Disney Travel 12 months in Evaluation: Largest News From 2025

2025 was a transitional yr for Disney parks and
resorts, outlined by a transparent concentrate on what comes subsequent. Meanwhile, Disney Cruise
Line continued its speedy enlargement with the arrival of the Disney Destiny,
showcasing DCL’s most immersive method to onboard storytelling so far. On
land, Disneyland marked its seventieth anniversary with a resort-wide celebration. At
Walt Disney World, the closure of a number of fan-favorite points of interest to make manner
for large-scale building was tempered by a handful of encouraging openings
and reimaginings. Here’s a glance again on the key Disney journey updates that
outlined 2025.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line continued its interval of speedy enlargement
with the launch of one other new ship, the Disney Destiny. Following the 2024 and
2022 debuts of sister ships, the Disney Treasure and Disney Wish, respectively,
the Destiny sailed its maiden voyage in November 2025. The
heroes-and-villains-themed ship highlights Disney, Pixar, and Marvel
characters, giving Marvel a better prominence than on some other vessel within the
fleet.

A Vibranium-inspired chandelier hangs above a statue of
T’Challa within the Black Panther–impressed Grand Hall, which takes design cues from
Wakanda. The house transforms all through the day with coloured lighting and
sound results that set the stage and temper for varied visiting heroes and
villains from Spider-Man and Loki toDr. Facilier. 

Nearby, the brand new lounge, The Sanctum, serves mystical
cocktails amid mysterious and magical artifacts impressed by Doctor Strange’s
sanctum, together with nods to the Eye of Agamotto and his 177A Bleecker Street
tackle.

The Destiny additionally replicates among the strongest choices
from its sister ships, together with Haunted Mansion Parlor. Also on the Disney
Treasure, the Parlor is likely one of the most immersive areas Walt Disney
Imagineering has ever created. 

Several acquainted eating places return as properly, together with
rotational eating restaurant 1923, the fan-favorite Mickey & Friends
Festival of Foods, and the upscale grownup eating venues Palo Steakhouse and
Enchanté.

The ship additionally ranges up its unique themed places.
Pirates of the Caribbean–impressed Cask and Cannon pours an elevated lineup of
rums, cocktails, and shareable plates in an immersive watering gap filled with
swashbuckling homages to points of interest and movies. Adult-exclusive De Vil’s Piano
Lounge, one other house authentic to the Destiny, hosts one of many ship’s greatest
interactive character experiences. 

A De Vil’s, the Destiny’s charismatic storytellers, who lead
lots of the ship’s most immersive experiences, information piano bar company via
an “impromptu” songwriting session — a frantic effort to appease hot-headed
Cruella de Vil.

Trading conventional meet-and-greets for “meet and
play,” these memorable character moments bear a placing resemblance to
the now-shuttered Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser—and set Destiny’s
immersive leisure other than the remainder of the fleet. 

In the Grand Hall, Loki recruits prepared mischief-makers to
assistspy on the Avengers. Elsewhere, Dr. Facilier
invitations a small group of company into his inconspicuous parlor for
sleight-of-hand magic so secretive that cameras are usually not allowed. 

Entertainment additionally anchors Destiny in additional conventional
codecs. Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King pairs a theatrical dinner present
with African-inspired dishes in a setting paying homage to Disney’s Animal
Kingdom Lodge, and the Walt Disney Theatre hosts a Broadway-style authentic
manufacturing of Disney Hercules.

Walt Disney World

Across Walt Disney World, 2025 introduced a mixture of
long-anticipated openings, new leisure, and important closures,
ushering within the subsequent section of transformation.

EPCOT

GEO-82 Opens 

A brand new adult-exclusive lounge, GEO-82, opened inside Spaceship
Earth in June. Geometric decor in a spectrum of metallic shades pays homage to
the enduring attraction and the park itself. Inventive cocktails — do not miss the
Brown Butter Old Fashioned — and shareable small plates are dear, however the
high quality of the meals and drinks, the fireworks views, and the novelty of
slipping away from the throngs to this elevated, unique escape make GEO-82 a
must-visit spot for a grown-up park break. 

Reimagined Test Track Opens at EPCOT

A brand new model of Test Track debuted in July, and although the
reimagined journey includes a new storyline and surroundings, EPCOT purists shall be
pleasantly stunned to seek out that what’s new feels outdated. The expertise
and units have been upgraded, however all the pieces from the music and narration to the
dark-ride scenes channels the classic vibes of basic EPCOT. 

Magic Kingdom

Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away Debuts

Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away debuted at Magic
Kingdom on July 20. The nighttime parade strikes a recent stability of recent and
nostalgic, that includes illuminated floats and characters from Moana, Peter
Pan, Encanto, Frozen, and extra. The authentic rating by Jedha and Tim Heintz
blends an authentic theme tune with basic melodies and is offered to stream
on all main platforms. 

New Disney Vacation Club Member Lounge Opens

A brand new Disney Vacation Club member lounge, McKim’s Mile House
— A Member Lounge, opened March 18 in Frontierland. Inspired by boarding homes
throughout the Gold Rush days of the American West, the lounge’s title honors Disney
Legend Sam McKim, a former Western movie star turned Imagineer, whose paintings
impressed components of Frontierland. The house consists of seating, complimentary comfortable
drinks, Wi-Fi, and a devoted Disney Vacation Club Member Services workforce.

The Beak and Barrel Opens in Adventureland

A brand new Pirates of the Caribbean-themed watering gap, The Beak
and Barrel, opened on August 29, and it completely does justice to the enduring
attraction. The multi-room tavern appears like a buccaneering mashup of Oga’s
Cantina, Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar, and Haunted Mansion Parlor. The bar
anchors the expertise with present moments that includesRummy, the animatronic
first mate bird and full of life Cast Member participation. But don’t fear when you
don’t get a seat with a view of the bar — lots of themost interesting tables are positioned elsewhere,
surrounded by hidden particulars and results that convey surprising corners of the
house to life.

The menu focuses on only a few shareable bites and playful
drinks, together with plantain chips and flatbreads with house-made dips, corn
griddle muffins crammed with melted cheese and topped with chipotle-braised
hen or roasted greens, and an octopus dish for extra adventurous eaters.
Cocktails lean into rum, tequila, mezcal, and gin, with non-alcoholic choices,
beer, and wine rounding out the choices. Reservations are a should, and visits
are capped at 45 minutes and two drinks per individual. 

Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty
Belle Close Permanently

On July 7, company bid their remaining farewells to an iconic half
of the Magic Kingdom. Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty
Belle closed completely, making manner for the development of the Cars-themed
enlargement coming to Frontierland. 

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After Debuted

Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After debuted May 27, 2025, inside
Sunset Showcase on Sunset Boulevard. The dwell present stars three iconic Disney
villains who seem onstage — Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent,
plus dozens of others who seem by way of Magic Mirror. The present presents a playful
mixture of music, humor, and viewers participation that is appropriate for all ages.

The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure Debuted as a
Reimagined Show

The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure additionally debuted on May 27,
2025, in Animation Courtyard. The reimagined theatrical manufacturing retells
Ariel’s story via bodily units, dwell performers, puppetry, digital
components, and a soundtrack that includes fan favorites akin to “Part of Your
World,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” and “Kiss the Girl.”

Muppets Courtyard Closed 

Muppets followers stated their unhappy goodbyes to Muppets Courtyard and
its centerpiece attraction, Muppet*Vision 3D, which closed in June 2025 to make
manner for the development of a brand new Monsters, Inc.-themed land. The Muppets will not
be leaving the park fully — in summer time 2026, they will take the reins from
Aerosmith when Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets opens. 

Star Wars: Launch Bay, Animation Courtyard, and Disney
Jr. Play and Dance! Closed 

Significant adjustments are additionally afoot throughout the park at
Animation Courtyard, which closed September 25, together with Star Wars: Launch
Bay and Disney Jr. Play and Dance! to make manner for a reimagined Walt
Disney Studios space and two new experiences, The Magic of Disney Animation
and Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!, each opening in summer time
2026. Star Wars followers can nonetheless meet Darth Vader — he’s moved to a brand new location
adjoining to Star Tours and Tatooine Traders.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

Zootopia: Better Zoogether! Debuted 

Zootopia: Better Zoogether! opened November 7 on the Tree of
Life Theater on Discovery Island at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, changing It’s
Tough to Be a Bug! with a brand new 4D present set on this planet of Zootopia
and Zootopia 2. The roughly 10-minute manufacturing runs constantly
all through the day and is framed as a livestream of Zoogether Day celebrations
throughout Zootopia’s biomes. The present combines screen-based storytelling,
in-theater results, and a full-scale Audio-Animatronics determine of Clawhauser,
with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde anchoring the motion because the festivities unfold.

DinoLand, U.S.A. Closures Continue

To make manner for the brand new Tropical Americas land coming to
Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2027, DinoLand, U.S.A. started its first section of
everlasting closures in January 2025 with the closure of TriceraTop Spin, Chester
& Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, and Fossil Fun Games. Closures of the
Boneyard, Dino Bite Snacks, and Trilo-Bites adopted within the fall. Dinosaur and
Restaurantosaurus will stay open via 2025 and can shut completely on
February 2, 2026.

Walt Disney World Resorts

New Lobby Bar Opens at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
& Spa

As a part of the continued refurbishment of the
Victorian-inspired foyer of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, a brand new
foyer bar, The Perch, opened on November 10. The Victorian birdcage-inspired
bar combines elegant woodwork, herringbone tile, and custom-stained-glass
panels adorned with chook motifs, which additionally adorn close by murals and wallpaper.
The menu focuses on champagne, wine, beer, two signature cocktails, and a
non-alcoholic Blueberry and Basil Iced Tea.

Water Park Perk Added for Disney Resort Guests

Guests staying at Disney Resort motels acquired a brand new perk in
2025 — complimentary admission to a Walt Disney World water park (whichever is
open) on their check-in day. It’s maybe no coincidence that summer time 2025 was
additionally the primary time in years that each Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon have been
briefly open on the identical time.

Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle at Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, California. (Photo Credit: Northstar Travel Group/Laurie Baratti)

Disneyland Resort

Disneyland Resort Kicks Off seventieth Anniversary
Celebration

The Disneyland Resort’s seventieth Anniversary Celebration kicked
off May 16, 2025, and runs via August 9, 2026, spanning Disneyland Park,
Disney California Adventure, and the Downtown Disney District. While July 17,
2025, marked the park’s precise seventieth birthday, the celebration leans away from
heavy retrospection towards a playful, forward-looking “Celebrate
Happy” theme inspired by Walt Disney’s opening-day dedication, “To
all who come to this joyful place… welcome.” Bold decor in royal blue,
magenta, purple, and gold, together with new character costumes, meals, and
merchandise, is united by a brand new celebration anthem, “Celebrate Happy”
by the Jonas Brothers, woven all through the resort’s leisure choices.

Walt Disney – A Magical Life Debuts

On July 17, Disneyland unveiled a brand new everlasting attraction, Walt
Disney – A Magical Life, on the Main Street Opera House. The 17-minute
expertise options an up to date model of the movie “One Man’s Dream,”
launched and narrated partly by Disney CEO Bob Iger, and culminates with the
first-ever Audio-Animatronics determine of Walt Disney, recreated via
intensive analysis and collaboration with the Walt Disney Archives and the Walt
Disney Family Museum. 

New ‘it’s a small world’ Finale and Character Updates
Debut

A newly revealed remaining verse of “it’s a small world,” written
by Richard M. Sherman as his final Disney challenge, has been added to the finale
of the Fantasyland attraction. Continuing the continued addition of IP characters
to the enduring journey, Miguel and Dante from Coco have been added to the Mexico
scene.  

Short Film Honors the Sherman Brothers

Inside the Main Street Cinema, So Much That We Share: A
Tribute to the Sherman Brothers debuted July 17. The quick movie honors
Richard and Robert Sherman and options the newly revealed remaining verse of
“it’s a small world.”

World of Color – Happiness! Debuted

Disney California Adventure launched World of Color –
Happiness!, a brand new model of the park’s signature nighttime spectacular
hosted by Joy and the feelings from Inside Out. Retaining the acquainted
World of Color format of fountains, projections, music, and results, the present
explores how a full spectrum of feelings shapes happiness, with scenes from
Disney and Pixar movies introduced via the lens of the Inside Out characters.
Musical highlights embrace a brand new association of“Rainbow Connection” by
Boyz II Men, an authentic tune by FITZ, and aMuppets-led pre-show that units a playful tone
earlier than the principle occasion.

Paint the Night Returned to Disneyland Park

Back for the primary time since 2018, Paint the Nightreturned to Disneyland
Park
as a part of the seventieth anniversary celebration. The nighttime parade as soon as once more
lit up Main Street with greater than 1,000,000 LED lights, that includes floats
impressed by Toy Story, The Little Mermaid, Cars, Monsters,
Inc., and extra, together with refined seventieth anniversary updates and a finale set
to the “Celebrate Happy” theme. The parade is at the moment on pause for
the vacation season however will return on January 30, 2026.

Wondrous Journeys Returned

Created for the Disney100 celebration, Wondrous Journeys
returned to Disneyland Park with its shifting tribute to Walt Disney Animation
Studios. The nighttime spectacular options projections, lighting results, and
fireworks on choose nights, with viewing places all through the park,
together with alternate views in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the place the present
turns into Fire of the Rising Moons. Also, at the moment paused for the
holidays, Wondrous Journeys returns once more on January 8, 2026.

Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration! Returned
for a Limited Time

After debuting throughout Pixar Fest in 2024, Better Together:
A Pixar Pals Celebration! returned to Disney California Adventure in May as
a part of the anniversary lineup. The daytime parade featured greater than two dozen
Pixar characters — essentially the most ever featured in a single parade — in a high-energy
celebration of friendship, with floats themed to movies together with Turning Red,
Soul, Inside Out, Up, and Toy Story. The parade’s
run led to August and gained’t return in 2026. 

Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! Debuted

Disney California Adventure launched a brand new dwell
leisure providing, Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!, now on
stage within the Disney Theater, geared towards youthful company. Inspired by the
long-running Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse collection and its upcoming
reboot, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+, the interactive present options authentic
music, viewers participation, and appearances by Mickey and pals, withGoofy unsurprisingly
drawing the most giggles. 

Short-Form Entertainment Rounds Out the seventieth
Celebration

The seventieth anniversary additionally launched a number of short-form
leisure choices that serve to enhance a park day reasonably than
anchoring it. Highlights embrace the Celebrate Happy Cavalcade, a short
daytime procession via Disneyland Park led by therare appearance of
Duffy the Disney Bear and the Disneyland debut of ShellieMay, joined by basic
characters in anniversary costumes and set to the “Celebrate Happy” theme tune.
At evening, Tapestry of Happiness transforms the façade of “it’s a small
world” right into a projection-filled montage impressed by the artwork of Mary Blair,
mixing imagery from basic points of interest with newer additions to the park.
Over at Disney California Adventure, Celebrate Happy: A Little Bit of Magic
Every Night makes use of projection results and music to convey Carthay Circle to
life after darkish, providing a low-key visible second that is straightforward to catch if
you are close by.

Downtown Disney District Updates Continue

The transformation of the Downtown Disney District continued
in 2025 with a number of new openings, together with Lululemon, Parkside Market, Disney
Wonderful World of Sweets, Disney Storyland Boutique, and Nectar Life, and plenty of
extra on the horizon in 2026. 

High Key Club Opens on the Disneyland Hotel

The Disneyland Hotel debuted a brand new concierge lounge, the High
Key Club, on July 10, 2025. The house celebrates — visually and thru a
{custom} soundtrack — the music and sounds of Disneyland across the time of its
1955 opening, and attracts design inspiration from the interval’s mid-century trendy
aesthetic. Located within the Adventure Tower, the brand new lounge is sort of twice the
measurement of the earlier club-level house and presents a devoted fireworks-viewing
spot for concierge-level company.

A Frozen Signature Suite on the Disneyland Hotel. (Photo Credit: Disneyland Paris)

International Parks and Global Events

At Tokyo Disney Resort, 2025 introduced a collection of limited-time
choices tied to particular occasions and milestones. In April, Star Tours: The
Adventures Continue at Tokyo Disneyland launched new characters and a brand new
vacation spot simply days earlier than the beginning of Star Wars Celebration, held this yr
in Tokyo. Tokyo DisneySea launched Duffy and Friends twentieth: Colorful
Happiness, a yearlong anniversary celebration that started in April 2025 and
runs via March 2026, that includes themed decor, merchandise, and particular experiences.
In January, Tokyo Disneyland additionally launched “it’s a small world”
with Groot, a Marvel-themed overlay that ran via June 30, reimagining
the basic attraction with the enduring Marvel characters interpreted in its
signature model.

At Disneyland Paris, 2025 updates mirrored the continued
transformation of Walt Disney Studios Park into Disney Adventure World. As half
of that shift, the previous Studio 1 house reopened as World Premiere, a
redesigned arrival space that replaces the park’s authentic behind-the-scenes
framing with a stylized Hollywood boulevard. After darkish, Disneyland Paris
debuted Disney Tales of Magic, a brand new nighttime spectacular that expanded
projections onto Main Street, U.S.A., alongside fireworks, fountains, lighting
results, and drones. Beyond the parks, Disney Davy Crockett Ranch started
introducing newly reimagined bungalows.

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort kicked off a yearlong twentieth
anniversary celebration on June 28, 2025 with a lineup of recent leisure
together with a brand new fort stage present, Disney Friends Live: Party on the Castle!,
that includes a brand new twentieth anniversary anthem, “The Most Magical Party of All”; the
park’s largest parade so far with Friendtastic!; and an up to date model
of the nighttime spectacular Momentous, expanded with extra scenes,
projections, and drone components. The choices anchor a broader anniversary rollout
that additionally consists of themed meals, merchandise, character appearances, and lodge
programming throughout the resort.

Destination D23 returned to Walt Disney World Aug. 29–31,
2025. The expanded occasion greater than doubled in measurement and moved to a brand new location
— Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort — and included displays, sneak peeks,
and interactive experiences.

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