapter in EPCOT’s history. This ride is the first coaster to feature a reverse launch and the first roller coaster to open at EPCOT, making it the park’s premier “E-Ticket” attraction.
Alongside Comsic Rewind, a new attraction based on Disney’s popular Moana franchise opened, as did an attraction based on Pixar’s Ratatouille (2007). EPCOT also welcomed two new areas, CommuniCore Plaza and CommuniCore Hall, which acted as the official endpoint of the park’s long list of planned refurbishments.
Several large-scale changes are planned for Disney’s Animal Kingdom as well, with Disney announcing its plans to retheme DinoLand U.S.A., a section of the park based on archeology and prehistoric creatures like dinosaurs.
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The exact details regarding this project are unknown, but Disney is looking at both Encanto and Indiana Jones as inspirations for the planned overhaul of DinoLand U.S.A. In concept art (shown above), an Encanto-themed attraction can be seen roughly where Primeval Whirl, a now-closed thrill ride used to be.
The concept art completely reimagines DinoLand as a South American-inspired haven filled with tropical vegetation and wildlife, as well as several new attractions guests will be able to experience.
An attraction based on Indiana Jones can be seen where DINOSAUR still currently resides. DINOSAUR is perhaps the scariest ride at Walt Disney World, sending travelers back in time to the age of the dinosaurs. However, this ride quickly goes off the rails, with guests losing the signal to their onboard GPS, sending them directly in the path of some of history’s most frightening creatures.
The attraction isn’t for everyone, and young children can often be seen coming off it in tears. However, it’s one of the most thrilling and unique attractions offered at Walt Disney World, and its closure would certainly upset hardcore fans.
Disney has played coy about this project, keeping specific details about DinoLand’s fate close to its vest. However, like Disney’s comments about Frontierland, it’s clear the company wishes to reinvigorate DinoLand U.S.A., making it a must-see destination for Disney World guests.
A ton more information is expected to be revealed during this year’s D23 Expo.
For the uninitiated, Disney’s D23 Expo is a fan-focused event where the company makes dozens of exciting announcements across all of its divisions. Not only does Disney spend a significant chunk of time thinking about its future plans for its theme parks, but fans of Disney’s brands like Star Wars, Marvel, and Lucasfilm can also expect to hear several exciting announcements.
This year’s D23 will be held from August 9 through August 11, 2024, and will undoubtedly be one of the biggest events in the company’s history.
What new attraction are you most excited to experience at Walt Disney World? When is your next trip?