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:
- The highly anticipated opening of The Edison at Disney Springs is drawing closer, and the Disney Parks Blog got a peek inside it and three other work-in-progress dining destinations. The Gothic-style Edison will be a landmark restaurant, bar and lounge. By day, it will be a family friendly destination, offering lunch and drinks. After 10 p.m. it will be 21 and up, with food, drinks and entertainment, including perhaps aerialists. Pizza Ponte, Maria & Enzo's and Enzo's Hideaway will all be opening in early 2018 too inside the Walt Disney World entertainment district!
- Not to be outdone, Downtown Disney at Disneyland has some new dining and entertainment options opening in early 2018. Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire by ILMxLAB and The Void will offer a multi-sensory, hyper-reality experience that will allow groups of four to go undercover as stormtroopers to capture intelligence key to the rebellion's survival. Splitsville Luxury Lanes, an upscale bowling, dining and entertainment destination, will also open soon. Retailer D-Street will close Jan. 2 and re-open soon in a reimagined retail space offering Disney-themed home goods. This Momma Frog can't wait to get her shopping on!
- Tickets have gone on sale for Universal Orlando's popular EVE, New Year's Eve countdown celebration. If you and your frog squad will be in town over the holiday, consider leaving the tadpoles with at on-site hotel child activity center and hitting Universal CityWalk to celebrate with live bands, DJs, unlimited food, fireworks and a midnight toast.
- All-new merch is coming to Star Wars Galactic Nights. This one-night, after-hours event at Disney's Hollywood Studios returns Dec. 16 with celebrity appearances, panel discussions, entertainment, photo ops and more. The event-exclusive merchandise includes T-shirts, tumblers and pins. It's not too late to get discount tickets for Star Wars Galactic Nights from us frogs. Ribbit!
- Cast members at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa celebrated the completion of its hotel-wide renovation. While this was the most extensive renovation since the hotel's opening, it stayed true to its glorious Arts & Crafts design style.
- Actor Matt Bomer hopped over to Epcot for a photo op with his ol' pal Santa Goofy. He is one of a handful of new narrators for this year's Candlelight Processional, which tells the story of Christmas.
- In awwww news, SeaWorld Orlando helped rescue 10 manatees on a three-day mission last month in South Carolina in coordination with government and wildlife agencies. Nine were released back into the wild, while one is still receiving care for cold stress at the Jacksonville Zoo.
- Last but not least, to commemorate our hop into ski destinations, we crafted this DIY "Our First Snow" Wood Ornament. It's the perfect way to get the whole family excited about your winter getaway. You are taking a winter getaway, right? You can hop on big savings on lift tickets to key family-friendly ski destinations when you package with hotels.
That’s it for the theme park news this week! Have a great weekend.
