Hi there! Welcome to our weekly roundup of the most interesting theme park news around Universal Orlando, the Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, Universal Studios Hollywood, Disneyland Resort, other theme parks and more.
Weekly Roundup of Theme Park News
- Disney fans, listen up! A bunch of exciting Disney Parks news dropped during last weekend's Destination D23 event. Cinderella Castle will return to its roots with a new color palette of grays, creams, blues and golds inspired by the castle's classic and original look. A major update for Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress is in the works, which will include an Audio-Animatronic of Walt Disney himself. Starting Sept. 15, 2025, TRON Lightcycle / Run will turn red for an overlay celebrating the upcoming release of "TRON: Ares." Plus, we got first looks at the reimagined Napa Rose (reopening this fall), Villains Land architecture and drinks aboard the Disney Destiny.
- Dinoland U.S.A. began its phased closures at the beginning of this year. First, TriceraTop Spin, Fossil Fun Games and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures closed Jan. 13, and The Boneyard closed earlier this week. And now, we finally know when DINOSAUR will become extinct. The last day to experience DINOSAUR and Restaurantosaurus will be Feb. 1, 2026, paving the way for Tropical Americas, which will feature "Encanto" and "Indiana Jones" attractions.
@undercovertourist Feel that? That’s Slash’s guitar riffs echoing through the corn. Scarecrow: Music by SLASH is back at Halloween Horror Nights—this time with an original, cinema‑style score crafted by the rock legend himself. Wander through dusty farm ruins haunted by retribution‑driven scarecrows—Mother Nature’s silent, stalker-fueled guardians of vengeance. Fear has never sounded so good… or so loud. 🤘🌽 🍿 Ready to plan your fright night? Hop over to the Undercover Tourist’s Screamin’ Guide to Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood—packed with haunted-house intel, ticket hacks, and survival tips to make your night expertly eerie and efficient! Check out our website, UndercoverTourist.com, for more information! #ScarecrowBySlash #HHN #UniversalStudiosHollywood #Slash ♬ original sound - Undercover Tourist
- Halloween Horror Nights has terrorized its first guests of the 2025 season at Universal Studios Hollywood! The fright fest continues on select nights through Nov. 2, 2025. This year, you can expect popular haunted houses inspired by "Five Nights at Freddy's," "Terrifier" and "Fallout," as well as original Universal houses such as Scarecrow (which features music by SLASH) and Monstruos 3: The Monsters of Latin America. Your favorite Blumhouse characters take over the Terror Tram once again. Plus, there's some new entertainment, scare zones, food and drinks, merch and more.
- Can't get enough scares? Howl-O-Scream begins tonight (Sept. 5) at SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and will also take over SeaWorld San Diego starting Sept. 12. But if you're looking for family fall fun, don't worry! During daylight on select dates, families can enjoy Spooktacular at SeaWorld Orlando and San Diego, and Kandy's Sweetacular Celebration at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
- It's never too early to start thinking about the holidays, especially when Disney releases a preview of the 2025 holiday merch! Holiday collections will drop this holiday season on DisneyStore.com and make their way to select Disney Parks. This Santa Mickey canvas tote will undoubtedly find a spot on my Christmas wish list ...
- After 52 years of splashes and smiles, Stanley Falls Flume will take its final plunge on Sept. 7, 2025, to make way for a new future attraction. As one of the Opening Day attractions at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, the classic water ride has cooled off many generations over these last five decades. The park is encouraging fans to share their favorite memories on social media with #StanleysLastSplash.
That's a wrap on the latest theme park news.
Hoppy planning!
