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.
- The news we've all been waiting for is finally here! Disney Parks Blog announced the 2024 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival dates — Aug. 29 through Nov. 23, 2024, with soon-to-open CommuniCore Hall adding a layer of novelty to the event. Many fan-favorite foodie items will return such as the Belgian Waffles with berry compote, Apple Strudel with vanilla sauce, Dark Chocolate Fondue and Passionfruit Cheesecake. Yum! Emile’s Fromage Montage, the delicious cheese-filled food crawl will also return along with all-new festival merchandise featuring colorful designs with Remy from "Ratatouille," Mickey Mouse and everyone's favorite purple dragon, Figment! The Eat to the Beat concert series will continue, along with Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak scavenger hunt.
- Did you know that April 25, 2024, was World Penguin Day? SeaWorld Orlando took this special day as an opportunity to drop some exciting hints that the all-new Antarctica Realm details will be unveiled very soon! The immersive area will transport you to polar ice regions and include the revamped penguin habitat, dining options, souvenir shops and the highly anticipated family launch coaster, Penguin Trek! Now, don't just stand here shivering ... be sure to read our top SeaWorld Orlando tips while we wait for the big announcement.
- Speaking of delicious food, the culinary team from Victoria & Albert's has earned two well-deserved accolades. Led by Chef de Cuisine Matthew Sowers (who also helped to create the menus for Remy on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy cruise ships), the team was awarded the highly coveted MICHELIN Star and the 2024 Florida Service Award for Maître d’Hôtel Israel Pérez! Located in Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Victoria & Albert's is now the first and only restaurant owned and operated by a U.S. theme park destination to hold a MICHELIN Star. What an honor!
- Universal Orlando Resort continues to tease sizzling summer news! On April 23, 2024, Universal posted a Shark Tank-style video proposing a summer filled with "nostalgia, new experiences, shows, a parade and a new land." In the caption was the response, "It's a deal!" complete with a handshake emoji and "4-29-24" listed as the date. While we have some sneaky hunches of what's to come, the official announcements scheduled to drop next week can't get here fast enough! In the meantime, check out our toadally cool tips for visiting Universal Orlando in the summer!
- Previously, we got a sneak peek of Mickey and Minnie's new outfits for the up-and-coming Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point private island destination. But this week, we got the full reveal of all the character's new tropical 'fits! Inspired by the traditional Junkanoo style, the details include bright colors, pom-poms, straw hats, island prints and even fringe. Can we all collectively take a moment to appreciate designer Theodore Elyett's talent? We love all the looks, but Daisy's outfit has us reeling! #fireemoji
- In conjunction with Disney's Earth Month celebrations, Disney shared an insider look at the conservation efforts hoppenin' over in the Bahamas at Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. Disney's post spotlighted five unique plant and animal species that call the Bahamian islands home. From lively teams of fish, colorful birds and scurrying land crabs, you'll want to keep a lookout for these fascinating creatures on your visit to Lighthouse Point.
- Just when we thought Disney Cruise Line news couldn't get any sweeter, Disney released a first look at the Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde statues that you'll find at the Jumbeaux’s Sweets dessert shop. The Zootopia-inspired dessert spot is located on the Disney Treasure cruise ship which is scheduled for its inaugural sail this December. Leap on over to our full Disney Treasure guide for a virtual tour of this magnificent vessel!
- It's time to celebrate! Disney's Hollywood Studios is celebrating its 35th anniversary! From red carpet moments to daring adventures, the Disney cast shared some of their beloved memories spent in the park over the years. But in true Disney fashion, there's way more fun up this park's sleeve such as the limited-time summer activation with "Inside Out 2" and the reimagined Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure opening this fall. An in-park celebration will take place at the Theatre of Stars on May 1 at 11 a.m. Exclusive Disney's Hollywood Studios 35th Anniversary merch will be available at Stage 1 Company Store. Due to the anticipated high demand, a virtual queue will be set in place which opens at 7 a.m. on May 1. Hop over to Disney World's website for more details.
- Elephants are on parade at Magic Kingdom ... errr, we mean Smellephants! You read that right. A new search-and-sniff scavenger hunt-type experience is making its way to Storybook Circus. Presented by Scentsy, eight colorfully-themed elephants complete with different smells such as popcorn, churro and cotton candy will be scattered around the area. Guests of all ages can pick up a complimentary map and stickers at the ticket booth in front of Big Top Souvenirs and become a "Whiff-sistant" to find all eight elephants as you explore Storybook Circus.
- It looks like someone is talking about Bruno! In relation to the approved DisneylandForward project, Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro shared with the Hollywood Reporter that an Encanto-themed land could be a potential new addition to the Disneyland Resort. However, Coco, Black Panther, Tangled, Frozen, Zootopia, Peter Pan, Tron and Toy Story are also possible ideas on Disney's ever-growing list. We've got our froggy fingers crossed that more details will be revealed at this year's D23 Expo in Anaheim Aug. 9-11, 2024. As always, we'll keep you posted with the latest announcements.
And that's gonna do it for theme park news this week!
Hoppy planning!
