Disney World has had a busy week!

They dropped tons of news, updates, and inside looks at new projects headed to Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and MORE! We’re doing a full news wrap-up right here for the three biggest announcements from this week. Let’s dive into the biggest news right here!

If we’re being honest, we’ve been covering Disney news for 15 years, and this week still threw us for a loop! Ahead of D23, we knew that news was coming, but we didn’t anticipate that it would be before the Disney fan event. No matter when it comes, though, we will happily take it and enjoy it all! Let’s start off over in Hollywood Studios.

The Muppets Coaster Updates

We finally have new updates on Disney’s upcoming Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster retheme! Disney announced that the Muppets would be taking over the famous coaster in November 2024, and they really haven’t shared much since then… until now!

Disney did previously confirm that the coaster will open in 2026, but now we know the famous cherry red guitar will be getting a psychedelic makeover, and the piano below it will feature a new golden key as a nod to Dr. Teeth himself. They confirmed the storyline of the new ride starts with the Electric Mayhem, who are headlining their biggest concert ever, but no one can find the band. They also confirmed G-Force Records will be looking a little different because the Muppets have officially taken over, with some help from Scooter’s uncle, real estate tycoon and owner of the Muppet Theatre, J.P. Grosse.

On the ride, we will be given VIP passes (we love that idea!), which means we can come inside the recording studio, where we will discover the Electric Mayhem recording with the penguins acting as their audio engineers. Scooter is trying to convince the band to stop their jam session and is asking YOU to help the band get to the concert venue in time. Disney has confirmed that Scooter and the penguins will be animatronics!

We have been pretty nervous about this retheme, but this concept art has made us super excited for the attraction to open in 2026.

Learn MORE About The New Muppets Coaster Here

Opening Date for Zootopia: Better Zoogether

We finally have an opening date for Animal Kingdom’s newest attraction! Zootopia: Better Zoogether will finally open on November 7th, 2025. 

This show will be located in the Tree of Life theater and is replacing the classic (and kinda scary) It’s Tough To Be A Bug show!  Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and more characters from Disney Animation’s Zootopia in a show that “will take guests on an adventure through different biomes seen in the film.” The all-new 4D show begins when you arrive at the main stage just in time for Zoogether Day festivities!

Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman are returning as Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, PLUS Shakira is returning as Gazelle! We’re eager to check it out, especially because it’s the first new project opening in Animal Kingdom after a long year of construction.

Learn More About Better Zoogether Right Here

We Went Inside The Beak and Barrel

Disney’s newest lounge is opening SO SOON, and we got a chance to peek inside! The Beak and Barrel is Magic Kingdom’s new pirate lounge, and let us just say — wow! This new bar has been highly anticipated since it was announced in 2023, and Disney has gone all in.

We got to check out the new rooms, including The Mess, The Captains’ Quarters, and The Mapmakers’ Room. While we explored the new area, we even got to hunt for new details and secrets throughout the lounge.

During our preview, we also got to see some of the new bites and sips you’ll find at the bar. We need that skull mug in our cabinets more than we need air in our lungs!

If you want to see our full thoughts on all things inside the Beak and Barrel, you can read our full review right here!

Learn All Things Beak and Barrel Detail Here

There was SO much Disney news this week, and you can find even more details right here. As always, be sure to keep following DisneyFoodBlog for the latest Disney news and updates.

Disney Just Dropped 7 BIG Announcements, Including a NEW Opening Date

 

Which news are you the most excited about? Tell us in the comments!