Hi there! Welcome to our weekly roundup of the most interesting theme park news around the Walt Disney World Resort, the Universal Orlando Resort, Disneyland Resort, other theme parks and Disney Cruise Line.
- Walt Disney World Resort revealed more details about the new Island Tower at Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, which is expected to open Dec. 17, 2024. Enjoy a casual walk-up bar at Wailulu Bar & Grill with views of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park. The all-day menu for lunch and dinner takes inspiration from the Polynesian Islands' local and indigenous ingredients. Grab specialty coffee and on-the-go pastries at breakfast. The tadpoles will splash away at Moana's Voyage splash area, complete with life-size sculptures of Moana and her iconic canoe. The new, zero-entry Cove Pool will be accessible to all Polynesian Village Resort guests. Guests staying at the Island Tower get exclusive access to four tropical terrace gardens.
- Get ready with your best cosplay! Soon, you'll be able to gather and connect with fellow fans at Universal Fan Fest Nights, coming to Universal Studios Hollywood in spring 2025. From the creators of Halloween Horror Nights, this brand-new, after-hours ticketed event will offer immersive experiences, featuring "Star Trek," "Back to the Future" and "Dungeons and Dragons" with more to be announced later.
- Universal Orlando Resort dropped the details of Universal Helios Grand Hotel, which will offer a dedicated entrance into Universal Epic Universe at the end of Celestial Park, aka the central world that connects to the other worlds via portals. With a Mediterranean vibe and rich, palatial spaces, it's the "crown jewel of Epic Universe." Get the full scoop in our Universal Helios Grand Hotel post. The 500-room hotel will open in 2025.
- And speaking of Epic Universe, The Ride Guys gave us a first look at Stardust Racers in Celestial Park at Epic Universe. What can we say? This racing roller coaster is going to be, well, epic! The Celestians (citizens of Celestial Park) have figured out a way to harness the energy to capture comets. They jump on them to ride them across the night sky, and now park guests can join in on the fun. It's a racing coaster and the highlight is the "celestial spin" in which the two coasters spin around each other, with one coaster inverting over the other. At night, this coaster will look like comets streaking across the sky! Yes, the ride vehicles are illuminated, but the track is not. Tad is counting the days until he can hop on a comet and zoom around Epic Universe in 2025!
- The Family Madrigal from "Encanto" is sticking around at EPCOT for Hispanic & Latin American Heritage Month. The "Together We Are Magia" celebration offers six new and returning ways for you and your familia to join the fiesta. From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, you can baila and sing along to ¡Celebración Encanto!, enjoy the music of Mariachi Cobre, go on a Disney Springs’ Art Walk, "Eat to the Beat" of Latin artists and a band at the America Gardens Theatre stage, go shopping and — our froggy favorite — enjoy new flavors at the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival!
- Peter Pan's Flight recently received an updated scene at Magic Kingdom Park. (The same update will come soon to Disneyland Park!) Riders now witness the Never Land Tribe harvest celebration, which features Tiger Lily and her grandmother dancing around a fire with drummers in the background.
- Deadpool makes his Disney Cruise Line debut in 2025. The Disney Adventure is the first ship to feature Deadpool. It's also the first ship to have its own castle and to be based in Singapore. Deadpool will join a legendary line-up of Marvel Super Heroes and Villains (including Spider-Man, Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Thor, Black Panther, The Scarlet Witch, Ms. Marvel, Loki, Red Skull, Taskmaster and more) on stage in Avengers Assemble! This entertainment experience will feature stunts and special effects during an action-packed battle of good versus evil. This is just one of the signature shows on the Garden Stage of the Disney Adventure. Here's everything you need to know about Disney Cruise Line.
- It may still be summer, but Halloween season is officially here — and we're toadally here for it! Disney World kicked off Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Aug. 9. Knott's Berry Farm hosted Scary Farm: Nightmares Revealed, which foretells the scares that await us when Knott's Scary Farm opens Sept 19. Disneyland kicked off its earliest Halloween Time start Aug. 23, with the Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween party following Aug. 25. Universal Orlando starts Halloween Horror Nights Aug. 30, with Halloween Horror Nights in Hollywood following Sept. 5. More to materialize as other theme parks jump into spooky season.
That's a wrap on the latest theme park news this week.
Hoppy planning!
