This week Disney threw us for a major loop!

There are tons of changes coming to the parks, like the Magic Kingdom expansion, Monsters Inc. Land in Hollywood Studios, and Pueblo Esperanza in Animal Kingdom. We’ve been eagerly awaiting any signs of the changes, but this week Disney gave us tons of news, some of which we weren’t anticipating! That’s why we’re doing a round-up of the biggest news from the week right here. 

Buckle up, everyone, Disney World has been dropping news left and right this week! At one point, the running joke within our team was “that’s enough slices” because the company was giving us so much as once. Luckily, we have the best team ever, and we were able to enjoy the entire news pie, no problem.

Muppet Coaster Opening Timeline

The first news that had us screaming with excitement was that Disney finally revealed the opening timeline of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring The Muppets. If you’re looking to rock out with Electric Mayhem, you can check out the new roller coaster in Summer 2026! 

We knew that the coaster would open in 2026, but Summer 2026 was even earlier than we anticipated! Disney announced Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring The Muppets back in November 2024, and we’ve been watching updates on this retheme like a hawk, so this was big news for us. The new attraction will have guests taking a VIP tour of  G-Force Records, which is under new management by The Muppets! We’ve also been warned, G-Force Records has a snazzy new look now that Scooter’s uncle, real estate tycoon and owner of the Muppet Theatre, J.P. Grosse, is in charge.

We are excited for this new ownership, but we won’t deny that we will be sad to see Stephen Tyler and the rest of Aerosmith go. Disney has not confirmed when Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith will close for the retheme. That wasn’t the only Muppety news, though…

Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets

Big Animatronic Changes

Not only did we get updates on the timeline for Muppets Coaster, but we also got some new information regarding animatronics in the coaster (and a few other attractions as well!) First, Disney has also shared a first of its kind Muppet Animatronic will make its way into the Muppet Coaster! Scooter, as the band manager, along with the penguin audio engineers, will be working hard to get Electric Mayhem to make it on time to their concert.

Disney confirmed this will be the first time Scooter has ever been imagined as an audio animatronic, and that he might not be the only one in the attraction. However, they said we will have to learn more about that at a later date. (We’re hoping for a Kermit or Miss Piggy animatronic!) Second, Disney gave us a first look at the animatronics coming to Better Zoogether!

In the new Animal Kingdom show, debuting on November 7th, we will be able to see Clawhauser! You’ll see him at the Zoogether Day watch party, where you can expect to find him decked out from head to tail with a brand-new look, which will include glow necklaces, bracelets, and his favorite, glittery Gazelle tee shirt.

He really wants to become the V.I.Z. (Very Important Zootopian – the lucky mammal who will get special access to the Zoogether Day performers). But when things don’t go as planned, he takes things into his own hands… We’re eager to see exactly what that means! Finally, the Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff animatronics will all be getting updates at Frozen Ever After!

When Frozen Ever After debuted in 2016, the animatronics were groundbreaking; however, over time, the facial projections on the characters haven’t aged well. Over the last 10 years, Disney has made some major strides in animatronics, which is apparent on attractions like Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival at Tokyo DisneySea and World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland.

After ten years, the faces of the animatronics on Frozen Ever After at EPCOT will change from their projected look. The attraction will draw inspiration from the advancements seen in figures at World of Frozen in Hong Kong Disneyland, and we are seriously excited! We’ve been hoping for these updates for a while, and we’re thrilled Disney is hearing us.

Learn More About The Animatronic Changes Here

Price Hikes in Disney World

Finally, our last piece of big news from this week isn’t as exciting as the first two! Disney typically announces annual price increases in October, and this year was no different. Thousands of merchandise items, snacks, tickets, and more will see a price increase through 2026. 

From table service prices to park tickets, and even famous snacks, almost nothing was safe from the price increases. Some big examples include:

• Popcorn went from $5.69 to $5.99 in some locations
• Mickey Pretzels went from $7.99 to $8.49
• Dasani Water went from $4 to $4.25
• SmartWater went from $6 to $6.25
• Bottled Sodas increased from $5.29 to $5.5
• Dole Whip Swirls increased from $6.99 to $7.49

Disney World annual passes also saw increases and are now going to cost you more. You can see the new prices here!

• Disney Incredi-Pass — $1,629
• Disney Sorcerer Pass — $1,099
• Disney Pirate Pass — $869
• Disney Pixie Dust Pass — $489

This is just a glimpse at what to expect during your next trip. Be sure to budget more for your snacks, tickets, and more for your next trip to see the mouse!

THOUSANDS of Price Increases Hit Disney World Theme Park Restaurants

This week has been a big one for Disney World, and we’re (mostly) excited for the changes! As always, be sure to keep following DisneyFoodBlog for the latest Disney news and updates.

The ULTIMATE Guide to Planning A Walt Disney World Vacation

Tell us what you think of all of this news in the comments!

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