Hi there! Welcome to our weekly roundup of the most interesting theme park news around the Walt Disney World Resort, the Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and other theme parks.
Here are this week’s theme park highlights:
- "Dream Along With Mickey" will make its final appearance tomorrow after a very long run at Magic Kingdom. The castle stage show, which debuted in 2006, is being replaced by "Mickey's Royal Friendship Fare," which will debut this summer. Dream Along remains one of our most popular videos on YouTube. If you can't make it to the park this weekend, you can watch it here.
- Dates have been announced for D23 Expo 2017. Disney's official fan club hosts the ultimate fan event, which often is the place to announce major resort news. The Expo returns to Anaheim on July 14-16, 2017. Tickets go on sale this summer on July 14 for next year's even.
- Disney World provided more details about Tiffins, the signature restaurant headed to Disney's Animal Kingdom later this summer. The restaurant, located in Discovery Island area, will be open daily for lunch and dinner. Its menu will feature European, African, Asian, and North and South American dishes.
- ESPN 2 is set to broadcast the opening and closing ceremonies plus a televised daily show during the Invictus Games, which will be held at Disney World on May 8-12. ESPN 3 will provide more than 35 hours of specific event coverage.
- For all of you Hello Kitty fans, she is finally making her debut at the Universal Orlando Resort, in her own brand new shop. You'll find sweet treats, merchandise from her and friends, a whole area devoted to lounge attire, and the meet and greet itself.
- LEGOLAND California announced the opening date for its interactive Ninjago-themed ride. Opening May 5, it will be the centerpiece of a new Ninjago World area that will include new "training exercises" and a restaurant.
- Win theme parks compete, we all win. This week, the Orange County Register takes a look at what the new Wizarding World means for Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland.
- Your favorite Disney and Pixar characters are now available in LEGO minifigures. The new series debuts May 1 at LEGO Stores nationwide. They include Alice and the Cheshire Cat; Peter Pan and Captain Hook; and Buzz Lightyear and the Little Green Men (man?). I see a new collection in our future ;)
That’s it for the theme park news this week. Have a great weekend!
Hoppy planning!
If you’re thinking about a trip to Disney World, make sure to check out the other news, tips and information we post to the blog throughout the week. If you’re ready to plan your trip, we recommend you start with our Orlando Planning Guide.