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:
- Six years after we were first introduced to super sister duo Anna and Elsa, Disney has released the first trailer for "Frozen 2," coming to theaters Nov. 22. Can't hold it back any more! (Our excitement, that is!) "Frozen" still holds its title as the highest-grossing animated film in ... well, forever.
- Love is certainly in the air this week, and SeaWorld Orlando is no exception! The Wild Arctic team shared news that Kaboodle the walrus is expecting her second calf this spring! The growing walrus family currently includes Kaboodle, Garfield, Ginger and Aku. Kaboodle will have a gestation period of 16 months, and the baby walrus will weigh anywhere from 100 to 170 pounds when he or she comes into the world (just a little bigger than Lily and Tad)!
- While Valentine's Day may be over, Minnie and Mickey are taking a few more days to feel the love at their Valentine's Month celebration at Disneyland! Featuring a a scavenger hunt to find the valentines that Minnie has hidden around the park for Mickey, romantic decorations and of course, sweet treats to share with your sweetheart, the event will continue until Feb. 18. (And if you're looking for even more romantic things to do all year long at Disneyland, we've got some tips for you!)
- Disney parks are taking another sustainable step by offering patrons colorful, reusable bags for their purchases. Offered in three sizes, the shopping bags are made of 80% recycled materials and will feature character designs and park icons at Disney parks, resorts and shopping districts in both Anaheim and Orlando for a small fee.
- While we're partial to frogs, this Year of the Pig doughnut is almost too cute to eat! (Almost.) Hop over to grab one for yourself at Voodoo Doughnut at Universal CityWalk Hollywood until the end of the month.
- Calling all Wilderness Explorers! You can now meet Kevin from "Up" daily on Discovery Island at Disney's Animal Kingdom. (We hear she is toadally adorable!)
- A new trailer for the live-action remake of "Aladdin" debuted during Sunday's Grammy Awards, giving us a full look at Will Smith as the fan-favorite blue sidekick, Genie. The reception, however, was, well, blue, as mixed reviews flooded in via social media. You can check out the trailer here. What do you think?
- Disney's Skyliner gondolas made their first test runs between Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney's Hollywood Studio this week at Walt Disney World. The gondolas remained covered during testing, but will ultimately feature characters from "Toy Story," "Star Wars," and other Disney favorites from films and attractions alike.
That’s it for the theme park news this week! Have a great weekend.
Hoppy planning!