Disney has announced the name and age range for the new Spaceship Earth Lounge, Universal released some of the first images from inside Epic Universe, and a new Florida amendment may effect Walt Disney World restaurants – all this and more in today’s daily recap for Monday, March 17, 2025.
Walt Disney World
Magic Kingdom
- Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom is no longer offering complimentary “Safari Sack” Ziploc bags.
- Construction work is nearing completion on the facade of Disney Vacation Club McKim’s Mile House – A Member Lounge at Magic Kingdom.
- Crews continue to install new track pieces on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom.
- Though refurbishment work on the Main Street, U.S.A. train station appears near completion, gray concrete is exposed on the side of the train station.
- Steel framework is now visible as construction continues on the Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge.
EPCOT
- Disney revealed the name of the new Spaceship Earth lounge opening at EPCOT this year and confirmed it will be adults-only.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Demolition has begun on “It’s Tough to Be a Bug,” the original Tree of Life show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom that permanently closed on Sunday, March 16.
- A new Disney’s Animal Kingdom guide map debuted and Disney updated the park’s braille map following the permanent closure of “It’s Tough To Be A Bug.”
- Join Bryce for the latest photo report from Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
- Though Disney had not confirmed The Grand Cottage would return for the 2025 Easter season, crews have constructed the cottage in the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.
- A crane is parked outside of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, possibly for an exterior refurbishment.
New Merchandise
- Disney has introduced new versions of some Tiana’s Bayou Adventure merchandise that originally had a Splash Mountain reference.
- After first arriving at Disney Parks, the new Sorcerer Mickey ear headband is now available from DisneyStore.com.
- A new “The Aristocats” pin showcasing Duchess, Thomas O’Malley, and more arrives at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
- A new “big face” canvas tote featuring Pluto is coming to the Disney Store online later this month.
- Two new Squishmallows inspired by the “Spidey and His Amazing Friends” animated series on Disney+ have arrived at the Disney Store online.
- You can now find more personalized Mickey Mouse birthstone jewelry in the Magic Kingdom.
Other Walt Disney World News
- An amendment to a Florida bill could impact automatic gratuity and service fees at Walt Disney World restaurants.
- Be careful if you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Central Florida this evening, as the National Weather Service in Melbourne has replaced their fire weather watch with a red flag warning.
- To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, DisneyStore.com is offering site-wide savings of 20% – 30% discount and free shipping.
- Lightning Lane Premier Pass is sold out today (Monday, March 17, 2025) for all four Walt Disney World theme parks.
Disneyland Resort
- The much-beloved chocolate Easter eggs that have become a staple treat at the Candy Palace in Disneyland Park will not be returning in 2025 due to budget cuts.
Shanghai Disneyland
- In an Instagram post shared by Shanghai Disneyland Resort, Ke Huy Quan visited the park’s Zootopia-themed land.
Tokyo Disney Resort
- The Tokyo Disney Resort website has previewed a new collection called “Cheer Together!” with cheerleading-inspired merchandise for both adults and children.
Hong Kong Disneyland
- Disney Parks has shared a first look at Mickey Mouse’s costume for the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong Disneyland.
Entertainment and Media
- The directors of the Marvel film “Avengers: Doomsday” have confirmed there is a connection between the death of Iron Man and the debut of Doctor Doom.
- Gal Gadot, who portrays the Evil Queen in the live-action “Snow White,” visited Disneyland Resort on Sunday to meet Disney Villains, fans, and Mickey and Minnie.
Disney+
- “Andor” creator Tony Gilroy recently spoke to Collider about the show’s second season and his previous promise to release scripts — a promise he won’t be fulfilling due to the rise of AI.
- The Disney+ series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” brought home a total of eight Emmys from the third annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards.
The Walt Disney Company
- A new article has provided more information on the ongoing search for a successor to Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger.
Universal Studios
- Universal recently revealed a new “Jaws” 50th anniversary merchandise collection that will be released in May 2025.
Epic Universe
- In a recent update from aerial photographer bioreconstruct, the fountains in Epic Universe have now been spotted testing at full power.
- Universal Orlando Resort shared a video of the life-size dragon puppet of Stormfly, who will roam How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk in Epic Universe.
- A recent Instagram post by Universal Orlando Resort reveals a sneak peek at the worlds of Epic Universe.
- With the opening of Epic Universe right around the corner, many excited guests are preparing by binge-watching all of the films related to the worlds in the new park.
WDW News Today
It’s Tough to be a Bug Closing Day Rant, Magic Kingdom Construction Updates
That’s it for today; we hope you enjoyed this Daily Recap. Thanks for stopping by, and we’ll see you tomorrow!