Guests who purchase new Annual Passes to Walt Disney World will receive a gift card, The Magic of Disney Animation is returning as a new experience replacing Star Wars: Launch Bay, and the lobby of Disney’s Pop Century Resort is undergoing a retro-inspired refresh — all this and more in today’s daily recap for Tuesday, July 22, 2025.

Walt Disney World

Magic Kingdom

• After a pre-sale for resort guests, 2025 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tickets are now on sale to all guests.

EPCOT

• The new EPCOT guidemap highlights the reimagined Test Track 3.0, which officially opened today.
• Test Track 3.0 officially debuted at EPCOT today (July 22, 2025), reopening with an over two-hour wait time.

• The diver lock-out chamber demonstration returned to SeaBase Alpha in The Seas pavilion at EPCOT.
• We have a new EPCOT Photo Report including a trip to The Seas for the diver demonstration, a look at the opening day for Test Track 3.0, and some new Cosmic Rewind merchandise.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• The Magic of Disney Animation is returning as a new experience replacing Star Wars: Launch Bay at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
• After a pre-sale to resort guests, Disney Jollywood Nights tickets are now on sale to all guests.

• The Disney’s Hollywood Studios archway leading into the park’s Animation Courtyard will be demolished.
• With the updates to Animation Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Star Wars Launch Bay will permanently close and a new Disney Jr. show will debut next year.

Disney Springs

• Not even a week following its latest disappearance, the Cinderella statue placed outside World of Disney in Disney Springs has returned to is usual spot.

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

• The lobby of Disney’s Pop Century Resort is undergoing a “retro-inspired refresh” starting this week.

New Merchandise

• New pins released at Walt Disney World this week feature Darth Vader, Rapunzel, and Regal Eagle Smokehouse.
• A new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind merchandise collection features retro-style artwork of the superhero team and Eson the Celestial.
• Though there is no Cars area at Walt Disney World (yet), a new Cozy Cone Motel sign is available for purchase at EPCOT.

Other Walt Disney World News

• The newest Disney ticket deal brings a reward for new Walt Disney World Annual Passholders in the form of a Disney gift card.
• Disney Pin Trading has exploded in popularity in recent months, leading to guest reports of long lines, line cutting, pin sell-outs, and an increase in resellers.

Disneyland Resort

Disney California Adventure

• Disneyland Resort has begun its teases for Oogie Boogie Bash 2025, hinting that two villains will be joining the party this year at Disney California Adventure.

Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Studios Florida

• Construction continues on the Jaws bathroom building in Universal Studios Florida, and most of the new siding added to the exterior of the building appears to be complete.
• One of the moving walkways connecting CityWalk with the Universal Orlando Resort parking garages is temporarily closed and wrapped in construction walls.

Universal Studios Hollywood

• Slash is returning to Halloween Horror Nights for his seventh year with an original score for newly-announced haunted house, Scarecrow: Music by Slash.

Universal Horror Unleashed

• The Halloween Horror Nights houses becoming year-round experiences at Universal Horror Unleashed will have expanded stories and updated experiences.

Entertainment and Media

• Ozzy Osbourne, founding member and lead singer of Black Sabbath, passed away at age 76 after a battle with Parkinson’s disease.

WDW News Today

• Unlocked Magic, powered by our friends at Be Our Guest Vacations and DVC Rental Store, is offering 10% off on ALL tickets for Mickey’s Not-Very Merry Christmas Party and Disney Jollywood Nights in 2025.

That’s it for today; we hope you enjoyed this Daily Recap. Thanks for stopping by, and we’ll see you tomorrow!

Gretchen McDermid