Greetings fellow Rope Droppers,
If you were needing a reason to plan your next trip, Disney dropped a whole pile this week. It’s especially exciting if you’re planning to spend time at the parks over the summer.
Let's head in.
| 1 | Disney just filled in the entire summer calendar. |
| 2 | Buzz Lightyear returns April 8, and the blasters changed. |
| 3 | Disney Cruise Line's ninth ship finally has a name. |
| 01 | This Week's E-Ticket Disney Just Scheduled Your Summer |
Thursday morning brought a round of opening dates, anchored by Cool KIDS' SUMMER, running May 26 through September 8 (Disney Parks Blog).
May 26 is doing a lot of work. Bluey's Wild World opens that day at Conservation Station, taking over the Rafiki's Planet Watch space that closed in February, with Affection Section rebranded as Jumping Junction for Australian animals (WDWNT).
Soarin' Across America debuts at EPCOT the same day, a US 250th overlay filmed at more than a dozen locations including the Grand Canyon. WDWNT reports it's set to run for a limited time, so don't pencil it in as permanent (WDWNT). Also on May 26, the Walt Disney Studios courtyard opens at Hollywood Studios with a new Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! show (BlogMickey).
Big Thunder Mountain is the other one on the way back, and it looks like it'll be open in time as well. Disney just hasn't said when for sure. Imagineer Wyatt Winter promises all-new trains, refreshed Audio-Animatronics, effects absent for years, the Rainbow Caverns, and actual gold on the mountain for the first time (BlogMickey). In February we told you to circle "this spring." Disney has also pointedly not confirmed the exploding finale other parks have.
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (Magic Kingdom) | April 8 |
| Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom) | No firm date |
| Soarin' Around the World last day (EPCOT) | May 13 |
| Typhoon Lagoon reopens | May 15 |
| Soarin' Across America, limited time (EPCOT) | May 26 |
| Bluey's Wild World (Animal Kingdom) | May 26 |
| Walt Disney Studios courtyard and Disney Jr. Clubhouse Live! (Hollywood Studios) | May 26 |
| The Magic of Disney Animation (Hollywood Studios) | Late summer |
For your planning:
Soarin' is down May 14 through 25. If it's a must-do, don't book that gap.
Jessie's Roundup takes over the Diamond Horseshoe for the summer only, and table service there ends May 16.
GoofyCore lands at EPCOT's CommuniCore Hall. Disney Springs adds the DescenDANCE Party x Camp Rock Jam at the Marketplace, Tuesday through Thursday, 6 to 10 p.m., starting May 26.
Resort guests get one free water park day on check-in day during the season.
Which comeback are you actually planning a trip around?
The upside is real: a single early-summer trip can now cover more genuinely new material than any trip in two years. The catch is that everyone got the same memo, and crowds follow a calendar like this one.
| 02 | On the Horizon The Blasters Come Off the Wall |
The one date in that stack not waiting for summer: Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin reopens April 8, after closing August 4, 2025.
Disney Parks Blog
The big change is literally in your hands. Blasters detach from their holders instead of being bolted to the vehicle, with always-on lasers and two colors per vehicle so you can tell where you're aiming (AllEars). Targets are new and reactive, flashing green when you score, and the vehicles carry video monitors with real-time scoring.
There's a new opening scene starring Buddy, Star Command's newest support bot, who trains you to take down Zurg, plus an updated finale and refreshed lighting, sound, and vibration. The on-ride photo now prints your score and rank, the scoring no longer caps at 999,999, and Astro Aviator joins the rank list. Disney has also teased Toy Story 5 Easter eggs (WDWNT).
Cast member previews run March 21 to 27. Disney hasn't announced Annual Passholder or DVC previews.
| 03 | In the Queue Four Parks, $109 a Day |
Alongside the summer calendar, Disney put a new 4-Day, 4-Park Magic Ticket on sale: one admission to each park, starting at $109 per day, or $436 total plus tax (BlogMickey).
Like all tickets, the fine print is what's key. It's date-based, with start dates from May 26 through September 26, valid for visits through October 3, and it must be used within seven days of your start date. One park per day, no re-entering a park you've already used on another day, and no park reservation needed.
| 04 | From Around the Kingdom Tea Is Served, Steak Is Not |
Tea Is Served: The Grand Floridian's Garden View tea reopens today after closing for the pandemic and never coming back, now reimagined with an Alice in Wonderland theme. We told you booking opened in February; $79 adults, $49 for kids 3 to 9, full payment due at reservation, 24-hour cancellation. (Attractions Magazine)
Brunch Moves Upstairs: The Grand Floridian Cafe closes for a roughly three-month refresh from mid-July through October. Brunch survives, just relocated up to Cítricos, and the resort's porte cochere work runs into early 2027. (WDWNT)
Retro Refresh: Pop Century's lobby, rooms, and Petals Pool Bar are done, with a vintage TV wall, larger-than-life Fab Five art, and more seating. Whether trading some of that old-school kitsch for a brighter, more functional look counts as an upgrade is genuinely up for debate. (Disney Parks Blog)
Steak Break: Yachtsman Steakhouse closes May 11 for a three-month refresh, with Disney expecting it back by August and no firm date yet. Crew's Cup Lounge has been down since February, and the closure wording suggests it returns before Yachtsman goes dark. (BlogMickey)
A week after the Disney Adventure finally left port, Disney Cruise Line named the next one. At Wednesday's shareholder meeting, CEO Josh D'Amaro revealed the fleet's ninth ship and fourth Wish-class vessel as the Disney Believe, themed to promise and possibility, with spaces drawn from Encanto, Frozen, Moana, The Little Mermaid, and the wishing wells of Snow White (Disney Cruise Line Blog).
Disney Parks Blog
The reveal video was a victory lap through the whole naming convention: a wish becomes hope and wonder, then a dream, then a fantasy, then magic, then an adventure you treasure, then destiny. Then believe. Delivery is set for 2027 with a late-2027 debut, on the way to 13 ships by 2031.
What should number ten be called? Hit reply with your pick and we'll run the best ones →
| 05 | See Ya Real Soon See You on May 26 |
That's the week. Disney handed us a summer calendar, a ride we've missed since last August, and a ship name to argue about. Not a bad haul for mid-March.
Gabe
