Rumors indicate the phased closure of DinoLand U.S.A. will begin before the 2024 holidays, Walt Disney World returned to normal operations following Hurricane Helene, and “Harry Potter” Professor McGonagall actress Dame Maggie Smith passed away at 89 — all this and more in today’s daily recap for Friday, September 27, 2024.

Walt Disney World

EPCOT

A crowd watches a sci-fi themed attraction featuring large screens displaying a cosmic scene with planets and a robot-like entity in a dark, futuristic setting, almost like a visual daily recap of an interstellar journey.

Christine Tagle has shared an update regarding the actions taken by Cast Members and Disney guests that saved her five-year-old son’s life after riding Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind on September 21, 2024.
Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit has returned to EPCOT for 2024 with new prizes available for guests to earn.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

A large dinosaur statue stands in front of a building adorned with a sign featuring a crashing meteor and the word "DINOSAUR." Bright red and pink flowers surround the scene, creating an impressive backdrop for your daily recap.

A new rumor indicates that the phased closure of DinoLand U.S.A. to make way for Pueblo Esperanza, the new Tropical Americas land in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, will begin before this holiday season.
The interactive drums in Pandora – The World of “Avatar” at Disney’s Animal Kingdom have been cleaned (or replaced) once again.

Disney Springs

Promotional image featuring "Disney Fantasia x Pleasing" text on a pastel gradient background of blues and pinks.

Tomorrow, Harry Styles’ lifestyle brand, Pleasing, will open its pop-up featuring “Fantasia”-themed merchandise at Disney Springs. More details have been revealed, including that Styles currently has no plans to visit the location.

Other Walt Disney World News

View of a theme park main street with colorful buildings lining both sides, leading up to a large castle in the distance. An American flag stands in the center of a courtyard with trees and flower beds, capturing the vibrant spirit for today's daily recap.

Walt Disney World has resumed normal operations following Hurricane Helene making landfall last night, Thursday, September 26, 2024.

Disneyland Resort

A whimsical water fountain features three drinking stations and a bottle filler. Decorated with a stack of faux plates and yellow dripping accents. "H2Ohhh" is written above the bottle filler.

A second themed water bottle filling station has been installed at Disneyland, this time themed to the willy nilly silly old bear, Winnie the Pooh.
Disneyland Hotel, Pixar Place Hotel, and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa are ready for Halloween with various decorations.
Work on the previously announced Disneyland entry gate now has a start date, with work to be completed in phases.
An artist showcase and signing featuring Thomas Kinkade Studios has been announced for Disneyland Resort.

Tokyo Disney Resort

A mango-flavored ice cream shaped like a beak, next to a packaging featuring an image of Donald Duck, labeled "Donald Duck Ice Dessert (Mango)" from Tokyo Disney Resort.

Tokyo Disneyland is getting a new Donald Duck-inspired mango ice dessert later this month.

Disneyland Paris

A bustling plaza filled with people, featuring a large, two-story brick building with arched windows and a balcony. The area is lively with visitors under a partly cloudy sky.

Disneyland Paris has announced a new restaurant, Casa Giulia, set to open in Disney Village in 2026.

Disney Cruise Line

Find out what sets a Disney Cruise Line vacation apart from a vacation to one of the Disney Parks.

Entertainment and Media

An elderly woman in a dark robe holds a wand in a room with stone walls and large windows, reminiscent of Professor McGonagall's presence in the Harry Potter series, famously portrayed by Dame Maggie Smith.

Actress Dame Maggie Smith, known for her role as Professor McGonagall in the “Harry Potter” films and Violet Crawley in “Downton Abbey,” has passed away. She was 89 years old.
Tonight, September 27, 2024, new skins featuring characters from “The Incredibles” will be available for Fortnite players.
Four years after Disney+ launched, Disney has shut down several other streaming apps, consolidating their services.

Universal Studios

Following Hurricane Helene passing through Florida yesterday, September 26, Universal Orlando Resort has resumed normal operations.
New York Comic Con will host a panel about Epic Universe, the new Universal Orlando Resort theme park scheduled to open in 2025.
A new Jurassic World gyrosphere popcorn bucket featuring Blue the raptor is now available at Universal Orlando Resort. We found the new popcorn bucket at Universal Studios Store in Universal Studios Florida.
Universal Studios Japan announced details of “NO LIMIT! Countdown 2025,” their New Year’s Eve festivities.

Josh D’Amaro Losing CEO Race, Star Lord is Coming to EPCOT

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

The post Cast Member Saves Guest’s Life on 21st of September at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind & More: Daily Recap (9/27/24) appeared first on WDW News Today.