This week at Walt Disney World, a new restaurant is announced for Epcot, Disney squashes rumors about the future of two of its fan-favorite attractions, plus Disney’s Hollywood Studios pares down its Star Wars experiences ahead of the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Outside Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort opens a new hotel, plus CityWalk gets a new restaurant, and SeaWorld Orlando announces a freebie for guests who visit the park next week!
1. New restaurant coming to Epcot
Walt Disney World has announced a new fast-casual barbecue restaurant that will replace the current Liberty Inn quick service restaurant in the American Adventure pavilion. This new location, which will be named Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue will open later this year after the Liberty Inn closes permanently on July 8th. Here’s the official description of this new establishment:
The new location will be a modern barbecue smokehouse, with all the accompanying sights, sounds, smells and flavors you love – including a large smoker preparing fine food every day right on the pavilion’s promenade. There will also be a redesigned patio.
2. O Canada to close in a few weeks
There’s only a few more weeks to see the O Canada! film at Epcot, as this attraction will close on August 1st. The space will then reopen a few weeks later during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival as an indoor festival marketplace, and then, at some unspecified later date, an upgraded film will debut.3. Disney squashes rumors about closings of Enchanted Tiki Room and Country Bear Jamboree
Image: Disney
Though rumors have been flying over the past few weeks about the potential closures of Magic Kingdom attractions The Enchanted Tiki Room and Country Bear Jamboree, Disney set the record straight this week, releasing two blog posts confirming that these attractions aren’t going anywhere.
4. Aunt Polly’s open this week for July 4th holiday
Magic Kingdom cult favorite dining location Aunt Polly’s on Tom Sawyer Island will be open from now through to July 7 for lunch from 11am to 3pm for the Independence Day holiday crowds
Menu items will include Biscuit BBQ Sliders, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, and other picnic-style fare.
5. Star Wars: March of the First Order to come to a close after next week
According to several sources the Star Wars: March of the First Order parade will be wrapping up soon at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and will have it’s last day of operation on July 7, 2019. This entertainment offering has been around for several years and features Captain Phasma leading a group of First Order Stormtroopers from the Star Wars: Launch Bay to the Center Stage area of the park. Though this has not yet been confirmed by Disney, their official calendar does not list this this attraction past July 6th, and according to reliable sources, the removal of this entertainment offering is expected to be permanent.
6. Primeval Whirl to remain closed until at least July 3
Several weeks ago on June 17, the Walt Disney World Resort released an advisory informing Guests that Primeval Whirl would be closed until further notice due to unspecified technical issues. And though we still don’t know exactly what is happening with this attraction Disney has confirmed that this attraction will be closed through at least July 3, which means that while we could theoretically see this attraction reopen on July 4, there’s no guarantee that will actually happen, as the July 3 date is a “best case” scenario right now. Guests with FastPass+ reservations for Primeval Whirl during this extended downtime will receive a replacement FastPass for an attraction of the same tier automatically in their My Disney Experience app.
7. Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites now open
Image: Universal Orlando Resort
8. Bigfire Restaurant now open at Universal CityWalk
Image: Universal Orlando Resort
And speaking of Universal Orlando, new CityWalk dining establishment Bigfire is now officially open at. This all-new full-service restaurant draws inspiration from the nostalgia of cooking over open flames and the menu includes elevated American fare, including a signature bison burger, coffee, chili and cocoa rubbed top sirloin, delectable freshwater trout, mouth-watering smoked salads and more.
9. Free pin to be given out next week at SeaWorld Orlando
Guests who visit SeaWorld Orlando next week can pick up a free patriotic pin if they are one of the first 1,000 guests to visit Under The Sun Gift Shop in the Waterfront on July 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. No purchase is necessary to pick up this pin.
