Disney World Disney rearranged the family plot beside the Haunted Mansion queue at Magic Kingdom. Uncle Theodore and Cousin Algernon moved up, Dorothea shifted toward guests, and the grave of a man named Martin is no longer visible from the same angle.
Disney World Opening night of Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2026 has sold out, leaving six of the season's 38 nights unavailable before the party has even started. August 7, 11, 14 and 18 are gone, along with October 13 and Halloween night itself. The first August date you can still buy is the 21st, and remaining nights run $139 to $224.
Universal Orlando A power outage at Universal Orlando on Saturday afternoon stopped an attraction with roughly 70 guests aboard, and the Orlando Fire Department brought every one of them down individually by ladder and safety harness. Nobody was hurt and nobody was taken to a hospital. Universal has not said what caused the outage.
Universal Orlando Universal confirmed on July 16 that the 1988 cult classic is coming to the streets of Halloween Horror Nights 35, ending a seven year absence from the Orlando event. The teaser opens with "Klown around and find out" and promises more details soon. Universal has not said whether it is a scare zone, and no name or description has been released.
SeaWorld Orlando The SeaWorld Orlando Rescue Team released nine rehabilitated green sea turtles back into the Atlantic this week at River to Sea Preserve in Marineland. Most had arrived suffering from cold stress and severe malnutrition after an unusually cold Florida winter, and one needed extensive repair to its shell. SeaWorld Orlando's 2026 totals now stand at 38 turtles rescued and 27 returned to the wild.
Disney World Animal Kingdom began testing a new morning routine early this week, one that walks non-resort guests out of the Oasis and onto Discovery Island before the 8 a.m. opening, then fans them out through three checkpoints toward Pandora, Expedition Everest, and the former DinoLand U.S.A. bridge. Cast Members told WDW News Today the procedures are still a test and may not look the same from one day to the next.
Universal Orlando Universal Orlando has discontinued every multi-night Fear pass that included Express Pass for Halloween Horror Nights 35, ending an add-on it had sold since 2003. Rush of Fear, Frequent Fear, Frequent Fear Plus, and Ultimate Frequent Fear are all affected. Multi-night passes without Express are still coming, and single-night Express Passes remain on sale starting at $170.
Disney World Disney has confirmed The Magic of Disney Animation opens September 14, 2026 at Disney's Hollywood Studios, taking over the former Star Wars Launch Bay building and rebranding Animation Courtyard as The Walt Disney Studios. The reveal covers five experiences: Once Upon a Studio Theater, Olaf Draws!, Off the Page!, Drawn to Wonderland, and an Enchanted Art Gallery.
Universal Orlando Universal Orlando has confirmed Fast & Furious: Supercharged at Universal Studios Florida will close permanently on August 17, 2026, with the last day to ride August 16. That moves the shutdown up about a year from the vague 2027 timeframe announced in January. Universal has not said what will replace the ride.
Disney World The Disney Experiences Auction has revealed its first park-used lots, and the headliners are pure Walt Disney World: a Big Thunder Mountain Railroad mine car rebuilt into a bench, decorative Miss Piggy and Kermit figures from the shuttered MuppetVision 3D, and more. Online bidding through Heritage Auctions opens July 20, with the live sale August 16 at D23 in Anaheim.
Universal Orlando New construction walls have gone up directly in front of Mythos Restaurant, and the Lost Continent restrooms have closed, leaving just four venues open as Universal tears down one of Islands of Adventure's six original 1999 lands. Mythos itself is still set to close permanently in 2027, and Universal has not said what will replace the area.
Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 35 has its first scare zone. Universal announced Infernal Carnival of Nightmares, a decrepit-carnival street experience that unites the event's icons Jack the Clown and Dr. Oddfellow, and ties directly into the announced Jack and Oddfellow haunted house. HHN 35 runs select nights from August 28 through November 1.
Disney World The character spot next to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin at Magic Kingdom has quietly lost its Toy Story look. Disney stripped the toy buttons and battery-tile flooring and repainted the backdrop a generic blue and silver, and the location is now used mostly by Stitch and Chip and Dale rather than Buzz.
Disney World D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2026 has revealed its full programming lineup for August 14 to 16 in Anaheim. For theme park fans, the marquee is Saturday's Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, where Disney will share what is next for its parks. Reservations for select presentations open July 20.
Disney World The last of the themed towers that framed Tomorrowland's entrance since its 1994 makeover is gone. As of this week, Disney has removed every decorative structure from the Magic Kingdom land's entryway, leaving repainted but bare rockwork. Disney has not said what, if anything, will replace them.
Universal Orlando Fresh aerial photos show two changes reshaping Universal CityWalk Orlando at once. The site for the Luke Combs Category 10 venue, a three-story bar and music hall, has been largely cleared near Margaritaville, and a new dedicated bus lane is taking shape nearby. Category 10 is projected to open in late 2027.
Disney World A rumor making the rounds this week claims Magic Kingdom's Space Mountain could close for a major retrack or reimagining, possibly as soon as 2027. It is worth stressing up front that this is unconfirmed speculation. Disney has announced no closure, dates, or plans. Here is what is actually known and what is not.
Universal Orlando Epic Universe has quietly opened Satellite Shakes, a new milkshake pickup window in Celestial Park that took over the former Meteor Astropub pickup window. The menu is short and space-themed: three specialty shakes priced from $12.99, including a chocolate-forward Captain Cacao's Starlight Voyage.
Disney World Two of Walt Disney World's toughest reservations, the Pirates-themed Beak and Barrel at Magic Kingdom and GEO-82 inside Spaceship Earth at EPCOT, are getting a walk-up list option in the My Disney Experience app. The Join Walk-Up List button has appeared on both lounges, though it is not fully live yet, with activation expected within days.
Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 35 is getting a new live show. Universal has announced Nightmare Fuel: Blood Noir, a vampire-themed stunt and aerial spectacular and the sixth installment of the Nightmare Fuel franchise. HHN 35 runs select nights from August 28 through November 1 at Universal Studios Florida.
SeaWorld Orlando SeaWorld Orlando has announced that Howl-O-Scream returns on select nights from September 11 through October 31, and revealed the first of its five haunted houses, Everything Must Stay, set in a suburban home no one can sell. Limited-time Sinister Sale tickets start at $34.99.
Universal Orlando Florida residents can now visit Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure an unlimited number of times through December 16 for $199 plus tax. The new 2-Park Unlimited Days ticket does not include Epic Universe or Volcano Bay, and Universal is pairing it with up to 25 percent off select hotels for Florida residents.
Disney World Walt Disney Imagineering has filed a fresh electrical permit for The Glob Theater, the show venue taking shape inside the former MuppetVision 3D building as part of the Monsters, Inc. themed Monstropolis land at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It is a small but concrete sign that interior work is moving on one of the park's biggest expansions.
Disney World Walt Disney World has a firm date for its leadership change. Joe Schott, currently president of Disney Signature Experiences, takes over as resort president on August 3, 2026, succeeding Jeff Vahle, who is retiring after 36 years with the company.
Universal Orlando Universal Orlando is bringing its own separately ticketed after-hours event to Epic Universe. Universal Nights runs two Saturday nights this fall, October 3 and 17, from 9 p.m. to midnight, with 7 p.m. early entry, complimentary snacks, and lighter crowds. Tickets start at $179.99 and go on sale August 13.
Legoland Florida Now that Red, White & BOOM has wrapped, LEGOLAND Florida still has a full summer on the calendar. Catch the FIFA World Cup Experience before it ends July 19, dive into the new LEGO Festival and its Pokémon and F1 zones from July 20 to August 16, cool off at the water park through August 30, and get ready for Brick-or-Treat on Labor Day weekend. Here is every remaining event, in order.
Universal Orlando After weeks of after-hours testing, Universal Celestial Goodnight officially debuted at Epic Universe on July 7. Universal's first full nighttime spectacular runs about 10 minutes at park close, wrapping Celestial Park in fountains, lights, and a fireworks finale, and the first opening-night video is already out.
Disney World On Monday, unionized Disney cast members and Orange County teachers presented roughly 5,000 petitions asking Disney to end its long-running property tax challenges, arguing a $119 million school reserve set aside for potential refunds could instead fund teacher raises. Disney says it is exercising a legal right and declined to comment.
Universal Orlando Universal has added a temporary tattoo choice to the Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience at Epic Universe, a lighter-commitment way to get transformed into a classic Universal Monster like Dracula or the Wolf Man. The experience starts at $45 and is open to guests ages 5 and up.
Disney World Imagineering has extended a key construction permit for the Indiana Jones ride replacing DINOSAUR into summer 2027, and with the land's other permits set to expire by spring 2027, fans are debating whether the Encanto and Indiana Jones land opens by next summer or later in the year. Disney's only official word remains 2027.
