Disney and Universal Trim Access, Even as Return Dates Firm Up

The Magic of Disney Animation, replacing Star Wars Launch Bay at Hollywood Studios, opens September 14 with generous 9am-9pm hours — but Disney has quietly confirmed those hours shrink to 10am-6pm starting September 28 through at least mid-November. Advisors building fall touring plans should steer families toward the first two weeks of access, or set expectations for much longer waits at the small-capacity Once Upon a Studio Theater and Olaf Draws venues afterward. Separately, EPCOT will open later than normal on two specific October dates due to runDisney activity, a scheduling wrinkle worth checking against arrival plans. On the upside, EPCOT's Food & Wine Festival adds four booths (Coastal Eats, Earth Eats, The Alps, India) starting October 2, alongside a new $120-per-person Shiki-Sai dining package that guarantees a reserved Luminous fireworks viewing — a solid upsell for multigenerational groups wanting a sit-down alternative to standing-room crowds.

Skull Island: Reign of Kong at Islands of Adventure has been closed for weeks with no official explanation and no reopening date, following unverified reports that the ride's giant Kong animatronic caught fire during repairs. Until Universal issues a real statement, advisors selling Universal Orlando itineraries should flag the closure proactively rather than let clients discover it on-site. There's better news elsewhere in the park: Jurassic Park River Adventure, closed since January for refurbishment, now has a confirmed reopening date of November 20, 2026. That gives advisors a firm point to plan around for holiday-season bookings — clients traveling before then should still expect the water ride off the touring map, but those arriving Thanksgiving week or later can count on it being back.

Margaritaville at Sea will debut its newest and largest ship, the roughly 100,000-GT Beachcomber, in Miami in January 2027 before relocating it to Galveston that October — making the brand the port's seventh cruise line. The ship will run 4-night Cozumel Express and 7-night Western Caribbean itineraries, giving Texas-based advisors a new casual, budget-friendly option for family and multigenerational groups that doesn't require flying clients to Florida. With over a year of lead time before the Galveston debut, this is an early-booking and group-rate opportunity worth flagging now, particularly for drive-to-port clients who've defaulted to Royal Caribbean or Carnival out of Galveston.