A popular location has closed permanently in Walt Disney World.
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Disney has a lot on its plate in 2024, with several major blockbusters set to release this summer. Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are looking forward to Deadpool & Wolverine, which acts as the continuation of the Deadpool storyline. However, this summer also marks the return of Disney Pixar’s Inside Out series.
Inside Out 2 is the direct sequel to the original 2015 film, which allowed audiences to watch as Riley, the franchise’s main character, grew up and dealt with her emotions. In this new film, Riley is becoming a teenager, meaning new, more intense emotions are on the way.
This list of new emotions will join the now-iconic cast featured in the first film, with Amy Poehler reprising her role as Joy, Phyllis Smith returning as Sadness, and Lewis Black returning for Anger. The first official trailer for the film makes the new film look even better than the first, with Riley dealing with a whole new set of problems as she enters a new grade and attempts to make new friends.
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Unfortunately, guests hoping to meet one of the main characters from this series are out of luck, with Disney closing the Joy meet and greet at EPCOT.
As of May 15, the Joy meet-and-greet in the Imagination! Pavilion is permanently closed. Joy has been meeting guests inside the Pavilion for years, which also houses other attractions like Journey Into Imagination with Figment.
Guests could meet Joy in front of a backdrop as she posed for photos, signed autographs, and interacted with fans of Disney’s Inside Out franchise. It was confirmed earlier this week that Joy would no longer be meeting guests at EPCOT, with the character set to move over to Pixar Plaza in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
This move makes sense considering Inside Out 2 releases in just a few short weeks on June 14, meaning a plethora of new guests will want to meet Joy. Pixar Plaza, formerly known as Pixar Place, is located near Toy Story Land and houses other popular characters from Pixar’s long list of films, such as The Incredibles, Toy Story, and Monsters Inc.
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There’s a lot currently taking place at Walt Disney World, with the most exciting project starting to wrap up. In just a few weeks, guests will finally be able to experience Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Magic Kingdom’s brand-new thrill ride.
This exciting new adventure replaces Disney’s former Splash Mountain ride and features all-new theming, music, and characters based on Disney’s beloved 2011 animated film, The Princess and the Frog. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open on June 28, 2024, marking an incredibly quick turnaround on the project.
Splash Mountain permanently closed at the start of 2023, and Disney kept the new ride’s opening date under wraps for over a year. However, Disney finally revealed the opening date to guests, letting them get ready and book their trips to the Magic Kingdom.
Are you excited about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure? Will you be watching Inside Out 2?
This post originally appeared on Inside the Magic.
