We just got news that Disney World will be getting eight new rides!

These new attractions are spread across the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. While EPCOT is not getting any new attractions, Test Track 3.0 will open in 2025, and there will be a brand new Spaceship Earth Lounge! As for the new rides, we are a little worried that two of them will fall victim to the theme park ride screen epidemic. 

Some new Disney attractions have been using screens more and more instead of physical sets. Sometimes, the screens are necessary, like at Toy Story Mania or when rides like Na’vi River Journey or Rise of the Resistance go into B Mode. Other times, people feel that the screens are not enough.

One of the most recent examples of this is when Tiana’a Bayou Adventure opened in Magic Kingdom at the end of June. Many people were disappointed to see that this attraction used screens and had animated versions of Tiana, Louis, and Mama Odie. While there is no doubt the animatronics in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure are super impressive, fans were hoping that this ride would not have screens as its predecessor, Splash Mountain, did not utilize screens. 

Two of the eight newly announced attractions concern us. A highly rumored attraction, the Monsters Inc. Door Coaster, will finally be built in Hollywood Studios. It will be Disney World’s first suspended roller coaster. At D23, we got a look at some concept art as well as a physical model. 

Trust us: We have started to learn not to trust concept art, as sometimes the final product is far off from what the concept art shows. While the concept art does not give too many details, we wonder if the door effect on this coaster will be done using screens. 

Currently, at Disney California Adventure, the slow-moving dark ride Monsters Inc.: Mike and Sulley to the Rescue uses mirrors and physical doors to give the effect that there are more doors than there actually are. 

We have our fingers crossed that this attraction will use more physical props rather than screens. 

Animal Kingdom is receiving a huge overhaul as the Tree of Life will be home to a new show called Zootopia: Better Zoogether. DinoLand  U.S.A. will be re-themed into a Tropical Americas-themed land named Pueblo Esperanza.

Within this new land, there will be three brand-new attractions. Indiana Jones will take over DINOSAUR, and there will be a brand-new Encanto ride and a brand-new carousel. 

Out of these three attractions, we are concerned that the Encanto ride will use more screens rather than animatronics. Once again, we do not have much to go off of besides the few pieces of concept art. The one piece of concept art inside the ride shows the whole Family Madrigal, plus some animals. 

While we are not saying it can’t happen, it seems very unlikely for Disney to make all these characters into animatronics and to have them all in one place close together. We are thinking that if this concept art remains true to the final product, it is likely that this scene will use a screen.

We will have to wait and see as more details about these projects are announced. Regardless of whether they have screens or not, we are still super excited that there will be new offerings at Disney World in the coming years.

EVERY MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT for the Disney Parks from D23

What new attraction are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments!

The post Why We’re Worried About 2 NEW Disney World Attractions first appeared on the disney food blog.

Uptown Jewelers at Magic Kingdom has a new Disney Parks exclusive Muppets Pandora charm set.

Uptown Jewelers is on Main Street, U.S.A., at the Magic Kingdom, located near Crystal Arts and across from The Emporium.

Muppets Pandora Charm Set – $250

The bundle set includes three double-sided charms, starring Animal, Kermit, and Miss Piggy.

Each charm has the character’s face on one side, set against a solid black background.

The opposite side has each character’s corresponding “signature.” Kermit’s says “Kermit the Frog” against a green background, while Miss Piggy’s is on pink and Animal’s is on red.

Other recent Pandora charms released at Walt Disney World include a Halloween bracelet, Oogie Boogie and more from “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” Deadpool & Wolverine, and The Lion King.

Pandora charms can be found around Walt Disney World Resort at many locations, including:

• Uptown Jewelers — Magic Kingdom, Main Street U.S.A.
• Legends of Hollywood — Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Sunset Boulevard
• Once Upon a Time — Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Sunset Boulevard
• Port of Entry — EPCOT, World Showcase
• Pandora Jewelry — Disney Springs, Town Center
• M. Mouse Mercantile — Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Bayview Gifts — Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Will you be adding this set to your favorite Pandora bracelet? Let us know in the comments.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post Muppets Pandora Charm Set Now Available at Walt Disney World appeared first on WDW News Today.

As invited media, Disney provided WDWNT with a gift card for food and beverages, so some of the following coverage was hosted. As always, WDWNT will still provide our honest thoughts on all below.

The Supernova Pretzel has returned to Tomorrowland at Disneyland, bringing the heat to Halloween Time.

The pretzel is located at the cart near Star Tours. It’s available through November 14.

Supernova Pretzel – $8.75

Jalapeño cheese-filled pretzel topped with spicy crumble and lime

If there’s one flavor that stands above the rest in this snack, it’s jalapeño. So unless you are a huge fan of the pepper, you might want to skip this. The outside is a bit harder than the average pretzel but the interior is soft.

The gooey cheese created a nice contrast with the crispy crust. The Flamin’ Hot Cheetos topping unfortunately didn’t add anything. This spicy snack isn’t as good as we would like but jalapeño lovers will probably be satisfied.

Rating out of 7: 4

Looking for more spicy snacks during Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort? Check out the Asian-inspired Spicy Pork Tacos and the Mango-Habanero Chicken Strips from Disney California Adventure.

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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Disney releases a statement following false reports of an active shooter at Magic Kingdom, a “Nightmare Before Christmas” Scary Teddy popcorn bucket is coming to Disney Parks, and Disneyland reveals new additions coming to Downtown Disney District — all this and more in today’s daily recap for Friday, August 30, 2024.

Daily Recap for August 30, 2024

Walt Disney World

Magic Kingdom

• Disney released a statement in the early hours of the morning following a false active shooter report at Magic Kingdom.
• One of our reporters visited Magic Kingdom today, and put together a fresh, new photo report.

EPCOT

• Decor for the 2024 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival has appeared throughout the park.

New Merchandise

• A Scary Teddy popcorn bucket inspired by a toy from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is coming to Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort.

Other Walt Disney World News

• Guests attending a Disney After Hours event at Magic Kingdom in 2025 will get to enjoy not only “Happily Ever After,” but also “Disney Enchantment.”

Disneyland Resort

• Disneyland Resort has revealed a number of new additions planned for Downtown Disney District, including an Avengers store, Earl of Sandwich Tavern, and more.
• The Bride and Groom churros have made a spirited return to Disneyland for the Halloween season. Check out our review.
• The revamped “The Storytellers of Plaza de la Familia Celebrate the Musical World of Coco” debuted today at Disney California Adventure, and we’ve compiled the changes and filmed a full video of the show.

Disney Cruise Line

• Disney Cruise Line has shared a new video of rehearsals for “Disney the Tale of Moana” coming to the Disney Treasure, featuring Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro and aspects of the show — including the hand of the 15-foot-tall Te Ka puppet.

Universal Studios

Universal Orlando Resort

• We went through all of the haunted houses for Halloween Horror Nights 33, including The Museum: Deadly Exhibits. Read our review.
• One of this year’s IP houses, “A Quiet Place,” was also packed full of scares. See our review.
• Triplets of Terror, one of this year’s original houses, is not for the faint of heart.
• “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” proved to be a fun house, but didn’t deliver on the scares.
• However, “Insidious: The Further” brings some of the best scares of the event with its haunted house.
• If you’re a fan of visually gorgeous haunted houses with lots of puppet work, Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America is one you won’t want to miss.
• Major Sweets Candy Factory is a candy-coated nightmare and a blast to go through, if you’re a fan of the sillier HHN houses.
• The Dead Coconut Club is back for Halloween Horror Nights 33, this time with theming inspired by the Vamps of HHN and Blumhouse.
• Does Stay and Scream at Halloween Horror Nights confuse you? Check out our guide.
• Major Sweets has taken over the San Francisco Candy Factory at Universal Studios Florida, transforming it into Major Sweets Candy Company.
• Nightmare Fuel returns this year to Halloween Horror Nights 33, but with a refreshed and exciting new show in “Nocturnal Circus.”

WDW News Today

Disney Balloon Causes Mass Anarchy at Magic Kingdom, New Disneyland Restaurants

NEW Musical World of Coco Show at Disney California Adventure

FULL TOUR – Dead Coconut Club ft. Blumhouse at HHN 33

That’s it for today; we hope you enjoyed this Daily Recap. Thanks for stopping by, and we’ll see you tomorrow!

The post Disney Releases Statement on False Active Shooter Report & More: Daily Recap (8/30/24) appeared first on WDW News Today.

If you’re looking for something a little more intense than Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in Disney World, then you may be planning to head to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort this year!

Halloween Horror Nights, or HHN, is certainly NOT for the faint of heart! If you’ve never been to one of these events before, you may be in for a surprise if you don’t know what you’re getting into. But that’s why we’re here! If you’re heading to the event this year, here’s everything you need to know so you’re not caught off guard!

The Basics

Halloween Horror Nights runs on Wednesday-Sunday nights August 30th-November 3rd, 2024. The park will close for regular ticketed Universal guests around 5PM, and the event officially runs from 6:30PM-2AM (we recommend arriving around 45 minutes before the official start time because gates tend to open early)! Only guests with special tickets purchased for Halloween Horror Nights will have access to the after hours event, and some nights are known to sell out!

There are four different ticket types to choose from, which can all be bought online ahead of the event (which is what’s recommended). They are:

• Halloween Horror Nights Single-Night Ticket: Allows access to the event on one night of your choosing (made at the time of booking) and starts at $82.99 per person
• Halloween Horror Nights Express Pass: This can be purchased ON TOP of a regular ticket. It allows you to skip the line for every haunted house once throughout the night! Begins at $129.99 per person
• Halloween Horror Nights R.I.P. Tour: An add-on that allows you a look behind the scenes — starts at $359.99 per person
• Halloween Horror Nights Behind-the-Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour: Allows daytime access into the park to tour 3 or 6 haunted houses and get a look behind the scenes — valid park admission NOT required and starts at $99.99 per person
• Scream Early Ticket: This is an additional purchase ON TOP of a regular ticket. Enjoy the park from 3PM-5PM and then line up for a house in a Stay & Scream area.

Multi-night tickets are also an option, but they sell out quickly! These options are:

• The Rush of Fear Pass: Provides entry to the first 18 event nights.
• The Frequent Fear Pass: Access to every Sunday through Thursday, plus the first weekend.
• The Frequent Fear Plus Pass: Includes entry every Sunday through Friday, plus the first and last Saturday.
• The Ultimate Frequent Fear Pass: Grants access to EVERY night of the event, along with complimentary regular parking after 5 p.m. on all event nights.

Haunted Houses & Scare Zones

The Haunted Houses are the main draw of the event (but certainly not the only!). This year there are 10 haunted houses to explore, but keep in mind that lines for these get VERY long. You’ll want to prioritize what your top houses are to ensure you can make it through those if you’re not using an express pass.

This year’s houses are:

• A Quiet Place
• Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
• Insidious: The Further
• Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines
• Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America
• Slaughter Sinema 2
• The Museum: Deadly Exhibits
• Major Sweets Candy Factory
• Goblin’s Feast
• Triplets of Terror

In addition to the Houses, you’ll also walk past 5 scare zones spread throughout the resort! These do not have any official lines, as the zones are active throughout the whole night.

The scare zones this year are:

• Enter the Blumhouse
• Duality of Fear
• Demon Queens
• Swamp of the Undead
• Torture Faire

Again, these aren’t for the faint of heart, so remember that before you go into each House or Scare Zone!

Other Entertainment

But that’s not all! In addition to the Houses and Scare Zones, you can also ride tons of Universal Orlando’s most popular attractions with little to no waits! The rides that will be open during this event are:

• Revenge of the Mummy
• Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts
• MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack
• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit

You’ll also find some incredible live entertainment during the night, such as the Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus show! This is described on the Universal Orlando website as “a new nightmare that carries with it a sinister curse” where you’re “trapped in a thrilling spectacle of pyro and aerialists to the beat of pulse pounding rock rhythms.”

Over at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley, you can also encounter Death Eaters on select nights! They wander around Diagon Alley, not afraid to scare anyone in their sight.

Food

It’s not Halloween Horror Nights without special food offerings around the park! There are TONS of exclusive eats you can only get during the event that you won’t want to miss! While some restaurants will continue to have their regular menus during the event, you can find special eats at the following locations:

• Major Sweets Candy Factory Kiosk
• Ghostbusters Frozen Empire Kiosk
• Goblins Feast Kiosk
• Insidious: The Further Kiosk
• Monstruos – The Monsters of Latin America Kiosk
• A Quiet Place Kiosk
• Triplets of Terror Kiosk
• Slaughter Sinema 2 Kiosk
• Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines Kiosk
• Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store
• Dreamwork’s Imagination Cafe
• TODAY Cafe
• San Francisco Pastry Company
• Various Tent/Cart locations throughout the park

Merchandise

And as if you haven’t already spent enough money, you need to commemorate the event with a souvenir, right? While you can find select exclusive merchandise online, you’ll also want to check out the following shops for this special merchandise!

• Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store (THIS is the jackpot, friends, don’t miss exploring this store!)
• Five and Dime
• Kwik-E-Mart
• MIB Gear
• The Film Vault

• San Francisco Candy Factory
• Sahara Traders
• Simpsons Games
• Supply Vault
• Universal Studios Store

• Diagon Alley Shops
• Borgin & Burkes

We’re always here to keep you updated on the latest Universal Orlando news, so stay tuned to DFB!

10 Signs You Should SKIP Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Disney World

Are you a fan of Halloween Horror Nights? Tell us in the comments!

The post EVERYTHING You Need to Know About Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando in 2024! first appeared on the disney food blog.

Enter your worst nightmares with this year’s Halloween Horror Nights stage show, “Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus.” This is the fourth version of the award-winning HHN show.

‘Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus’

Step right up to a dark circus, a new nightmare that carries with it a sinister curse. It’s a thrilling spectacle of pyro and aerialists.

“Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus” is performed at 8 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 11 p.m., and 12:30 a.m. during Halloween Horror Nights.

Review of ‘Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus’

No photography or video recording is allowed during the show but we could take pictures of the stage before it started. Predictably, it has circus-like theming. Two set pieces resemble circus wagons. Platforms to the sides of the stage feature triangle patterns and stars on top.

This wagon advertises “Magic of the Macabre,” “Phantasms,” and “Astounding Animals.” Jack-o’-lanterns are between lights at the edge of the stage.

The center of the stage features a colorful but weathered circus marquee and banners.

The second wagon advertises the Fuel Girls, the name of the real-life fire-wielding act that performs in “Nightmare Fuel.”

The show opens on a dark and stormy Halloween when the Nocturnal Circus came to town. The main character explains that he was cursed to relive the night over and over, seeing the love of his life die a hundred times, a hundred different ways. But this time, he vows to save her.

The show features pyrotechnics, stunts, aerial dancers, and rock music. In keeping with the circus theme, sometimes the performers are dressed like mimes and clowns. Sometimes they have flaming swords. The hero tries to save his love from being cut in half during a magic trick.

As always, the “Nightmare Fuel” cast is immensely talented. Their dedication to their craft is apparent. Their technical expertise is top-notch. Familiar faces do familiar stunts.

That said, “Nocturnal Circus” is not the “Nightmare Fuel” you’re used to. The last couple of years felt tired since they were re-hashes of the original show. But this is new and a refreshing change of pace.

The new storyline is engaging and easy to follow. You know from the start it’s a tragedy, but with a glimmer of hope. The story fits with the overarching theme of the houses this year. We leave the horror behind but it persists. The evil, the sorrow, the brutality. We survive but there’s nothing we can do to save anyone else.

The magic trick enthusiast in our group felt some of the tricks were a downgrade from last year. But they were still impressive.

“Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus” is worth your time. Though we usually only see “Nightmare Fuel” once per Halloween Horror Nights season, we will return to watch this one.

Rating out of 7: 7

Location of ‘Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus’

“Nightmare Fuel: Nocturnal Circus” is located at the Fear Factor Live stage, at P on the map below.

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.

The post ‘Nocturnal Circus’ is Not Your Grandma’s ‘Nightmare Fuel’ appeared first on WDW News Today.

Disney Cruise Line shared a new video of Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro talking to some of the team behind “Disney the Tale of Moana,” a new stage show coming to the Disney Treasure, in their rehearsal space in Toronto.

First Look at ‘Tale of Moana’

D’Amaro said he got to see a “Tale of Moana” rehearsal and appeared in the video alongside the cast. He introduced Ed, who runs the rehearsal facility. All Disney Cruise Line live entertainment is developed at the 52,000-sq-ft facility, which has 19 rehearsal halls. In the next year, they will be working with 16 casts.

D’Amaro noted that they have a lot of new ships, and consequently shows, on the way. At D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, D’Amaro announced four more ships, so Disney Cruise Line will have 13 total by 2031.

D’Amaro spoke to Kelly, who said sets are being installed on the Disney Treasure now. The cast will fly down and begin rehearsals on the completed ship around September 20. He also introduced one of the Pacific Islander consultants who said, “I love the fact that we’re on the ocean telling a story about the ocean, telling about people from the ocean.”

Behind D’Amaro in the video is the set piece for Moana’s outrigger canoe. The black base is the exact shape of the boat in the film, with red tape on it to mark positions. A white sail is attached and there are wheels on the bottom for moving it around the stage. The boat doesn’t have completed paint and theming, but this one may just be used for rehearsal while the final prop is being installed on the ship.

The video also offers a first look at the 15-foot-tall Te Ka puppet D’Amaro previously teased. The full puppet wasn’t shown, but its hand came into view to wave around D’Amaro. The puppet is also not complete as it’s currently painted just black.

Watch the Instagram video embedded below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Josh D’Amaro (@joshdamaro)

See some of the “Disney the Tale of Moana” concept art.

When the Disney Treasure launches in December, the ship will also feature Disney Cruise Line’s “Beauty and the Beast” and “Disney Seas the Adventure” shows.

If you’re thinking of booking a cruise on one of Disney Cruise Line’s new ships, why not contact our official travel agent, Be Our Guest Vacations, and let them handle the entire booking process for you!

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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