Bitesize Orlando June 2026 – Issue 60

Welcome to the 5th anniversary edition of Bitesize Orlando! Where on earth have these 5 years gone? But there’s no time to dwell on the past as we look to the future. Here’s what’s been happening this month in and around Orlando.

I have been promising a brand new article for the last few weeks, and I’m pleased to say it is now live. If you are confused by all the travel cards now available, my Complete Guide To Travel Cards & Spending In Orlando has you covered. I compare the free accounts of all the top providers through credit cards, currency accounts and prepaid debit card providers, plus some open banking comparisons for good measure.

Next up, I have a huge update for my park overview pages planned, starting with Disney World. Hopefully, it may even be ready before the next newsletter.

Disney sent shockwaves through the fan community halfway through the month by quietly announcing that previously temporary travel restrictions, only in use during the busiest times of the year, such as Spring Break, are being made permanent, and the new rule is already in place.

Now, to use any buses or boat transport options leaving Disney Springs, you must show proof of either a resort stay, a restaurant reservation or a Magical Extras booking.

This restriction is designed to deter a small number of visitors from avoiding parking costs by using the free parking garages at Disney Springs. Disney has already tried to limit the usefulness of this hack by not providing transport to and from the parks to Disney Springs, plus restricting resort buses’ timetables, which don’t start until 10 am.

Yet, it appears a small minority of determined visitors have garnered enough attention that Disney feels the need to completely shut down this non-hack by checking for reservations on all transport at Disney Springs. To be clear, this change only applies to buses and boats leaving Disney Springs. You are still allowed to use all transport options from any other point on Disney World property.

Disney has revealed the 22026 ‘Eat To The Beat’ concert lineup. Eat To The Beat is a free music concert series held nightly at 5:30 pm, 6:45 pm and 8 pm in the America Gardens Theatre in the American pavilion in EPCOT, as part of the International Food and Wine Festival.

The music series complements over 30 food stalls dotted throughout the park, offering international cuisine. Local talent is highlighted on weekday evenings, with bigger-name stars and acts taking over the proceedings on the weekends.

The full line, which is currently subject to change, is:

• Aug. 27: Evolution: Motown
• Aug. 28-31: Hanson
• Sept. 1-3: Evolution: Motown
• Sept. 4-5: The War and Treaty (NEW for 2026)
• Sept. 6-7: Yellowcard
• Sept. 8-10: Fly Guys
• Sept. 11-12: Couch (NEW for 2026)
• Sept. 13-14: Fitz and the Tantrums (NEW for 2026)
• Sept. 15-17: Latin Ambition
• Sept. 18-19: MercyMe
• Sept. 20-21: Grupo Mania (NEW for 2026)
• Sept. 22-24: Metro Latino Band
• Sept. 25-27: Element
• Sept. 28-29: New Found Glory
• Sept. 30-Oct.1: Smash Mouth
• Oct. 2-4: Champagne Orchestra
• Oct. 5-6: Rey Ruiz (NEW for 2026)
• Oct. 7-8: Tiffany
• Oct. 9-11: Viva Latina
• Oct. 12-13: The Fray
• Oct. 14-15: Starship featuring Mickey Thomas
• Oct. 16-18: Jaclyn Hayden
• Oct. 19-20: Ben Rector
• Oct. 21-22: Allen Stone (NEW for 2026)
• Oct. 23-25: SoundUp
• Oct. 26-27: Lauren Alaina (NEW for 2026)
• Oct. 28-29: Bowling for Soup
• Oct. 30-31 and Nov. 1: Southbound
• Nov. 2-3: Boyz II Men
• Nov. 4-5: Big Head Todd and The Monsters (NEW for 2026)
• Nov. 6-8: M-80’s
• Nov. 9-10: Grace Potter (NEW for 2026)
• Nov. 11-12: The Beach Boys
• Nov. 13-16: The Hooligans

The International Food and Wine Festival runs from August 27th right the way through to November 21st.

Disney has confirmed the return of Hollywood Studios’ Jollywood Nights premium Christmas experience for 2026. The 2026 event also extends into January for the first time, extending the appeal of Hollywood Studios’ premium Christmas ticketed event to a new audience.

Remember, Jollywood Nights event days, Hollywood Studios will shut to regular ticket holders from 7 pm, meaning no Fantasmic and shorter hours to enjoy the park at night. The party starts at 7:30 pm, running through 00:30, but event ticket holders will be let in from 5:30 pm, half an hour earlier than the previous 2 years. The event dates to put in your diary are:

• November: 7th, 14th, 16th, 21st, 23rd & 28th
• December 5th, 7th, 12th, 14th, 19th, 21st & 23rd
• January 3rd & 5th

Tickets range in price from $169 up to $199 depending on the date and do not include tax. Tickets go on regular sale on July 16th or July 9th for on-site hotel guests. To purchase in the UK, you will either need to use a VPN to book direct or use select ticket agencies offering after-hours party tickets.

9 attractions are scheduled to be open during the event, with lower wait times. Popular character interactions also form a big draw of the night, including chances to meet The Mandalorian and Grogu, Chewbacca celebrating Life Day, Stitch dressed as Santa, Baloo, King Louie, Lotso, Partysaurus Rex, Chip ‘N’ Dale, Bing Bong, Scrooge McDuck and more.

Disney has shared more details of The Magic of Disney Animation, opening later this summer in the new Walt Disney Studios Area of Hollywood Studios. The rest of the area opened last month, but work is still going on in the former Disney Animation Florida building to bring the new immersive experience to life.

Above is a map of all the experiences in the attraction. If you would like to print off a larger copy for your own planning, please click here to download the original larger file. The experience will include the following:

• Drawn To Wonderland – An immersive indoor playground inspired by the original “Alice In Wonderland” concept art of Mary Blair
• Off The Page – Multiple meet-and-greets in highly detailed spaces themed to different processes of animation.
• Learn To Draw With Olaf – A guided drawing experience with an animatronic Olaf, not an actual animator.
• Once Upon A Studio Theatre – Showing the award-winning short movie “Once Upon A Studio”. Look out for characters coming to life as the film progresses.
• Enchanted Art Gallery – Watch out for a little pixie dust bringing the artworks alive in front of you.

The former NBA Experience building, formerly home to DisneyQuest, has started its next innersivce chapter as Levell 99 opened its doors just yesterday.

Level 99 is an interactive game venue concentrating on team-based mental and physical challenges. Originally announced in February 2025, Level 99 at Disney Springs will be the company’s 5th and largest venue, covering 46,800 square feet. The experience will initially host 60 challenges and a 2-story bar. The experience will house 63 game rooms, plus player-versus-player duels. To complement the bar, the venue will also be serving Detroit-style pizza, burgers, cocktails, and snacks.

Admission starts at $29.99, plus tax. Players can choose between a 1,5 hour and 2,5 hours experience. Progress is tracked using an RFID-powered Veloband, with progress saved for future visits to any Level 99 location. Challenges last typically between 1 and 4 minutes, with players able to repeat the same game for a higher score. Games range from agility to logic puzzles, through balance games to team-based problem-solving.

For more information, to book tickets, and to view the menu, head to the Level 99 page on the Disney Springs website.

If you’re looking to save on park tickets for Disney World and want to visit 2 less popular parks, Disney has a new 2-park ticket deal for you running from the summer through the autumn.

The new 2-day, 2-park ticket is valid for visits only to EPCOT and Animal Kingdom from August 3rd through October 3rd. Park hopping is excluded from this offer, meaning you can only visit 1 park per day. As with all US tickets, prices are date-dependent and start at $199, plus tax.

It’s perhaps not as cheap as you had hoped, but it is still quite a saving over our 14-day Magic Your Way ticket prices if you only want to visit these 2 parks. The tickets will not be available on the UK website. To book directly, you will need to use a VPN and buy from the US site or from an alternative ticket vendor like Undercover Tourist.

All indications over recent months have been that Universal has been gearing Epic Universe up for its own fireworks show, but Universal has stayed resolutely tight-lipped until now!

Universal has been hiring technicians over recent weeks and has been preparing the fireworks launch pad since late last year. The main fountain basin was drained at the beginning of the year while Universal upgraded the fountain equipment.

The new show, debuting on July 7th, will feature 600 synchronised light fixtures, 350 fountains and over 7 million LED lights.

“Set your night aglow with a glittering new fireworks finale! Premiering July 7th, experience the excitement of Universal Celestial Goodnight, a dazzling new display of fireworks, dancing fountains and unforgettable music at Universal Epic Universe,”

Universal statement on social media

A recently posted permit by Universal could mean we are likely to get a new attraction in Darkmor Village. The permit only details sitework at the moment, but the new building could be substantial, around 70,000 square feet.

Darkmoor has an expansion plot behind Monsters Unchained. Could we possibly be seeing a new Bride of Frankenstein-themed indoor attraction opening in the next couple of years? Only time till tell.

Meanwhile, over in Wizarding Paris, the massive 150,000-square-foot building, possibly housing a single-rail attraction themed around a broomstick challenge, is moving forward slowly, with 14 contractor trailers arriving on-site ahead of groundwork starting in earnest.

A new haunted house based on moments from season 5 of Stranger Things will join other houses at both Universal Orlando and Hollywood later this year.

Universal claims the new house will feature an “authentic, visceral experience that places guests at the center of the ultimate battle to save Hawkins”. Check out the reveal below.

Today is the day! From June 30th, all Virgin flights now depart and arrive into Orlando International Airport (MCO) from Terminal C. Previously based in Terminal A, if you are travelling soon and your confirmation and/or ticket still states Terminal A, this has been updated to Terminal C.

Terminal C is Orladno’s newest terminal, already serving British Airways, Aer Lingus and Norse flights from the UK. It is connected to the main terminal building A/B by a 5-minute monorail connection.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a great July and enjoy some of this warm weather we are having. I’ll be back at the end of the month with another update.