Updated Throughout the Day
The newest theme park news, roller coaster updates, new attractions, closures, refurbishments, seasonal events, park updates, and industry developments.
122 stories · Page 2 of 7
Showing 21–40 of 122
Page 2 of 7
Construction is advancing at Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, where exterior finishes, nature-inspired murals, Lake Houses, and elements of the Wetlands recreation area are emerging along Bay Lake. Disney has confirmed that the 967-accommodation resort will open July 1, 2027, ahead of a Disney Vacation Club preview experience.
Universal Studios Hollywood will open Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift on September 16, while Universal Orlando plans to close Animal Actors on November 2. Other developments include new offerings at Efteling, leadership appointments, and the 2026 TEA Masters honors.
Aerial photos published by WDW News Today show launch racks and other equipment at a fireworks facility near Disney’s Hollywood Studios that recently returned to activity after several dormant years. Disney has not announced what event or show the site may support.
Steel framing for Casita’s central tower is now visible at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, where Tropical Americas is taking shape ahead of its scheduled 2027 opening. Construction is also progressing on the land’s carousel, village plaza, dining location, and Indiana Jones attraction.
Coral Reef Restaurant at EPCOT is scheduled to resume operations on November 4, following a temporary closure for planned maintenance beginning September 8. The restaurant will continue offering dinner service only when it reopens.
Six Flags Darien Lake will not hold Fright Fest during the 2026 Halloween season, shifting its seasonal focus to Oktoberfest and the family-oriented Kids Boo Fest. The park had previously listed Fright Fest for five dates across September and October.
Disney Vacation Club has updated its reservation modification rules so that changes to travel dates and room types can only be made when the reservation’s original check-out date falls within 11 months of the request. The change is intended to reduce the use of “reservation walking.”
Decorative sections for the temple facade of Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent are being installed at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The attraction is part of the park’s developing Tropical Americas land and will replace DINOSAUR.
Construction walls now surround the permanently closed Treasures of Poseidon gift shop in The Lost Continent at Universal Islands of Adventure. WDW News Today reports that the building is set to be demolished, although Universal has not announced what will replace it.
Killceañera: Music by Slash is part of Halloween Horror Nights 2026 at Universal Studios Hollywood. The haunted house follows Lola, a disfigured birthday girl who summons supernatural figures to her quinceañera while seeking revenge on the classmates who bullied her.
Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights 35 features 10 haunted houses, including Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control. The separately ticketed event runs on select nights from August 28 through November 1, with houses opening in phases beginning at 2 p.m.
Halloween Horror Nights 2026 at Universal Studios Hollywood includes haunted houses based on Sinners and Ozzy Osbourne’s solo career, along with appearances by Nikki from Obsession and Art the Clown in the Terror Tram. The event runs on select nights from September 3 through November 1.
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon will temporarily close next Wednesday, September 9, following its final operating weekend of the season. Disney has not announced a reopening date, while Blizzard Beach will remain open during the closure.
The Aug. 28 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom will include two Boo-to-You parades, three Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular performances and Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks. The event is sold out, with guests allowed to enter beginning at 4 p.m.
Two oversized foreground props have been added to Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at EPCOT, following Disney’s previously announced conversion of the attraction from 3D to 2D. The additions are intended to soften the visual seams between the ride’s screens and physical sets.
Cast Member previews are underway for The Magic of Disney Animation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios ahead of its scheduled September 14 opening. The preview groups have not been identified, and Disney has not confirmed whether the experience will offer a public soft opening before its debut.
Slinky Dog Dash has reopened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios after spending three consecutive days closed and briefly stopping again on September 3. BlogMickey reported that the Toy Story Land roller coaster returned around 11:15 a.m. on September 4 with a posted 120-minute wait.
A new report examines three patent applications from Disney and Universal involving autonomous robot behavior, character-articulating drones, and projection mapping on moving textiles. The applications describe potential show technologies, including systems associated with robots and flying dragons, but do not by themselves announce new attractions.
Three beluga whales relocated from the shuttered Marineland in Niagara Falls are still acclimating at SeaWorld San Diego nearly two weeks after their arrival. The park says introductions to its three resident belugas will happen gradually, with exhibit access determined according to the whales’ comfort levels.
Norwegian Cruise Line has opened the six-acre Great Tides Waterpark at Great Stirrup Cay, its 270-acre private island in the Bahamas. The new water park is now part of the cruise company’s offerings at the island destination.