Disney Made Big Theme Park Announcements and Changes This Week

This week, we have Disney theme park news regarding major price increases for tickets, parking, and Lightning Lane at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. This information dominated the news cycles this week, so you may have missed the news regarding new audio-animatronics, restaurant closures, a new discount deal, and more. We will share a roundup of all of the key Disneyland and Disney World news you may have missed this week.

At Mickey Visit, we are constantly covering the latest Disney theme park news. Each week, there is always something new happening, whether that includes ride closures, openings, or other things that could impact your trip! You can also check out our roundup of the key news from last week here.

READ MORE – Hidden Secrets of the Disney World Hotels You Haven’t Heard Of

Major Disney News You Missed This Week

Starting with the latest Disneyland news…

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Let’s start with the biggest news of the week. Effective immediately, Disneyland has increased prices on tickets, Magic Key passes, Lightning Lane Multi Pass, and parking. You can read more about these price increases in our separate article.

Our travel partner, Get Away Today, gets to keep selling the old discounted prices for a limited amount of time after Disneyland price increases go into effect. You’ll be able to save anywhere from $18- $111 per adult ticket, depending on the ticket type. You can lock in these lower prices if you book by Monday, October 20, 2025. These tickets are good for travel through 2026.

You should not wait to book your tickets, as there will only be a small window to secure the old prices before they are gone for good. Our Mickey Visit readers get the lowest pricing that you can only access by clicking through our exclusive link. CLICK HERE to book the lowest prices before they’re gone >>

Disneyland also announced a new California-wide ticket offer, allowing visitors to enjoy discounted 3-day park hopper tickets. Read more about the low prices and eligibility dates for these tickets in our article.

Disneyland Storybook Land Canal Boats

We also learned this week that a new Disney Princess will be added to Storybook Land Canal Boats in Fantasyland. The ride has been closed since late July for refurbishment, alongside Casey Jr. Circus Train. Learn more in our separate article to see a closer look at the new addition.

The updates at Downtown Disney continue to grow with a brand new Gordon Ramsay-themed restaurant announced. Read our article to learn more about the new Gordon Ramsay at The Carnaby.

We also got the first look at the 2025 Disneyland holiday merchandise at World of Disney in Downtown Disney. Check out the new collection in our photo update.

Now, on to Walt Disney World…

Disney World castle

Disney World also saw price increases this week on tickets, annual passes, and parking. You can read more about these price increases in our separate article.

We also saw the prices for Lightning Lane at Disney World hit its highest ever maximum. Read more about those price increases and our thoughts on future prices as we get into the holiday season.

Along with price increases, we also learned about a change to the MagicBand+ discounts for Disney Resort hotel guests and annual passholders. Read more about the loss of this discount in our report.

In a flurry of news related to Audio-Animatronics at Disney World, we learned that the Audio-Animatronics of Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff will soon receive major upgrades. Read more and see our images comparing how the before and after versions will look in this article.

Muppets coaster

In addition to learning the opening period for the new Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, Disney also revealed that a brand new Audio-Animatronic will be a part of the new retheme. Learn more in our report on the opening period reveal and the Audio-Animatronic.

Disney also shared the first look at a new Audio-Animatronic that will play a big role in the new Zootopia show at Disney World. See the first look here along with a roundup of all the Audio-Animatronic news shared. 

Previews were announced for Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club members, and Cast Members for the new Zootopia show opening this winter at Animal Kingdom. See our report to find out all the information on these previews.

More dates for the popular Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party have sold out. Read all the available dates in our update.

Disney also shared that Savannah Banana’s Banana Ball is coming to Disney World in 2026 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Learn how to attend this game including the ticket lottery system in our article.

A Magic Kingdom attraction in Fantasyland was added to the refurbishment list for November. Read our update on these new refurbishments and others at Disney World in our separate article.

You can now enjoy sprinkles, candies, peanuts, and more on your Mickey’s Hand Dipped Ice Cream Bars at 12 different locations at Disney World. Find them all and the options you can add in our report.

In the biggest restaurant news of the week, we learned about six major changes coming to quick service spots at Animal Kingdom in preparation for closing the food options in DinoLand, USA. See all these changes in our article and what to expect.

Separately at Universal, we also learned about the plans for the holidays at the resort and what the new Epic Universe theme park holiday decorations will look like. See all the details on the holiday news here.

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About Lindsay Brookshier

Lindsay has been recognized as a Disney expert since 2017 and has been featured by outlets including CNBC, SFGate, NerdWallet, and Visit Anaheim. She visits Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Universal Orlando multiple times each year, giving her first hand insight into park operations, seasonal trends, crowd patterns, and touring strategies.

Her experience also extends to Disney Cruise Line, where she has sailed on every class of ship, visited both of Disney’s private islands, and participated in specialty sailings such as Marvel Day at Sea and Very MerryTime cruises. This depth of travel allows her to provide practical, data informed guidance across Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line, Universal theme parks, and related destinations.

As Content Director of Mickey Visit, Lindsay oversees editorial strategy and daily content, leading a team of writers who produce timely news coverage and general planning content. She leads the development and analysis of Mickey Visit’s crowd calendars, applying expert insight into crowd behavior, seasonal trends, and park operations. Lindsay writes touring plans, authors in depth reviews, and offers expert analysis on Disney experiences, while also analyzing the best and worst days to visit. She serves as an expert on Disney discounts, tracking and evaluating ticket offers, hotel promotions, and seasonal deals. She comes from a lifelong Disney family, has been visiting Disneyland since the 1990s, and is even in the middle of planning a Disney Cruise Line wedding.

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