Family travelers planning an upcoming trip to Walt Disney World Orlando will be thrilled to hear the park has some major ride updates and new attractions in the works for 2026.
Next year, the Muppets take over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios, reimagining the ride with a new storyline in which Scooter and the Electric Mayhem race riders through Hollywood to reach the concert on time. Even the iconic electric guitar will receive a redesign, complete with psychedelic wrap. Within, guests waiting in line will find the Electric Mayhem making tracks with penguin audio engineers. An opening date is yet to be released.
Hollywood Studios will also see a new offering, The Magic of Disney Animation, in which interactive drawing lessons, a Disney Junior show and character meet-and-greets will make for a unique experience. This will replace Star Wars: Launch Bay, featuring galleries, a screening theater and more.
Starting Nov. 7, Animal Kingdom welcomes a new 4-D show, Zootopia: Better Together, shown at the Tree of Life. Join Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde and other characters to experience the biomes of Zootopia, with a finale from Gazelle.
Updates and upgrades include Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. Starting May 22 at Walt Disney World Resort, guests can mark their own course on the ship, with new destinations like Coruscant, Endor’s Death Star wreckage and Bespin. There will also be added interactions with Grogu and a new storyline featuring The Mandalorian.
In Magic Kingdom, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens in 2026 after major refurbishments including new story elements and refreshed effects and tracks. New experiences involve a trek through Rainbow Caverns. And Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at Magic Kingdom is also slated to reopen next year, complete with updates and new features like a robot named Buddy, handheld blasters and redesigned ride vehicles.
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