Bitesize Orlando November 2025 – Issue 53

Welcome to your latest monthly catch-up. As we’re heading swiftly into the busiest time of the year for Orlando’s theme parks, Bitesize Orlando November 2025 has you covered with the latest happenings in and around Orlando. including a brand new “We Call It Imagineering” episode, Details of SeaWorld and Legoland’s latest attractions, a surprise addition to Kennedy Space Center from late next month and a far-out plan by Universal to possibly link its expanding theme park portfolio by a tunnel transit system.

First up, a little about what’s been happening behind the scenes here at OPG Towers.

It’s been a hectic month behind the scenes. You may have noticed in the last week that I have added a new composite image to the footer on the website. I wanted an image that portrays what the website is about, and I think it does it very well.

I set my designer to work on another image I am very excited about, my own transportation map for Disney World. We finished it yesterday after 3 weeks of designing and fine-tuning, but it’s going to take me a while to get my Disney World transportation page live, as my focus for December remains on the guide.

Last month, I told you that I was writing my insider’s guide to Disney World, which is now 95% finished. The writing has gone better than I expected, and I’m very pleased with the result. I truly believe that it will provide the best value planning guide on the market after testing some of the guides that are available.

Speaking at the Wells Fargo Technology, Media, and Telecom Summit at the end of October, Disney CFO Hugh Johnston said that Disney is preparing to bring dynamic pricing to its US parks following positive feedback from trials that have been running in Disneyland Paris for the last year.

He also said that Disney will likely not be rolling it out in the near term but will take their time to make sure that dynamic pricing doesn’t affect guest experience or lead to negative feedback.

The shift to true dynamic pricing will be the latest in a years-long shift of Disney’s pricing model, initially introduced in 2018 when Disney shifted to date-based ticket prices. They refined the model further in 2022 with the introduction of a specific park-based pricing structure, making Animal Kingdom far cheaper to visit than Magic Kingdom on certain days of the year.

The current pricing model still leaves plenty of room for predictability, as price calendars are released months in advance, so people can plan to visit on quieter days or weeks, but true dynamic pricing rips that up and will mean more frequent shifts in pricing based on current demand.

Pricing calendars we have become used to seeing will be a thing of the past, but it does leave scope for Disney to drop prices during quieter periods, such as late August and September, allowing visitors the chance for greater savings. There is even the potential for last-minute savings if demand for a particular day is sluggish, but the choice of that will be left entirely to the market.

Moving forward, 2026 will likely remain as it is now, but if you’re planning on visiting in 2027 or 2028 onwards, you may need to keep more frequent checks on ticket prices and book earlier than you may have in the past to secure the best prices.

Disney’s latest calendar release of Extended Evening Hours has shifted from EPCOT to Hollywood Studios on January 26th. This is as far out as the calendar goes currently.

If you’re visiting Disney World in late January or early February and are staying in a deluxe-level resort, expecting to take advantage of your extended evening hours perk, I would strongly advise you to keep a regular check on the hours calendar to avoid any surprises. Between now and January 26th, Monday’s extended evening hours are still in EPCOT, with Magic Kingdom hosting its usual Wednesday slot.

Disney has released the full performer list for the Disney On Broadway concert series, a free event at the America Gardens Theatre in EPCOT as part of the entertainment lineup for Disney’s International Festival Of The Arts.

If you’re heading out to Orlando in January or February, you will have the opportunity to see some powerhouse vocals from some of Broadway’s biggest stars. Best of all, these short shows are included in your EPCOT admission. There are typically 3 shows daily. Please check the latest show schedule in the My Disney Experience app for the latest showtimes.

The latest in the “We Call It Imagineering” series has dropped on YouTube. Episode 7 focuses on research and development, a historically secretive area within Disney.

Concentrating mainly on the advancement of robotics within Disney and how they are used for entertainment, a small section towards the end confirmed that Disney is working in partnership with META to bring extended reality to the parks via META’s Glasses.

Acknowledging that people have to constantly check their phones for attraction reservations and wait times, etc, isn’t the ideal solution Disney wants. In the near future, wearers of Ray-Ban Meta glasses could receive updates directly into their glasses. They can even ask for more information on merchandise just by looking at the item and asking questions.

Check out the latest episode below.

Towards the end of October, Universal Orlando released a bid document titled “Request For Qualification”, which outlines a transit system connecting its properties covering roughly 5 miles.

Specifics remain under wraps at this early stage, but 3 potential bidders have been identified. Elon Musk’s Boring Company, which recently opened the Las Vegas Loop.

2 other manufacturers of autonomous vehicle technology have expressed an interest, Beel and Glydways, showing that Universal is also looking at above-ground solutions, considering the difficulties of tunnelling in Florida.

The documents outline 3 phases for the project:

• Phase 1 – Epic Universe and surrounding Hotels
• Phase 2 – Extending to Universal’s North Campus linking I-Drive, Universal Studios and Citywalk
• Phase 3 – Extending out to Hard Rock Hotel and surrounding retail outlets

Travel around Universal Orlando is going to get a lot more interesting in the years to come. Check out a quick news report from WFTV Channel 9 News, which was at the meeting where the bids were supposed to be discussed.

Universal Studios staple restaurant, Finnegan’s Bar & Grill, will close on January 12th for an extended refurbishment.

The Irish-themed bar and restaurant has been a favourite spot for visitors for years, despite reportedly declining quality in recent months.

A re-opening date hasn’t been shared, but Universal did confirm it wouldn’t be until late 2026, more than likely after Halloween Horror Nights has concluded.

SeaWorld took to the floor of the IAAPA Expo in Orlando earlier this month to reveal details of its 2026 marquee attraction in collaboration with Vekoma, traditionally a roller coaster manufacturer based in the Netherlands.

“SEAQuest: Legends Of The Deep” will provide visitors with a state-of-the-art submersible-style ride combining multi-sensory storytelling techniques along with a bespoke suspended ride car.

On their journey, guests will discover sunken shipwrecks, incredible creatures and glowing worlds.

The bespoke vehicles will feature smooth gliding motions, allowing them to swing and rotate through highly themed environments.

No opening date has been shared, but groundwork on the attraction show building is now underway in a new expansion plot of land located behind the existing Wild Arctic attraction.

This month’s most controversial bit of news comes courtesy of SeaWorld and Busch Gardens owner United Parks, which has rolled out a blanket ban on rollator walkers (combined walkers with built-in seats)

Popular amongst mobility-impaired guests who need to frequently sit down for a rest, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens have quietly added a blanket ban on these devices, citing increasing incidents in its parks stemming from misuse.

Any guest turning up with one will now be offered a standard rollator walker or a wheelchair provided at no cost by the park. while their own device will be safely checked in for the duration of their visit.

The policy update has caused quite a stir since it was introduced at the beginning of November. The Department of Justice is now investigating United Parks over this policy, which people claim is discriminatory and against US ADA regulations (Americans with Disabilities Act). Check out the short story from local news outlet Fox35 in Orlando below.

Legoland Florida has revealed more details about its 2026 attraction, Galacticoaster, the company’s single largest investment in an attraction, representing a $90 million investment for Legoland Florida and Legoland California.

Blending storytelling and interactivity with state-of-the-art attraction technology.

The adventure begins in the Briefing Room, where guests meet Chief Engineer, Biff Dipper, who invites them to customise their spacecraft in the Customisation Bay, unlocking over 625 combinations for the nose, tail, wings and special features before bringing the digital creation to life.

Here are some fun facts about the new attraction:

• The base of the attraction required one huge concrete pour, requiring over 400 lorries perfectly synced over 13 hours
• The ride building measures 30,000 square feet and is over 50ft high, equal roughly to 10 basketball courts
• The roller coaster features 48 track sections stretching 1,500ft, supported by 120 columns and reaching up to 50ft high
• More than 110,000 man-hours have gone into the creation of the attraction, which would take 1 person working a 40-hour week, 53 years to complete, but it has taken roughly 3 years to come to life with the help of more than 500 personnel

Last month, I shared the $5.9 billion Orlando International upgrade plan. As part of that, starting on December 3rd, Orlando International Airport will begin a full upgrade and replacement of its Gate Link system, representing a $253 million investment in Orlando International Airport’s infrastructure.

Key to the change is a full replacement of the trams servicing Terminal A and B with gates 70-129 on Airside 2 and Airside 4.

If you haven’t flown into Orlando before, the airport works on a hub and spoke design with the airside gates separate from the main terminals, connected by autonomous trams.

The work will conclude in the autumn of 2027, but it has been planned to minimise disruption as much as possible while the supporting infrastructure is completely replaced. Visitors should only see a few minutes added to their journey through the airport, as one tram will always be in service, not the usual 2. From time to time and especially in the quieter overnight hours, a bus journey may substitute the tram.

Airport officials have reinforced the travel smart 3-2-1 rule:

• Be at the ticket counter 3 hours before departure.
• Be at the TSA security checkpoint 2 hours before departure.
• Be at the gate 1 hour before boarding.

Beginning December 22nd, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center will introduce a live-action Fraggle Rock show in the Universe Theatre, called “Fraggle Rock: A Space-y Adventure”.

Showing twice a day, the show will feature full-body costumed “walkaround” versions of the Fraggles and puppet versions of the Doozers, all created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.

If you are planning a visit between the 21st and 30th of December, you will also have the option of a special character breakfast featuring characters from the show.

That’s it for this month, thanks for reading, and I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas. I’ll be back on New Year’s Eve for your final dose of 2025 news from Orlando.