A signed photo of Aerosmith is missing at the exit of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith at Disney’s Hollywood Studios following its refurbishment.

Missing Photo at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster

Right at the exit following the long hallway from Rock Around the Shop, a photo of the five members of Aerosmith hung before the exit hallway. The photo is autographed by the band — Steven Tyler, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer, Joe Perry, and Brad Whitford — and shows them at the World Premiere Gala of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at what was then known as Disney-MGM Studios on July 29, 1999.

The photo is normally located on the left side facing the exit, adjacent to the doors outside.

This photo from 2020 shows what is usually in place.

Since the attraction only just soft opened from its months-long refurbishment, it’s certainly possible that this is merely an oversight and not all decor has returned to the ride, with its official reopening likely taking place later this weekend. But considering poor behavior of guests lately, it’s also possible that a bad actor may have tried to steal it off the walls.

Are you disappointed to see this memento of Disney and rock-n-roll history missing? Let us know in the comments below!

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is one of Walt Disney World’s most popular thrill rides. When it opened in July 1999, it was an instant favorite among guests.

In this ride, guests will enter the fictional G-Force Records building and join Aerosmith in the studio. Realizing they are about to be late for their huge concert and don’t want to leave us hanging, they generously bring us along with them in a stretch—make that a super stretch—limo.

This is no ordinary limo and is unlike any limo you’ve ever been in before. Each limo features a clever license plate that features puns like “2FAST4U”, “1QKLIMO”, “UGOBABE”, “BUHBYE”, and “H8TRFFC”. The cool thing about each license plate is that it gives you a hint as to which Aerosmith songs you’ll be hearing on your wild race through Los Angeles to get to the show.

• 2FAST4U- “Sweet Emotion” live
• 1QKLIMO- “Nine Lives”
• BUHBYE- “Young Lust”, “F.I.N.E”, “Love in an Elevator(Rollercoaster)”
• UGOBABE- “Love in an Elevator(Rollercoaster) and “Walk This Way”
• H8TRFFC- “Back in the Saddle” and “Dude(Looks Like a Lady)”

The coaster goes from 0 to 57mph in 2.8 seconds and quite literally takes your breath away. Once you hear Steven Tyler, lead singer of Aerosmith, start counting down, you better hang on. You are then launched into the dark but there are cool, neon signs everywhere. Riders will experience up to 5Gs of force, which fits perfectly with G-Force Records, and travel through three inversions.

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After being closed for several months, the splash pad at Universal CityWalk Orlando has reopened.

Universal CityWalk Orlando Splash Pad

The splash pad has been closed since at least September 2022, when construction walls went up around it. A fake patch of grass was placed over it during the holidays, and then construction walls were back up during the first few months of this year.

The splash pad is outside the Universal Legacy Store. The floor of it is made of wavy stripes. There are small metal railings around it.

The splash pad looks the same, so the closure may have been for maintenance of the water spouts.

It’s a great place for kids and adults to cool off — if you don’t mind getting wet. Watch a video of the water effects in action in our embedded Tweet below.

The splash pad is back open in CityWalk! pic.twitter.com/D5SwxgREIU

— Universal Parks News Today (@UniNewsToday) May 26, 2023

Universal CityWalk Orlando

CityWalk is a shopping and dining complex at the entrance to Universal Orlando Resort free to enter. Guests walk through it to reach Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

In addition to restaurants like Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen and Pat O’Brien’s, CityWalk has an AMC movie theatre and Universal’s Great Movie Escape. The latter attraction features escape rooms inspired by “Jurassic World” and “Back to the Future.”

For the first time this year, CityWalk and Universal’s Islands of Adventure participated in Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval.

The Red Coconut Club has been rethemed throughout the past year to reflect different holidays and Universal Orlando Resort festivals. Most recently, it’s been The Cursed Coconut Club for Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Mardi Gras. For Halloween Horror Nights 31, the venue was transformed into a Universal Monsters theme and met with great success in its shift to the Dead Coconut Club. During the holiday season, the venue was revamped again to open as Green & Red Coconut Club, which gave the club a holiday theme replacing the monsters with Christmas trees and twinkling lights.

Universal Destinations & Experiences revealed a series of new logos, including the new CityWalk logo, in March 2023. The new neon pink Universal CityWalk logo recently debuted on a Mother’s Day sign.

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Less than four months after its formation, one member of the controversial Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Supervisors has already resigned his post — Michael Sasso.

Sasso was one of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ original appointees to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Supervisors, which replaced the former Reedy Creek Improvement District board in February. An experienced lawyer, Sasso is a partner at the firm which carries his name — Sasso & Sasso — in Orlando.

His term was set to expire in February 2027, making his resignation remarkably premature. Spectrum News 13 anchor Greg Angel confirmed the news today on his Twitter account.

NEW: We’ve confirmed Michael Sasso resigned this week from his board position with the Central Florida Oversight District.

Sasso was one of five individuals the Governor appointed earlier this year to serve on the board overseeing Walt Disney World’s special taxing district. pic.twitter.com/AtsnZsbRo6

— Greg Angel (@NewsGuyGreg) May 26, 2023

A reason or explanation was not given by Sasso or the CFTOD Board, but it is worth noting that his wife was recently appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to serve on the Florida Supreme Court. Litigation between Disney, the CFTOD, and the State of Florida including Gov. DeSantis is still pending.

Disney, DeSantis, and CFTOD Board Lawsuits

The Florida Governor and Walt Disney Company initially clashed over the corporation’s opposition to a much-debated and controversial Florida law regarding classroom instruction and discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools, alongside various other recent state laws and proposals in a similar vein.

Bob Chapek was Chief Executive Officer at the time and initially remained silent and passive on the issue — until massive internal criticisms from cast members and controversy over Disney’s practice of making hefty political contributions to campaigns and individuals allegedly against their own stated human principles came into focus.

In an apparent act of retribution over Chapek’s expression of dissent, the Governor moved forward with various verbal and legal assaults on Disney, including the attempted dissolution of Reedy Creek and the eventual transfer of power directly under his control. DeSantis argues he is attacking a rather vague perception of something he calls “woke politics” invading the state.

After heated exchanges and dramatic actions taken by Governor DeSantis in an apparent and self-described act of retribution, The Walt Disney Company sued the Governor and his newly handpicked board, citing a “targeted campaign of government retaliation — orchestrated at every step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech.” The plaintiff argues that this chronology of events “threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights.”

The CFTOD Board of Supervisors voted to file their own countersuit against Disney, essentially seeking to void and de-legitimize agreements Disney made with the previous Reedy Creek Improvement District before its forced dissolution. The new 188-page complaint names the Board itself as plaintiff against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. The district is asking the court to render Disney’s development agreement with the Reedy Creek Improvement District as unenforceable, null, and void. They also ask the same be done of the restrictive covenants, which notably set the benchmark for expiry at 21 years after the death of the last living descendant of King Charles III, living as of the date of the document.

While Disney’s lawsuit is through federal court, the Board’s lawsuit is through Florida’s state courts.

A recent poll shows Americans think the court should rule in favor of Disney over Governor DeSantis and that citizens aren’t as worried about “woke politics” as other issues.

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Are you ready, racers? Next time you drive down to Flo’s V8 Café in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure for a good old-fashioned milkshake, you can take home a special souvenir glass themed to the eatery and the land itself!

Flo’s Classic Shake in Souvenir Cars Land Glass – $15.49

Cars Land souvenir Shake glass served with Vanilla, Chocolate, or Strawberry Shake topped with “Road Gravel”

The glass is a standard milkshake glass with two printed designs on each side, as well as a wrap-around diamond and starburst pattern in a ’50s motif on the bottom.

One side shows the Cars Land logo along with art of Mater and Lightning McQueen. A silhouette of Willy’s Butte is behind McQueen, which acts as a major centerpiece of nearby Radiator Springs Racers.

On the back we see Flo in front of the logo for Flo’s V8 Café, hung above a tire with a checker flag, fork, and spoon.

This souvenir glass is available while supplies last at Flo’s V8 Café in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure. Let us know if you’ll bring this home for your own 1950s milkshakes in the comments below!

Mater Popcorn Bucket

Last year, a Tow Mater popcorn bucket pulled into Cars Land at Disney California Adventure for the land’s 10th anniversary. We got our hands on one of these buckets, which are still available from Flo’s V8 Café if you want another souvenir.

Mater Popcorn Bucket – $21.99

The bucket is shaped just like Tow Mater.

His name, with “Towing & Salvage Radiator Springs” is printed on the doors. The remnants of blue paint are also on his rusted brown body.

His green eyes are on the windshield and his buck teeth stick out of the front.

His tow cable is on his truck bed.

He has an A-113 license plate on his back.

The truck bed lifts up for popcorn (or grapes).

It’s also a good storage compartment for the bucket’s detachable strap.

The strap resembles brown rusted metal.

Mater’s head actually lifts up too if you want to store more items.

Are you hoping to bring home your own Mater popcorn bucket?

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

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You’re probably familiar with the holiday season in Disney World — but there’s another season that Disney fans dread.

It’s refurbishment season — when Disney World closes down a ride or experience here and there for routine maintenance or other updates. One iconic Hollywood Studios ride has been closed for quite a while, but that has all changed now because Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster has REOPENED in this park!

Back in December 2022, we shared that Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith would be closing on February 20th, 2023, for a long refurbishment. Disney didn’t share an official opening date, but we spoke with a Cast Member who said it would reopen sometime in the summer of 2023. And now, it looks like that day has finally arrived!

This reopening came as a big surprise, as Disney never announced the specific reopening date. But while we were walking through Hollywood Studios today, we noticed that the outdoor queue for the coaster was set up, which hasn’t happened since it closed in February. We asked a Cast Member who told us that they were hoping to open up the ride today.

Sure enough, the coaster opened back up later in the day! Although it never showed as open on the My Disney Experience app, people were able to go inside and ride (with pretty short wait times, too!). Thanks to DFB reader @What.if.Disney.World on Instagram for letting us know about the opening and sending this picture!

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster has infamously broken down for several days in a row in the past, so hopefully, this refurbishment helps with some of those technical difficulties. Back in July of 2022, a Cast Member told us that the ride hasn’t had a full refurbishment since the parks reopened in 2020 — this is likely the reason for the length of the refurb.

When it comes to planning your next Disney World trip, staying informed and knowing about the latest closures and ride refurbishments can make all the difference.

Click here for our COMPLETE month-by-month guide on how to plan a Disney World vacation.

Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for the latest news from around Disney World and more, and check out our full refurbishment calendar below!

Check out more Disney World closures and refurbishments here.

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What’s your favorite Hollywood Studios ride? Tell us in the comments.

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Disneyland Paris has announced that “TOGETHER: A Pixar Musical Adventure” will premiere for members of the press on July 8, 2023, and guests “soon after.” The exact date will be announced soon.

TOGETHER: A Pixar Musical Adventure

The new show is coming to Studio Theater in Walt Disney Studios Park this summer and will tell an original story through an immersive experience. The logo for the show features the Luxo Ball in the “o” of “TOGETHER.”

Concept art shows “Toy Story” characters frolicking in front of an orchestra, with sheet music flying around them.

Another piece of concept art shows “Monsters, Inc.” characters surrounded by flying doors.

‘TOGETHER: A Pixar Musical’ is part of the grand finale of the Disneyland Paris 30th anniversary celebration, which will come to an end on September 30, 2023.

Walt Disney Studios Park

Construction has been ongoing for years on a major expansion of the small park, including updates to Production Courtyard and Toon Studio, pre-existing lands at the park’s entrance. They will be refurbished from November 2023 to May 2025, including the update to Studio 1, with a theater zone theme. The Toontown area will become an expanded photo op area of Worlds of Pixar.

The Lake Promenade expansion to Walt Disney Studios Park will be home to the “Tangled Round Ride,” a spinner based on the 2010 animated film about Rapunzel, and will lead guests to the new Arendelle – World of “Frozen” land. There will also be an updated Toy Story Playland entrance, a new English Gardens area, a floor rosette, and a food truck. The multi-functional East Pavilion will be near the “Tangled” ride and across from a new table-service restaurant.

Ariel from the live-action version of “The Little Mermaid” is appearing in a musical street show at Walt Disney Studios Park right now.

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