Walt Disney World & Universal Orlando News Roundup
Updated: 5 days ago
Last updated: September 28, 2026
This page is updated weekly with the most recent Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando park news,
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September 2026 Disney World News
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This weekly roundup covers the most significant Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando updates from the past week.
Walt Disney World News Roundup | September 28, 2026
Disney Releases Its 2026 Halloween Food Guide
Disney released its 2026 Halloween food guide on September 24, and there are spooky snacks to hunt down at the parks and resorts through October 31. The lineup includes returning favorites like the Ghost Cream Puff at Hollywood Studios, plus new treats such as the Boneyard Cookies and Scream Sundae at Animal Kingdom, which starts October 1.
The useful detail if you’re planning a visit: you don’t need a Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party ticket for every Halloween treat. Some are sold during regular park hours, while others have later start dates or different party-night availability. Check the location and dates before promising your family a particular snack. A cross-park cupcake quest is much less fun when the cupcake hasn’t arrived yet.
We’ve added the seasonal food details to our Fall 2026 Walt Disney World Guide, along with the other events and planning notes for an autumn trip.
Two Disney Dining Spots Open This Week
If your fall plans could use a meal away from the park crowds, The Turf Club Bar and Grill reopens September 30 at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa. Disney has released its new menu, with options ranging from French onion soup and slow-roasted prime rib to a plant-based spinach and mushroom linguini. Saratoga Springs guests will have their resort dinner option back, and it’s also one to consider when you want to slow down over a sit-down meal.
Then, on October 1, Hurly-Burly opens at Disney’s BoardWalk with small plates, drinks, trivia and games in the afternoon, and live music at night. Families are welcome earlier in the day; beginning at 9 p.m., guests must be 21 or older. It’s walk-up only, so you can’t make a reservation for this one. That makes the time you visit the detail to remember, especially if you’re bringing the kids.
Still sorting out where to eat on your trip? Our Walt Disney World table-service dining guide can help you compare sit-down meals around the parks and resorts.
Universal Nights Begins at Epic Universe October 3
Universal Nights makes its Epic Universe debut Saturday, October 3. This separately ticketed event gives guests access to the park’s five worlds from 9 p.m. to midnight, with event-ticket entry starting at 7 p.m. That earlier entry window leaves time to settle in and catch Universal Celestial Goodnight before the after-hours portion begins. The event also includes character appearances and select snacks and Coca-Cola beverages.
There is one rather important ticket update: October 3 and October 17 are sold out as of September 28. Universal has added three more nights—October 24, November 6, and November 20—which were selectable when we checked. If an evening at Epic Universe is part of your plans, check Universal's current event calendar before settling on a date.
For help planning the rest of your park time, start with our Epic Universe park guide.
Four More EPCOT Food & Wine Booths Open October 2
If you’ve visited the 2026 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival already and thought a few familiar booths were missing, you weren’t imagining it. Coastal Eats, Earth Eats, India, and The Alps are scheduled to begin serving Friday, October 2. That brings crab cakes and seafood pot pie to Coastal Eats, beef short rib to Earth Eats, and plenty more options for the next lap around the festival.
This is a good week to revisit your snack list, especially if you were waiting for the later-opening booths. Browse our 2026 Food & Wine menus and booth guide to pick your must-tries, then use our EPCOT Food & Wine festival map to plan a route that doesn’t send you zigzagging across the park for one more bite.
Bakso the Tiger Will Leave Animal Kingdom Later This Fall
This one has us feeling a little sentimental. Bakso, the Sumatran tiger we’ve watched grow from a playful cub into a two-year-old, will leave Disney’s Animal Kingdom later this fall. Disney says he’s moving to another accredited zoo as part of a recommendation that supports the future of this critically endangered species.
Disney hasn’t announced a departure date, so there’s still time to look for Bakso along Maharajah Jungle Trek. We’ve loved following his progress over multiple visits, from those early pounces with his mother, Sohni, to seeing him explore more independently. We’ll update our Animal Kingdom baby animals guide as Disney shares more about his move.
Walt Disney World News Roundup | September 20, 2026
Expedition Everest Is Losing Its Single Rider Line
One of Animal Kingdom’s best little time-saving tricks is about to disappear. Beginning September 21, Expedition Everest will no longer offer a Single Rider line.
Disney has been testing a new loading process that sorts guests into odd- and even-numbered parties before they reach the platform. According to Disney, the change has helped fill empty seats more efficiently and lowered average standby waits—making the separate Single Rider queue less helpful than it once was.
The attraction itself is not closing, and this change does not affect Single Rider lines elsewhere at Walt Disney World. However, Animal Kingdom will now have no Single Rider attractions. Guests hoping to conquer the Forbidden Mountain will need to use the regular standby line or Lightning Lane Multi Pass.
🧚♀️ Pixie Dust Pro Tip: Expedition Everest waits are often lowest early in the morning, later in the evening or while many guests are gathered for stage shows. Just do not arrive expecting that sneaky Single Rider shortcut—it has officially been swallowed by the mountain.
Every 2026 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Has Sold Out
The last remaining tickets have vanished in a puff of spooky smoke: every 2026 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party date is now sold out.
All 38 party nights from August 7 through October 31 have reached capacity. This continues the now-familiar trend of the most popular dates disappearing early, followed by the rest of the season selling out well before Halloween.
If you already have a ticket tucked safely inside My Disney Experience, now is the time to decide which characters, entertainment and treats matter most. Five party hours sound generous until you add Jack and Sally, the Boo-to-You Parade, fireworks, trick-or-treating and one suspiciously long snack line.
🧚♀️ Pixie Dust Pro Tip: Be extremely cautious about tickets offered through unofficial resale sites or social media. Disney party tickets are nontransferable, and there is no guaranteed or officially authorized resale marketplace.
Lilypad Is Taking Over Alien Swirling Saucers
Alien Swirling Saucers is about to get a little louder—and apparently the aliens have found themselves a DJ.
Beginning September 25, the Toy Story Land attraction will become Alien Swirling Saucers: Lilypad’s Jams, featuring Lilypad, the frog-shaped smart tablet introduced in Toy Story 5. The updated soundtrack will mix reimagined Toy Storyfavorites with new songs created specifically for the attraction, hopping through musical styles including pop, country, EDM and alt-rock.
Guests will also be able to interact with Lilypad from outside the attraction through drawings, puzzles and “home videos” featuring familiar toys. Disney has not announced an ending date, so we do not yet know whether this is a limited-time takeover or a long-term update. Will a frog-shaped tablet convince us to ride Alien Swirling Saucers more often? Possibly. We are very susceptible to catchy music and tiny green aliens.
Universal Orlando Island of Adventure News - Skull Island Reopens Without Its Giant Kong Animatronic
There is good news and slightly less hairy news from Islands of Adventure. Skull Island: Reign of Kong has reopened, but its enormous King Kong animatronic is temporarily missing from the attraction’s finale.
Universal confirmed that the nearly three-story figure was damaged during routine maintenance and is undergoing repairs. The attraction reopened September 18 with the animatronic hidden behind a black scrim, allowing the rest of the ride to continue operating while Kong receives some rather extensive monkey maintenance.
Universal has not shared the extent of the damage or an estimated return date. For now, guests can still experience the expedition, creatures and trackless ride system—but the grand face-to-face meeting with Kong will be noticeably absent.
🧚♀️ Pixie Dust Pro Tip: If the King Kong animatronic is the main reason you want to ride, check the Universal Orlando app and recent attraction reports before committing to a long wait.
More Park Planning Notes
A few smaller updates may not need their own full news stories, but they could still affect an upcoming park day—or at least provide a good excuse to sing disco music on a roller coaster.
The Play Disney Parks app has officially retired. The app went offline September 16, taking its trivia, achievements, queue games and Star Wars: Datapad features with it. Batuu Bounty Hunters will remain available through MagicBand+, and Disney says DuckTales World Showcase Adventure will eventually return in a modified format. A reopening date and details about how the new version will work have not been announced.
Coral Reef Restaurant is now scheduled to reopen September 29. Disney’s EPCOT calendar and dining-reservation system are both showing the earlier reopening date, replacing the previously listed November 4 return. Reservations are available beginning September 29, with dinner currently scheduled from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. As always, refurbishment dates can wiggle, but seeing both hours and reservations is a very encouraging sign.
Cosmic Rewind is having an extremely appropriate September 21. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will play Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” during every ride on September 21 instead of randomly selecting from its usual six-song playlist. Do you remember the 21st night of September? EPCOT would very much like to make sure you do.
Diamond Horseshoe Lounge reservations open at an unusual time. Reservations for the new Magic Kingdom pop-up lounge will open September 29 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, rather than Disney’s usual crack-of-dawn reservation time. The lounge officially opens October 4.
EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays opening weekend currently has an earlier closing time. EPCOT is presently scheduled to close at 9:00 p.m. when the festival begins, rather than the 9:30 p.m. closing used during recent holiday seasons. Candlelight Processional performances have also shifted earlier to 4:45, 6:30 and 8:00 p.m. Disney may still extend park hours as the dates approach, so check the schedule again before finalizing evening plans.
Fat One’s Hot Dogs & Italian Ice is now open at Universal CityWalk. Joey Fatone’s new restaurant opened September 19 in the former Hot Dog Hall of Fame location. The menu includes everything from traditional hot dogs to toppings inspired by Greek, Korean, Brazilian, Cuban and Puerto Rican flavors, plus vegan and gluten-free options. Six Italian ice flavors are also available—and grown-ups can add a liquor floater, because apparently Italian ice has entered its vacation era.
Walt Disney World News Roundup | September 14, 2026
New Walt Disney World Discounts Released for 2027
If a 2027 Walt Disney World vacation has been sitting on your “maybe someday soon” list, Disney has just supplied a very sparkly little nudge.
Guests can save up to $250 per night on qualifying four-night, four-day—or longer—room-and-ticket packages for select stays from January 3 through July 28, 2027. Disney also released a general-public room discount of up to 25% for select stays through April 29.
Eligible Disney Visa Cardmembers can save up to 30%, while Annual Passholders can save up to 35% on select rooms. These offers generally cannot be combined, and the largest advertised discount will not necessarily produce the lowest total price for every family. Resort, room type, dates and ticket needs all matter.
The Magic of Disney Animation Now Open
A little animation magic—and one extremely enthusiastic snowman—is returning to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The Magic of Disney Animation opens September 14 inside the reimagined Animation Courtyard.
The new experience includes Olaf Draws!, a character-drawing class hosted by an Olaf Audio-Animatronic; “Off the Page!” character encounters; the Alice in Wonderland-inspired “Drawn to Wonderland” indoor play area; and a theater presentation of Once Upon a Studio. Disney has also tucked references to all 64 Walt Disney Animation Studios feature films throughout the experience, so Easter egg hunters may be occupied for a while.
From a planning standpoint, this gives Hollywood Studios another indoor, family-friendly experience that does not involve a height requirement or launching anyone through a galaxy. We are very ready to sharpen our pencils.
EPCOT Festival of the Arts Paints Its Way into 2027
Grab your tiny food-festival fork—and perhaps a paintbrush—because the 2027 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts runs January 15 through March 1.
Disney Lorcana returns as the festival’s presenting sponsor, bringing back the Ink & Find Scavenger Hunt, Collection Quest and Illumineer’s Lounge, along with festival-exclusive promotional items and gifts with purchase. Disney has also confirmed 19 Food Studios, the DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series, Animation Academy, Artful Photo Ops and the giant Expression Section paint-by-number mural.
Broadway performers will rotate approximately every two weeks, although the complete concert lineup, dining-package dates and Food Studio menus will be announced later. In other words, we have enough information to start planning—but not quite enough to start circling snacks yet.
Flower & Garden Festival Dates Announced for 2027
EPCOT will be blooming again next spring, although guests will have a slightly shorter window to stop and smell the topiaries. The 2027 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival runs March 10 through May 31.
Disney has confirmed the return of the Garden Rocks Concert Series, character topiaries, garden exhibits and Outdoor Kitchens featuring both returning favorites and new dishes. The concert lineup, dining-package reservations and complete menus will be announced later.
The later March opening is worth noting if you normally plan an early-spring visit around the festival. Those first weeks of March will not include Flower & Garden in 2027, so check your dates before dreaming too deeply about violet lemonade and tiny food booth forks.
Disney After Hours Returns for 56 Nights in 2027
Night owls, start stretching. Disney After Hours will return to Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and EPCOT for 56 event nights in 2027.
Magic Kingdom events run from January 11 through July 19, Hollywood Studios from January 16 through August 25, and EPCOT from January 21 through August 19. Event tickets allow guests to enter the park as early as 7:00 p.m., followed by three hours of limited-capacity attraction time with popcorn, ice cream novelties and bottled drinks included.
Eligible Disney Resort guests can already purchase tickets for dates during their stay. General ticket sales begin September 22, and some dates—especially Magic Kingdom nights—can sell out.
ICYMI: New Universal Orlando Tickets, Rock the Universe & a Little Treachery
Universal Orlando has released new three-day ticket offers that include Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and Epic Universe. General-public tickets start at $99 per day, plus tax, while Florida residents can purchase a specially priced option for $85 per day, plus tax. Park-to-Park versions are also available for guests who want to ride the Hogwarts Express and move between Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
In other “we blinked and Universal announced more things” news, Rock the Universe returns January 22–23, 2027. The lineup includes Elevation Worship, Josiah Queen, Jamie MacDonald, Katy Nichole, CAIN, Franni Cash and more, followed by a Sunday morning worship service on January 24.
And over at CityWalk, both bars inside Universal’s Great Movie Escape have received a limited-time takeover inspired by NBC’s The Traitors: New Blood. Guests can find themed décor, costumes worn by Alan Cumming and specialty cocktails and mocktails—and you do not need to book an escape room to visit the bars. Faithfuls and Traitors are apparently both welcome.
We’ll be updating our Universal Orlando planning calendar and ticket information later this week with the new dates, prices and restrictions. Once we dig ourselves out from under this week’s announcement avalanche, we’ll also take a deeper look at what these new ticket options mean for planning a 2026 or 2027 Universal vacation.
Walt Disney World News Roundup | September 6, 2026
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Is Taking a Refurbishment Break
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will close beginning November 2 for its first extended refurbishment since the attraction opened in June 2024. Disney currently expects the ride to return sometime in December 2026, although we do not have a specific reopening date yet.
The timing is a little unusual since Disney typically saves lengthy water-ride refurbishments for the cooler winter months. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has also experienced its share of reliability issues since opening, so hopefully this closure gives Disney time to do a little more than fluff the lilies and polish the fireflies.
Tiana’s Bayou General, the attraction’s exit gift shop, will close along with the ride, while Critter Co-Op will remain open. If you are visiting in November—particularly around Thanksgiving—we would plan as though Tiana will be unavailable and consider an earlier reopening a happy little lagniappe. You can find Tiana and everything else currently operating at Magic Kingdom in our complete Magic Kingdom attraction guide.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Is Running Out of Dates
If you have been staring at the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party ticket calendar and thinking, “Maybe I’ll decide next week,” the calendar would now like a word. Nine additional party nights were reported sold out this week, bringing the season total to 30 of 38 dates. Only a small handful of September and October parties remain available, and several of those fall into the higher ticket-price tiers. Halloween night itself disappeared long ago, along with many of the more moderately priced August and September dates.
We normally encourage families to think carefully before spending extra money on a separately ticketed event—but there eventually comes a point when continuing to think about it means Disney makes the decision for you. If MNSSHP is one of your must-do experiences and your vacation dates are fixed, we would not leave those tickets sitting in your cart while you hold another family meeting.
Our complete 2026 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party guide covers tickets, characters, entertainment and the planning lessons we have learned from this year’s parties. Once your tickets are safely secured, download our free MNSSHP map and cheat sheet to start deciding which characters, treat trails and shows deserve those precious five party hours.
Scat Cat’s Club Is Closing—but the Beignets Are Safe
Both Scat Cat’s Club Café and Scat Cat’s Club Lounge at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter will close for refurbishment beginning October 6. The café is expected to reopen in December, while the lounge is expected to remain closed until January 2027.
But let us address the truly pressing planning question: the beignets are not disappearing. Beignets and coffee will temporarily move to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory, and a temporary bar is expected to operate near the café from 5:00 to 11:00 p.m. Guests staying at French Quarter will still be able to obtain powdered sugar in quantities that immediately reveal every spot where it lands.
The closures could still change the atmosphere around the resort’s main building, particularly for guests who enjoy spending an evening listening to live music in the lounge. We have added both closures and their expected reopening windows to our Walt Disney World refurbishment and construction calendar.
The Magic of Disney Animation Is Almost Ready
The countdown is officially down to days. Cast Member previews began this week for The Magic of Disney Animation, which opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on September 14. The new experience includes character greetings, drawing activities and interactive spaces inside the reimagined Walt Disney Studios Lot. Disney has not confirmed a public soft opening, so guests visiting before September 14 should consider an early peek a possible sprinkle of bonus pixie dust—not something to build the day around.
We are watching this one closely, and are excited to visit this ourselves. Our complete guide to The Magic of Disney Animation has the attractions, characters and planning details we know before opening day.
What Opening Weekend Taught Us About HHN 35
Halloween Horror Nights 35 opened with a strong collection of houses, some surprisingly popular food and wildly different crowd experiences from one night to the next. One detailed opening-weekend review described Friday and Saturday as exceptionally crowded, while Sunday brought lighter crowds and considerably more manageable waits.
That does not mean every Sunday will be quiet—or that every Friday will require protective gear and a survival plan—but it reinforces the value of remaining flexible. Universal’s new 2:00 p.m. Stay & Scream process provides a substantial head start, although popular queues can fill before the official 6:30 p.m. opening.
Our updated HHN 35 guide covers the houses, early-entry process and opening-week food favorites, while our free HHN 35 map shows the house entrances, scare zones and color-coded opening waves.
Around the Parks: New Food, New Music and One Final Bow
A few more updates floated into the theme park news pile this week:
Hurly-Burly opens at Disney’s BoardWalk on October 1. The new walk-up lounge will offer family-friendly games and trivia during the afternoon, followed by live music exclusively for guests 21 and older beginning at 9:00 p.m. The all-day menu includes small plates, vintage-inspired cocktails, nonalcoholic drinks and mini apple cider doughnuts—which sounds like a perfectly respectable reason to wander over from EPCOT. If you are looking for fun things to do outside of the park our Beyond the Parks guide is full of fun ideas.
The Diamond Horseshoe pop-up opens October 4 in Magic Kingdom, with reservations beginning September 29. The limited-time menu includes frontier-inspired small plates such as charcuterie, corn fritters, sticky ribs and mini hot dogs, plus specialty drinks. If you are planning a Magic Kingdom day, our Magic Kingdom guides can help you decide where a leisurely stop in Liberty Square fits.
Animal Actors On Location! will take its final bow on November 2. The Universal Studios Florida show has entertained guests since the park’s opening in 1990 and will close permanently to make way for a future experience that has not yet been announced. Guests hoping to see the show one last time should add it to their plans before November 3. We have more attraction and park-day planning information in our Universal Studios Florida guide.
Walt Disney World News Roundup | August 30, 2026
Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge Opens July 1, 2027—and Yes, It Has a Lazy River
Disney has given us our biggest look yet at Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, the new Bay Lake resort opening July 1, 2027. It will have 967 accommodations ranging from small studios for two to three-bedroom Grand Villas, along with waterfront A-frame Lake Houses that appear to have been designed specifically to make me abandon all reasonable budgeting.
The resort will also feature a lazy river, multiple pools, new restaurants and lounges, Magic Kingdom fireworks views and boat transportation to Magic Kingdom. Cash reservations open October 6 for Disney Vacation Club Members, October 7 for Annual Passholders and October 8 for everyone else. Disney has not yet released room rates, DVC points charts or a date for booking with Vacation Points.
From a planning perspective, this looks more like a destination resort than somewhere to tumble into bed after seven consecutive rope drops. The pools and recreation need time in the itinerary, while the resort’s size, transportation distances and eventual prices are all worth considering before falling completely in love with a Lake House. My heart has already booked one. My wallet remains unaware.
Our 2026 EPCOT Food & Wine Map Got an Opening-Weekend Update
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is officially underway, and we have updated both our Flower & Garden Festival guide and our printable map with the opening-weekend details that can make a festival day considerably easier. Along with every marketplace, later-opening booth and Emile’s Fromage Montage stop, the map now includes PhotoPass locations, indoor and outdoor seating, and those wonderfully useful fence tables where you can set down your snack for a minute.
Because balancing a drink, a tiny festival plate and a fork while searching for somewhere to eat is not the kind of EPCOT scavenger hunt anyone requested. Use our updated 2026 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival map to find what is nearby, plan a route with fewer unnecessary laps around World Showcase and, ideally, eat your cheese somewhere comfortable.
Halloween Horror Nights 35 Is Officially Making Orlando Scream
Halloween Horror Nights 35 opened at Universal Studios Florida on August 28, and the first weekend gave us a much better idea of what guests can expect. Early house favorites include Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness, Hellraiser, Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control, H.R. Bloodengutz and the surprisingly intense Cybergoria. We have added opening-weekend reviews, early rankings and updated planning advice to our complete Halloween Horror Nights 35 guide.
Opening weekend also proved that the new 2:00 p.m. Stay & Scream process can provide a very big head start—but plenty of other guests have noticed that too. Some queues began forming around 1:00 p.m., so “early” may need to become “slightly ridiculous but potentially worthwhile.” Our new HHN 35 map shows the house locations, scare zones and color-coded early opening times to help you create a plan before the screaming begins.
Dark Arts Return to the Wizarding World
HHN 35’s opening weekend brought more than haunted houses and scare zones to Universal Studios Florida. The Death Eaters have also returned to Diagon Alley, where they roam the streets and search for guests willing to pledge their loyalty to Lord Voldemort during HHN event nights. Regular daytime guests may catch a brief glimpse of them before the park closes on those dates, but an HHN ticket is required to see them during the event.
Meanwhile, Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle returns to Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure for the first time since 2022. The nighttime projection show will be presented on select nights from September 5 through November 1 and is separate from HHN. Planning to experience both sides of Universal’s darker wizarding season? Our complete Wizarding World of Harry Potter guide explains where to find each land, how they connect and when you will need a park-to-park ticket to ride the Hogwarts Express.
A Few Quick Planning Updates
A few smaller planning updates arrived this week, and two of the three involve food, so we are already off to a promising start. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party dining reservations open September 3 for Disney Resort guests and September 9 for everyone else, including party dining and fireworks dessert parties. Over at Universal, Dufftoberfest has begun in Springfield with seasonal Duff beer and Oktoberfest-inspired décor through November 1. Finally, reservations are now open for the new Shiki-Sai Fireworks Dining Package, which pairs a Japanese dinner with views of Luminous from EPCOT’s Japan pavilion.
🔎 Looking for Past Updates?
Our Pixie Dust News Roundup is updated weekly with the latest Disney & Universal park news. If you’d like to catch up on earlier weeks, check out our monthly archives:
Pixie Dust Hugs,
Bren, Lyn, and Kim
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