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:
- Let the good times roll! Universal's Mardi Gras festival kicks off this weekend at Universal Studios Florida! To celebrate its 25th year, floats and costumes will follow a "treasures of the deep" theme. Get ready for the likes of swashbuckling pirates, the lost city of Atlantis and, oh yeah — toadally amazing food! Both parade floats and dessert floats will be themed for the occasion, such as the Mardi Gras float pictured above (that will most definitely be in our frog bellies this weekend!). Of course, traditional Mardi Gras faves such as beignets, King Cake, jambalaya, red beans and rice and po' boys will be returning too. Universal has rounded out this year's culinary choices with some all-new plant-based options and a new food tent with rotating cuisine, showcasing delish dishes from around the world. Hungry for more? Hop into our post to read all about the delicious eats, sweet treats and toadally fun entertainment that Mardi Gras offers!
- Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man showed off some of his ribbeting acrobatic feats for a tease of what's to come when Avengers Campus opens this summer at Disney California Adventure. Guests may catch a glimpse of him swinging above rooftops, but they will also get to sling webs with him at the coming World Engineering Brigade (WEB) attraction. Until then, Spidey fans can catch the superhero daily in Hollywood Land.
- And the Grammy goes to ... "Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Symphonic Suite" by John Williams! Williams won his 25th Grammy, the sixth for a Star Wars score, for Best Instrumental Composition. Congratulations!
- Disney's Animal Kingdom has had an exciting start to the new year! The park welcomed two new babies in January: The park’s first Hartmann’s zebra foal and an Angolan black-and-white colobus monkey. The unnamed zebra foal was born weighing about 65 pounds and is taking time to bond backstage with mom Prima before making his savanna debut. The colobus monkey baby, named Douglas, is out and about with the rest of his troop in the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail exhibit now. So cute!
- And speaking of Disney's Animal Kingdom and adorable additions, a brand-new Simba popcorn bucket has popped up in the park. The popcorn bucket is styled so that just like Rafiki, you can lift baby Simba up and show him off to the whole kingdom. You can grab Simba for yourself (gently, of course) at The Feeding Ground or Mahindi popcorn carts ... don't froget to hold him up and snap a pic for Insta!
- Hopfully you have room on your calendar for even more awesome concerts! SeaWorld Orlando's Seven Seas Food Festival is almost here, and its concert lineup is hoppin'! Guests can enjoy the musical stylings of artists such as Maddie and Tae, Trace Adkins, Night Ranger and Boys II Men this year. Woohoo!
- Who's ready to ride Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway at Disney's Hollywood Studios? Me! Me! As part of the countdown to the ride's opening, Disney released an all-new teaser poster, "Mumbai Madness." The poster is based on a cartoon short of the same name, and gives viewers a sneak peek of the cartoon universe they can roll into on the attraction beginning March 4, 2020.
- Orlando International Airport has been named the number one airport in the country, according to USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice travel awards. Orlando International Airport was awarded due to its customer satisfaction and award-winning art collection in the terminals.
That’s it for the theme park news this week! Have a great weekend.
Hoppy planning!
