Disney drops $99 summer rooms and afternoon tickets; Monsters Inc. coaster rises at Hollywood Studios; Rock 'n' Roller Coaster gets a Muppets makeover; Villains Land breaks ground.
Park Pulse Daily · Thu, Apr 02, 2026
Thursday, April 2, 2026
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Disney Drops $99 Hotel Rooms and Afternoon Tickets for Summer 2026
Walt Disney World is making an aggressive summer value push — discounted resort rooms and a new afternoon park-entry ticket aimed at families facing rising airfares and gas costs.
Walt Disney World has launched $99-per-night resort hotel rooms for summer 2026, pairing the deal with a new afternoon ticket that lets guests enter any theme park after 2 PM at a significant discount. Theme Park Insider reports the moves are designed to "attract locals and other visitors in a year with increasing airfares and gas prices." Inside the Magic notes the offer is "hard to ignore" — a serious push to fill resort capacity after a packed spring break season. Both deals cover select dates through Labor Day weekend, spanning value and moderate resort tiers.
Theme Park Insider → · TouringPlans →
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Guitar Nearly Ready for Muppets Repaint
Crews at Hollywood Studios have nearly finished prepping the giant Rock 'n' Roller Coaster guitar for a new Muppets-inspired paint job — a visual signal that the attraction's Aerosmith era is drawing to a close.
Monsters, Inc. Roller Coaster Rising in Former Muppet Courtyard
Attractions Magazine documents active construction on the upcoming Monsters, Inc. "doors" suspended roller coaster, which is taking shape in the footprint of the former Muppet Courtyard.
Attractions Magazine →
EPCOT World Showcase Snack Spot Faces Multi-Month Closure
Walt Disney World has filed a construction permit for a popular World Showcase snack spot shuttered since January. The filing signals a multi-month renovation with no near-term reopening date in sight.
Galaxy's Edge Gets Major Overhaul: Experience Removed, Savi's Covered Up
Disney is actively reshaping Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge — an immersive Star Wars experience has been removed from the land indefinitely, and Savi's Workshop is now boarded up as part of a broader expansion.
🎥 This Week in the Parks
Hollywood Studios is transforming. All at once.
Three simultaneous projects are reshaping Disney's Hollywood Studios: the Monsters, Inc. roller coaster is rising from former Muppet Courtyard, the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster guitar is getting its Muppets makeover, and The Magic of Disney Animation is being rebuilt for a summer opening. Across the resort, Villains Land is underway at Magic Kingdom — while Disney's aggressive $99 summer pricing push signals it's betting big on a strong season ahead.
Disney: Monsters Inc. Coaster Disney: Muppets Repaint Disney: $99 Summer Rooms Universal: Mardi Gras Final Weekend
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Magic Kingdom · Construction
Villains Land Construction Underway at Magic Kingdom
Attractions Magazine documents active Imagineers work expanding Magic Kingdom's footprint with the long-awaited Villains Land — a new area dedicated to Disney's most iconic antagonists.
Hollywood Studios · Opening
Magic of Disney Animation Gets New Sets — Summer 2026 Opening
Walt Disney Imagineering has filed a permit for set installation at The Magic of Disney Animation in Hollywood Studios. The reimagined attraction — featuring Olaf Draws! and more — is on track for this summer.
Universal · Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras 2026 Ends Saturday — Final Parade & Concert
Universal Mardi Gras 2026 wraps this Saturday, April 4, with a final nightly parade and The All-American Rejects closing out Music Plaza Stage. Last call for International Flavors of Carnaval booths.
Animal Kingdom · Earth Month
Earth Month Photo Ops: Grandmother Willow, WALL-E & More at Animal Kingdom
All April, Animal Kingdom guests can enjoy Earth Month photo ops with characters from Pocahontas, WALL-E, A Bug's Life, The Lion King, and more — all included with park admission.
Disney World · Policy
Resort-Wide Bag Ban Now in Effect Across Disney World
A new Disney Resort-wide bag ban took effect this April, leaving thousands of guests adjusting vacation plans on short notice to comply with the new policy ahead of their visits.
Central Florida · Other Parks
Florida Theme Park Near Disney Is Giving Away Free Annual Passes
A Central Florida attraction within 50 miles of Disney is running a free annual pass giveaway — a reminder that Orlando's theme park landscape has compelling value well beyond the two big players.
"Walt Disney World is looking to attract locals and other visitors in a year with increasing airfares and gas prices."
Robert Niles — Theme Park Insider
📅 Full Event Calendar
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