News
Disney Fanatic is here to deliver the latest in Disney news from The Walt Disney Company and beyond.
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Jul- 2026 -6 July
The River is Gone: One Year After Disney Drained Rivers of America, New Magic Kingdom Progress Revealed
The landscape of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom changed forever one year ago. In the summer of 2025, Disney operations made the historic and highly controversial decision to permanently drain the Rivers of America and shutter Tom Sawyer Island. The move sent shockwaves through the theme park traditionalist community, signaling the end of a sprawling, peaceful 1971 oasis to clear the path for a
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5 July
Lightning Lockdown: Violent Summer Storm Wipes Out Half of Magic Kingdom’s Ride Capacity
For thousands of families packed into Walt Disney World Resort for a high-stakes holiday weekend, a typical afternoon quickly turned into an operational standstill. A massive, severe thunderstorm system swept through Central Florida, bringing torrential downpours, intense wind gusts, and a relentless barrage of cloud-to-ground lightning. Credit: Jamie S., Disney Fanatic The tempest forced the simu
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5 July
Confirmed Disney Guests Found a Way To Watch Two Nighttime Spectaculars at Once
Holiday crowds usually force Walt Disney World guests to make difficult choices. During the Fourth of July weekend, that often means deciding which nighttime spectacular deserves the evening. With special fireworks returning for Independence Day, it's nearly impossible to experience everything in one night. Unless you're one of the lucky guests who found an unexpected workaround. Visitors attendin
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5 July
New Florida Law Targets Hidden Fees at Disney World Restaurants
A Walt Disney World vacation comes with plenty of planning, especially when it comes to dining. Guests reserve restaurants months in advance, compare menus, and budget carefully for meals throughout their trip. Now, Florida has introduced another change that could affect nearly every restaurant guests visit during their vacation. Beginning this month, a statewide law requires restaurants to be muc
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5 July
Epic Universe’s Biggest After-Dark Addition Finally Arrives This Week
Epic Universe has changed the way many guests experience Universal Orlando Resort, but until now, one part of the day has always felt surprisingly quiet. Once the attractions closed, many visitors simply made their way toward the exit. Starting this week, that's expected to change. Universal is officially debuting Universal Celestial Goodnight on July 7, giving Epic Universe its first permanent ni
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5 July
Disney’s New ‘Star Wars’ Ride Concept Rejected: Attraction Emptied
Disney spent years preparing one of the biggest updates ever made to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. The company added an entirely new mission, introduced The Mandalorian and Grogu, expanded gameplay, and even changed how guests interact with the attraction. The goal seemed obvious. Disney wanted to give fans a reason to return to one of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge's original attractions. Instead,
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5 July
Disney Guests Report Norovirus Symptoms Amid Growing U.S. Outbreak
There is a post making the rounds from someone currently sailing on the Disney Wonder, and if you have a Disney Cruise Line trip coming up or know someone who does, it is worth reading before you board. A Reddit user who is on the ship posted a firsthand account of contracting norovirus along with their husband, both of them down for roughly 24 hours, with a warning to fellow passengers that the i
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5 July
Disneyland Replaces a Beloved Classic Experience as Two Attractions Close Next Month
Summer may still be in full swing, but Disneyland is already preparing for one of its biggest seasonal transitions of the year. As the resort wraps up its 70th Anniversary celebration and gets ready for Halloween festivities, guests visiting next month will notice a couple of familiar attractions temporarily disappearing from the lineup. Neither closure is permanent, but both could affect vacation
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5 July
Rare Air Force Operation Scheduled Above Disney World
Every year Walt Disney World does the Fourth of July big. Fireworks over Cinderella Castle. The Electrical Water Pageant on the lagoon. The Dapper Dans in patriotic hats. It is the kind of holiday programming that reminds you why people plan Disney vacations around specific dates, and 2026 had even more reason to go all out given that this particular Fourth marked America's 250th birthday. So yes,
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5 July
On July 2, Disney Quietly Did Something That Could Change the Face of EPCOT
A construction permit filed on Independence Day weekend slipped past most people's notice, but it could signal major changes to EPCOT. Here's what Walt Disney World Resort guests need to know. A New Construction Filing at EPCOT On July 2, Walt Disney Imagineering submitted a Notice of Commencement to “install set elements” at 1940 Avenue of the Stars — the approximate address of Commun
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