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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Jul- 2026 -23 July
Competing Theme Park Snuck a Shuttle Into Disney and Guests Are Just Now Finding Out
Disney Springs has a secret, and it has been hiding in plain sight since May. Tucked inside one of Walt Disney World's most visited destinations is a pickup location for the Legoland Express, a shuttle service that runs directly from Disney Springs to Legoland Florida Resort in Winter Haven. Most guests walking through Disney Springs have absolutely no idea it exists. The ones who do are getting t
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23 July
Universal Orlando Crowds in 2026 Signal Potential Theme Park Fatigue
Universal Orlando Resort has acknowledged what Walt Disney World’s unusually short summer wait times have been signaling for weeks: Central Florida’s theme-park market is experiencing a broader demand slowdown. During Comcast’s second-quarter earnings call on July 23, Co-CEO Mike Cavanagh said attendance across the Orlando market began softening in June and has remained pressured into the third qu
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23 July
Universal Overhauls Skip-the-Line Access, Replacing $378 Express Passes
Spending hundreds of dollars to avoid theme park lines isn't realistic for every family visiting Universal Orlando Resort. That's why a newer Express option at Epic Universe could completely change how some guests approach their day. Universal Express Now has been operating for several months, offering individual Express access to select attractions instead of requiring guests to purchase one of U
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22 July
Universal Files Permits for Mysterious Project, Moves to Revive ‘Classic’ in Florida Park
Universal Orlando Resort has never been shy about reinventing itself. Attractions disappear, new lands arrive, and entire sections of the resort can look dramatically different after only a few years. But Universal's next big addition may draw inspiration from a much older part of its history. A major permit connected to Epic Universe is raising questions about what Universal could be planning for
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22 July
Universal Orlando Moves Halloween Horror Nights 35 Start Ahead by More Than 4 Hours
Getting to Universal Studios Florida early has always been a popular Halloween Horror Nights strategy, but HHN 35 is taking “early” to another level. Universal Orlando Resort is once again offering Stay & Scream for eligible guests, allowing them to remain inside Universal Studios Florida as daytime operations give way to Halloween Horror Nights. This year, however, guests could begin
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22 July
Universal Drops Major Announcement, Confirms New Video Game Franchise for Orlando Park
Universal Studios Florida is about to welcome a franchise that millions of gamers know instantly. Universal Orlando Resort has officially revealed that a popular video game property will make its way into the park in 2026. The announcement comes after years of conversations about gaming becoming an even larger piece of Universal's Orlando lineup. Some of the biggest rumors have centered on permane
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22 July
Universal Introduces First-Ever R-18 Halloween Horror Nights Attraction, Waiver Required
Universal Studios Japan is placing a new barrier between Halloween Horror Nights guests and its most extreme nightmare: informed consent. The Osaka theme park has announced Zanzō (残像, or “Afterimage”), an adult-only horror experience that Universal describes as the first R-18-designated, waiver-required attraction in Halloween Horror Nights history. Guests 17 and younger cannot enter, while eligib
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22 July
VIDEO: Large Wall Suddenly Collapses on Universal Orlando Guests
Guests visiting Universal Orlando Resort expect to encounter plenty of surprises, but one group says it experienced something far more frightening than anything found inside the theme parks. A TikTok user has shared videos claiming that a large temporary wall collapsed while she and her friends were crossing a pedestrian bridge at Universal Orlando. The footage shows the aftermath, with a sizable
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22 July
Tesla Robotaxi Just Arrived in Orlando, and It Is Inching Toward the Theme Park Zone
The future of getting to Disney World just took another step, and this time, Tesla is the one taking it. Tesla has launched its Robotaxi service in Orlando, putting fully autonomous ride-hailing vehicles on Central Florida roads for the first time. No driver. No human intervention. Just a Tesla Model Y, a camera-based AI system called Tesla Vision, and a destination. The service is available throu
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22 July
Universal Seeks to Give Back Vacation Time to Millions of Guests Starting This August
Halloween Horror Nights 35 officially begins at 6:30 p.m., but for some Universal Orlando guests, the first screams could arrive four and a half hours earlier. New details for this year's Stay & Scream operation indicate that guests with valid Universal Studios Florida admission and Halloween Horror Nights admission for the same date can remain inside the park and begin entering select haunted hou
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