Theme Parks

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Disney Cruise Line orders 4 new ships, announces ‘Hercules’ show on Disney Destiny

Disney Cruise Line isn’t slowing down on its ship expansion plans ordering up four new vessels in a new class with the first arriving in 2027.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/08/11/disney-cruise-line-orders-4-new-ships-announces-hercules-show-on-disney-destiny/?

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? 1 for the road: Theme-park exodus

Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios

Faced with still-high inflation, many consumers are opting out of theme parks — in some cases, for trips abroad. Why it matters: "Doing Disney" is now so pricey that cruises or even a European vacation look attractive, travel experts tell Axios' Ivana Saric. Disney, Universal and Six Flags were all hit by lower second-quarter earnings for their theme parks. Both Disney and Comcast executives conceded during recent earnings calls that theme parks are competing with other experiences like international travel, The Wall Street Journal reported. ? What we're hearing: Theme parks aren't doing the thing most likely to attract visitors — building new rides, Len Testa, the president of the trip-planning website Touring Plans, tells Axios. The average cost of a vacation to Florida's Walt Disney World— for a family of four, over four days — has gone up nearly $1,000 since 2019, "no matter which hotel you stay at," Testa said. ?? Testa's clients increasingly find they can go to "the real Italy" for what it'd cost to visit Disney's "version of Italy at Epcot."

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Disney: New ‘Cars’ rides will go on Tom Sawyer Island

The future “Cars” attractions at Magic Kingdom will be built on Tom Sawyer Island, and the planned villains land will be in the “beyond Big Thunder” area of the theme park, Walt Disney World announced Monday.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/08/12/disney-world-new-cars-rides-tom-sawyer-island-villains-beyond-big-thunder/?

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Epic peek: Universal exec previews new park, rides

Jeff Polk walks the construction site of the Epic Universe theme park frequently. He’s an executive vice president at Universal Orlando and Epic’s general manager. Progress is visible from afar as the company builds toward an announced 2025 opening date.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/08/13/universal-epic-universe-theme-park-preview-jeff-polk/?

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Disney argues wrongful death suit should be tossed because plaintiff signed up for a Disney+ trial

NEW YORK (AP) — Does signing up for Disney’s popular streaming service mean you have agreed to never sue the entertainment giant over anything forever?

https://apnews.com/article/disney-allergy-death-lawsuit-nyu-doctor-florida-4bdaf74e2c889882b23b319ec720680a?

ps:Seriously?? I've been with Disney pretty much every step of the way against the things that gov ron desantis has been doing with his pettiness, but not this!! This time Disney is in the wrong!!

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Disney World expansion plan excites some fans, rattles others

It’s trite but true. It’s been a roller-coaster week for some Walt Disney World fans. They learned of promising expansion plans but later found that the addition of Magic Kingdom attractions translates into the subtraction of sentimental favorites.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/08/16/disney-world-magic-kingdom-tom-sawyer-island-cars-rides-villains-land/?

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Wrongful death suit against Disney serves as a warning to consumers when clicking ‘I agree’

A wrongful death lawsuit against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is serving as a reminder to consumers of the importance of reading the fine print when signing up for a streaming service or smartphone app.

https://apnews.com/article/disney-allergy-death-lawsuit-nyu-doctor-florida-8a6256b58311a01226d167fa80d37aad?

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Disney dropping bid to have allergy-death lawsuit tossed because plaintiff signed up for Disney+

Disney is no longer asking a Florida court to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit on the grounds that the victim’s family had signed up for its streaming service Disney+. Read More.

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Priced out

Disney just announced a slew of new theme park projects, and devoted fans probably will give them a try regardless of the cost. But many families are finding they can no longer afford to visit the “Happiest Place on Earth,” and that’s a problem for the entertainment giant.

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Magic Kingdom: Disney alters Peter Pan’s Flight plan

Peter Pan’s Flight, the longtime attraction at Walt Disney World, has reopened at Magic Kingdom theme park after a six-week refurbishment. There have been changes that visitors can easily spy.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/08/23/disney-magic-kingdom-disney-peter-pans-flight-changes-tiger-lily/?

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Summer has been a cooling-off period for theme parks, experts say

An economic pinch on the middle class, the cost of theme park experiences and the lure of fresh travel destinations elsewhere contributed to fewer hotel visitors in Central Florida and sluggish attendance at Orlando’s theme parks this summer, experts say.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/08/30/summer-tourism-2024-orlando-theme-parks-disney-universal-epic-seaworld/?

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One last walk around Disney’s Tom Sawyer Island

In August, Disney announced that the space would be repurposed for two “Cars”-themed attractions. It didn’t say when, exactly, the last chance to visit the island in its current state would be, although the company said work would get into “high gear next year.”

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/01/disney-tom-sawyer-island-closing-cars-fort-rivers-of-america/?

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Hurricane Milton: Disney, Universal and SeaWorld closing

Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando are closing Wednesday and Thursday amid the impacts of Hurricane Milton in Central Florida, adding to the list of attractions that are closed for the storm.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/08/hurricane-milton-seaworld-orlando-closing-disney-and-universal-monitoring-storm/?

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Report: Universal aims to open Epic ‘as early as Memorial Day weekend’

A Wall Street Journal article posted Tuesday indicates that Universal Orlando aims to open its Epic Universe theme park next summer — or perhaps sooner — and that tickets could go on sale this month.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/15/universal-epic-universe-opening-memorial-day-wall-street-journal/?

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New Disney pass covers every Lightning Lane in 1 park for 1 day

Walt Disney World is introducing another paid option to reduce wait times for theme park rides.  The resort will roll out the Lightning Lane Premier Pass on Oct. 30, and purchasers will be able to use every Lightning Lane within a park a single time for one day.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/16/disney-world-all-lightning-lanes-new-premier-pass-magic-kingdom/?

Disney to debut new Lightning Lane Premier Pass this month, but some guests may have sticker shock

The Walt Disney Co. is set to pilot a new pass for guests to get on rides faster at its domestic theme parks, but the cost might be a bit out of reach for some people.

https://apnews.com/article/disney-lightning-premier-disneyland-84d74db76e8222845bfd4ef9b152c810?

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It’s official: Universal sets Epic Universe’s opening date

Grand opening day for Epic Universe theme park will be May 22, Universal Orlando announced Thursday morning. And the first phase of its ticket sales will begin next week, the company confirmed.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/17/universal-orlando-epic-universe-opening-date-tickets-passholders-may-2025-nintendo-harry-potter/?

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Disney names Gorman to serve as next chairman; anticipates naming new CEO in early 2026

The Walt Disney Co. is tapping Morgan Stanley executive James Gorman to serve as its next chairman, beginning early next year. The entertainment giant also announced that it anticipates naming its new CEO in early 2026.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/21/disney-names-gorman-chairman/?

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Disney wants reimbursement for $500K spent to prove Orange County appraiser was wrong

Adding to the potential public costs of a long-running legal battle, the Walt Disney Company wants to be reimbursed for more than $500,000 it spent to prove the Orange County Property Appraiser miscalculated the taxable value of one of its resort hotels by tens of millions of dollars.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/22/disney-wants-reimbursement-for-500k-spent-to-prove-orange-county-appraiser-was-wrong/?

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Disney World raises prices on annual passes

Walt Disney World has raised prices on all four levels of its annual passes, including the top tier Incredi-Pass, which now sells for more than $1,500, according to the resort’s website.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/23/walt-disney-world-annual-pass-price-increases-october/?

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Disney confirms Monsters land location, move of Muppets, ousting of Aerosmith

Walt Disney World has confirmed the future location of its land based on “Monsters, Inc.,” and the ripple effect will send the Muppets packing to another location — and attraction — within Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/11/22/disney-world-monsters-land-muppets-leaving-muppetvision-aerosmith/?

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Disney settlement

Disney has agreed to pay $43 million to settle a lawsuit that it paid female employees less than their male counterparts in similar roles for nearly a decade. The settlement agreement stems from a 2019 lawsuit filed by LaRonda Rasmussen. She claims she learned that six men with the same job title earned substantially more than her, including one man with several years less experience, who was earning $20,000 a year more than she did. About 9,000 women, who were both former and current employees, joined the lawsuit. Disney disputed the allegations and didn't admit fault.

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Holidays at the theme parks: What’s new?

It’s that sentimental time of year when folks drag out their tattered stockings, beloved ornaments and other remembrances of holiday seasons past.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/12/03/holidays-orlando-theme-parks-disney-seaworld-universal-history-center-gaylord-palms-elf/?

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Theme parks preview, 2025: Epic arrival, Disney debuts, fresh additions

It will be a historic 2025 on the tourism front if for no other reason than the opening of Universal Epic Universe. It will be a big deal even by our theme park center-of-the-universe standards. The Orlando area hasn’t added a big from-the-ground-up park since Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1998 and Universal’s Islands of Adventure in 1999.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/12/31/orlando-theme-parks-2025-preview-epic-universal-disney-villains-nighttime-parade-test-track-little-mermaid-seaworld-flying-theater/?

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Disney’s Space Mountain: A roller coaster of a timeline

Space Mountain has gone from an idea by Walt Disney for California to becoming the oldest coaster in Florida. Here are attraction highlights from five decades using Orlando Sentinel clips and other sources. 

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/01/10/disney-world-space-mountain-roller-coaster-timeline/?

Space Mountain turns 50: Dark Disney coaster lights the way

The ride, a key part of Magic Kingdom’s first major expansion, opened to the public on Jan. 15, 1975, three years and three months after the theme park’s debut. The coaster design prompted another wave of interest to the resort and put thrills into the mix.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/01/10/disney-world-space-mountain-50-years-magic-kingdom/?

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Report: Coasters linked to injuries at Universal, Disney, SeaWorld

Central Florida theme parks reported 14 injuries at their attractions in the final three months of 2024, and the bulk of those incidents were related to roller coasters.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/01/16/theme-park-injuries-quarterly-report-orlando-florida-disney-universal-seaworld-roller-coasters/?