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, other theme parks and Disney Cruise Line.
- Can you boo-lieve it? The first Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party of the spooky season is next Friday, and Halloween Time starts earlier than ever at Disneyland Resort in just a few short weeks, starting Aug. 23 (in fact, Haunted Mansion Holiday is already open!). New Halloween merchandise is already materializing at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. Have you ever wanted to take home a Mickey Pumpkin Wreath from Magic Kingdom? Well, now you can! For the first time ever, a version of the iconic Mickey Pumpkin Wreath is available as a spooky souvenir at both Disney World and Disneyland.
- In other Halloween news, the 2024 foodie guides for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Disney World theme parks, resorts and Disney Springs dropped, and there are so many treats we can't wait to try! Over at Disneyland Resort, Storytellers Cafe will offer a brand-new, fall-themed character dining experience, Mickey's Autumn Adventures for breakfast and brunch. Disneyland also teased the two villains who will appear in the immersive treat trails at Oogie Boogie Bash — that Greek vase can only mean the one and only Hades from "Hercules," and we saw a sneaky second of Perry the Platypus's fedora so we're confident about Dr. Doofenshmirtz.
- Universal Studios Hollywood announced another haunted house and more scare zones for this year's Halloween Horror Nights. Leatherface will return with an original story in Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Legacy of Leatherface. But it's not the only spot where you'll have to outrun chainsaws ... escape from punk rockers with mohawks and chainsaws in the Chainsaw Punkz scare zone. Other newly announced scare zones include Murder of Crowz and Luchadores Monstruosos.
- Almost exactly five years (to the day) after Universal Epic Universe was first announced, we now know all the details about the five worlds you'll get to explore in the brand-new theme park opening in 2025. To celebrate Harry Potter's birthday, Universal Orlando fully revealed The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic. From 1920s Paris to late 1990s London, witches, wizards and non-magiques alike can step into Place Cachée, aka the French version of Diagon Alley, and the British Ministry of Magic. Inspired by both the "Fantastic Beasts" films and "Harry Potter" franchise, this new world opens up the Wizarding World on a global scale at Universal Orlando's theme parks.
- Practice your royal wave now! World Princess Week is officially hoppening from Aug. 25-30, 2024, throughout the Disney Parks. We caught a glimpse of the treats fit for royalty that will be available at Walt Disney World and Disneyland (as well as the international parks too). Can't think of a better way to honor our favorite Disney Princesses! Want to meet them in person? Here's where you can find them at Disney World and Disneyland.
- Disney Cruise Line prepared a massive three-day hero's welcome for Disney Destiny, revealing many exciting details about the third Triton class ship that will join the fleet in November 2025. From the Black Panther welcoming you onboard in the Great Hall to a new "The Lion King"-themed rotational dining experience and many of your favorite villains running amuck, we cannot wait to encounter the legendary Disney heroes and villains and live out our own hero's story on Disney Destiny. Castaway Club members can book as early as Sept. 6, 2024, and the general public can secure their sailings starting Sept. 12, 2024. To find every announcement, hop over to our main Disney Destiny guide.
- Speaking of heroes, runDisney shared the race themes for the 2025 Springtime Surprise Weekend, which includes Groot for the 5K, Hercules as the 10K host, The Incredibles for the 10 Miler and Baymax and Hiro for the Challenge. Also, runners for the 2024 Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend also caught a first glimpse of their medals.
- A new Hello Kitty and Friends-themed cafe and shop is coming soon to Universal City Walk in Hollywood! While we don't have too many details yet, stay tuned for future updates and other opening announcements in our What's Coming to SoCal Theme Parks post.
That's a wrap on the latest theme park news this week.
Hoppy planning!