This week at Walt Disney World, Epcot reaches a major project milestone, a Disney Springs mainstay gets ready to reopen, and annual passholders get more opportunities to visit the parks!
Outside Walt Disney World, two hotels at Universal Orlando Resort shut down as the parks extend their hours, plus a popular SeaWorld show gets an expanded schedule as well!
1. Annual Passholders get expanded availability after cancellation deadline passes
The deadline for annual passholders to cancel their passes was August 11 and though the call centers were very busy this week with guests looking to take advantage of this option, those who opted to keep their passes were rewarded with much greater parks pass availability, with Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom now available for more dates in September.
2. Epcot’s entrance redesign hits a major milestone
This week Epcot debuted part of its main entrance plaza redesign with the addition of a newly reimagined fountain that pays homage to the original park logo. And though this project is still ongoing, this is an impressive new addition that helps bring a fresh new energy to the park.
3. Actors to return to Walt Disney World soon after free COVID-19 testing announced for Cast Members
However, earlier this week Disney announced that a new COVID-19 testing site will be opening up on Walt Disney World property at Disney’s Maingate office complex, which is located near Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and will provide free tests for Cast Members and their families. And now that Disney is providing testing for all employees, including for Equity actors within Walt Disney World the union has announced that its executive committee has signed off on an agreement with Disney that would allow these Cast Members to return to work at shows like Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage, Finding Nemo: The Musical, Festival of the Lion King and more. Though a date for the return of these shows hasn’t been announced, we expect they will be back in the very near future.
4. AMC Disney Springs set to reopen next week
After some back and forth about whether they would be able to reopen ever, AMC Dine-in Disney Springs has confirmed that it will return to operation starting next week on August 20th. To celebrate the reopening the theater will be offering $0.15 movie tickets—roughly the cost of a movie back in 1920 back when the company’s founders, the Dubinsky Brothers, began operations with a single movie screen in Kansas City, Missouri.
Because there is a dearth of current movies available to screen, the AMC Dine-In Disney Springs will be offering some throwback titles for guests to watch, including Black Panther, Beauty and the Beast, Back to the Future, Grease, Ghostbusters, and Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back. Starting August 21, guests can buy tickets for these movies for just $5 each.
5. New show spotlighting Disney’s Animal Kingdom coming to Disney+ next month
On September 25, a new 8-part docu-series special named “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom,” from National Geographic will debut on Disney+. This new series will give guests an all-access pass to explore the magic of nature within Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, and The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot.
6. Universal Orlando Resorts hotels to close next week
Image: Universal Orlando Resort
Next week, on August 21, Universal Orlando Resort hotels Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and Universal’s Aventura Hotel will both close indefinitely.
Guests with reservations at these two locations are being contacted now and those who booked with Loews Sapphire Falls Resort are being given the option to push back their dates or receive a free upgrade to a Premier Hotel of their choice.
Guests with reservations at Universal’s Aventura Hotel can also choose to either push back their travel dates or transfer to Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort and a get an additional $50 dining credit.
7. Universal extending hours on Saturdays
Though Universal cut hours substantially a few weeks ago, it looks like guest levels have rebounded somewhat, and as a result both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure have adjusted their hours again are closing an extra hour later for the next two Saturdays in August. Hours remain the same on Sundays and on weekdays for the time being.
8. SeaWorld expands Electric Ocean to Sundays
SeaWorld Orlando has announced that it will be expanding its evening Electric Ocean Remix nighttime spectacular schedule to include Sundays from now through September 6th.
