Outside the Disney Bubble
Disney Fanatic shares news and experiences that unfold outside of the Disney bubble, including news of Disney’s competitors and beyond.
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May- 2026 -21 May
Super Bowl Champions Just Threw a Major Theme Park Project Into Uncertainty
Before anyone asks, yes, this is a real story, and yes, Travis Kelce's team is tangentially connected to a Barbie and Hot Wheels theme park being in jeopardy. Welcome to 2026. Here is what is actually happening. Start With the Arizona Situation Mattel Adventure Park was first announced in 2021 with a 2022 opening date in Glendale, Arizona. That became 2023. Then 2024. Then, in late 2025. When late
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20 May
Report: Dollywood Backtracks, Scraps Opening for Guests
A highly anticipated Dollywood opening appears to have been delayed. In recent years, Dollywood has evolved into one of America's most acclaimed theme parks. Alongside additions like Big Bear Mountain and the Dolly Parton Experience, the park has repeatedly dominated the Golden Ticket Awards, winning consecutive Best Guest Experience titles and earning honors for Wildwood Grove and Big Bear Mounta
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20 May
Millennium Force Guests Are Suddenly Getting Turned Away, and Cedar Point Finally Explained Why
For many coaster fans, riding Millennium Force is more than simply boarding another thrill ride. It is tradition. A summer ritual. A memory machine that instantly pulls guests back to childhood vacations, late-night midway walks, and the unmistakable sound of steel wheels racing across track above the shores of Lake Erie. That emotional connection is exactly why longtime visitors immediately sense
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20 May
Universal Enforces Massive New Restrictions, Cutting Guests Out of Epic Universe Lands
Universal Orlando Resort built Epic Universe around one major promise: immersion. Instead of feeling like a traditional theme park with rides scattered across a single large property, Epic Universe was designed to transport guests into entirely separate worlds connected by giant themed portals. At first, fans loved the concept. But now, some visitors are starting to worry that the same system mean
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20 May
The Most Criticized Theme Park in America Just Hit Its Biggest Rescue Milestone
Let's be honest about where SeaWorld stands in the public conversation right now. Blackfish premiered in 2013, and the cultural damage it caused to the brand has never fully healed. The criticism is real, sustained, and comes from people with legitimate concerns about marine animal captivity that are not going to disappear because a company issues a press release about its conservation efforts. Al
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19 May
Fans React After Six Flags Roller Coaster Stops Mid-Air, Riders Escorted Down Emergency Stairs
For many theme park fans, roller coasters represent more than adrenaline. They’re part of family traditions, milestone vacations, and carefully planned weekends designed around unforgettable thrills. That’s why moments when things suddenly stop working inside a major amusement park instantly capture attention online—and spark concern among guests across the country. This weekend, visitors at Six F
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19 May
Final Demolition Officially Starts at Universal Orlando’s Lost Continent
Universal Orlando Resort is no longer quietly phasing out The Lost Continent at Islands of Adventure. The resort has now entered what feels like the final demolition stage for one of its most unique original lands, and guests can officially see the destruction happening in real time. After years of gradual closures, abandoned attractions, and growing rumors surrounding the future of the area, demo
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19 May
The Sloth World Story Finally Has Something Worth Smiling About
If you have been following the Sloth World situation, you already know what the last several weeks have felt like. Every update from the Central Florida Zoo has carried weight. Four of the thirteen sloths rescued from the Orange County warehouse have died. Fifty-six sloths in total have perished since December 2024. A criminal investigation is open with no charges filed. The Florida Fish and Wildl
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18 May
Universal Orlando Finally Expands One of Epic Universe’s Most Unexpected Fan Favorites
Epic Universe has some of the most advanced rides Universal Orlando has ever built, but somehow one of the park’s biggest fan-favorite additions is a giant blue chocolate bear. And now guests are finally going to be able to meet him. Universal Orlando has confirmed that Captain Cacao will officially begin appearing in Celestial Park starting May 22, giving Epic Universe fans a brand-new character
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18 May
Universal’s $1 Billion ‘Harry Potter’ Experience Suddenly Ceases Normal Operations
Universal Orlando built Epic Universe around one major promise: bigger technology, larger immersion, and attractions unlike anything guests had ever seen before. No ride represents that goal more than Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, the massive Wizarding World attraction that quickly became the centerpiece of the entire park. Now, however, fans are beginning to see one of the biggest
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