This week at Walt Disney World, a new attraction opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney bans smoking across its theme parks (aomng other things), plus a popular Magic Kingdom upcharge gets extended.
Outside Walt Disney World, LEGOLAND opens the LEGO Movie World, Aquatica announces an opening date for its latest slide, plus Universal Orlando Resort unveils the design for its latest annual passholder button.
1. Walt Disney World becomes smoke-free this spring
Image: Disney
The biggest change that was announced this week was a new ban on smoking at Walt Disney World, Beginning on May 1 2019, smoking areas will no longer be available inside Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme parks, water parks, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex or Downtown Disney in California.
And though guests cannot smoke inside these areas, there will be places outside the entrances to the areas listed above, and at Disney Springs in Florida. Smoking areas will also continue to be available at Disney Resort hotels.
Vapes continue to be banned at Walt Disney World as well. You can read more about the smoking ban (as well as new rules about stroller dimentions and the use of ice inside Walt Disney World) here .
2. Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy now open
Image: Disney
This week saw the opening of Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This new attraction immerses guests in the world of Cars and brings them face to face with racing legend Lightning McQueen. Taking on the role of rookie racer, guests can cruise into the theater and find themselves face-to-face with this character, who will appear “live” on stage in animatronic form, while giant, wraparound screens that are nearly two stories tall and stretch more than 200 feet from end to end, pull guests into into the action.
In addition, the daily DJ’s Ready! Set! Party Time! dance party in the Sunset Showcase courtyard is also now open. This special entertainment offering features Lightning McQueen’s Pit Crew getting everyone around engaged in entertaining “Cars”-inspired dances and games.
3. Disney After Hours extended into summer
Image: Disney
After sellouts at recent events at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney has gone ahead and extended the Disney After Hours upcharge events at all three participating theme parks, through the summer.
All Disney After Hours event tickets cost $125 for advance purchase and $129 for day-of purchases, while DVC and annual passholders pay the lower $95 ticket price.
4. The NBA Experience opening at Disney Springs August 12
Disney confirmed earlier this week that the NBA Experience will open this summer on August 12, 2019, just before the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. When guests enter the NBA Experience, they will feel as if they’re walking through the players’ tunnel at an NBA or WNBA arena and will then be able to check out a variety of experiences themed to the world of basketball, which you can read more about here.
5. New Macaroni and Cheese food truck opens at Disney Springs
A brand new food truck has joined the linup in the Exposition Park area of Disney Springs this week. The Mac & Cheese Truck will, as you might expect, focuses on its titular creamy indugence, and has the following menu items:
- Six Cheese Crunchy Mac & Cheese
- Barbecue Brisket Mac & Cheese
- Bacon Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese
- Chicken Parmesan Mac & Cheese
- Lobster and Shrimp Mac & Cheese
6. Typhoon Lagoon opening adults only area for a limited time
Image: Disney
7. The LEGO Movie World now open at LEGOLAND Florida
Image: LEGOLAND
The LEGO Movie World opened this week at LEGOLAND Florida Resort, which features three new rides and numerous attractions, all inspired by the LEGO Movie films. Here’s a description of the new attractions:
- The LEGO Movie: Masters of Flight: This attraction takes guests on a suspended ride aboard Emmet’s Triple Decker Couch surrounded by a full-dome virtual screen, allowing guests to fly around the LEGO Movie universe
- Unikitty’s Disco Drop takes guests through a rainbow-filled journey based on Unikitty and her many moods. Once on the ride, guests will swoop to the tiptop of Cloud Cuckoo Land, then drop, spin and bounce back down to earth in sync with Unikitty’s wide range of emotions
- Battle of Bricksburg, A water attraction where riders are challenged to stop DUPLO aliens from invading and stealing LEGO bricks by spraying water at targets from their boats.
8. KareKare Curl attraction to open April 12 at Aquatica
9. Stranger Things confirmed to be returning to Halloween Horror Nights
Image: Universal
Universal kicked off this year’s Halloween Horror Nights announcements this week by confirming that Stanger Things would be returning to the event with a brand new house featuring some of the most terrifying scenes from Stranger Things 2 and 3.
Not only will guests come face-to-face with snarling Demodogs, but you will also make your way through iconic scenes and locations, from Chief Hopper’s cabin to the Starcourt Mall.
