Walt Disney World Updates

By Kate Cohen
Updated July 10, 2025

 

For many people, theme Parks are full of nostalgia and sweet memories of times gone by.  

But that doesn’t mean theme parks are stuck in the past.  

New attractions, designs, and features are constantly being added and updated throughout every theme park, plus calendars full of exciting events throughout the year.    

 

A pink and gray castle with royal blue roofing and a variety of spires and turrets surrounded by beautiful landscaping and blue sky.

 

Here are the new and exciting Walt Disney World Updates in Orlando to look forward to on your next visit.  

 

Key Takeaways

 

Dates and Details for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2025 

Press Release Date: July 9, 2025  

 

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party graphic, including Mickey in a Santa costume leading toy soldiers in a parade.

 

The holiday cheer continues with new details about Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in 2025.  

This year, guests can purchase tickets to the beloved after-hours holiday event for select evenings from Nov. 7 through Dec. 21, 2025. Tickets will go on sale July 22.  

While the party officially starts at 7 p.m., guests with tickets to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party can start celebrating as early as 4 p.m. in Magic Kingdom.  

Meet beloved Disney characters in their Christmas attire, including Anna and Elsa, Mickey and Minnie, Sally and Santa Jack, and more.  

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas Parade is an enchanting experience with dancing gingerbread men, ballroom dancers, marching toy soldiers, and of course, your favorite Disney characters.  

Even Santa makes an appearance at the end of the parade!  

Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks combines spectacular pyrotechnics with colorful projections and lighting effects, all to the sounds of classic holiday music.  

Looking for more entertainment? Check out Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration and the Frozen Holiday Surprise show on Cinderella Castle Stage.  

As always, this special celebration will feature meet-and-greets with Santa Claus, festive merch, and incredible cookies, hot cocoa, and other treats included in the cost of a ticket.  

Check out more details on this year’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party here.  

 

 

EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays 2025 Details Released  

Press Release Date: July 8, 2025  

 

The EPCOT Festival of Holidays graphic with Mickey, Minnie, and Figment in matching blue holiday sweaters surrounded by holiday icons.

 

Christmas in July has come early with the release of dates and details for EPCOT’s International Festival of the Holidays 2025.  

This year’s fan-favorite festival will be held Nov. 28 through Dec. 30, 2025.  

Returning this year is entertainment like the beloved Candlelight Processional, led by a celebrity narrator and featuring a large live orchestra and vocal ensembles.  

Throughout the World Showcase, you’ll find a variety of holiday storytellers sharing unique holiday traditions and tales from around the world (including Santa Claus himself!). 

Enjoy energetic Christmas and Kwanzaa music performed by Central Florida group D’Vine Voices during performances of JOYFUL!  

And, of course, enjoy plenty of heartwarming holiday recipes from booths and vendors scattered throughout the park.  

Purchase a map and stickers to participate in Olaf’s Holiday Scavenger Hunt, where you’ll discover holiday traditions in every pavilion. Find them all to redeem a special prize.  

These festivities – and many others – await you at EPCOT this holiday season. 

 

 

Piston Peak National Park Brings the World of “Cars” to Magic Kingdom  

Press Release Date: June 3, 2025 

 

An illustrated map of Piston Peak with a waterfall, small village buildings, and a green park ranger car in the corner.

 

Big changes are coming to Magic Kingdom.  

As the theme park bids farewell to classic attractions like Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat, Piston Peak National Park will begin to take shape.  

The area is designed to seamlessly carry on the storytelling legacy and Americana of nearby Liberty Square and Frontierland.  

Guests can experience “towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers, and impressive geysers” throughout this fictional area inspired by America’s national parks. 

Piston Peak will include trails, a visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, and other attractions all set within the world of the Disney and Pixar “Cars” universe.  

Work begins this summer. No opening date has been set yet. 

 

 

A New Nighttime Parade at Magic Kingdom: “Disney Starlight”  

Press Release Date: May 27, 2025  

 

A twinkling train engine sparkling with twinkle lights and carrying a variety of Disney characters, gliding through a night sky

 

Disney Starlight is the brand-new nighttime parade at Magic Kingdom, opening July 20, 2025.  

This dreamy, glowing celebration features floats with innovative scenic technology that tells stories in colorful new ways.  

The grand finale float features Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, and other classic Disney characters gliding along in a train-inspired twinkling float.  

With brand new music to accompany the parade down Main Street, U.S.A., this nighttime parade is sure to impress guests in the park after dark. 

 

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Returns to Magic Kingdom this Fall  

Press Release Date: May 12, 2025 

 

Th graphic for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, featuring Mickey in a purple suit surrounded by Jack-o-lanterns.

 

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will return in fall 2025 on select nights from Aug. 15 through Oct. 31.  

This separately ticketed event is the ultimate family-friendly Halloween event.  

Guests in 2025 can look forward to returning activities like trick-or-treating, Mickey’s Boo-to-You Parade, and the Hocus Pocus Villain Spectacular.  

There will also be a few spooky ride overlays, brand new event merch, and specialty Halloween food and beverages for purchase.  

Tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will go on sale May 22, 2025.  

While you don’t need a theme park ticket in addition to your special event ticket, guests exclusively attending the event can only access Magic Kingdom beginning at 4 p.m.  

 

New Details Released about EPCOT’s 2025 International Food & Wine Festival  

Press Release Date: May 12, 2025 

 

The official graphic for the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, featuring geometric illustrations with Ratatouille characters.

 

It’s time to rev up your appetite. EPCOT’s International Food & Wine Festival 2025 is just around the corner.  

This year’s festival will be held Aug. 28 through Nov. 22, 2025.  

Guests can enjoy exceptional flavors as they dine at over 35 Global Marketplaces preparing dishes that are unique to the festival.  

Discover new dairy delights with Emile’s Fromage Montage, where you sample a variety of cheeses throughout the park while collecting stamps on your passport.  

Remy’s Hide and Squeak Scavenger Hunt is the perfect way for younger visitors to learn about different foods from around the world.  

The Eat to the Beat Concert Series brings together live music and delectable cuisine with concerts from new and returning favorites.  

You can access all the exclusive International Food & Wine Festival attractions and activities with your daily admission to EPCOT.  

 

The Beak and Barrel: Coming Soon to Magic Kingdom 

Press Release Date: May 6, 2025  

 

An artist's rendering of a dimly lit tavern with glowing lights, long tables, and an anchor-shaped chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

 

The Beak and Barrel is a brand-new pub and eatery coming to Adventureland in Magic Kingdom.  

This pirate-themed destination was founded by legendary Pirate Rum Runner Captain Meridian “Merry” Goldwyn and her parrot first mate, Rummy.  

The Mess is the central space at The Beak and Barrel with long tables and an anchor adorned with candles and dripping wax hanging from the ceiling.  

A skull-shaped bar boasts a variety of beverages and brews, and you may spot Rummy patrolling the bar’s ledge while greeting patrons and keeping an eye on the crew.  

Once a room inspired by the finer things in life, the Captain’s Quarters has seen its fair share of use and wear over the years.  

A glowing fireplace creates a cozy, mysterious atmosphere, above which hang five ships in bottles representing an alliance between pirates from every corner of the world.  

More details about The Beak and Barrel will be coming soon.  

 

GEO-82 Lounge Opening Date Announced  

Press Release Date: April 28, 2025 

 

A crystal wine glass and whiskey glass labeled GEO-82 on a sleek black surface with a geometric backdrop.

 

Looking for a new hangout for cocktails and small bites while you’re exploring EPCOT? 

The GEO-82 Lounge is a new, sophisticated adult-exclusive lounge located within Spaceship Earth.  

Enjoy signature cocktails like the Brown Butter Old Fashioned and the Strawberry-Black Pepper Sour, paired with small plates like truffled ahi tuna and jumbo lump crab gâteau.  

The GEO-82 Fireworks Experience includes Champagne poured tableside along with a tower of sweet and savory treats, all with an incredible indoor view of the EPCOT nightly fireworks show.  

GEO-82 opens at EPCOT on June 4, 2025.  

 

Enjoy Every Disney Update when You Stay at a Rosen Inn Hotel 

 

A winding hotel surrounded by green grass, mature trees, and a beautiful pond with an elegant fountain. Check out all the Walt Disney World Updates when you stay at a Rosen Inn.

 

Our four Rosen Inn hotels are in the International Drive Entertainment District of Orlando, putting you in close proximity to every Orlando theme park.  

When you stay at Rosen Inn Lake Buena Vista, a Walt Disney World Resort Good Neighbor Hotel, you can even enjoy complimentary shuttle services to the theme parks.  

Additional amenities like seasonally heated pools, free Wi-Fi, and onsite dining with Kids Eat Free dining programs make Rosen Inns even more appealing for a family-friendly stay.  

We look forward to hosting you for your next Disney vacation – or staycation! 

 

A bright table set with plates of breakfast food, including a large waffle in the shape of Mickey Mouse.