Hi there! Welcome to our weekly roundup of the most interesting theme park news around the Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando and other theme parks. We've got a shorter roundup this week on account of us traveling back from our Frog Family vacation in Orlando. Make sure to check back next week for even more of our trip highlights!
This week’s theme park highlights:
![Diagon Alley dragon]()
It's been a BIG week for all of you Harry Potter fans, with the Universal Orlando® Resort finally revealing July 8 as the official opening date forThe Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ - Diagon Alley™. Of course, the Frog Family got a sneak peek inside Diagon Alley, and it was absolutely AMAZING! Yes, the Butterbeer™ ice cream was as incredible as we expected. There is also a ton of new Potter merchandise and memorabilia. You can show your support for your favorite Hogwarts house (go team Gryffindor!). Riding the Hogwarts™ Express and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts™ was every bit as thrilling, and yes, in the case of Gringotts, a bit terrifying. We'll be bringing you more details in the coming weeks. We are so excited for all of you to get to experience it as well!![Cabana Bay]()
The second phase of the Cabana Bay Beach Resort opened this week, debuting its standard rooms in addition to the family suites. We stayed at the resort this week and give it two thumbs up! The family suites gave us plenty of room to stretch out, and we all found something we really loved (hello, Starbucks!). Check out some of our photos.- One of the other big highlights of the week was riding the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom. This zippy mine car ride is already a family favorite! Wanna see how other fans are reaction to the new family coaster? Click on through!
![Shamu Celebration: Light Up the Night]()
SeaWorld Orlando is set to debut a brand-new Shamu show starting tomorrow through Aug. 10 as part of its Summer Nights. "Shamu's Celebration: Light Up the Night" will feature original music and production elements. It will be capped off with a fireworks finale.- The American Idol Experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios is closing some time in January 2015.
That’s it for the theme park news this week. Have a great weekend!
If you’re thinking about a trip to Disney World, make sure to check out the other news, tips and information we post to the blog throughout the week. If you’re ready to plan your trip, we recommend you start with our planning pages.
