There's an article highlighting some of the changes this season. Here are some of the major points in the article:
1. Elmo and Abby are in it even more than the last few seasons. Elmo is basically the host even after the hosting format has been dropped
2. Oscar,Cookie Monster and Grover have parts in the first two street scenes.
3.The word of the Day segment has indeed been dropped.
4. We already knew that Nina was in the season premiere but now we know that she's also in the second episode "Mucko Polo" .
I find the lack of Leela and Armando this season disturbing. I mean why would the laundramat even need another owner? I knew that they were scaling back on Gina,Luis,Gordon,Bob and Susan but why haven't we heard anything about Mando or Leela. Leela's been such a big part of the show for seven eight years now,it would seem weird for her to just suddenly disappear. And they went through all that trouble of their first open casting call when they cast Mando,are they really trying to get rid of him after just two years? Or maybe Ismael and Nitya were less available for filming,which is why they cast Suki.
On a completely unrelated note,it's interesting that Mrs.Crustworthy is back. I wonder who's playing her now that Fran Brill has left.