Highlight of the Week: 👑 Changing of the guard! Walt Disney World's leadership just swapped mouse ears — Jeff Vahle wrapped up his final day as WDW Resort President after 36 years with the company, with Joe Schott (a 40-year Disney veteran who started as a Jungle Cruise skipper — talk about a career with legendary punlines) stepping in as president on August 3.
🔥 It's also brutally, “well, that escalated quickly” hot: the National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for the Orlando area with heat index values hitting 105–109°, so guests visiting this week should plan around it and hydrate like it's their job.
Walt Disney World
Top story: Beyond the leadership shuffle above, the parks are gearing up for a packed fall — Halloween ticket sales are breaking records and Annual Passholders are losing a batch of summer perks starting August 1. Summer's not going down without a fight. 🎃
Parks & Attractions 🌿
- Bakari, a 21-year-old silverback gorilla, joined Animal Kingdom's Gorilla Falls troop, arriving from the Saint Louis Zoo as part of a species survival program. Welcome to the troop, big guy — hope you brought your park-appropriate attire. 🦍
- Animal Kingdom's Zootopia: Better Zoogether show added a new character from Zootopia 2, and a new “Jumping Junction” kangaroo/wallaby experience opened at Conservation Station. 🦘
- Fort Wilderness got a refreshed lobby and new pool area — because nothing says “roughing it” like a glow-up. 🏕️
- Updates continue on Hollywood Studios' upcoming Monstropolis land — old Mama Melrose's is becoming Harryhausen's restaurant and the MuppetVision 3D theater is being converted into a new Monsters, Inc. attraction. Scare-iously exciting. 👹
Dining 🍽️
- Epcot's Refreshment Port reopened as La Poutinerie — poutine you can't refuse.
- Level99 at Disney Springs extended its hours just two weeks after opening due to strong demand — guess Roberta wasn't the only one obsessed. 🎮
Deals & Policies 💸
- Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party tickets for October 31 sold out before 9am on public on-sale day — the fastest sellout on record for that date. Ghosts of tickets past, indeed. 👻
- Disney World is eliminating roughly 10 V.I.PASSHOLDER “Summer Days” perks starting July 31/August 1, ending the limited-time Annual Passholder merchandise, discounts, and spaces that launched in May. RIP Summer Days, we hardly knew ye.
- On-site resort guests continue to get free water park admission (Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach) on their check-in day throughout July. Splash responsibly. 🌊
Other Disney Parks 🌍
- Disneyland celebrated its 71st anniversary on July 17 with a special cavalcade, and it welcomed its one-billionth guest — that's a lot of mouse ears. 🎂
- Disneyland moved up its holiday season start to November 13, 2026 (through January 6, 2027), and an Anaheim Resident ticket offer ($71/day) runs July 20–October 8.
- Hong Kong Disneyland is rolling out new heat-mitigation measures as it deals with its own extreme summer temperatures — Orlando isn't the only park sweating it out this summer.
- Disneyland Paris debuted a new Disney Princess cavalcade. Très magnifique. 👑
Disney Cruise Line ⚓
- Disney Cruise Line's reservation system underwent planned maintenance July 9–10; payment deadlines falling in that window were extended to July 10, 10pm ET with no penalty. Smooth sailing, even through tech hiccups.
- Disney Cruise Line was awarded the 2025 Blue Circle Award by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority on July 8. 🏆
- Special offers are live for select sailings through May 2027, with up to $1,500 off select voyage fares. Anchors aweigh on those savings! ⚓
Next Month at Walt Disney World 🗓️
What Happens in August 2026
Parties & Special Events 🎉
- Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party kicks off August 7 — its earliest start ever — running Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays in August, 7pm–midnight (party guests can check in at 4pm). Several dates are already sold out, so don't dilly-dally, Mortals. 🕸️
- EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival opens August 27 and runs through November 21 — included with regular EPCOT admission, no separate ticket needed. Time to eat our way around the world, one Kabab station at a time. 🍢🥂
Park Hours ⏰
- Magic Kingdom runs 9am–11pm for the first few days of August, then shifts to an earlier 6pm closing for most of the rest of August through December on non-party days — since Mickey's Not-So-Scary nights require the park to close to day guests early to prep for the party.
- Other three parks' August hours are on the standard Disney site/app; nothing dramatic has changed there yet, just keep checking closer to your dates since Disney finalizes hours 2–3 weeks out.
New Attractions / Experiences 🎢
- The Magic of Disney Animation, a new interactive animation experience at Hollywood Studios, is rumored/tracking for an August debut (unconfirmed exact date). Fingers crossed it doesn't get “storyboarded” for a delay.
- Animal Kingdom's new “Jumping Junction” kangaroo/wallaby encounter at Conservation Station and the updated Zootopia: Better Zoogether show (both already opened in July) continue into August.
Closures & Refurbishments to Know About 🚧
- Carousel of Progress (Magic Kingdom) — closed since July 6, out through the rest of 2026 for a full reimagining. “There's a great big beautiful tomorrow” … just not this month.
- Yachtsman Steakhouse — expected to reopen in August after refurbishment. Steak your claim on a reservation.
- Turf Club Lounge — closed through late August.
- Big Top Souvenirs (Storybook Circus, Magic Kingdom) — closed through at least August 31.
- Sassagoula River Cruise boats at Old Key West — suspended since July 20 for route refurbishment.
- Broader ongoing closures: DinoLand U.S.A. area, Rivers of America, and Muppets Courtyard remain shuttered as part of larger projects.
- Kidani Village (Animal Kingdom Lodge) Lobby Refurbishment 🦁
- August 17 – October 9: The main entrance and lobby close entirely. Check-in shifts to the Palace Library instead of the usual lobby desk.
- August 17 – 28: Johari Treasures, the gift shop, closes for its own refurbishment within that window.
- September 28 – October 9: The north lobby corridor closes, including the second-floor elevators and the observation deck.
- October 26 – November 6: Work shifts to the south lobby corridor, closing Community Hall, the Safari So Good Arcade, Palace Library, the lobby restrooms, and the observation deck.
- This is part of a broader multi-year room reimagining at Animal Kingdom Lodge that stretches into early 2027, so it's not a full resort closure — Kidani stays open and operating — but guests checking in during these windows will hit a very different arrival experience than usual, and some public spaces/amenities will be off-limits depending on exact dates. Worth flagging to anyone with a Kidani stay booked for mid-August through November.
Discounts 🏷️
- Disney+ Perks summer rates (from $99/night at All-Star Sports) run through August 5, and in some cases August 15.
- A 10% discount on Art of Animation's Little Mermaid rooms runs August 14–27. Under the sea, under budget. 🧜♀️
That's a wrap on this week's magic, friends! ✨ Whether you're chasing gorillas at Animal Kingdom, dodging the heat index, or stocking up on poutine, there's always something new brewing under those ears. See you next week for another scoop of Disney news — until then, may your Lightning Lanes be short and your churros be warm. 🥨🐭
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