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:
- Hop off the press! Opening dates for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance have been announced. The immersive, multi-platform ride will put guests in the middle of a toadally intense battle between the First Order and the Resistance in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge on both coasts. Get ready to come face-to-face with Kylo Ren and AT-AT walkers Dec. 5, 2019, at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World Resort and Jan. 17, 2020, at Disneyland Park. Yessss! Excited, we are!
- Breakfast with the Cookie Monster?! Sign us up! SeaWorld Orlando is offering a special Sesame Street character breakfast to commemorate the iconic show's 50th anniversary. The buffet breakfast will take place July 13, July 20 and July 27 at the Seafire Grill.
- Disneyland's Halloween fireworks show, "Halloween Screams," will be available to all guests this Halloween season! "Halloween Screams" was previously saved for Halloween party-goers only, but this fall, all Disneyland Park guests can enjoy the spooky pyrotechnics! Meanwhile, this year's Halloween party, Oogie Boogie Bash, will take place in California Adventure Park, where guests can catch the all-new World of Color "Villainous" show.
- Hot dog! Walt Disney World buses are getting a facelift! Each bus will be modeled after a member of the Sensational Six: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto or Goofy. Inside, you'll find laminate flooring, new blue seats and even USB charging ports on some buses.
- After operating its new immersive coaster on a delayed afternoon opening, Universal Orlando Resort announced a new schedule for Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. While specific operating hours will continue to vary, Universal says it will be working to open Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure in the mornings to accommodate as many guests as possible throughout the day.
- A new art installation has popped up in Downtown Disney at the Disneyland Resort! Hop by to take a peek at Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto and Chip 'n' Dale enjoying some summer fun. The exhibit's styling came from the series, “A Mickey Mouse Cartoon" and showcases more than 40 different varieties of plants.
- Gran Destino Tower, an expansion of Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, is officially open! Walt Disney and Salvador Dali's collaborative film short "Destino" inspired the tower's decor. Walt Disney World's Gran Destino Tower houses 545 rooms, and its table-service restaurant, Toledo, offers breathtaking views of all four Disney World theme parks (wave hello to Tower of Terror and Expedition Everest!). We were lucky enough to get a froggy sneak peek at this gorgeous addition ... and you can, too, in the video below!
That’s it for the theme park news this week! Have a great weekend.
Hoppy planning!
