2024 in Photos: Disney and Universal Greatness
This year has been pretty great. As usual, I spent it with my two favorite people and a brilliant dog. I coded several websites. I wrote hundreds of articles. Danielle and Mariann joined Diservations. And I was in the Disney World bubble for 20 days. I took thousands of Disney and Universal photos in 2024, several of which I kinda liked. I hope you like them, too.
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Magic Kingdom
I don’t get invited to Disney press events. I’m cool with that, but it does give me a little anxiety. Since I don’t live in Florida, I rarely have the opportunity to experience new attractions as they open. But in June, I was fortunate to be one of the first to enjoy Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Tiana and her animatronic friends, while not always perfect, are beautiful. Other 2024 highlights were the Hatbox Ghost, Happily Ever After (from multiple angles), Maleficent Dragon, and the Country Bears Musical Jamboree.
EPCOT
EPCOT’s transformation was completed in 2024. Wait, what? It didn’t feel like it on our visits. The ground lights didn’t work. CommuniCore Hall had zero vibe. And Test Track was closed for a refurbishment. But the park was still beautiful. Spaceship Earth always pops. Moana and her water features are an underrated gem. And Groot made an already-strong Flower & Garden Festival even better.
Hollywood Studios
You’ll be happy to know that I didn’t take as many photos of the Star Destroyer hangar and the Millennium Falcon in 2024. Who are we kidding? I took hundreds. But I won’t share them all here. Instead, you’ll see other Star Wars stuff, Miss Piggy (a somber reminder that we’re losing Muppet*Vision 3D), a scene or two from the incredibly entertaining Frozen Sing-Along, and the best-themed restaurant in all of Walt Disney World.
Animal Kingdom
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is set to change dramatically over the next few years. Dinosaurs are going extinct (again) in favor of three Disney IPs (Encanto, Indiana Jones, and Coco). It’s Tough to be a Bug!, the most terrifying of “kids” attractions, is making way for Zootopia: Better Zoogether. I’m not on board with those changes. Nope. I need the Dino Institute and horror-filled bug movies. But none of that will diminish my love for this park. My favorite 2024 photos come from Animal Kingdom. I hope you enjoy way too many pics of the Tree of Life, Pandora’s floating mountains, a baby elephant, and the Forbidden Mountain.
The holidays
Visiting Disney World during the holidays is the best (but consider going before Christmas to take advantage of lighter crowds). No matter when you visit, you’re going to love the holiday vibes of the parks, resorts, and Disney Springs. Our favorite is Animal Kingdom (of course). The Merry Menagerie is a non-IP treat.
Universal Orlando
We spent a day at Universal Orlando in November, and our timing couldn’t have been better. We saw the opening night of Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s. Before that parade, two of us rode front seat on VelociCoaster, also known as the best coaster. I will not be hearing other opinions at this time.
Disney Resort hotels
Finally, we were lucky to stay at three beautiful Disney hotels in 2024. In the spring, it was all about Polynesian tiki torches and Dole Whips. For two nights in June, we enjoyed fantastic views from our Riviera studio. And last month, we hung with the animals at Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House.
That was a lot of Disney photos! If you made it this far, you’re my favorite reader.
Happy New Year, everyone! See you next year.
Read more: Photo Gallery: Our Favorite Disney Pictures from 2023
