News
Disney Fanatic is here to deliver the latest in Disney news from The Walt Disney Company and beyond.
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Aug- 2026 -5 August
Disney World Confirms the Replacement of Longtime Frontierland Dining Tradition
If you've eaten at The Diamond Horseshoe anytime during the past several years, chances are you've had a sense of déjà vu. That's because the Frontierland restaurant served essentially the same family-style meal as Liberty Tree Tavern right next door. While plenty of guests enjoyed the Thanksgiving-inspired feast, many questioned why Disney maintained two restaurants with virtually identical menus
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5 August
Disney World Medical Calls Took a Dramatic Turn, Leaving Two Guests Facing Felony Charges
Emergency crews at Walt Disney World respond to countless medical calls every year, often without guests ever realizing anything happened. Most situations are resolved quickly as firefighters, EMTs, and deputies work together to help visitors in need. Two recent incidents, however, followed a very different path. Separate emergency calls at EPCOT and Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort eventually led
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5 August
Disneyland Guests Have Just 3 Days Left To Experience the Original Haunted Mansion
One of Disneyland's most famous attractions is about to look very different. Haunted Mansion is closing this weekend so Disney can begin installing its popular Haunted Mansion Holiday experience. While many guests look forward to the transformation each year, it also means the attraction's original version is about to disappear for several months. Disneyland visitors who want to experience the cla
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5 August
Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro Reveals Disney Parks’ Biggest Changes Are Still Ahead
Disney's theme parks are already undergoing one of the largest transformations in company history, but with CEO Josh D'Amaro, the biggest announcements may not be behind us. During The Walt Disney Company's latest quarterly earnings call, D'Amaro once again pointed to the enormous pipeline of projects headed to Disney parks around the world. Yet with D23 just days away, many fans believe Disney is
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5 August
Lucasfilm Makes It Official: Harrison Ford Recast in Upcoming ‘Star Wars’ Film
A surprise casting announcement from Lucasfilm has fans doing a double-take. One of the most recognizable characters in Star Wars history is officially being played by someone new, marking an unexpected milestone for a franchise long associated with familiar faces. While the news may sound like it's tied to a brand-new movie or Disney+ series, the actual project is something very different. Even s
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5 August
Disney Confirms Fantasyland Classic Is Close to Returning at Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom guests have been waiting months for one colorful Fantasyland favorite to return, and Disney has finally provided the biggest sign yet that the reopening is getting closer. Big Top Souvenirs has been closed since February as crews worked on refurbishing the Storybook Circus gift shop. While Disney previously said the location would reopen later this year, there hadn't been many visibl
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5 August
Disneyland Gives Its Second Theme Park a Makeover, Effective August 2026
Disney California Adventure Park has a new look this week. The overnight installation that greeted Southern California theme park guests on Wednesday morning signals that Oogie Boogie Bash season has officially begun at Disneyland Resort, even if the first event night is still two weeks away. What Changed at Disney California Adventure Park Overnight WDWNT reported on August 5 that Disneyland Reso
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5 August
After 54 Years, Disney World Updates Haunted Mansion Stretching Room Scene
One of the most controversial scenes in Disney Park history just got a quiet upgrade. The change Walt Disney World Resort made on August 5 puts to rest, at least for now, the years-long debate over whether the hanging corpse would ever be removed from the Stretching Room of the Haunted Mansion. Two Weeks of Uncertainty The saga began on July 24, when Magic Kingdom Park guests noticed that the hang
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5 August
Josh D’Amaro Addresses AI Future as Disney Brings ‘J.A.R.V.I.S.’ System to Imagineering
Artificial intelligence is no longer just a behind-the-scenes tool for Disney. The company is becoming increasingly open about how the technology is helping shape everything from attraction development to vacation planning, giving fans a better understanding of where AI fits into the future of Disney Experiences. During the company's latest earnings call, CEO Josh D'Amaro shared new details about
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5 August
Disney Reverses Course With Rare Lightning Lane Price Cut at Magic Kingdom
Here's something Disney guests don't see very often: a price drop. As vacation costs continue to rise across Walt Disney World, Disney has quietly lowered the price of its Lightning Lane Premier Pass at two of its four theme parks. The change gives guests the lowest Premier Pass prices ever offered at Magic Kingdom and ties the lowest price previously available at Disney's Animal Kingdom. The disc
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