News
Disney Fanatic is here to deliver the latest in Disney news from The Walt Disney Company and beyond.
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Apr- 2026 -27 April
Disney World Expansion Stopped by State Government Action
Seven hundred pages of court depositions do not usually make for compelling reading. This particular set of 700 pages is an exception. Florida Politics reporter Gabrielle Russon spent months obtaining and working through court records from the Disney-DeSantis legal dispute, and what she found rewrites the conventional understanding of what that fight was actually about. The public version of the s
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27 April
Big Thunder is Back! Why Next Week’s Lightning Lane Shake-Up Changes Everything at Magic Kingdom
The silence in Frontierland is finally about to be broken by the clatter of a runaway mine train. Since early 2025, the “Wildest Ride in the Wilderness” has been behind construction walls, leaving a massive hole in the Magic Kingdom’s “Mountain Range.” But the wait is over: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad officially reopens on May 3, 2026. Credit: Disney However, this isn’t j
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26 April
After 3 Weeks, Universal Reveals New and Improved Hogwarts Castle
Nearly a month after construction barriers appeared around Hogwarts Castle without any warning to guests, Universal Islands of Adventure visitors are finally getting their first real look at what's been happening behind the scrim. Slow Progress, Then a Big Reveal at Hogwarts Castle Scaffolding, scrim, and construction walls went up around the iconic Hogsmeade structure in late March with no prior
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26 April
New Security Rules Limit Phone Use at Disneyland Resort
If your last Disneyland trip was more than a year ago, you are walking into a resort that has quietly updated several of the systems that shape how a day there actually feels. Not the rides. Not the food. The infrastructure around all of it — how you get in, what you can bring, what you can do on the rides, and when you can move between the two parks. Some of these changes are already in effect. O
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26 April
Orlando’s New Theme Park Reinvents Entry With Timed Access System
The cameras were spotted weeks ago. Guests walking up to the portal entrances at Universal Epic Universe noticed the stanchions, noticed the hardware, and started asking questions about what exactly Universal was testing and whether it would become permanent. Now there is an official answer. Universal has confirmed that Photo Validation, its facial recognition entry system, is now in active use at
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26 April
Disney World’s May 2026 Plans Shift as Projects Collide
If you’re heading to Walt Disney World in May 2026, there’s one thing you’ll want to double-check before locking in your plans: ride closures. Disney is known for rotating refurbishments throughout the year, but this particular month feels a bit more crowded than usual when it comes to attractions going offline. The biggest impact is coming from a mix of long-term projects and shorter updates all
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26 April
Disney World Guests Warned as Major Hotel Changes Hit This Summer
There’s a lot happening at Walt Disney World right now, and while most of the attention tends to go toward new attractions or park updates, the hotels are quietly going through a major transformation of their own. This summer, multiple resorts are being refreshed at the same time. It’s not just one or two projects—it’s a wide mix of room upgrades, dining closures, and construction work that spans
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26 April
A New Disney Tease Just Changed Halloween Planning at Magic Kingdom
Planning a Disney World Halloween trip used to feel like something you could ease into over time. That’s no longer the case. One small tease from Disney has completely shifted the timeline—and if you’re thinking about attending Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party this year, your window to prepare just got a lot shorter. A Tease That Says a Lot Without Saying Much Disney didn’t drop a full announ
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26 April
From Fireworks to Fists: South Florida Boxer Facing Lifetime Ban After Alleged EPCOT Parking Lot Assault
Walt Disney World is a place where you’re encouraged to “let your heart guide you,” but for one guest leaving EPCOT recently, that journey ended in a terrifying confrontation. As the final sparkles of the nighttime spectacular faded over the World Showcase, the “Most Magical Place on Earth” gave way to a brutal scene of “real world” violence in the vast, asphalt
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26 April
Vanishing Manor: Decoding the Huge “Unannounced” Work at Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion
If you've approached the end of Liberty Square recently, you might have done a double-take. The imposing, Dutch Gothic silhouette of the Haunted Mansion—usually a masterclass in weathered brick and chilling gloom—has been almost entirely swallowed by a mountain of steel scaffolding and photo-realistic tarps. Credit: Scott Duncan, Flickr What started in early 2026 as a quiet, seemingly minor “
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