Bitesize Orlando September 2025 – Issue 51

Hello and welcome to your catch-up of all things Orlando in Bitesize Orlando September 2025. It’s been another hectic month behind the scenes here at OPG towers, so let’s dive straight in to what I’ve been updating in the last few weeks.

Originally pencilled in for next month, I have been hard at work preparing 2026 theme park crowd calendars. Love them or hate them, they are what people keep searching for online, so I will keep producing them because I am all for choice when it comes to your holiday planning.

This year, I have also updated the page design and layout to minimise the load on the server, so you should see the new pages load faster than the 2025 versions. Crowd calendars are an awful lot of work behind the scenes. I had initially thought about getting the layout updated this month, then updating each page through October, but I am pleased to say that the 2026 crowd calendars are available right now for all theme parks, including 2026 Disney parks’ after-hours events that were released just before this article was published.

Last month, I mentioned I had been working on an update to my free attraction selector tool, adding a queue situation filter to the existing searches. That update is now also live, along with actual photos from my July visit to Epic Universe, as you can see from the screenshots below.

In a final tidbit of related news, the attraction photos from my visit being visible in the tool is because I have completely re-written my Epic Universe Overview page to now include actual photos from inside the park taken during my visit in late July, replacing the concept art images I had been using on previous versions of the overview page. If you’re heading to Epic Universe, take a look at my Epic Universe overview. If you’re lucky enough to be visiting before the new year, check out my dedicated guide to visiting Epic Universe in 2025.

The Brits Guide To Orlando, ceasing publication after 29 years, got me thinking about what I can do to help first-time visitors to Orlando. There are a lot of ways people like to plan, and I like to offer as much choice in helping you plan as I can, so I purchased and downloaded a purported insider’s guide to planning your Disney World trip, just to get an idea of the quality of what people are paying for. I was thoroughly disappointed, and frankly, a little shocked by the writer’s obvious lack of knowledge in the subject and sub-par design skills.

If you’re paying for a planning guide, no matter how little, you deserve genuine first-hand knowledge—not just a rehash of what’s on the website. That’s why I have an exciting new project in the early planning and layout stages for every first-time visitor.

My next project will be a true insider’s guide to planning your first Orlando holiday, offered as purchasable modules. If you’re unsure where to begin, you can buy the full pack. If you’ve been before and only need a refresher, you only pay for the sections you need. I want this guide to be affordable yet more professional than what’s currently available online. It will take some time, but I hope to have the first module ready by the end of the year.

This year’s Destination D23 fan event, held in Anaheim at the beginning of September, went off without much fanfare or big announcements of previous years. along with an announcement of the Carousel Of Progress receiving a new show scene and Walt Disney Animatronic, one bit of news that caught many by surprise is that Cinderella’s Castle in Magic Kingdom will be returning to its classic colour palette after being given a decidedly pink hue for Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebrations a few years ago.

The new colour palette currently being researched will be based on the classic grey, cream and blue with touches of gold aimed at enhancing the castle’s architecture in all of Florida’s seasons.

For a deeper dive into Disney’s castles, check out the latest in the Disney YouTube series of We Call It Imagineering – Building Castles embedded below.

We haven’t long found out about Disney’s popular SkyLiner refurbishment in 2026 (January 25th through January 31st, if you haven’t been following), but Disney has already released the dates for the 2027 refurbishment of the system. If you’re planning your 2027 trip now, the SkyLiner system will be out of action from January 24th through January 30th 2027.

During refurbishment periods (and also during inclement weather), SkyLiner resorts revert to bus transportation to and from the parks. There are no direct resort-to-resort transfer options when the SkyLiner system is down.

We’ve known for a while that DINOSAUR, one of Animal Kingdom’s headline attractions, will be closing permanently to make way for the huge Tropical Americas’ reimagineering of Dinoland USA; we just didn’t know when, but now we do.

DINOSAUR’s last day of operation will be February 1st 2026. The closure of DINOSAUR will bring an end to Dinoland USA and will also mean the closure of Restaurantosaurus, one of Animal Kingdom’s most popular quick-service dining locations, so the heavy machinery can move in on the last vestige of Dinoland USA.

The closure of Restaurantosaurus will see the relocation of some of its more popular menu items to Harambe Market in Africa. In preparation for this small change, Harambe Market will close briefly during the upcoming winter, but no dates have been shared for that closure as yet.

Disney has set an ambitious timeline for Tropical Americas. The 11-acre reimagining is expected to open sometime in 2027 and will feature a brand new ride-through attraction based on Encanto, a new carousel inspired by animals in Disney’s movies, and a reimagining of DINOSAUR into a thrilling Indiana Jones adventure featuring some of the latest technology of today, not just a rehash of one of Disneyland’s most popular attractions.

Just as this article was nearing completion, Disney World released the 2026 schedule of After Hours events at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. Animal Kingdom doesn’t operate an after-hours schedule due to animal welfare. All the dates, prices and information is below.

Universal Orlando has announced a surprise extended closure for Jurassic Park River Adventure in Islands Of Adventure with a view to enhancing one of Islands Of Adventure’s most popular opening day attractions.

The last day of operation will be January 4th. The attraction is scheduled to be back in operation from November 20th. Universal hasn’t disclosed exactly what the near-9-month closure will entail, but several years ago, a similar refurbishment schedule at Universal Studios Hollywood’s version of the ride added a high-tech aquarium sequence and an advanced animatronic. We do not know if this closure will bring Island Of Adventure’s version into the Jurassic World series or remain with the original Jurassic Park moniker.

It looks increasingly likely that Universal is ready to finally move some dirt on the final remnants of the Lost Continent area of Islands Of Adventure. One of the original 8 themed opening days lands, Lost Continent, has been a shadow of its former self since Harry Potter moved in in 2010.

The last remaining attraction, Poseidon’s Fury, an underrated water effects walk-through experience, closed in 2023. Islands Of Adventure’s only remaining permanent show, The Eighth Voyage Of Sinbad, a great stunt show, in the theatre next door to Poseidon, closed in 2018.

Although the set of Sinbad still stands, rumours persist that the show elements of Poseidon were removed from the attraction building not long after it closed.

Now Universal has filed a permit under the name of Project 555, confirming the “demolition of 4.9 acres of theme park site, including retail/show/attraction building and associated utilities”, without specifically stating where in the permit.

Behind The Thrills initially announced the permit filing on their X feed and demonstrated that the show buildings and courtyard areas of Sinbad and Poseidon collectively add up to around 5 acres.

The Orlando Business Journal picked up on the story. Still, it went one step further and received confirmation after reaching out to Universal that there will be construction activity in Lost Continent in the coming months.

“In the coming months, there will be construction activity in Lost Continent as part of site planning to ensure the area is ready for any future developments”

Kristen Smith, Director Of Public Relations

I have overlaid the potential development area on an aerial photo I took on one of my many flights over Islands Of Adventure, so you can see the scale of Universal’s ambitions.

Even in its now lacklustre state, Lost Continent is a beautiful piece of set design. The show buildings may no longer be in operation, but the facades are timeless. I find it hard to believe that Universal will be looking at demolishing this much beautifully crafted real estate without having a plan for a replacement, and the hot ticket for that is Nintendo.

A Zelda-based land has been doing the rumour rounds now for well over a year. Pokémon is also in the mix, but a better fit for Islands Of Adventure would be Zelda. Looking at it from a purely business viewpoint (as Universal will likely be doing), Islands Of Adventure and Universal Studios in particular are in desperate need of new e-ticket draws, and that could mean spreading out Nintendo to one or both existing parks to draw market share away from Disney and truly make Universal Orlando a destination in its own right, not just a Disney add-on. It worked with Harry Potter, which has a presence in all 3 Universal Orlando parks, so why not do the same for Nintendo, the number one draw for Epic Universe?

This is all pure speculation on my part for now. We’ll have to wait until the dirt starts moving and Universal is ready to reveal what they have planned for this once majestic parcel of land.

Earlier this month, tragedy struck in Epic Universe when a local man died after riding Stardust Racers. 32-year-old Kissimmee resident Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was found unresponsive on Stardust Racers, Epic Universe’s fastest roller coaster featuring 5,000 ft of track.

He was transported to the local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. An autopsy by the local medical examiner has concluded he died from “multiple blunt impact injuries”.

Mr Rodriguez was born with a spinal cord atrophy and used a wheelchair to remain independent in everything he did in life. His family say that he was not under any medical restrictions on the day he rode Stardust Racers. His family have retained noted US civil rights lawyer Ben Crump to represent them. Associates within the firm have confirmed the family are running an independent investigation into his death, looking at all aspects of the roller coaster, especially the restraints used.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services initially backed up Universal’s internal findings that the roller coaster functioned as intended.

“Our internal findings to date confirm that the ride systems functioned as intended, equipment was intact at the ride’s start, throughout the duration of the ride and upon the ride vehicle’s return to the station, and our Team Members followed procedures,”

Karen Irwin, President & COO Universal Orlando Resort

Natalie Jackson, an attorney with Crump’s firm, confirmed that Zavala had ridden roller coasters “many times before without incident”. She went on to say that, based on witness reports,  Zavala “suffered repeated head injuries during the ride and was unconscious for the majority” of the ride. Crump went a little further, saying that he hit himself against metal on the ride.

The ride will remain closed indefinitely while a thorough investigation is carried out.

I have embedded an ABC News article focusing on the family for you to view below.

Universal has released the full lineup for its popular Rock The Universe festival being held at Universal Studios on January 23rd and 24th. If you don’t have tickets for the event, I would strongly advise you to find something else to visit that weekend, as the resort will be packed and will close early for event visitors. If you have tickets, you can look forward to seeing these acts:

Seaworld Orlando has announced that 2026’s new attraction will be a family-friendly immersive “deep-sea adventure like no other”. Seaquest: Legends Of The Deep will offer “an unforgettable journey beneath the waves” using unique suspended “state-of-the-art submersible-style ride vehicles”.

SeaQuest: Legends of the Deep fuses science and spectacle into an extraordinary family adventure, according to the promotional blurb. The attraction will create an immersive feel using advanced special effects culminating in a finale launch that celebrates the ocean’s resilience and beauty. Check out the initial trailer below.

Legoland Florida has updated their website to include the name of their new 2026 indoor roller coaster, the first indoor coaster constructed at the park since it opened in 2011.

Families will blast off on Galacticoaster in early 2026 on an “interstellar mission packed with thrills, immersive storytelling, and cosmic Lego fun”. No other details, such as minimum rider height, have been released as yet, but you can sign up for more info on the Legoland Florida website.