Yes, it has been awhile since I have had a chance to publish a Walt Disney World Resort Update, so let’s get caught up. I have been traveling and otherwise away from the Resort more than in past years, but I have tried to keep you up-to-date with Facebook and Instagram posts along the way.
Anyway, for those that like all the Walt Disney World Resort news in one place in our usual Update, I am back this week to share.
Cool Kid Summer
Disney’s all-encompassing promotional theme for the season has rolled out under the label “Cool Kid Summer” and it runs through September 1. MousePlanet was not invited to the preview of its May 27 rollout, so we have just the cold facts shared by Disney Parks Blog to share here. The gist of the summer offering is more DJ-hosted dance parties, more characters, and some new limited time activities.
Having been to EPCOT a couple of times since the start of the “Cool Kid Summer,” it was easy to spot the offerings there (and, as noted in the larger EPCOT update below, there is no festival at the park this summer with the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival having wound up on June, and the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival starting on August 28. CommuniCore Hall has been turned into “GoofyCore” for the summer, with an air-conditioned DJ-led dance party where Goofy makes appearances from time to time. Phineas and Fern have begun meeting and greeting near the park entrance for a limited time too under this label (though the fact that their new season of episodes debuted this month on Disney Channel and Disney+ could also have something to do with their likely synergistic appearance).
Cool Kids at Disney’s Animal Kingdom can find hands-on crafting activities about pollinators like bees and butterflies at Rafkiki’s Planet Watch. There’s also a limited-time Wilderness Explorers badge that can be unlocked this summer when finding the adventures out there. On Discovery Island, a Dino Institute Intern hosts an interactive sing-along celebrating the animals of the park.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Cool Kids head to Animation Courtyard for games and crafts which Disney says run from “magicians and jump rope performers to surprise character experiences.” (While in the vicinity of the Animation Courtyard on May 27 waiting in the queue for The Little Mermaid-A Musical Adventure, I spotted a few characters and, perhaps a jump rope.) To keep cool, Mickey Mouse and other Disney Junior friends attend an indoor DJ dance party guests enter from the Animation Courtyard.
At Magic Kingdom, the cool kids head to the Big Top at Storybook Circus to find the DJ ringmaster hosting a party with Pluto, with appearances by stilt walkers and jugglers. In the sunshine over at Rocket Tower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland, Stitch appears at a DJ-hosted Galactic Blast (while his new live action film plays in movie theaters around the globe), and in the air conditioning of the nearby Merchant of Venus, there is a new craft inspired by the new Disney-Pixar film “Elio.”
V.I.Passholder 40% Dining Discounts and other Perks
During the summer, Passholders can receive some additional perks under the “V.I.Passholder Summer Days” promotion through July 31. The headline grabbing perk is the limited time 40% discount off of food and non-alcoholic beverages on Mondays through Thursdays at select venues for the Passholder and up to 3 guests during regular operating hours (and subject to other exclusions):
Through June 30 at:
- Hollywood & Vine
- Tusker House Restaurant (lunch & dinner only)
- Toledo
- Boatwright’s Dining Hall
- Cape May Cafe (dinner only)
From July 1 to July 31 at:
- The Diamond Horseshoe
- Whispering Canyon Cafe
- Tiffins Cafe
- Coral Reef Restaurant
- Ale & Compass Restaurant (breakfast & lunch only)
A Maleficent-themed complimentary Passholder magnet is available to Passholders at Creations Shop during regular park hours through July 31. A specialty Passholder-exclusive Cruella Ice Cream Sundae is available for purchase at Hollywood Scoops at Disney’s Hollywood Studios through July 31 during regular operating hours. A nonrefillable exclusive tumbler designed by artist Joey Chou is available by mobile order purchase at EPCOT (Connections Eatery & Reagle Eagle), Hollywood Studios (Dockside Diner), Animal Kingdom (Pizzafari and Restaurantosaurus). EPCOT also has separate locations for a limited time Passholder-exclusive lounge (only through July 13) and a limited time exclusive character meet & greet discussed below in the EPCOT section of this Update.
Magic Kingdom
First announced last August at the Disney D23 event in Anaheim, Magic Kingdom’s new nighttime parade, “Disney Starlight–Dream the Night Away,” will debut on July 20th. Magic Kingdom’s first regularly-scheduled nighttime parade since the Main Street Electrical Parade last “glowed away” back in October 2016, will be presented, weather permitting, twice nightly, at 9 p.m. and 11 p.m., but only on the nights when Magic Kingdom is not also hosting Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (and, presumably, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party). This parade will step off on Main Street U.S.A. and travel the parade route towards the hub and then exit through Frontierland (next to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure).
For those that pay attention to these operational details, that is the opposite route from that of the daytime Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade (a/k/a the “3 o’clock parade), as well as that used by the specialty Halloween and Christmas parades during the parties). Disney says that the route is intended to allow for better guest flow at the end of the night, and let’s keep our fingers crossed that the operations team has thought through all the details of running a nighttime parade, showing fireworks, and again clearing the parade route for a second parade like they have not done for nearly a decade! Since this new parade will not be available seven nights a week until at least as early as when Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party ends, absent a “Light Magic” level debacle, we expect Magic Kingdom could be extremely crowded at night on non-party nights this summer and fall!
Indeed, as another bit of attempted crowd control, for what Disney says is a limited time starting July 20, 2025, Passholders visiting Magic Kingdom at any time of day, every day of the week will be required to have a theme park reservation. Passholders will continue to be able to enter EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom after 2:00 p.m. on any day without a theme park reservation. Oddly, Disney has not modified Park Hopping rules to further limit potential Passholder influx into Magic Kingdom in the evening, but remember that Disney does reserve the right to suspend park hopping at any time and it has invoked that suspension on a few high park attendance occasions over the years since the current policies were put in place.
Featuring a brand new theme written for the parade with some Disney Parks favorites woven into the score, the parade features units Disney describes as “storytelling stages on wheels.” Modern lighting and video technology is employed to tell stories in ways that static floats cannot. Disney says, for example, that “Blue Fairy magic, seen throughout the parade, is made completely from points of light; the use of a curved LED panels on the Encanto float gives us the opportunity to create magic and movement that a static image would not provide.” The recently revealed concept art for the the grand finale float of “Disney Starlight” shows a Main Street Electrical Parade-inspired Goofy-driven train with “swirling ribbons of starlight” surrounding Goofy, Pluto, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck, “leading a procession of Disney moments that includes Snow White and Dopey in a twinkling minecar, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider floating toward a gleaming lantern on their boat, and Aladdin and Jasmine taking a magic carpet ride.” Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, “draped in sparkling new looks” conclude the parade reminding guests, “to believe in the power of wishing upon a star.”
If you want to read up on some of the first batch of specialty food and beverage offerings, and merchandise collections, I will send you off to Disney Parks Blog. That article also recaps all the previous character reveals and more than we can recap here. MousePlanet was not among those that got to preview any of the offerings.
Next we need to turn to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party itself. It returns on select nights from August 15 until October 31. Tickets for the party nights are on sale, are priced differently by date (generally, with the prices getting higher as Halloween approaches and, indeed, as the typical nighttime weather improves), and are already sold out on Halloween itself. If logged in with linked credentials, different discounts are available on select nights for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members. For planning purposes be aware that August party dates are on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. In September, it is the same plus Thursday, September 25th. In October, the parties are every Thursday and Friday, most Sundays, most Tuesdays and Monday, October 13th. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary guests can enter the park without a reservation or other ticket as early as 4:00 p.m. on party night, and the party officially begins at 7:00 p.m.; day guests without party credentials (usually wristbands) will start getting sent toward the park exit at 6 p.m.
Full party exclusive character meet-and-greet details have yet to be announced, but it will be headlined by Sally and Jack Skellington. Over a dozen trick-or-treat treat trail stops will be available (and indicated on the party map), with some characters popping up at some of them as well. Complimentary treat bags for candy collection will be distributed; those with food allergies can get a teal bag from the distributing Cast Members and then collect teal tokens along the trail to redeem for allergy-free candy at Allergy-Friendly Centers. Costumes are not required, but this is one of those events where guests can wear more elaborate costumes than Disney ordinarily allows, but the published rules apply.
Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade steps off during the party at 8:15 p.m. again this year. (Most party nights also feature a later second showing, but Disney Parks Blog did not mention it yet.) Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular returns to the Castle stage several times each party night as well (often with a final performance right around the time the party is scheduled to conclude). Party nights also include a showing of Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular hosted by the Pumpkin King himself, Jack Skellington and featuring perimeter fireworks as well as lots of projections on the castle (so our suggestion is to try to have it within your line of sight, and somewhat closer to the hub if you want to see Jack’s appearances). Exclusive food and beverage offerings and the specialty merchandise collections likely will be announced in coming weeks.
Over in Frontierland, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad remains closed for its year-long refurbishment that began in January and is expected to run into 2026 with what Disney says will include “a little bit of new magic” upon the return of the wildest ride in the wilderness. Beyond BTM, Disney announced last August that a new Disney Villains-themed area will be built, and those of us in the neighborhood can now see construction going on back that way. On the existing park-side of BTM, from the D23 announcements and the days thereafter (plus this Spring’s South-by-Southwest keynote presentation), we know changes are coming to Frontierland and the Rivers of America to make way for attractions themed to Disney-Pixar’s Cars films. This month, Disney provided some new details.
Since Disney first announced the projects in this area of the park, we expected the Walt Disney World Railroad would be closing again, as it did for quite a few years to make way for the construction of TRON Lightcycle / Run over on the Tomorrowland side of the park. Well, the good news for train fans is that My Disney Experience reveals now is that it will not close completely but will, instead, begin operating as “a shuttle between Main Street station and Fantasyland station only” starting July 7. The railroad’s roundhouse is directly behind the Fantasyland station, so it will be able to completely avoid traveling around the part of the park which will be undergoing heavy construction — it can arrive at Fantasyland station from its backstage roundhouse, travel forward as it traditionally does all the way to Main Street Station along the east side of Magic Kingdom past Tomorrowland and then take that same route backwards to Fantasyland Station without any guest impact. I cannot recall a previous opportunity to ride the train backwards from Main Street to Fantasyland, so it will sort of even be a “new” limited time experience opportunity at Magic Kingdom.
The less cheerful related piece of operational news, though, announced by Disney Parks Blog and further noted in the My Disney Experience app, is that The Liberty Square Riverboat (the Liberty Belle) and Tom Sawyer Island will be closed permanently on July 7. In other words, the last day to experience the riverboat, the rafts to and from the island, and the island itself, is July 6 — and, of course, be mindful that even during regular operations, none of these typically are open full park hours, let alone after nightfall. As of this post, Liberty Belle shows operations until 7 p.m. and Tom Sawyer Island shows daily operations until 6 p.m.
Disney Parks Blog shared that the new area of the park that will be home to the Cars-themed attractions will be named Piston Peak National Park. Disney says, the area will “continue the sweeping storytelling tradition that has crossed Liberty Square and Frontierland since opening day.” The newest version of the concept art Disney released with the announcement shows a portion of the Rivers of America remaining as a boundary between Liberty Square and the remaining portion of Frontierland on one side, and Piston Peak on the other. Piston Peak is a fictional area that will take its inspiration from “the Rocky Mountain area and the history and iconic sights of the American Frontier and its national parks.” Disney Parks Blog says we should, “Imagine an awe-inspiring wilderness filled with towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers,” and that the “trees will provide a natural barrier between the off-road rally and other parts of Frontierland and Liberty Square,” and the “rugged mountains with dramatic peaks will be nestled along a calming waterway across from Grizzly Hall.” The geysers from BTM will then stretch into the trails of the new off-road rally attraction that, from the descriptions released so far will take what we know as the Test Track-type ride experience, as it was brought to the Radiator Springs Racers attraction at Disney California Adventure, and take it “off-road.”
The Piston Peak area itself will allow guests to also explore the visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, trails and more all set within the Disney-Pixar Cars universe. Imagineers are using a style of architecture called “Parkitecture,” which was developed by the National Park Service “to create structures that harmonize with the natural environment.” Disney has not shared a targeted timeframe of when to expect the new areas to be ready for guests–our best guess, though, is that this project will take, at least, a couple of years.
In the more immediate future, we know work is continuing over in Adventureland on the Pirates of the Caribbean-themed tavern that is expected to open in the not-too-distant future (which Disney says is “this year”). Disney Parks Blog announced that this new venue will be named The Beak and Barrel. Its imagineered story is that the tavern was “established by the legendary pirate rumrunner, Captain Meridian ‘Merry’ Goldwyn, and her talkative first mate, Rummy” who “serves as the tavern’s quartermaster keeping an eye on the place from his roost high atop the bar.” Rummy “bears a striking resemblance to the original Barker Bird that previously sat at the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean.”
From the rest of the Disney Parks Blog post, it is clear that this space is intended to be filled with intricate story details. The concept art shows some guests who look well-under 21 years old, so, perhaps, unlike EPCOT’s new GEO-82 lounge (discussed below), the venue does not appear that it will be adults-only. At the venue’s apparent size, though, it does not seem like a significant percentage of Magic Kingdom’s daily turnstile count will be able to visit it in any given day; we expect that it is going to be a reservations-required venue and, like GEO-82, those reservations are going to need be made as far in advance as permitted.
Finally, before moving on from Magic Kingdom, a reminder that Disney announced that starting in August, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom will close for a major refurbishment and update that will last until some point next year. The attraction will get a new show scene, updated ride vehicles and gameplay enhancements. As of publication of this Update, however, My Disney Experience does not show the last day to experience the attraction this year.
EPCOT
For the first few years in the wake of the global pandemic temporary closure of Walt Disney World Resort, EPCOT seemed to have festivals underway continuously with no more than a week or two break to mark the transition between them. That was accomplished by lengthening both the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival into the summer season around Independence Day and then starting the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival just shortly after that. Last summer, the two festivals were rolled back to their more traditional times: Flower & Garden in “Spring” and Food & Wine in “Fall.”
The 2025 edition of the Flower & Garden Festival concluded as June began. The Food & Wine Festival is scheduled to begin August 28, which heads into Labor Day Weekend, and running through November 22, 2025. So far, Disney has not shared the finer details of this year’s festival like the food and beverage offerings or the headline and local acts that will take the stage nightly for the Eat to the Beat Concert Series. Keep an eye on the TasteEPCOT.com website for those details, as Disney usually posts them there at about the same time they share them on Disney Parks Blog. With the “Cool Kids” and Goofy having taken over CommuniCore Hall until September 1, it will be particularly interesting to see if any of the parts of this festival that have been missing since before the pandemic will return before the end of this edition of the Festival. In other words, we have not heard whether tastings, expert-hosted seminars, or other up-charge-events like Party for the Senses will be back for 2025. If not, will EPCOT use CommuniCore Hall this fall for anything other than air conditioned seating and, perhaps, retail space?
Test Track 3.0 (as fans call it to distinguish it from its prior versions, just “Test Track” when you are reading official Disney publications) officially debuts July 22, 2025, and, there will be a number of previews before that, including Cast, Passholder (details not yet released and likely requiring pre-registration during a small window of availability), Disney Vacation Club (details not yet released and likely limited to those on DVC reservations around the resort on select dates), Golden Oak residents and Club 33 Members. Disney says that the new version of the attraction has “all-new musical score, as well as new scenes that highlight technology making our cars smarter and our lives more fun.” One of the last of the sponsored pavilions at EPCOT, it is once again sponsored by General Motors, the original presenting sponsor of World of Motion and the original version of Test Track that replaced it. The now retired last version of the attraction was sponsored by just the GM brand Chevrolet, and, indeed, even the construction wall that was still standing earlier this month said presented by Chevrolet. By the way, do you think the shape of the new Test Track logo looks a bit like the shape of the Chevy brand logo (check out the GM brands on its website)?
Walt Disney Imagineering has shared a preview of some of the new lighting effects guests will see in one of the new scenes on the attraction. The visuals are to represent how modern vehicles can use advanced cameras and sensors to “see” the world they drive through, and WDI has used over 29,000 points of light to do so.
GEO-82, the new lounge created out of the former VIP space above the Spaceship Earth exit overlooking the World Celebration neighborhood at EPCOT has opened. The new location is strictly for guests 21 and older, and it requires advance reservations for the opportunity to purchase “innovative cocktails” and “globally influenced small plates.” As the My Disney Experience app says, this new venue’s “space is extremely limited,” and, indeed, at least as of publication of this update, there are no reservations available for at least a week out for a party of one or two. Like other venues, it may have a same day walk-up list (where you get a text if and when a space opens), so it cannot hurt to ask at its entrance near the exit to the Spaceship Earth attraction. MousePlanet was not invited to preview the space, and with reservations hard to come by, we have nothing else to share beyond what you can see on Disney Parks Blog, except that a few folks I know who have been inside confirmed that the space is small though nicely decorated. Oh, and the My Disney Experience app also offers up the GEO-82 Fireworks Experience for $179/person (plus tax and gratuity) with included Champagne or event-exclusive cocktails, light bites, and sweets with “perfectly positioned” seats for viewing Luminous: A Symphony of Us (though the standard disclaimer applies that the fireworks are not guaranteed because of weather or other reasons). Advance reservations are required and which cannot be modified but may be canceled 24 or more hours in advance. As of publication, the app shows no reservations available for at least the next week for a party of one or two.
As part of a V.I.Passholder promotion this summer, there are two complimentary offerings at EPCOT. The first is the return of the Passholder Lounge at Morocco in the former Restaurant Marrakesh. It is open 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily until July 13. It is first come, first served, and it really is Passholders only–no additional guests may be brought in by Passholders. The air conditioned space offers water and snacks (which can run out and did on the day of my visit), a complimentary button, a PhotoPass opportunity (magic shot but no character), and charging stations. Usual park entry requirements apply.
Last year, the Passholder Lounge included a character-based photo opportunity. As noted above, this year, it does not. Instead, Passholders have an exclusive character meet and greet opportunity at Der Teddybar in Germany Pavilion daily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. through July 31. At least one of my social media connections found a photo opportunity with Dopey, but experiences may vary. It is also first come, first serve and is designated as Passholders-only, with usual park entry requirements in place as well.
Finally, EPCOT’s presentation of “Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors” exhibit at The American Adventure has been extended through Spring 2026. The exhibit features oil paintings by former U.S. President George W. Bush of service members and veterans who served with honor since 9/11 and whom he has come to know personally since leaving office. You can read more exhibit details on Disney Parks Blog.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios kicked off its summer season with the debut of two new shows: of “The Little Mermaid–A Musical Adventure” and “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After.” The Mermaid show is performed in the space that formerly was home to “Voyage of The Little Mermaid,” (which did not reopen following the global pandemic’s temporary closure of Walt Disney World Resort) and makes use of puppets and live actors, plus digital projections and songs from the animated classic. The Villains show has taken up residence in the Sunset Showcase that last was home to Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy (next door to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster), though, after this renovation, the space now feels like a traditional permanent theater rather than the flex-space that the building was originally created to be.
I provided rather detailed comments about both shows immediately after my first viewing of each of the day they opened, May 27. Those comments are embedded here with photos. The gist of my thoughts is that both shows are nice additions to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The Mermaid show will appeal most to fans of the original animated classic; the Villains show will appeal most to those enamored with the Disney Villains. Social media posts I have seen already confirm my thoughts about that. Neither show makes my personal list of something I must see every time I visit the park, but I definitely can and will sit through the shows from time to time.
Muppet*Vision 3D ended its decades-long run on June 7, 2025. Often noted as the late Jim Henson’s last major project, Disney has said that it is looking for a way to have it live on, but it has not yet elaborated on that (though the concept art for the future of the area shows the continued existence of the building itself). The rest of the Grand Avenue Courtyard (which only took on that name within the past decade and was previously the Muppets Courtyard), including restaurants PizzeRizzo and Mama Melrose’s have also closed. This area will be reimagined as the new Monsters, Inc. themed land. It will include a flying doors-themed coaster inspired by the Disney-Pixar film Monsters, Inc. which Disney has suggested may debut in 2027.
With the closing of Muppet*Vision, Disney reiterated that the Muppets will be displacing Aerosmith from Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. While Disney still has not shared a precise timeline, it has said that guests will be able to continue to ride the super-stretch limo along with the Aerosmith tunes during 2025. Changing the ride scenery of the attraction and the pre-show area to reflect the new Muppets story line may not take as long as some other reimagined attractions, so it is possible that the Muppet takeover will be complete during 2026.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
There have not really been announcements relating to projects at Disney’s Animal Kingdom since our last Update. As you may recall, inside the Tree of Life, It’s Tough to Be a Bug closed forever on March 17, 2025, to make way for Zootopia: Better Zoogether! which is expected to open in “winter 2025.”
In DinoLand U.S.A., the first set of closures to make way for the Tropical Americas-themed land scheduled to open in 2027 got underway on January 13, 2025. TriceraTop Spin, the Fossil Fun Games, and the Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures gift shop are all now closed forever (and much of it already cleared away). The rest of DinoLand USA, including the DINOSAUR attraction and Restaurantosaurus remain open for now, but will eventually close as the Tropical Americas construction expands. My Disney Experience now shows that the last day to experience The Boneyard will be September 1, with it closing forever on September 2.
Water Parks
For the first time since back in 2019, both Disney Water Parks are operating at the same time this summer. Disney’s Blizzard Beach celebrated its 30th anniversary in April, closed for a brief refurbishment, and reopened on May 21, 2025. Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon reopened from its seasonal refurbishment on May 1. Both parks now have daily operating hours through September 7. Guests staying at Disney Resorts Collection hotels in 2025, get free admission to water park on check-in day (details are here on DisneyWorld.com). Disney Water Parks offer free parking for all guests and all of the features of the water parks is presented starting on this page of DisneyWorld.com. .
For those that prefer visiting a water park at night, H2O Glow After Hours at Typhoon Lagoon is also available on select nights through September 13, 2025. This “illuminated dance party full of splashy fun, complimentary snacks, and beloved Toy Story pals” offers up shorter wait times for the attractions compared to the daytime, and it is usually a bit less hot in Central Florida at night (and, indeed, the daily summer thunderstorms usually clear out by sunset too, which is useful if you plan to visit an outdoor water park). It is not part of the free admission for check-in day offer, but H2O Glow tickets are on sale on this page of disneyworld.com or by calling the Disney Reservation Center at (407) 934-7639. This year kids tickets are $42.50, which is half the price of the $85 adult ticket. Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club member discounts are available when logged in with your linked credentials.
Resort Swimming Pool News
After a long refurbishment, guests at Disney’s Yacht Club & Beach Club Resort can once again enjoy the three acre Stormalong Bay, with its sand-bottom pool and whirlpool spas. The nearby Shipwreck Pool and waterslide are still undergoing routine maintenance which are expected to reopen in coming weeks. Over at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, the Meadow Swimmin’ Pool area is being expanded with a brand-new zero-entry pool and deck area being added alongside the existing pool, effectively doubling the space for guests to enjoy. The expanded area will also include a tennis court and two pickleball courts.
Resort Renovation News
Disney’s Grand Floridan Resort & Spa has been undergoing significant renovations for quite a few years now. Right after our last Update back in April, Disney announced that the culmination of those renovations is the now-ongoing renovation of the hotel’s lobby. The central feature of the updated lobby will be a new bar inspired by the lobby’s iconic birdcage. Disney says this new bar will pay tribute to the resort’s Victorian roots with intricate woodwork, stained glass, and brass accents. Opposite the bar, guests will still find the Victorian cage-style elevator.
This Spring, Disney’s Port Orleans-French Quarter marked the completion of its renovation of more than 1,000 guest rooms. The renovation also included updates to other parts of its facilities and you can catch up on the major details and get a bit of a look around at Disney Parks Blog.
Disney Springs
Disney Springs Flavors of Florida returns for its sixth summer starting June 27, 2025, and there’s a Disney Parks Blog Foodie Guide. The annual culinary celebration features menu items with ingredients grown and harvested in Florida with both returning favorites and new offerings at various Disney Springs locations. On select Fridays throughout the summer, chefs from some of the Disney Springs restaurants will showcase the skills and creativity used to craft this year’s menu items. Registration is required, but it is free and accessed from the links on this page of DisneySprings.com.
For those that enjoy multi-venue progressive dining, check out this opportunity on Tock for June 28th beginning at Enzo’s Hideaway and concluding at Morimoto Asia.
Raglan Road at Disney Springs is offering up a lunch hour that it calls a new kind of happy hour this summer between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at all of its indoor bars and tables, on the patio, and at the Hole in the Wall Bar. Weekday lunch guests can new Summer Lovin’ menu offerings of favorite dishes and cocktails with three select appetizers and five cocktail specials available at just $10 each. Seven select entrees at $20 each on the Summer Lovin’ menu include the restaurant’s famous Fish N Chips; Shepherd’s Pie to Try and its all-veggie counterpart, the Vegan Hottie Pie; the popular Chicken Pie with wild mushroom and leeks; and the new Salmon Salad of the East—North Atlantic salmon glazed in soy, ginger, chili and lime with fresh vegetables, all normally priced between $23 and $30. Guests can rev up the lunch hour with their favorite starter like the buttermilk-marinated Bang Bang Chicken or a Soul Soup & Salad Combo paired with the pub’s special $10 Wild Rosy gin cocktail featuring Glendalough Wild Rose Irish Gin or the Frozen Lost Irish Coffee and other super summer sippers normally priced from $15-17.
Finally at Disney Springs, Drawn to Life presented by Cirque du Soleil and Disney is offering deals for kids – and their grownups too. Now through Labor Day, adults can get a child’s ticket free with the purchase of a qualifying adult ticket for Thursday performances. Tickets can be purchased by clicking this link or at the Disney Springs box office by mentioning the “Kids Free” offer and are subject to availability and exclusions.
This & That & Reminders…
…For those wondering about the Theme Park view room category at the new Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, I had a very well-timed reservation there earlier this spring on a night with a showing of Happily Ever After, a Falcon9 rocket launch, and a showing of Disney Enchantment all very nicely viewable from the balcony. The cost of the room in points-per-night is high for a one bedroom DVC room, but if that view is important to you…
…Disney Vacation Club Welcome Home Weeks return this summer, August 14 to September 16. Some of the perks are available to all members that are eligible for Membership Extras (those that have purchased the requisite number of points directly from Disney), like complimentary ice cream and certain dining discounts. Some of the parks also require guests to be staying on an eligible reservation. There are way too many details to recap here, but for those of you who are DVC Members, check out the details here on the DVC website and start marking your calendar accordingly!
…Reservations for the new Bourbon Steak Orlando at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin are now available on OpenTable. The first date guests can make reservations for the signature steakhouse by award-winning chef and restaurateur Michael Mina is Saturday, July 26. The James Beard and Michelin-recognized chef and restaurateur will bring his celebrated, modern take on the quintessential American steakhouse to the Dolphin hotel at Walt Disney World. The restaurant will feature premium cuts of beef and seafood infused with global flavors, showcasing the three core elements of Mina’s culinary philosophy: product, technique and presentation. Guests can also enjoy expertly crafted cocktails, an extensive wine list and decadent signature desserts. The restaurant replaces Shula’s Steak House which closed on June 15th.
…Join Santa and Mrs. Claus for some Summer Fun! Give Kids The World Village, the non-profit resort that provides cost-free wish trips to critically ill children and their families, is serving up Ice Cream for Breakfast with Santa in July on July 19th and July 20th at 9 AM. The opportunity offers up a fun and festive way to meet Santa Claus and entertain all of your elves. Plus, most activities will be inside so you can beat the heat!
Ice Cream For Breakfast with Santa in July will include:
· a make-your-own ice cream sundae station
· holiday crafts
· mini-golf
· Village attractions
· a lively, all-ages dance party
· and, of course, meeting Santa Claus!
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Resort Reservations, Ticket Advice & Special Offers
Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Walt Disney World Resort Update.
While it was once the busiest time of the year, Disney now offers its lowest-priced dates during the summer. Of course, if you visit in the summer, be sure to pack your wet weather gear along with your sunscreen because pop-up thunderstorms are the norm and, unless you are used to a tropical climate, the storms coupled with the heat and humidity are not what you are used to. Remember to take some opportunities to cool down and stay hydrated too!
- 50% Off on Kids Tickets: You can purchase a 3-day or longer kids (ages 3-9) standard ticket for 50% off. This deal is available for visits beginning May 27 through September 20, 2025.
- 3-Day, 3-Park Ticket: Get a 3-day, 3-park ticket starting at $89 per day ($267 total, plus tax) for visits starting on April 6 through September 22, 2025. This ticket is for admission to EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom (one theme park per day, not valid for admission to Magic Kingdom).
- Free Dining Plan Deal Returns: You can get a free dining plan with the purchase of a non-discounted 4-night, 4-day (or longer) package that includes a room at select Disney Resort hotels and a ticket with a Park Hopper option. This offer is for visits on select dates from June 29 through December 22, 2025.
- Disney Resort Room Deals: Save up to 30% on select Disney Resort hotel rooms when you stay longer for visits beginning August 1 through October 11, 2025. Special deals on rooms are also available for Florida Residents and Annual Passholders.
Visit DisneyWorld.com/Offers for more details, on each of these special deals. Military Discounts are now posted for the whole year. And, looking ahead to 2026, there’s a free dining for kids offer that Disney Parks Blog revealed too. The gist of the offer is that guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel will get a free dining plan for their kids (ages 3-9) when purchasing a dining plan with their package for others in their party (ages 10 and up)–remember that, as always, everyone on the same room reservation has to purchase the same dining plan.
MousePlanet’s travel partner, Get Away Today, can help you book each of those offers too, and at no additional cost to you. Each of the following links will take you right there, and you help MousePlanet too:
- Kids 50% Ticket Offer – Save 50% on the purchase of a 3- to 10-Day Disney Theme Park Ticket for children ages 3-9.
Dates: May 27 – Sept. 20, 2025 - Get a FREE dining plan when you purchase a non-discounted, 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney Resort package with Park Hopper option. (This one Get Away Today recommends you book by phone)
Dates: June 29 – Sept. 30, Oct. 20 – Nov. 1 and Dec. 6-22, 2025 - 3-Day, 3-Park Ticket Offer – Enjoy a specially priced 3-Day, 3-Park Ticket that’s valid for admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios®, EPCOT®, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park only.
Dates: April 6 – Sept. 22, 2025 - Stay longer and save more on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels – up to 30% on 5-night and longer stays!
Dates: Aug. 1 – Oct. 11, 2025
REMINDER: Get Away Today’s Walt Disney World Resort vacation packages can now be booked completely on its website! No cumbersome quotes needed! Simply compare all your favorite Walt Disney World Resort hotels and Get Away Today’s hand selected off-property hotels in a few clicks, and then customize for your included tickets for your vacation.
Get Away Today’s Walt Disney World Resort vacation packages now have the option to add Layaway Plans, which allow you to pay the total balance up to eight days prior to travel. You can also add their popular “Peace of Mind Plan” when booking a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel, which allows any reschedules and cancellations up to five days prior to travel with no penalty.
When booking with Get Away Today, all Walt Disney World Resort on-site packages include Get Away Today’s e-concierge, which includes its Best Price Guarantee, Dining Reservation Reminders, access to their Concierge Team email for help before and during your vacation, and more.
Looking to go beyond Walt Disney World Resort when visiting Central Florida? Check out Get Away Today’s Universal Orlando Resort ticket offers and resort package stay offers too. Universal Express Pass is now available for the new EPIC Universe theme park opening the summer, and Get Away Today can help you with that too!
Only purchase Disney theme park tickets directly from Disney, an authorized seller, or a travel agency like MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Today! As always, we remind our readers that Walt Disney World Resort theme park tickets are rarely offered at deep discounts unless you are a resident of Florida or eligible for U.S. Military Personnel benefits. Historically, non-Florida residents tend to benefit the most by purchasing tickets in advance (and, of course, being mindful of the rules relevant to those tickets). Don’t get scammed! Never buy tickets from an unofficial or secondary outlet, such as through eBay or Craigslist. Never rent or purchase tickets from people approaching you outside Disney property stating they have remaining days or leftover tickets. This practice is against the terms of use for Walt Disney World Theme Park admissions, and may result in denial of entry. There is no way to determine if these tickets are valid until you try to use them to enter the parks.
Finally, speaking of Florida Residents, the Resort offers 2025 Florida Resident Summer Magic Tickets:
The Florida Resident Summer Magic Ticket offers four days of fun at Walt Disney World theme parks for just $60 per day (total price: $240, plus tax). This is available for visits through September 27, 2025 (with an advance park reservation, subject to availability). There is also a 3-Day version: $75 per day (total price: $225, plus tax); and a 2-Day Ticket: $105 per day (total price: $210, plus tax). Visit DisneyWorld.com/Summer for more details and offers.
