Latest news with #DisneyParks
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The murky history behind the eerie abandoned zoological park inside Disney World
Walt Disney World is known for its magic, meticulous upkeep, and the illusion that nothing is ever truly out of place. But hidden in plain sight, just across the water from Magic Kingdom, is a part of Disney that seems to be forgotten. Discovery Island, once a bustling zoological park, now sits abandoned and off-limits, its decaying remains slowly being overtaken by nature. With a murky history, eerie silence, and strict no-trespassing rules, the 11.5-acre island has become a rare glimpse into the side of Disney most guests never see. Originally opened in 1974 as Treasure Island, the location was designed as a tranquil wildlife sanctuary, home to exotic birds, tortoises, lemurs, and more. The theme was based off the 1950 pirate film of the same name, with a fake wrecked ship placed in the center of the island. In 1977, it was renamed Discovery Island to better reflect its focus on conservation and animal observation. Guests could stroll along winding paths, explore themed habitats like Flamingo Lagoon and Tortoise Beach, and learn about rare and endangered species in a serene, natural setting. However, in 1989, reports of horrifying animal 'abuse' began to circulate. Investigators said workers at Discovery Island allegedly fired a rifle at hawks, beat vultures to death with a stick, and destroyed the nests and eggs of egrets and ibises, per UPI. The park was charged with 16 counts of animal cruelty, but the charges were later dropped, according to The Ledger. As Disney continued to expand and create more enticing rides, the ticket numbers dwindled for the wildlife island. Then, in April 1998, Animal Kingdom Park was opened and people were stirred towards the new attractions, causing Discovery Island to be left behind. The island was closed in 1999 and all of the animals were moved to either Animal Kingdom or other zoos across the United States, per The Travel. For the last 26 years, Discovery Island has been completely abandoned and tightly secured. Disney has made it clear: no guests are allowed. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Justin Does Disney (@justindoesdisney) Signs around the surrounding waters warn boaters and would-be explorers to stay away. Anyone who dares to step foot on the island can face serious consequences including being arrested for trespassing and banned from all Disney properties for life. In 2020, a man named Richard McGuire was arrested after illegally camping on the island for several days during the pandemic. He later told police he thought it was a 'tropical paradise' and didn't realize he was trespassing, per TIME.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Disney World reveals official start date for Disney Starlight nighttime parade
Disney World reveals official start date for Disney Starlight nighttime parade Show Caption Hide Caption Disney World, Disneyland to get new theme park lands and attractions Disney announced new lands and attractions for its global theme parks at its 2024 D23 fan event, including "Monsters, Inc." and villains-themed areas. For the first time in nearly a decade, Walt Disney World will have a nighttime parade for everyday guests. Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away will debut at Magic Kingdom on July 20, the Florida resort shared Tuesday. The parade was first announced at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event last summer, but the start date had been under wraps. Inspired by its long-running predecessor, the beloved Main Street Electrical Parade, Disney Starlight will center on the power of a wish and feature a mix of characters from classic and contemporary Disney Animation and Pixar films. 'What guests are going to be able to get in this parade is a nod to the past but also eyes firmly set on the future,' Tara Anderson, show director with Disney Live Entertainment, said in a teaser video shared by Disney Parks. 'So you're going to hear melodies from older films, newer films in a very magical, mystical way.' The Blue Fairy, whom guests may remember from 'Pinocchio,' will power the illuminated parade with her magic. Other characters will include Elsa, Moana, Asha from 'Wish,' members of the Madrigal family from 'Encanto,' Miguel and Pepita from 'Coco,' Peter Pan and Wendy, various Disney princesses with their princes, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse , and more. A train, inspired by the Main Street Electrical Parade, will be among the many floats. This is Disney World's first regular nighttime parade since 2016. Other nighttime parades, like Mickey's Boo-To-You Halloween Parade and Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, are exclusive to specially ticketed after-hours events and not included with standard park admission like Disney Starlight will be.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Disney World fans say goodbye to 34-year-old show
The Jim Henson-created show has been a nostalgic staple for parkgoers since 1991, offering a quirky mix of 3D visuals and classic Muppet humor. Its closure marks the end of an era — and fans are already feeling the loss. Disney enthusiasts were heartbroken last year after the Florida park first announced the 34-year-old attraction would be gone. Now that its upcoming closure is just weeks away, fans are still disappointed and getting their last visits in before the curtains close. 'Yesterday was my final time seeing Muppet Vision 3D before it closes on June 7th,' an X user wrote last week. 'I have lost a lot of attractions I like, but you have always been my favorite, and you will be terribly missed.' 'Was at Hollywood Studios all day as I tried to soak up all the Muppety goodness that I could before Muppet Vision 3D gets torn down,' a heartbroken fan admitted. Henson and Disney began working on Muppet Vision 3D in 1989 after announcing a plan for Disney to acquire Henson Associates and the Muppet characters. However, the acquisition plans were abruptly halted after Henson died in 1990. The 3D project's creation continued on and opened on the one year anniversary of Henson's death. The movie is the last to be directed by Henson and features his voice as Kermit the Frog. In the years since the debut, each viewing has attracted hundreds of Disney visitors, and the company went on to acquire the Muppets from The Jim Henson Company in 2004. While the 3D show may be ending, Disney will be bringing the Muppets to Hollywood Studio's Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. The company teased that characters would 'team up with some of music's biggest stars' during the ride to deliver 'a rockin' music festival.' Disney has not confirmed when the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster will be revamped, but it will include 'laughter, screams and new tunes.' Disney parks have been hit with a boatload of controversies surrounding its decision to raise ticket prices. They also received backlash after announcing it would remove River of America and Tom Sawyer Island to make way for an attraction inspired by the film Cars . However, fans were excited to learn that it would be building a park section dedicated to antagonists called Villains Land. Construction for the Cars and Villains-themed areas began in Magic Kingdom earlier this year. The Monsters Inc.-themed is a highly talked-about upcoming attraction that will include Disney's first-ever suspended roller coaster. It's also rumored to include a restaurant named Harryhausen's and a Monstro Theater featuring a new Monsters, Inc. show.
Gizmodo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Disneyland's 70th Anniversary Is Celebrating an Icon You Might Never Have Heard Of
International Disney Parks sensation Duffy has made a comeback at Disneyland for the theme park's 70th anniversary celebration. The bear took off at Tokyo Disney before expanding to the rest of the overseas parks, making it a must-have collectible alongside his friends. Reservations for the shop at Tokyo DisneySea, where the latest versions of the adorable stuffed animals are available, quickly sell out. I recently asked my friend who lives in Japan to pick up one of the new characters, LinaBell, for my kid—and found out the hard way just how much of a hot item it is. However, Duffy and his friend ShellieMay are making a special debut during the Celebrate Happy Calvacade at the Disneyland Resort, where they'll be kicking off the Disney character mini-parade. io9 was there for their first appearance since Duffy's brief meet and greet stint at Disney California Adventure back in 2010—years before his stateside popularity picked up after he became a viral success online. Now celebrating 20 years as a character, he's back with ShellieMay to take part in Disneyland's anniversary. However, the parade will be the only capacity the characters will appear; Disney confirmed to io9 that they will not be participating in meet and greet opportunities, which is a bummer! Duffy has previously made brief appearances as Santa Duffy at Walt Disney World's Jollywood Nights. Duffy's lore is based around the idea that he's a stuffed teddy bear that Minnie Mouse gifted Mickey to take with him on his travels. ShellieMay was the bear Minnie made in kind to give Duffy a companion. Yes, kinda like the Bride of Frankenstein, but make it cutesy and magical. But what's unique is that there's a whole universe of adventures for Duffy and his friends. The bear has his own storylines with ShellieMay and the rest of the gang, which includes Gelatoni the painter cat, TippiBlue the messenger seagull, CookieAnn the baker dog, OluMel the beach life turtle, StellaLou the dancing rabbit, and most recently LinaBell the fox detective. They're sentient in a Toy Story way, it seems, with the magical bear and Mickey knowing that the other is in fact aware of its existence. Duffy goes off on his own journeys often and draws on the help of his friends along the way to make it home to Mickey. Disney fans who visit the Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan or the parks in China often bring back Duffy or one of his pals as a special souvenir. Some icons are exclusive to certain parks. When Disney's Hawaii resort Aulani debuted OluMel, it was a notable moment for the character, since Duffy has only mostly been available outside of the U.S. Naturally, that's only made Duffy and friends more highly prized by collectors, especially stateside. Olu the turtle has been known to make gift shop appearances in at Walt Disney World's Polynesian Village Resort. I got lucky when a loved one managed to surprise me with CookieAnn from Mickey's of Glendale, Disney's Imagineering campus store, shortly after she debuted. And some fast-acting fans were able to nab Duffy items sold at the D23 Expo in 2022. Duffy merchandise will appear at the Storyland Boutique at the Downtown Disney District for Disneyland's 70th. As of publication the second Duffy and friends drop has yet to hit shelves. The first drop, probably to test the waters stateside, sold out for the most part with only a few items left in store when we checked. I'm determined to get my daughter a LinaBell and hope she makes an appearance on this coast soon. Disneyland's 70th Celebrations kick off Friday.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Disney leader predicts Universal's Epic Universe will drive more visitors to the 'House of Mouse': Reports
The Brief A Disney Parks leader says he isn't worried about Universal Orlando's new Epic Universe theme park reducing traffic to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. He believes the opening of the rival destination will help boost attendance. In the first three months of 2025, revenue in Disney's Experiences segment rose 6% to $8.89 billion. Epic Universe is set to open on May 22, 2025. ORLANDO, Fla. - Disney Parks Chief Josh D'Amaro says he isn't worried about Universal Orlando's new Epic Universe theme park reducing traffic to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando — in fact, he thinks the opening of the rival destination will help boost attendance. What they're saying D'Amaro spoke about Epic Universe on Wednesday at the MoffettNathanson Media, Internet & Communications Conference. D'Amaro said Disney has only scratched the surface when it comes to stories the theme park giant can share. He noted that Disney has yet to build attractions based on popular films like "Coco" and "Black Panther." "We're always on the offensive," he said. "We're constantly investing for the long term, fortifying each one of our theme parks. … If something is built new in Central Florida, like Epic Universe … that tourist is going to have to visit the Magic Kingdom." By the numbers In 2023, Disney announced plans to boost capital spending in the Disney Experiences business to $60 billion over a 10-year period, nearly double compared with the previous decade. In the first three months of 2025, revenue in Disney's Experiences segment rose 6% to $8.89 billion, according to a report from Variety. The segment includes theme parks, cruises, resorts and consumer products. Variety reports the total segment operating profit was up 9%, to $2.49 billion, with a 13% growth in domestic parks and experiences and a 14% rise in consumer products offsetting a 23% decline in international theme parks. For fiscal year 2025, Variety reports that Disney projected a 6%-8% growth in operating income for the theme park and consumer products business. Big picture view When speaking about Disney's successes and future plans, D'Amaro also brought up the new theme park in Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi park will be the company's seventh theme park resort. D'Amaro said the resort in Abu Dhabi will be "the most advanced and interactive destination in our portfolio" and the setting "will allow us to tell our stories in completely new ways." The waterfront destination will blend Disney's iconic stories and characters with Abu Dhabi's culture, architecture and innovation. Disney will lead creative design and operations, while Miral, Abu Dhabi's leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences, will develop and build the resort. Once completed, the resort will feature Disney-themed attractions and entertainment, dining, and immersive storytelling experiences that reflect both Disney magic and Abu Dhabi culture. D'Amaro said opening a new park is a once-in-a-decade decision. "We knew there was demand for Disney products around the world," he said. "The team focused on the Middle East region and ultimately settled on Abu Dhabi. One-third of the world's population is within a four-hour flight radius of Abu Dhabi. This is a crossroads for the world." Disney has not yet provided a timeline for the construction or opening target date for the new park. The backstory Epic Universe will be Universal's fourth theme park in Orlando – and the newest theme park to open in Florida. Epic Universe joins Universal's three other theme parks: Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Volcano Bay. Epic Universe will be home to five new lands, each with its own rides, attractions, shows, bars and restaurants. The five immersive worlds are: Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk and Dark Universe. Universal Orlando states that Celestial Park is the "main portal" leading to the four other lands. It is inspired by "astronomical and mythological elements," which "create imaginative sensory delights." The Ministry of Magic is the third installment of the wizard-themed lands that Universal Orlando has brought to life. Now, guests will be able to explore the wizarding streets of Paris in the 1920s, just like Newt Scamander™ from Fantastic Beasts, and check out the British Ministry of Magic in the 1990s alongside Harry, Ron and Hermione. Super Nintendo World can be best described as stepping into any Super Nintendo game. Guests can expect to be fully immersed in this land! Based on the Academy Award-nominated film trilogy, "How to Train your Dragon," this land has something for the whole family. Guests will step into the rugged and rocky land where vikings and dragons live together in harmony! Dark Universe is the grim and mythical world that will allow guests to explore the mystery of monsters! The village is full of creatures and experiments from Dr. Victoria Frankenstein. Epic is also home to three hotels: Universal Helios Grand Hotel, Universal's Terra Luna Resort and its sister property, Universal's Stella Nova Resort. Epic Universe officially opens on May 22, 2025. Universal Orlando's Epic Universe first look: Dark Universe Universal Orlando's Epic Universe first look: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic Universal Orlando's Epic Universe first look: Super Nintendo World Universal Orlando's Epic Universe first look: How To Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk Universal Orlando's Epic Universe first look: Celestial Park Epic Universe: First photos of Universal Orlando's newest theme park Universal Orlando reveals exclusive Epic Universe merchandise ahead of 2025 opening Universal Orlando Resort shares first look at Epic Universe menu items Epic Universe tickets: New Florida resident tickets, packages on sale STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by Variety in an article on May 14, 2025. Information about Epic Universe was also collected from previous reporting and information provided by Universal Orlando.
