Theme Park Report
Tokyo DisneySea will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Friday, September 4, 2026, according to Theme Park Insider. The second gate at Tokyo Disney Resort officially opened on September 4, 2001, and welcomed more than 12 million visitors in 2024, ranking as the world’s seventh-most visited theme park that year.
The anniversary was highlighted in Theme Park Insider’s weekly “Rope Drop” roundup, which also previews several developments scheduled for the coming week. Dollywood is expected to announce plans on Wednesday to honor Dolly Parton, whom the outlet reported died from cancer the previous week.
On September 3, Six Flags Magic Mountain has promoted an announcement concerning its new roller coaster planned for 2027. Planning documents previously reported by Theme Park Insider identified the project as the first installation of Vekoma’s Thrill Glider model.
Halloween Horror Nights will also open at Universal Studios Hollywood on Thursday. The Hollywood event will feature eight haunted houses, including five intellectual-property themes also used at Universal Orlando’s 35th-anniversary event, “Infernal Carnival of Nightmares.”
The roundup notes that Halloween events will continue opening at parks throughout September, followed by holiday events at many destinations. It also includes a series of upcoming refurbishment and seasonal closure dates.
At Disneyland, Indiana Jones Adventure and Mad Tea Party are scheduled to close September 8 and September 14, respectively, with no reopening dates listed for either attraction. The Mark Twain Riverboat is scheduled to close from September 8 through 11, Tom Sawyer Island from September 14 through 16, and Sailing Ship Columbia from September 21 through 24.
Universal destinations also have several closures planned. The Untrainable Dragon at Universal Epic Universe is scheduled to close from September 15 through 20, while Volcano Bay is set to close for the season on October 26 and return on or before April 1, 2027. Jurassic Park River Adventure at Islands of Adventure is scheduled to reopen November 20.
Additional 2027 closures include Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges at Islands of Adventure from January 4 through February 2, Fyre Drill at Universal Epic Universe from January 25 through February 4, and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Islands of Adventure from February 8 through 19. Universal’s Horror Make-Up Show remains closed with an estimated reopening in winter 2026, while the Carousel of Progress at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is closed ahead of a new show debuting in 2027.
