All articles tagged with #disney parks
A fire broke out in the loading area of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad on Magic Kingdom’s reopening day (May 3). Cast members extinguished the flames, no injuries were reported, and the ride was closed for several hours before reopening at 10:20 p.m. The refurbishment included track replacement, new trains, refreshed Audio-Animatronics and props, and a lowered height requirement from 40″ to 38″ after a safety review.
A guest assaulted a Disney cast member during a Mirabel meet-and-greet, leading to the guest's arrest and ban from Disney parks, as part of today’s Daily Recap which also covers other park news and updates.
Crews at Magic Kingdom are advancing wall construction to separate Big Thunder Mountain Railroad from the future Piston Peak National Park (and Disney Villains Land), with concrete poured and tall supports installed while scrim blocks views and other Frontierland work continues; Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is slated to reopen in about a week.
Disney previews a Bluey-themed merchandise collection for the upcoming Bluey’s Best Day Ever show at Disneyland, including apparel, plush, headbands, pins, bracelets, and a bubble wand, ahead of the show's debut.
Darth Vader arrives as Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland expands its timeline to include events from Return of the Jedi and The Mandalorian, bringing Vader, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa and other familiar faces to Batuu starting April 29, 2026; the update adds refreshed shops (Black Spire Surplus, Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities, Savi’s Workshop, Droid Depot), a new Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run mission with Din Djarin and Grogu, and a broader John Williams–inspired soundtrack across the land.
Disney is facing a challenging week with declining public trust following political controversies, while also implementing significant price hikes at its parks and services, including ticket prices and annual passes, amidst ongoing safety concerns and new attractions.
The Dreamlight Parks Fest in-game event returns from May 28 to June 17, 2025, allowing players to collect buttons through various activities to unlock Disney-inspired prizes, including wearable Popcorn Buckets and themed furniture, with new quests and rewards for returning participants.
New themed trash cans, a birdhouse, and other details have been added to Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom, with ongoing construction and testing of effects. The attraction is set to open on June 28, 2024.
Disney Parks are expanding with new attractions inspired by Star Wars, Avatar, Encanto, and Indiana Jones, with upcoming additions including a water ride at Disneyland and expansions at Walt Disney World featuring Coco and Disney Villains. Disney CEO Bob Iger emphasized the importance of technology and storytelling in Imagineering, while Chairperson Josh D’Amaro announced a $60 billion investment over the next 10 years to bring more Disney stories to life across the theme parks.
The Earth sculpture has been restored and returned to Mission: SPACE at EPCOT after undergoing refurbishment as part of the ongoing updates to the attraction's Planetary Plaza, which also includes tracks from the NASA Perseverance Rover and a refreshed Jupiter. The Mission: SPACE simulator offers two intensities, Green and Orange, providing guests with missions around Earth and to Mars, respectively.
Disney's Star Tours attraction is expanding to include characters and settings from the Disney+ series Ahsoka, Andor, and The Mandalorian, with urgent transmissions from the characters during the ride. The additions will offer more than 250 storyline variations, including a visit to the planet Peridea from the Ahsoka series. The new Star Tours experience will be available at Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World, and Disneyland Paris starting April 5, coinciding with the launch of "Season of the Force" at Disneyland.
Disney Parks will add characters and locations from Ahsoka, Star Wars: Andor, and The Mandalorian to Star Tours at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, and Disneyland Paris on April 5, 2024. The update will introduce over 250 storyline variations, including a visit to the planet Peridea. The additions will feature "urgent transmissions" from Ahsoka Tano, Cassian Andor, Din Djarin, and Grogu, and a teaser of the planet Peridea as it appeared in Ahsoka was shared. Additionally, Season of the Force will arrive at Disneyland from April 5 - June 2, bringing back Hyperspace Mountain and other themed experiences.
Walt Disney World teases more announcements for Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, hinting at growth and investment planned for the theme parks in the coming years, including a major expansion project referred to as "Beyond Big Thunder Mountain" with possible additions themed to Pixar's "Coco," "Encanto," and Disney Villains. The expansion, described as the biggest in Magic Kingdom's history, was first announced at D23 Expo 2022 and is expected to bring significant updates to Frontierland.
A family from Illinois accidentally purchased $10,000 worth of Disney+ streaming gift cards instead of gift cards for their planned Disney vacation. The mistake, made by the parents who are not familiar with streaming platforms, left them unable to book their trip. Seeking help, the family's plea on TikTok went viral, eventually leading to a resolution through an email contact. The family hopes that Disney will improve their system to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Walt Disney Animation Studios celebrates the 10th anniversary of the release of "Frozen" with the announcement of two upcoming sequels and the opening of immersive Frozen-themed lands at Disney Parks worldwide. The film, which became the highest-grossing animated film at the time, inspired a sequel, short films, a podcast, a Broadway musical, and various attractions. The first Frozen land, World of Frozen, has opened in Hong Kong Disneyland, featuring the village, two castles, and a new mountain sleigh coaster. Additionally, a Frozen land is being built at Tokyo Disney's Fantasy Springs expansion. Disney head Bob Iger confirmed the development of Frozen 3 and hinted at a Frozen 4.