Hi there! Welcome to our weekly roundup of the most interesting theme park news around the Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, the Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens and other theme parks.
- Prepare for a night of frightful fun! Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party tickets went on sale May 15, 2024. From Aug. 9 to Oct. 31, 2024, hoppy haunts will materialize throughout Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort. Save up to $9 when you purchase tickets for this spooktacular celebration through Undercover Tourist. Check out our complete event guide for all the dreadfully delightful deets!
- Only a few more sleeps until DreamWorks Land at Universal Studios Florida is a reality! Universal Orlando Resort shared a sneak peek at the brand-new land while it's still under construction. Prepare to meet Shrek, Fiona and Donkey at the iconic ogre's tree-stump cottage, test Pinocchio's poker face at the famed puppet's Fact Shack, slide down the sewage pipes at Shrek's outhouse, chill out at Trolls Treats, hop aboard the Caterbus on the Trolls Trollercoaster and bang a gong at Po's Kung Fu Training Camp.
- We're "almost there"! Ryan Seacrest announced during "Disney Night" on "American Idol" that Tiana's Bayou Adventure will open June 28, 2024, at Magic Kingdom Park. We can't wait to go "down the bayou" and join our favorite froggy princess and all her friends for the ultimate Mardi Gras celebration! There will be two ways to ride the attraction when it opens on June 28: securing a virtual queue reservation (at either 7 a.m. or 1 p.m.) and/or booking a Lightning Lane reservation with Disney Genie+. (Disney World expects to open a standby queue shortly after the ride's opening!) Don't froget to commemorate your trip through the bayou by downloading your Disney PhotoPass attraction photo with Memory Maker. Check out our full attraction guide to learn all you need to know about this exhilarating new ride.
- No Mardi Gras celebration is complete without beignets! Luckily, Tiana's famous "man-catching" pastries will be available at Golden Oak Outpost and The Friar's Nook in Magic Kingdom Park beginning June 28, 2024. Drizzled with honey and powdered sugar, we can't wait to get our hands on these mouthwatering treats! That's not all, though ... you'll be able to find Tiana's Bayou Adventure and "The Princess and the Frog"-inspired merchandise at the Emporium on Main Street, U.S.A. beginning June 28 and at the Critter Co-Op in Frontierland shortly after the attraction debuts.
- Mickey Mouse is coming back to the Rivers of America on May 24, 2024, and we couldn't be hoppier! Disney has released dining packages for "Fantasmic!", which are now available to book at River Belle Terrace and Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante at Disneyland Park. Enjoy a delicious three-course meal and then witness the beloved nighttime spectacular from a reserved seating area or even right from your table!
- PRIDE IS UNIVERSAL will return June 15, 2024, at Universal Studios Hollywood. At this after-hours experience, the park comes alive with dance areas, cash bars and beautifully enhanced lighting ... not to mention the fact that retail stores, select restaurants, rides and attractions remain open with shorter wait times! New this year will be an inclusive PROM experience complete with live DJs and prom photo backdrops and an early hours Kids Club with live music, park characters and activities for the whole family before the park closes. We can't wait to dance the night away! The exclusive event is open to all ages, but ID is required for guests 21 and older for cash bar access. The party has sold out in the past, so be sure to get your tickets now!
- Keep your eyes to the sky because Disney Dreams That Soar is about to take flight! From May 24 to Sept. 2, 2024, the brand-new nighttime show will illuminate the sky above Disney Springs twice nightly with 800 synchronized drones creating portraits of Disney characters that have the ability to fly or dream of flying. In a jaw-dropping sneak peak from Disney Parks, we learned that the show will feature The Rocketeer from the 1991 film of the same name, Orange Bird from Sunshine Tree Terrace, Launchpad McQuack from "DuckTales," Grogu from "The Mandalorian," the house from "Up," WALL-E and EVE, Buzz Lightyear, Dumbo, Peter Pan, a Death Star that's bigger than Spaceship Earth and a Baymax that's bigger than the Death Star! (Hop tip: The best place to catch this 10-minute show will be along the waterway in the Disney Springs West Side.)
- Go Xtreme! will return with the start of Summer Brick Party at LEGOLAND Florida! Flip into extreme levels of fun and laughter for the whole family at this electrifying stunt show during the summer's coolest party from June 1 to Aug. 11, 2024.
That's it for theme park news this week!
Hoppy planning!
