DISNEY NEWS ROUNDUP: Another New Ticket Option; New EPCOT Restaurant Menu & Opening Date; Full Food & Wine Concert Lineup; New BoardWalk Lounge & Entertainment & More
Summer is in full swing, and July 4 is right around the corner. Disney has announced special offerings for the 250th celebration, and there have been some changes to operational hours during this time. Disney also released details on a new ticket option and revealed the full concert lineup for the Food & Wine Festival. Speaking of food, menus and opening dates have been confirmed for a new EPCOT food location, and a new lounge and live entertainment are coming to the BoardWalk. Check out the new Treehouse Villas and more below in this week’s news roundup.
1 – Disney World Introduces New Summer & Fall Ticket Option
Disney World just released details on a new ticket option that may make sense for some guests. While Disney World offers several special ticket options on a rotating basis depending on the season, this is one we haven’t seen before.
2 – Menu & Opening Date for New Epcot Eatery Revealed
EPCOT is getting a new food option, and it’s a great addition to the lineup. La Poutinerie, appropriately located next to the Canada pavilion in World Showcase, will serve up Canada’s greatest comfort food and culinary export: poutine. For those of you who may not be familiar, poutine is a dish consisting of a base of French fries, along with cheese curds, gravy, and often a protein.
3 – Disney Announces New Lounge & Live Entertainment Coming to BoardWalk Entertainment District
Get out your dancing shoes, a new lounge with live entertainment is coming to the BoardWalk at Walt Disney World. Plus, there is a tease of a new dining location coming.
4 – Disney Reveals Full Concert Lineup for 2026 Food & Wine Festival Eat to the Beat
Get out your planners because Disney has announced the lineup for the 2026 Eat to the Beat Concert Series. Learn more below!
5 – Limited Time Treats & Popcorn Bucket Unveiled for America 250 Celebration
The celebration of the United States’ 250th birthday is gearing up, and Disney just unveiled a bunch of special food and drink items for the party. There’s also a new popcorn bucket coming that is absolutely perfect.
6 – 9 Limited-Time Summer Snack & Sips Under $10 Available at Walt Disney World
This summer, Disney World is offering some exclusive, limited-time snacks and drinks to celebrate Cool Kid Summer, and 9 of them are available for under $10! We’ll be trying them all and going back for seconds.
7 – Disney World Unveils Beautiful Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs
The coolest accommodations on Disney World property are getting a makeover, and most guests have no idea they even exist. The Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs date way back to 1975 when they were constructed as the first residences in a new town that was ultimately never completed. Since then, they have seen several phases of life, including housing for cast members participating in the college program, which eventually became part of the Saratoga Springs resort. They are undergoing a major renovation, and Disney has just unveiled the newly reimagined villas, and they are stunning.
8 – Disney Confirms Grand Floridian Café Closure Date
Grand Floridian Café, at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, will close on July 20, 2026, for refurbishment. The restaurant is expected to reopen in October of 2026. During that period, the brunch normally offered at Grand Floridian Café will be offered at Citricos, also at the Grand Floridian Resort.
9 – Kids Eat Free at Jaleo in Disney Springs
Jaleo at Disney Springs is one of our all-time favorite places to splurge on a delicious meal. This summer, June 16 through September 3, 2026, kids eat free Monday through Thursday.
10 – Disney Extends Park Hours for Week of July 4
You can tell when Disney World is going to be packed when they start extended park hours. If you’re planning a visit the week of July 4, be ready for big crowds. Disney World has extended operating hours at all four parks, with Magic Kingdom now open as late as midnight on the 4th.
11 – Baby Giraffe Debuts on Kilimanjaro Safari Savannah
Ivy, a baby Masai giraffe, and her mother are now on the savannah at Animal Kingdom’s Kilimanjaro Safaris. Ivy was born in April of this year.
What’s New and Happening Now at Walt Disney World Resort
May 26-September 8 – Cool Kid Summer
Click here for full details on all the 2026 Cool Kid Summer special offerings and activities.
Click here for Cool Kid Summer sales offerings.
Now Open – Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Staring the Muppets
Click here to learn more about the updates on Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets.
Now Open – Soarin’ Across America
Click here to learn more about Soarin’ Across America.
Click here for a behind the scenes look at the making of Soarin’ Across America.
Now Open – Zootopia: Better Together – Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Click here to learn more about the story of Zootopia: Better Together and learn the opening date.
Now Open – Beak & Barrel Tavern, Adventureland, Magic Kingdom
Click here to step inside the upcoming Beak & Barrel coming to Magic Kingdom.
Click here for a look at the menus at the Beak and Barrel.
Now Running – Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away
Click here to learn more at Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away at Magic Kingdom.
Coming to Walt Disney World
Click here to learn more about The Magic of Disney Animation coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Click here for full 2026 Eat to the Beat concert lineup.
New & Coming Soon to Disney Cruise Line
Disney Destiny
Click here to view our Day 1 Instagram Story of our Disney Destiny Preview Cruise.
Click here to view our Day 2 Instagram Story of our Disney Destiny Preview Cruise.
Click here to view our Day 3 Instagram Story of our Disney Destiny Preview Cruise.
Click here to learn about the Disney Destiny’s Christening Ceremony.
Click here for “Family Dining on the Disney Destiny – What You Need to Know”
Click here for 10 Character Encounters on the Disney Destiny You Don’t Want to Miss!
Itineraries in 2025-2026
Click here for details on Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 itineraries; now booking!
Click here to learn more about the 2026 summer itineraries with Disney Cruise Line.
Click here to learn more about the fall 2026 and spring 2027 itineraries for Disney Cruise Line.
Disney Adventure, Sailing from Singapore
Click here for the grand reveal of the Disney Adventure, sailing in 2026!
Click here for details about the Disney Adventure, sailing from Singapore in 2026.
For a no obligation, FREE Quote on a Disney vacation package, please contact our travel partner Magical Vacation Planner at 407-442-0227 (407-442-0215 for Spanish). You can also request a FREE quote online by Clicking HERE.