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Walt Disney World has shared details about several of their upcoming animatronics coming to the parks including updates to the animatronics found in Frozen Ever After! https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/new-updates-to-audio-animatronics-figures-at-walt-disney-world/ For more than seven decades, Walt Disney Imagineering has brought beloved stories and characters off the screen and into reality through the revolutionary innovations of Audio-Animatronics figures. From classic attractions to brand-new adventures, these incredible creations are part of the fabric of iconic Disney storytelling that keeps guests coming back year after year. There’s always something new to inspire. As we continue to invest in new and well-loved experiences, there are even more Audio-Animatronics figures updates on the way to Walt Disney World Resort! Zootopia: Better Zoogether! Starting at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, get ready to clap your paws and click your claws when Zootopia: Better Zoogether! opens on November 7 in the iconic Tree of Life Theater. It’s a “4D” show you won’t want to miss, as the residents of Zootopia are gearing up for Zoogether Day, a citywide celebration. On this special day, all kinds of animals join together with performances from many of the diverse biomes that make up the city. In Zootopia: Better Zoogether!, the Tree of Life Theater is the epicenter of Zoogether Day with fast-talking, loud-howling wolf host Heidi Howler presenting a watch party where the audience of mammals big and small will catch all the festivities via livestream. I hope you’re ready to join in the fun, because we’re all invited to join the audience too! Thanks to the special “Carrot Vision” glasses we’ll wear as part of the watch party experience, some of your favorite characters from Zootopia and Zootopia 2 will “jump” off the screen … except for Gazelle’s number one fan and off-duty ZPD officer. That’s right, Benjamin Clawhauser himself will be in the theater with us, in the form of an all-new Audio-Animatronics figure. When we met Clawhauser in Zootopia, he was sporting his ZPD uniform (and sometimes a tasty donut, too). At the Zoogether Day watch party, he’ll be decked out from head to tail with a brand-new look: glow necklaces and his favorite, glittery Gazelle tee shirt. This larger-than-life fan wants nothing more than to be picked as the V.I.Z. (Very Important Zootopian – the lucky mammal who will get special access to the Zoogether Day performers). And when that doesn’t work out, he has to take matters into his own paws. Frozen Ever After at EPCOT In the heart of the Norway pavilion at EPCOT, Frozen fanatics have been sailing through the story of Princess Anna and Queen Elsa on Frozen Ever After since it debuted in 2016. It is full of Audio-Animatronics figures – from Sven and Kristoff, an ice-skating Olaf, Marshmallow and a whole herd of Snowgies, and of course, Anna and Elsa. Many of these figures were groundbreaking in the world of Audio-Animatronics – not just as part of the first Frozen attraction, but also as the first attraction to have all electric Audio-Animatronics figures, and the first to combine electric motors and 3D printing. That’s a lot of firsts! To build the attraction and make it feel like the enchanted Frozen story, it all came down to one wrist. Elsa is known for her magical, ice-forming hand gestures; for her Audio-Animatronics figure to handle the fluid movements just like Elsa does on screen, Imagineers needed enough space to run cables and motors down her arms and hands. They figured out how big Elsa’s wrist needed to be and scaled everything else in the attraction to match. Since then, Walt Disney Imagineering couldn’t “let it go” (sorry, I had to) and has built upon that very technology of all-electric motors, 3D printing, and scaling for every figure they produce – from Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, to Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival at Tokyo DisneySea, and World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland. And, in a full circle moment of innovation, the Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff Audio-Animatronics figures will soon receive new updates after ten years of delighting fans in Frozen Ever After. Taking inspiration from the advancements seen in figures at World of Frozen in Hong Kong Disneyland, the Frozen Ever After figures will face the future of Audio-Animatronics (see what I did there?) Early next year, this investment will bring a more true-to-film look for these beloved characters. Just looking at the photos from Hong Kong Disneyland, I can tell we’re in for a treat here at Walt Disney World! Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets: Opening Summer 2026! At Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, you bet we’ll have rock as we roll across Hollywood on a wild ride with the Electric Mayhem – complete with backstage chaos, high-speed thrills, that signature Muppet humor… and an all-new Muppet Audio-Animatronics figure. Side by side with a dedicated team of penguin audio engineers, Scooter, in his capacity as band manager, will be trying hard to convince the Electric Mayhem to stop laying down tracks so they won’t be late to their own concert. This will be the first time Scooter has ever been imagined as an Audio-Animatronics figure, and I hear he might not be the only Muppet Audio-Animatronics figure joining the attraction… but we’ll have to wait to learn more about that. And if you’d like to paper that psychedelically sweet poster everywhere, you’re in luck – The Muppets have a downloadable wallpaper here for you to add some rock ‘n’ roll to your desktop: Right-click (or control+click) the image above to save to your desktop. Now, I can imagine you’re ready to go pedal to the metal and experience the high-speed hijinks of The Muppets in this latest story. Well, the wait will be over before you know it: Get ready to rock out when Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets speeds into Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Summer 2026! Audio-Animatronics Figures Through the Years All this excitement about Audio-Animatronics figures to come is the next chapter in a long, iconic story that dates all the way back to Walt Disney himself. He discovered an antique mechanical singing bird in New Orleans, and after returning to California, tasked Imagineers to learn how the little bird worked. His curiosity and the talents of his Imagineers laid the groundwork for future Audio-Animatronics figures. The first-generation of Audio-Animatronics figures, known as the A-1, debuted in the 1960s at Disneyland in attractions like Jungle Cruise, Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland, and Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room that featured over 200 singing birds. The technology and artistry of Audio-Animatronics figures didn’t stop there: Next came the world’s first fully animated human figure in Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, which debuted at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. Then, the debut of the A-100 figure in 1989. Fast forward a few decades and hundreds of innovations later, Imagineers introduced one of the most sophisticated figures in 2017 with the Shaman of Songs in Na’vi River Journey in Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. When Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened in 2019 at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, it marked another huge advancement in technology with the introduction of the A-1000 figure, boasting enhancements in range, speed, and overall performance. And the latest figure has a special place in our company’s history… “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” features for the first time an Audio-Animatronics figure of Walt, advancing a technology he pioneered 60 years ago with Abraham Lincoln at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. This special homage opened July 17, 2025 as part of the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration. And – as recently announced at Destination D23 – we will soon be able to see Walt Disney through the magic of Audio-Animatronics technology at “Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress” at Walt Disney World. The desire to captivate, immerse, and entertain is woven into the fabric of Disney’s DNA, and the development of the Audio-Animatronics figure is proof of our goal to always do more and deliver more for our guests. Each new figure builds on the legacy of time, talent, and skill of generations of Imagineers. We continue to invest in this technology because – as someone we all know once said – we keep moving forward. I, for one, can’t wait to see the stories these new Audio-Animatronics figures will tell! Interested in learning even more about our iconic figures and the tech that makes them tick? Take a deeper look in the We Call It Imagineering Audio-Animatronics episode.

Lagoon has announced plans for a new S&S Screaming Swing ride called Nutcracker coming to the park in 2026! https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPpfgp_gVoe/ https://www.ksl.com/article/51388482/lagoon-unveils-plans-for-new-screamin-swing-thrill-ride Thrill seekers will have a new reason to visit Lagoon next season. The amusement park unveiled plans Friday for a high-flying swing ride called the Nutcracker, set to open in 2026. Park officials say it aims to be one of "the most innovative and daring rides" in Lagoon's long history. Engineered by S&S Worldwide, the Screamin' Swing ride will stand over 100 feet tall and catapult swinging riders at speeds up to 68 mph. "As you swing, you won't just see the sky, you'll hang with it," said Julie Freed, Lagoon's director of special events. Riders will fly up nearly 150 feet above the ground, putting them at the same height as the Sky Coaster, according to Freed. Lagoon has partnered with industry leaders to bring this vision to life. S&S Worldwide is responsible for the ride's innovation and fabrication, Big D Construction is building the foundations and support structure and 3dxScenic is crafting the Nutcracker icon, the amusement park said. Seating 1,200 passengers per hour, the ride features g-forces "greater than an astronaut's launch," according to a park press release. "Next year, a 50-foot Nutcracker icon will proudly stand guard, ready to welcome every guest to join the fun. The best part, this icon will be dwarfed by the sheer size of the ride itself," Freed said At its most dynamic swing height of 135 feet, the Nutcracker will come in just short of the Cannibal's tallest loop at 140 feet. Shane Dustman is a frequent Lagoon visitor and pass holder. The ride enthusiast shared his excitement about the working relationship between Lagoon and S&S Worldwide. "They (Lagoon) worked with S&S in the past ... they did the Rocket with S&S, so I knew it was a swing," Dustman said. When comparing the Nutcracker to other swing rides at Lagoon, such as Tidal Wave, Dustman said, "This one is way bigger — about the same size as the Twizzling Twister at Hershey Park in Pennsylvania." Masen Curtis and Mei Gregory are high school students who visit Lagoon frequently. "I'm actually really excited for the new ride. I think it's a new opportunity for people to get more excited about Lagoon, especially since they've been making new rides. For people who like more extreme rides, it's going to be more fun, because I feel like that's what Lagoon is going for," Curtis said. "I go to Lagoon basically every year," said Gregory. "I've been so many times I know it's like the back of my hand." "My favorite ride by far is Wicked. I also really like Samurai. It's a classic. For the new ride, that looks freaking awesome, I am so excited," she said. Celebrating 139 years of family fun this year, the amusement park has been Utah's only amusement park for well over a century. The park features 55 rides, a water park and other features that make it a unique experience for attendees. Lagoon's newest ride is part of the park's ongoing commitment to refreshing the visitor experience and offering more extreme attractions, park officials said. As excitement grows, fans such as Curtis and Gregory are already planning to be among the first to experience the latest thrill. The Nutcracker is the first new ride at Lagoon in three years. The park introduced Primordial, a fantasy-themed roller coaster, in 2023. Lagoon has also announced the retirement of Jet Star II, the park's classic Schwarzkopf coaster at the end of the 2025 season. To give guests a chance to give the ride its final farewell, the park has added two bonus weekends to its operation. https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1209930647827008&id=100064302537105&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=xbEnG2wwmZKNA0dv# ONE LAST RIDE: Jet Star 2’s Final Countdown! Since its thrilling debut in the Summer of 1976, Jet Star 2 has provided a generation of thrills at Lagoon. The 1,900-foot coaster isn’t just a ride; it’s a piece of #Utah history, and one of the park’s most popular attractions for nearly five decades. Lagoon will be retiring Jet Star 2 following the conclusion of the 2025 season. Join us to celebrate the incredible legacy of Jet Star 2 and take one last unforgettable ride. The park will be open TWO BONUS WEEKENDS: October 31st - November 9th, 2025*. Don’t worry- the park is planning a worthy successor! *Park Hours: Weather and other factors permitting.

Tormenta will soon reach 309ft! Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Siebert and Six Flags Over Texas!

So I'm thinking of heading down to Six Flags America either Saturday or Sunday for their closing weekend, leaning more towards Sunday, if anyone else was going and wants to meet up.

Are you sure about that? Seems to me, especially here in STL, most Park improvements/additions seem like an afterthought.

They survey is so odd to me, I know a few other parks got them last year. What i know is most the stuff is already 2-3 if not 4-6 years planned out. Is this just going to be the start of parks getting a bunch of clones again. Say three parks results come back and a launch coaster was the highest vote so will all 3 get a off the shelf pre designed model.

At this point I would not believe anything. Joker Fun House - Open by Summary 2025. Nothing. Screaming Eagle 50th "Oh yeah, that will be done by May 2026" sadly I see nothing happening. That Bat Mobile coming back to the ride line in 2020, nothing. The park can't even fix the lighting on the "new sign" they built by the highway. The first thing ppl see passing by is a broken sign that no longer lights up on one side, they were better off leaving the old one there. If the park can't change light bulbs I don't have much hope...

And just to make sure you're absolutely clear, the express pass you get at the other 3 hotels is unlimited for IOA & US; BUT is not usable at Epic. You have to buy a separate express for Epic which is one time on each ride per day (or if not getting express through your hotel you can buy the same one time express that works at all 3 parks each day) There is no unlimited express for Epic available at this time, although if you use your early entry wisely and utilize end of the day low crowds the one time gets the job done nicely. We have usually stayed at Royal Pacific to get the unlimited express pass but on our recent trip since we know Epic would be our focus we stayed at Aventura and bought a 5 day one time express. It reset each day and at Aventura when we wanted to go to the og parks or Citywalk we just walked next door to Sapphire Falls and caught the boat. If you want to experience a bit of Helios and the view while at Epic just go up to the rooftop bar and grab some food and/or a drink. As far as why it isn't offered it is my understanding that when the other hotels were built Loews insisted on this perk to encourage people to stay there and insure the success of their hotel brand, now that Universal has grown and has more leverage they no longer need to make deals with Loews.

Me too, and moving the rides from that corner of the park into the area closer to Storm Chaser was such a brilliant idea and makes sense now.

Man I am loving what Herschend is doing here!

I 100% hope so and strongly voiced my opinion on that when I had the chance to talk to the higher ups; not that my voice necessarily means anything to them. However, we were told that there will be some kind of celebration, we kicked around some ideas we had, and it was promised to keep ACE in the loop for whatever comes to fruition. Now how elaborate that ends up being? No one knows at this point.

Not to worry, I seriously doubt SFSTL would replace Mr Freeze. Over Texas, on the other hand, has long been rumored to be removing Freeze. Even so, it won't happen for at least 5 years. Right now, Tormenta and the new completely redone Spain section, which includes a new Spanish themed restaurant, is the parks main focus. That plus visual and theming enhancements. For example, the Southern Palace Theater is getting renovated with all new Theater style seating. These are the main things going on at SFOT right now.

I don't think our park needs to replace it's most state of the art roller coaster. A compact raptor would fit in the Boomerang and tidal wave location. Anything can fit in the area around Ninja.

Kentucky Kingdom has announced Flying Fox, a new Vekoma Suspended Family Coaster for 2026! https://www.kentuckykingdom.com/media-room/new-family-roller-coaster-flying-fox/ Kentucky Kingdom is taking family fun to new heights with the debut of its first new roller coaster since 2019, adding to the continued investment in the park. Today, the park officially announced Flying Fox, an all-new family-friendly coaster opening for the 2026 season. This custom coaster will be the park’s 6th rollercoaster, the most in Kentucky. Join the daring adventures of local legend and crop-dusting pilot, Jeb Fox, as Flying Fox sends riders soaring over a vibrant Kentucky farmland setting. Every detail of the attraction has been carefully designed by Herschend’s in-house creative team, known for bringing stories to life in ways that feel both authentic and whimsical. From the red barn-inspired queue to hand painted murals and playful audio featuring Jeb himself, the theming celebrates Kentucky’s agricultural heritage while adding a lighthearted twist aimed for families to enjoy. “At Kentucky Kingdom, our mission is to create memories worth repeating, and the addition of Flying Fox is the next exciting chapter in that journey,” said Sarah Worrell, General Manager of Kentucky Kingdom. “With the debut of Discovery Meadow in 2025, we set a new standard for immersive, family- friendly experiences, and Flying Fox builds on that momentum. This new coaster represents not only our continued investment in the park, but also our commitment to transforming Kentucky Kingdom into a place where families can return year after year and always find something new to discover.”

Helios really feels like you're just paying for location. Walked in to check it out on our day at Epic and was shocked at how small the lobby area is. The only place for food that isn't a sit down fancy restaurant is a Starbucks with some grab n go items as opposed to say Dockside or even Stella and Terra which have more traditional food courts. Very underwhelmed.

^That is correct. It is priced above the other upper-tier properties that do include Express (Portofino and Hard Rock) but it doesn’t include Express in its offerings.

Question for the group... is it true that staying at Helios does NOT come with complementary Express Pass like the other Signature level hotels? That seems crazy. Am I missing something? Helios is $300 more expensive per night than the other Signature hotels on the week I'm looking at, but it comes with fewer perks?

Tough to say with Superman considering its size and it's only 1 year younger than Jokers Jinx. Agreed that it would be a great add for Michigan's Adventure if that were to happen. Not sure if that land behind the lake is buildable but if it is then they have more than enough room. If they don't move it, the question becomes where do the new trains go? SFDL also just got new trains. If the state would pull it's head out of its ass with the T-Bar situation, I would like to see them addressed to 1623 Main St, Agawam MA 01001. I know LIM launchers are kind of being phased out slowly but I would love to see Jokers Jinx live on somewhere. My home park of SFNE could use it as we've always needed a launcher (and when Quantum Accelerator finally opens technically we'll have one but just a family coaster). It still runs great, but with LIMs becoming less common they may just use it for parts for the FOFs and Mr Freezes. The track on the SLC is beat to shit. The new trains will end up somewhere I'm sure, there must be an SLC somewhere in the chain that needs them. But I don't see them relocating the ride itself. Sadly I agree the woodies are done. Roar is whatever, but very sad about Wild One. Batwing is another sad one to lose with the Flying Dutchmans officially becoming extinct, but that death has already happened. Also while it has some historical significance, good riddance to Firebird. Ragin Cajun may move (again). Someone may be able to use a spinning mouse. Didn't seem to have anything particularly wrong with it so I'm sure it would be no issue moving if needed. Same with the kiddie coaster. The Intamin 2nd Gen drop tower will be gone I'm sure, maybe some parts will get sent to Gurnee. Starflyer and Endeavor may find a new home, they're pretty new. Otherwise not sure what else would be relocated for flats. The NebulaZ is new, I'm sure someone will see that pop up in April. Everything else is pretty generic and also rather aged flat-wise.

They better give Screamin' a whole bunch of Love for its 50th. Paint Job, Retrack, Lights ... the works.

Thanks for sharing. B&M Dive Coasters have always been middle-of-the-road for me, but this is the first one that is really exciting to follow. 300-foot coasters aren't built too often. I was planning for 2026 to be my "off" year for any major travel, but I may have to squeeze in a long weekend in Texas to ride this thing. Also, really hoping B&M can get their crap together and this ride will run smoothly. My tolerance is pretty high for shaky rides, so I was hoping all the complaining about recent B&Ms was exaggerated. After riding Wrath of Rakshasa this year and then Yukon Striker a couple days later... it is VERY obvious something has changed. Fingers crossed!

Nice report. Thank you for sharing. I have only visited this park twice, in 2016 and 2019. Neither visit was particularly memorable, but I did manage to ride all the coasters. Ever since they announced this park's closure I have been thinking about which coasters (if any) would be relocated. I thought I remember hearing a rumbling that Superman might make its way over to Michigan's Adventure, which would be very cool for them, but that's about all I could see get relocated in addition to some random flats. I can't imagine that rides like Joker's Jinx, Firebird, or the SLC have much life in them left to warrant a relocation. I would be shocked if either of the woodies stick around.

So, we never made it out to FF this year. We were sorta thinking about going last Sat but it got rained out. I'm usually happy to spend an evening soaking up the atmosphere and having a quick run through of the houses, even though I know they haven't been on par with a lot of parks since the virus that shall not be named. However, having gotten back from Universal on the 5th I admit I wasn't super motivated to face it after the quality of Epic and HHN, lol. I think I will just call it for this year and spend the winter hoping they get the chariots finished for the carousel (that should be a given), they finally get the parts and open the funhouse portion of the queue for Joker (less sure about this one because that reason sounded a little sus from the start), next year's entertainment really is enhanced especially for FF (keeping fingers crossed that the manager that told me that was NOT just blowing smoke up my rear), and that there will be an announcement for a super new something in time for CoasterCon in June 2027 (the least likely of the bunch but an old gal can hope)

3 more operating days left, has anyone made their way down for their last trips? I stopped in this evening for a few hours. I was surprised to see that other than Batwing (which we knew about), all major rides were operating. A few smaller flats closed, and I'd say food was operating somewhere around 30-50%. Decent crowd but the lines weren't bad and I had season Flashpass to get by some of the slower lines. Every coaster was running 1 train except Skywinder which was running 2 for some reason. Merch stores were mobbed as all items are now 85% off (we contributed quite a bit ourselves). I actually started the afternoon with Rajin Cajun which has always been an elusive credit for me. In my 3 previous visits, Two Face was closed the first time and this was closed the two most recent trips. I wish I sat on the right instead of the left as it felt that I was actually counter acting the spinning and got a mundane ride, but I saw some other folks spin like crazy. The coaster I'm most torn up about with this closure is Wild One. It first opened in MA 108 years ago and while I know almost none of the original coaster survived the relocation, it's still a really cool piece of history and it's also just a really fun coaster. Good airtime, fast turns, and reasonably smooth. Rode once in front and once in back, both were very fun. Big crowd at this ride all afternoon. Voodoo Drop was fun. But I rode Demon Drop yesterday so also kind of overshadowed in the past 24 hours for me. Jokers Jinx running great as always. The 2nd half of this kicks so much ass without having a midcourse. Intense whippy turns and good positives. Wish I got a second ride on it but when I only had time for one more I decided on Wild One instead. Superman was a bit of a painful wait, with 1 train ops and rather slow dispatches a 4 train wait (thanks to Flashpass) was 30 minutes and I'm guessing the regular line had to be an hour. I felt bad for the folks in the front row like, almost every other train got filled with exit pass people. Anyway, I rode in row 2 and it was my first ride with the new trains. They shuffled quite a bit and seemed to run noticably slower in the 2nd half, but still a fun ride. I never noticed how well you can see DC from the top. Wonder Woman ran a very long, almost dizzying cycle. It spins very fast during the second half of the ride. Rode Firebird for my second time ever. My first ride in 2020 was awful in the front row, I think I had my worst coaster headache ever after that ride. I rode in back this time. The shuffling is still noticable and definitely a couple jarring transitions but not nearly as bad as last time I route. But this thing is definitely a turd. Sorry B&M I know it's your first but it's time for this thing to be put out of its misery. Rode Roar in back, it's definitely borderline violent but I think the layout is actually pretty fun with a few air pops and some intense laterals. It's an overhated ride IMO. Lastly, Skywinder in back with the new trains still shuffled a lot but I actually enjoyed my ride on it. Amazing how different an SLC is when you're not getting your head pounded in. Definitely a sad vibe in the park. It's certainly a neglected park and has always been a dump, but it has always had this weird gritty charm to it for me and I always enjoyed half the coaster lineup. It's too bad it never got properly taken care of. Glad to have gotten there once more before it closes forever next weekend.

Well, "Stranger Things" is going to be running it's final - 5th - Season in late November (on U.S. Thanksgiving?) with a few episodes. Then a few more episodes on Christmas Day, and THEN the final episode (which apparently is so long - two hours plus - they're going to also run it in movies theaters, too. Looking forward to it all.

Tormenta making progress! Brake run nearly completed!