Imagineers Share a Sneak Peek at the New Avengers Attraction
To celebrate Engineers Week (February 22 – February 28, 2025), Walt Disney Imagineering has pulled back the curtain on the multiverse, sharing an exciting new construction update for the highly anticipated Avengers Infinity Defense attraction coming to Avengers Campus.
Walt Disney Imagineering recently took to Instagram to drop an exciting behind-the-scenes update! The video features structural engineer Alanna, who highlights the massive Avengers Campus expansion—a project set to nearly double the footprint of the land at Disney California Adventure.
The sneak peek offers a first look at the impressive steel canopy designed to bridge the two upcoming attractions: Avengers Infinity Defense and the Stark Flight Lab. Alanna also provides a progress report on the main show building for Infinity Defense, where teams are currently assembling the intricate catwalks that will eventually house the high-tech projectors, speakers, and immersive show elements.
Disney Files New Permits for Pirates of the Caribbean
The horizon is looking a bit foggy for the Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland, as the ride prepares for an extended closure. A newly filed permit confirms that major changes are officially on the way, signaling a significant transformation for this fan-favorite voyage.
Newly filed permit documents for Disneyland reveal that a major overhaul is on the horizon for Pirates of the Caribbean. The project includes a deep dive into both technical modernizations and structural updates spanning several iconic scenes.
According to the specific permit details, Imagineers are prepping for a series of precise upgrades:
Scene 7: Installation of three new service ladders for better backstage access.
Scene 11: Significant enhancements to show quality, including refreshed rockwork and the installation of updated projectors and speakers.
Scene 17: Replacement of equipment cabinets and related panels to modernize the ride’s infrastructure.
Structural & Electrical: The addition of a raised grated platform and steps over existing conduit, alongside sweeping electrical and mechanical improvements throughout the attraction.
As of now, the horizon remains clear for Pirates of the Caribbean, which is currently operating and missing from Disneyland’s official refurbishment calendar. However, given the technical nature and extensive scope of the newly filed permits, a closure seems likely in the near future.
With the Spring Break travel season just weeks away, news of an extended refurbishment could throw a wrench into vacation planning for guests hoping to sail with the buccaneers. Beyond the logistics, the permit has sparked a wave of speculation among fans: could these mechanical and electrical upgrades be laying the groundwork for updated show elements or brand-new scene enhancements?
Is Pirates of the Caribbean a must-do when you visit Disneyland?
Aerophile Balloon Returns to the Skyline at Disney Springs with a Brand New Look
Look up, Disney Springs fans. The skyline just got its floating icon back. After several days missing from the horizon, the Aerophile balloon has officially returned, and it is sporting a brand-new balloon.
Aerophile – The World Leader in Balloon Flight – has reopened at Disney Springs following a brief maintenance closure. During that downtime, the familiar helium balloon disappeared from view while crews worked in the area. Now, guests can once again spot the giant balloon rising above the shopping and dining district, and Cast Members have confirmed that this is indeed a brand new balloon.
The experience operates daily from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., offering guests an 8-minute tethered flight soaring 400 feet above the ground. From up there, you can take in sweeping views of Walt Disney World, nearby resorts, and on a clear day, even glimpses beyond property lines. Tickets are available at the attraction on a first-come, first-served basis, with pricing set at $24.99 plus tax for children ages 3 to 9 and $29.99 plus tax for guests 10 and older.
If you are not quite ready to lift off, Aerophile merchandise is also available nearby for those who prefer to keep their feet firmly planted while still celebrating the view.
With the balloon back in action, the Disney Springs skyline feels complete again. Whether you are planning a sunset ride or just happy to see it floating overhead, Aerophile is officially cleared for takeoff.
Florida Tourism Hits Record 143.3 Million Visitors in 2025
If it felt like the parks were buzzing a little louder last year, the numbers now confirm it. Florida just welcomed a record-breaking 143.3 million visitors in 2025, marking the highest annual tourism total in the state’s history.
According to a press release from the Executive Office of Governor Ron DeSantis, 33.5 million visitors traveled to Florida during the fourth quarter alone, making it the strongest fourth quarter ever recorded. Domestic travelers made up 91.5 percent of total visitation in 2025, while international travel also showed strong numbers with 9.1 million overseas visitors and 2.9 million Canadian travelers.
Latin America continues to play a major role in Florida’s tourism boom. Brazil is now the second largest international source of visitors to the state, with notable increases also coming from Argentina. Those trends line up with what many Orlando theme park fans have noticed in recent years, especially around peak travel seasons.
Millions of those visitors passed through Orlando International Airport, better known as MCO, which has already begun expanding to handle the surge. A new parking garage expansion was recently approved, and more than a dozen new dining locations are expected to open to accommodate growing passenger demand.
With destinations like Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort continuing to expand, including major additions like Epic Universe, Florida’s tourism engine shows no signs of slowing down.
Muppet*Vision 3D Heading to Apple Vision Pro, Brian Henson Confirms
It looks like the Muppets are about to pop out of the screen again, just not in the way we originally experienced them on Grand Avenue. According to Brian Henson, Muppet*Vision 3D is officially making its way to Apple Vision Pro, giving fans a new way to revisit the beloved attraction from Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Brian Henson, son of Jim Henson and chairman of The Jim Henson Company, revealed the news during a Q&A following a performance of his improv puppet comedy show Puppet Up! in Los Angeles. According to reports, he shared that the team did an extensive capture of Muppet*Vision 3D specifically for a virtual reality experience.
Users will reportedly be able to choose any seat in the theater and even change viewpoints during the show. That is something longtime fans never had the option to do inside the actual Muppet Theater at Hollywood Studios. Front row chaos with Statler and Waldorf? Balcony vibes? Your choice.
This development has been quietly building for months. In May 2025, Cast Members participated in a special filming event to archive the attraction ahead of its June closure. Then in June, Lisa Henson confirmed that Muppet*Vision 3D had been documented using VR cameras and that discussions with Disney were already underway about a virtual adaptation.
Disney has been an early partner with Apple Vision Pro, already offering immersive experiences like the Disney+ Theater environment. While no official release date has been announced, Brian Henson’s comments are the strongest confirmation yet that a Vision Pro version is in development.
Family on Disney Wonder Quarantined After Suspected Viral Illness
A Disney Cruise Line vacation took an unexpected turn for one family sailing aboard the Disney Wonder after their daughter was placed in isolation due to a suspected viral illness. What started as a fall in the Oceaneer Club quickly turned into several days confined to their stateroom and a lot of unanswered questions.
According to the mother, who posts on TikTok as @themomladytm, her daughter fell and hit her face while at the Oceaneer Club. The incident was reportedly not communicated to the parents at the time. Later that night, around 2 a.m., the child woke up in significant pain and had a slight fever. The family visited the onboard medical center, where she was diagnosed with a viral illness and given antibiotics.
The following morning, the family was contacted by the ship’s medical team and asked to return immediately. By 8 a.m., they were told their daughter required isolation due to a clinical diagnosis. Doctors reportedly suspected mumps and advised the family they could either disembark and fly home or remain in isolation for five days. Medical staff also requested immunization records and, according to the mother’s videos, encouraged the family to leave the ship.
The family ultimately remained onboard in quarantine. The mother shared that they consulted both the ship’s doctors and their own medical providers while confined to their cabin. She also emphasized that if there had been any signs of illness before embarkation, they would have postponed their cruise, noting they had travel insurance.
Based on updates shared in follow-up videos, the family was released from isolation after three days instead of the initially stated five.
Disney Cruise Line, like many cruise operators, has strict health protocols in place to prevent potential outbreaks of contagious illnesses onboard. Isolation procedures are standard practice when certain symptoms or diagnoses arise, especially for illnesses that can spread easily in close quarters.
As always, if you are preparing for a cruise, it is a good idea to review health policies, ensure immunization records are accessible, and understand onboard medical protocols. Situations like this can be stressful, especially mid vacation, but health and safety measures are designed to protect all guests and crew.
Fantasmic Showtimes Shifting This Spring at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
If your nighttime plans at Hollywood Studios revolve around sorcerer hats, dancing fountains, and one very dramatic dragon, you will want to double-check those showtimes. Fantasmic! is switching things up this spring, and your evening strategy might need a little pixie dust adjustment.
Currently, Fantasmic! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios performs nightly at 9:30 p.m., but beginning Sunday, March 8, 2026, the show will move earlier to 8:30 p.m. Select nights in March will also feature an additional 10:00 p.m. performance, giving guests a second chance to see Mickey battle it out with Disney villains in a swirl of water, fire, and fireworks.
As we roll into April, the 8:30 p.m. showtime will stick around through April 24. After that, performances shift slightly later to 9:00 p.m., most likely due to those longer spring evenings and later sunsets. At the moment, the calendar reflects a single nightly performance in April, but historically, additional showtimes are often added during busy spring break weeks and as summer crowds begin to heat up.
If you are planning dining, stacking Lightning Lanes, or plotting the perfect spot in the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater, now is the time to recheck your My Disney Experience app and adjust accordingly. Fantasmic! is one of the most popular nighttime spectaculars at Walt Disney World, and an earlier curtain call can change your entire park flow.
Disney and Formula 1 Shift Into High Gear for the 2026 Race Season
Mickey just traded in his steamboat for a steering wheel. Disney and Formula 1 are revving things up once again for 2026, bringing the “Fuel the Magic” collaboration back to race weekends around the globe with new fashion drops, immersive fan experiences, and even a brand new racing comic series starring Mickey & Friends.
After a headline-grabbing debut at the Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2025 that included Mickey Mouse lighting up the Fountains of Bellagio, Disney and Formula 1 are continuing their multi-year partnership into the 2026 race season. The green flag waves in March at the Australian Grand Prix before shifting into high gear at the Chinese Grand Prix, where fans will start seeing “Fuel the Magic” pop up at select race weekends throughout the year. Expect immersive entertainment moments featuring Mickey and Minnie in stylish racing-inspired looks, exclusive merchandise collections, and city-specific product drops that celebrate the culture and energy of each host destination.
The storytelling is also speeding onto digital screens. Disney has teamed up with WEBTOON to launch “Mickey x F1 Racing to the Top!” an original vertical comics series debuting during the Australian Grand Prix. The series will run all season long, dropping new episodes in sync with race weekends. In this high-stakes adventure, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy rally to save a struggling racing team, blending friendship and teamwork with the adrenaline of elite motorsport. It is Disney heart meeting F1 horsepower.
At the Chinese Grand Prix from March 13 to 15, fans can look for “Fuel the Magic” fanzone retail pop-ups packed with race-specific merchandise and a core Disney x Formula 1 collection available at the F1 Hub, Grand Prix Plaza, online at F1.com, and the Amazon F1 Store in the U.S. only. On the fashion front, Gentle Monster is launching its 2026 Circuit Collection, a global eyewear collaboration featuring eight bold styles inspired by the structural design of F1 cars, including three designs influenced by Mickey & Friends. Pop-up experiences in Seoul and Shanghai will even feature a monumental Mickey sculpture displayed alongside an F1 car.
Disney Store is also rolling out new product collabs all season long, beginning with a Mickey Mouse plush dressed in a Formula 1 uniform launching exclusively in Australia for the Australian Grand Prix before heading worldwide later this year. From apparel and accessories to collectibles and plush, this collaboration puts Mickey & Friends firmly in the fast lane.
Whether you are trackside or watching from your couch with snacks that rival a Grand Prix spread, “Fuel the Magic” promises a 2026 season full of bold style, global energy, and racing infused Disney storytelling.
Why Guests Can’t Stop Complimenting These Disney Cast Members
A kind word can sparkle brighter than pixie dust, and today that sparkle is shining extra bright. On World Compliment Day, Disney is celebrating a major milestone with more than 3 million Mobile Cast Compliments shared by guests at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. That is three million thank yous sent straight from the parks to the people who make the magic happen every single day.
Mobile Cast Compliments are a feature inside the My Disney Experience and Disneyland Resort apps that allow guests to send a heartfelt shoutout to a Cast Member who made their day extra special. It could be a Safari guide who turns a bumpy ride into a belly laugh filled adventure or a PhotoPass photographer who transforms a quick snapshot into a core memory. These digital thank yous do more than just feel good in the moment. They follow Cast Members back to their leaders and teams, creating a ripple of recognition long after the fireworks fade.
Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Kilimanjaro Safaris guides Charm and Angel have become guest favorites, earning recognition as two of Walt Disney World’s most highly complimented Cast Members. Charm brings boundless energy to every trek across the savanna, whether she is pointing out a giraffe up close or answering a child’s rapid fire animal questions with genuine excitement.
Angel meets guests exactly where they are, offering humor, empathy, and heart in every interaction. For both of them, the magic is not about numbers. It is about smiles that stretch wider than the African plains.
Across the country at Disneyland Resort, PhotoPass photographer Luis has become the most complimented Cast Member thanks to his ability to turn a simple family photo into a mini adventure. With signature humor and an eye for the perfect backdrop, he helps families capture the kind of moments they frame for years. Guests say it is not just the photo. It is the experience. When those compliments roll in, it is proof that the memory stuck.
If you want to join the compliment chorus, it is easy. Open the My Disney Experience or Disneyland Resort app, scroll to the bottom of the menu, and tap the Cast Compliment button. Choose a positive sentiment, enter the Cast Member’s first name and hometown, and hit submit. Pro tip: Double-check spelling so your appreciation lands exactly where it should!
In a world that moves as fast as a rope drop dash to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, it is pretty magical to pause and say thank you. Three million compliments and counting proves one thing. A little recognition goes a long way down Main Street.
Diamond Horseshoe to Close for Jessie’s Roundup This Summer at Magic Kingdom
Saddle up, partners. A little Toy Story takeover is heading to Liberty Square, and it means the dinner bell is about to stop ringing at the Diamond Horseshoe.
The Diamond Horseshoe at the Magic Kingdom will pause table service dining beginning May 16, 2026 to make way for Jessie’s Roundup, a limited-time Toy Story experience coming in for Cool Kids’ Summer. The western-themed restaurant in Liberty Square will trade mashed potatoes for meet and greets as Jessie, Woody, and friends bring crafts, dancing, and a whole lot of yee-haw energy to the space from May 26 through September 8, 2026.
Disney says regular dining service is expected to return in fall 2026, but the transformation requires the restaurant to close nearly two weeks early to get everything roundup ready. Right now, the Diamond Horseshoe serves an all-you-care-to-enjoy lunch priced at $45 per adult and $24 per child ages 3 to 9, plus tax and gratuity. The menu features the Diamond Horseshoe Salad with mixed greens, apples, cranberries, and cheese, followed by hearty western comfort picks like roasted turkey, pot roast, smoked pork loin, mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, herbed stuffing, and house made macaroni and cheese.
Dessert is the fan favorite Oooey Gooey Toffee Cake topped with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. If you have been meaning to rope in one last meal here before the toys ride into town, reservations will need to be secured for dates before May 16.
The Diamond Horseshoe has been part of Liberty Square since the park opened in 1971, evolving through multiple menu concepts over the decades. This summer, though, it is all about lasso twirling fun instead of lunch service. If you are planning a Magic Kingdom visit during Cool Kids’ Summer, expect a lively Toy Story hoedown instead of a sit down meal in this classic Frontierland era space.
Don’t let the fun end! Recent Disney Cruise Line passengers are invited to save as much as 35% on rooms at various Disney Resorts Collection hotels in Florida. To qualify, bookings must be made within 14 days of a cruise departing between February 18 and May 17, 2026.
This offer is eligible for stays from:
March 3 to May 21, 2026
May 25 to July 1, 2026
July 6 to September 2, 2026
September 7 to September 29, 2026
October 26 to November 25, 2026
November 29 to December 24, 2026
Flexibility to Change Your Plans
You can cancel your room reservation at least 8 days prior to arrival. If you upgrade to a package that includes theme park admission, you can cancel your package at least 30 days prior to arrival (minus cancellation fees assessed by third party hotels or other suppliers, non-refundable runDisney race registrations, non-refundable travel protection plan costs, and other amounts owed).
Save up to 35% on rooms at these Disney Deluxe and Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts:
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Save up to 30% on rooms at these Disney Moderate Resort hotels.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
Save up to 25% on rooms at these Disney Value Resort hotels.
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort Disney’s All-Star Music Resort Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Disney’s Pop Century Resort
The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Length-of-stay requirements may apply. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room.
Important Details
This offer is only available to Guests on sailings that debark between February 18 and May 17, 2026, and is non-transferable. Booking must be completed within 14 days of debarkation.
Offer excludes the following room types: Campsites, 3-Bedroom Villas, Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Bungalows and Island Tower accommodations at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, and suites at all Disney Moderate and Disney Deluxe Resort hotels.
Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than 2 adults per room at Disney Value, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts, and Studios at Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts.
Advance reservations required.
Deposit is required at time of booking.
Length-of-stay requirements may apply.
Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion, except for the 2026 Kids Dining Plan Offer (for eligible 2026 packages only).
Valid admission is required to enjoy theme parks and special events and is not included in this offer. Theme park reservations may be required based on admission type.
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Rafiki’s Planet Watch Closes for Major Transformation
Change is in the air at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. As of this morning, guests arriving at the park were met with tan scrim and roped-off pathways at the entrance to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. The area has officially closed for a significant refurbishment as Walt Disney World prepares to welcome the highly anticipatedBluey experience this summer.
The iconic entrance sign, which famously encourages guests to “Open Your Eyes To the World All Around You,” is currently hidden from view, signaling the end of an era for the Conservation Station in its current form.
This isn’t just a minor paint job. The refurbishment impacts the entire northern section of the park, accessible only by rail. The following are currently unavailable:
Wildlife Express Train: The rustic transport to and from the area is stationed for the duration of the work.
Affection Section: The beloved petting zoo is currently shuttered.
Conservation Station: All indoor exhibits and veterinary viewing windows are closed.
The Animation Experience: The popular drawing classes are ending their run at this location.
While Disney has remained somewhat tight-lipped on the exact opening date, we know the Heelers are arriving this summer. The new experience is set to bring a touch of Brisbane to Orlando with:
Interactive Fun: Dedicated areas for dances and games featuring Bluey and Bingo (Keepy Uppy, anyone?).
Meet and Greets: A chance for fans to get face-to-face with the sisters.
Australian Wildlife: In keeping with the park’s mission, the area will highlight animals native to the Heelers’ home country.
Rumors and Relocations
The transition has sparked plenty of “Chatter” among park-goers. While the official Disney website lists the Affection Section closure as temporary, rumors are swirling that the petting zoo may close permanently to make way for more permanent Bluey infrastructure.
Additionally, The Animation Experience is expected to find a new home. Reports suggest it may move to the “The Magic of Disney Animation” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which is also slated for a summer opening.
