Orlando Trims the Clock Even as New Rides Debut

Magic of Disney Animation opens September 14 at Hollywood Studios with Olaf Draws, the Once Upon a Studio Theater and character meet-and-greets, running a generous 9am-9pm at launch. That won't last: Disney confirms hours cut to 10am-6pm starting September 28, eliminating early-entry and evening access to the attraction. That's a roughly 33% reduction in available hours barely two weeks after debut. For advisors, the window to route clients through with manageable waits is the back half of September; anyone traveling from late September onward should plan for longer lines and prioritize the attraction during whatever hours remain, since Disney has given no indication the shortened schedule is temporary.

Four new Food & Wine Festival booths — Coastal Eats, Earth Eats, The Alps and India — open October 2, alongside a new Shiki-Sai fireworks dining package priced at $120 per person, also debuting that day. At the same time, Disney has trimmed park operating hours on two dates in October. For advisors building October EPCOT days, the fireworks package is a straightforward upsell for multigen groups wanting reserved viewing with a meal, but the shortened-hours dates need to be flagged when setting arrival expectations, since guests may show up assuming standard festival-season hours.

Mine-Cart Madness, the Donkey Kong family coaster, and other Epic Universe headliners are producing some of the resort's longest waits, a problem compounded by Florida storm closures that have further squeezed capacity. Reporting indicates paid Express Pass pricing is climbing toward $800 as a result. For advisors quoting 2027 Universal packages, that's a budget-line conversation to have upfront with family and multigen clients rather than a surprise at booking: Express Pass is shifting from a nice-to-have to a near-necessity for guests who want to cover Epic Universe's marquee rides without losing half a touring day to standby lines.

Skull Island: Reign of Kong has been closed for weeks with no reopening date and an unconfirmed report of a fire affecting the ride's animatronics; Universal has not communicated a timeline. Separately, construction photos confirm Jurassic Park River Adventure's refurbishment is still underway, with a reopening now targeted for November 20 — an 11-month closure — and no evidence of the rumored Jurassic World retheme, so guests should expect the same ride returning, not a new one. Advisors booking Islands of Adventure for families through mid-November should drop both attractions from itinerary promises, and treat Kong as off the board indefinitely rather than temporarily.

Margaritaville at Sea will homeport the 3,500-passenger Beachcomber, its largest ship yet, in Galveston starting fall 2027, making it the port's seventh cruise line alongside Disney Cruise Line, Carnival and Princess. The ship will sail 4-night Cozumel Express and 7-night Western Caribbean itineraries. For advisors serving Texas and Gulf-region family and multigen clients, this adds a budget-friendly drive-to option at an already-busy terminal complex, with group-block potential for reunions and multigen parties that want short or standard-length Caribbean sailings without a flight to Florida.