The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World for Summer 2025
- Bobby Spina
- May 24
- 13 min read
Updated: 16 minutes ago
Summer is officially here (or at least its felt like it for the past two months here in Central Florida). And boy, do I have quite the article for you all today.
It's no secret that this Summer is going to be one for the books - historically, that is. In the world of theme parks, this Summer marks the grand opening of Universal Epic Universe just 10 miles down the road from the most magical place on Earth, and it's going to change the themed entertainment landscape forever. In fact, at the time of writing this, Epic Universe has already opened, and to say it's off to a great start would be an understatement.
So, what has Disney got to offer this Summer? How will Disney be "responding" to the new competition in town? Well, this article is to discuss just that. We'll be taking a look at everything that Walt Disney World will be offering for the Summer, from brand new permanent additions to smaller temporary offerings. Timeline-wise, we'll be starting at Memorial Day Weekend and ending with Labor Day Weekend, which in the world of theme parks, are the unofficial start and end dates to the Summer season.
So, with all of that out of the way, let's dive right in!
Summer '25 at Walt Disney World
Before we dive into the first offerings Disney has lined up for the Summer, let me preface by saying that this Summer is much more densely packed as compared to previous Summers. For context, last year, the only things we ended up receiving was a reskinned version of the former Splash Mountain (Tiana's Bayou Adventure), a new rendition of the Country Bear Jamboree (The Country Bear Musical Jamboree), and a lackluster new festival space in the middle of EPCOT (CommuniCore Hall and Plaza). That was it.
I could go on comparing this Summer to even more previous Summers post 2019, but I think you get the idea. In the grand scheme of things, we're getting a lot more as compared to previous years, and I'm grateful for that (thank you, Epic Universe). Now granted, most of the things we'll be discussing come as forms of entertainment as opposed to actual new attractions, but that's besides the point.
Let's start with our first major date that will kick off the season!
Two New Stage Shows Coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios
Helping commemorate the start of the Summer will be at Disney's Hollywood Studios, with the debut of not one, but two new live stage shows! Both The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure and Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After will debut at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Tuesday, May 27th.
The new iteration of the Little Mermaid show (remember, this is a reimagined version of the former Voyage of the Little Mermaid) will open in Animation Courtyard, while the Villains show will be tucked away in the corner of Sunset Boulevard in the Sunset Showcase Theater (right next to Rock ’n’ Rollercoaster: Starring Aerosmith). The Villains show replaced Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy, which closed back in October of 2024. Here's some info about the two new shows from Disney:
The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure: "Nestled in Animation Courtyard, Ariel, Flounder, Sebastian, Prince Eric, and more will take to the stage to retell the classic story of The Little Mermaid. This fully reimagined show will feature stunning set pieces, imaginative costumes, cutting-edge special effects, skillful puppetry, and a bold new design aesthetic that captures Ariel’s imagination and emotions through her unique view of the world around her."
Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After: "This immersive musical stage show brings the most devilish foes into our world to figure out, once and for all, who is the most misunderstood of all. It’s time for these baddies to share their side of the story in a show full of theatrical magic, witty humor, and plenty of mischievous charm. But in the end, it’s you who decides who has been treated the most unfairly."
All things considered, I am genuinely looking forward to these two new shows. Disney’s Hollywood Studios has an incredible legacy of providing next-level live entertainment and theatrical productions, and I think it’s great that Disney is investing the time and money into bringing two new permanent shows to the park. Especially considering that all of Grand Avenue will be closing down the following weekend (more on that later), this is sure to add some much needed capacity to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Not to mention that both new offerings are conveniently located in the air-conditioning, which is already enticing enough!
And while not many details have been released, something new is also coming to Animation Courtyard this Summer. The Disney Junior Dance Party will be receiving a limited-time Summer update called Get Animated!, and will feature new character meet and greets and special new live entertainment offerings both inside the theater and outside as well. Between this and the two new permanent shows coming to the park, Disney's Hollywood Studios is shaping up to be quite popular with the kiddos this Summer!
GEO-82 Opens at EPCOT
Heading into the month of June, and EPCOT takes the reigns on what's new.
On Wednesday, June 4th, a new adults-only bar and lounge will open right behind Spaceship Earth. Themed to everyone's favorite geodesic sphere, the new space will offer sweeping views of the World Celebration Gardens and nightly fireworks presentation as guests sip and savor a specially curated menu crafted exclusively for the new space.
"This adult-exclusive, sophisticated spot nestled within Spaceship Earth will feature a unique beverage program to enjoy as you delight your taste buds with a selection of small bites that are as beautiful as they are delicious. Whether you’re looking for an afternoon sip and snack or the perfect end to your EPCOT evening, you’ll want to take in the beautiful views of the World Celebration Gardens as well as the lounge, which takes inspiration from the iconic architecture of Spaceship Earth itself."
As seen above, the new lounge will be located in the previously unutilized sponsor lounge, now making it open to the public. By the looks of it, the menu will be very bourbon-heavy, making for some visually stunning and mouth-watering drinks. If you'd like to view the full menu, feel free to check it out right here.
This is also the first time that Disney will be introducing a new in-park space that is exclusively for adults, which is an interesting move. But if anything, EPCOT seems like the park to do it. Essentially, when it comes to new early Summer offerings, it feels like EPCOT is doing the exact opposite of Disney's Hollywood Studios, which will be geared more towards children as opposed to adults. But that's not to say that EPCOT will be completely devoid of offerings for little ones...
Over at the nearby CommuniCore Hall and Plaza, Goofy will be taking over the space and introducing some new indoor activities for kids of all ages to take part in.
"At CommuniCore Hall, playtime gets a Goof-tastic twist. Get ready to dance and play along with Goofy in this immersive new experience. Show off your best moves in DJ-led dance parties and join your favorite games with silly and goofy twists, like Loopy Limbo and Parachutes ‘n’ Pipsqueaks."
CommuniCore Hall is already in the midst of this transformation. Considering there is no EPCOT festival in the Summer, it will be interesting to see how Disney utilizes the space in a new way. And in speaking of festivals, the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival will officially end on Monday, June 2nd. Meanwhile, the Food and Wine Festival will debut at the end of the Summer in typical EPCOT fashion.
Muppet*Vision 3D and Grand Avenue Close Forever
Let's head back over to Disney's Hollywood Studios to discuss something far less exciting.
While certainly not anything new, it's something important. On Saturday, June 7th, all of Grand Avenue at Disney's Hollywood Studios will have its final day of operation. Even though Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano is already closed, Muppet*Vision 3D and PizzeRizzo both remain open... for now.
There's not really much else to say other than the fact that both locations will close permanently the following day on Sunday, June 8th. This is all in preparation for the new Monsters Inc. Land coming to the park in the next few years.
At the time of writing this, you have less than two weeks remaining to catch a glimpse of Muppet*Vision 3D before the final curtain calls, as well as grab one last bite at PizzeRizzo.
Hurry. We don't have much time left.
The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island Permanently Close
UPDATE (6/03/2025): Disney has officially announced that both the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will have their final day of operation on Sunday, July 6th in Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom. This means that both attractions will close forever the following day on Monday, July 7th.
The closures signal a massive shift in the overall landscape of the Magic Kingdom forever as construction begins on bringing two new attractions themed to Disney and Pixar's Cars to life. The closure will also pave the way (no pun intended) for even more future expansions coming to the park, most notably the highly anticipated Villains-themed land that should debut by the end of the decade.
Additionally, Disney has released a plethora of new details regarding this new Cars expansion as well. See the statement from Disney below, followed by some updated "concept art:"
"Imagine an awe-inspiring wilderness filled with towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers. While fictional, Piston Peak is inspired by the Rocky Mountain area and the history and iconic sights of the American Frontier and its national parks."
"Inside Piston Peak, guests will be able to see and explore the visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, trails and more all set within the Disney and Pixar “Cars” universe. To make sure these buildings fit naturally within the surrounding majestic landscapes, Imagineers are using a style of architecture called “Parkitecture,” which was developed by the National Park Service to create structures that harmonize with the natural environment."
"From the outside, trees will provide a natural barrier between the off-road rally and other parts of Frontierland and Liberty Square. Rugged mountains with dramatic peaks will be nestled along a calming waterway across from Grizzly Hall and soaring geysers from the famed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will stretch into the trails of our off-road rally."
Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away
That pretty much recaps the timeline for the early Summer at Walt Disney World. As we venture deeper into the season, let's head over to the Magic Kingdom for something big.
Arguably the most highly anticipated offering for not just the Summer, but all of 2025, the Magic Kingdom will finally debut a brand new nighttime parade for the first time in nearly a decade. Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away will take inspiration from the incredible legacy of Disney nighttime parades, including the Main Street Electrical Parade and SpectroMagic, to create an entirely new experience for guests as it winds its way down the streets of the Magic Kingdom.
"Disney Starlight will transport guests into the stories of our beloved Disney characters. Through the power of the Blue Fairy’s magic, you’ll watch dreams and wishes come true. As the lights dance from float to float, you’ll see favorite classic and contemporary characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios and Disney Pixar films, some for the very first time in a Disney nighttime parade! Brought to life by the creative hands and hearts at Disney Live Entertainment, Disney Starlight is the perfect continuation of our legacy of nighttime parades, with bits of nostalgia sprinkled throughout a dazzling procession that raises the bar for the future."
To say that this parade is going to be a great new offering would be an understatement. I seriously cannot express enough just how excited I am for this new nighttime parade. It's going to be truly wonderful.
But only one question still remains: When will Disney Starlight debut?
While the parade is still scheduled for a Summer debut, it looks like it might be a little later than expected. If we use some context clues, the parade will most likely be debuting in mid-July after July 4th. What makes this widely speculated is due to the fact that show times for Magic Kingdom's nightly fireworks, Happily Ever After, have been adjusted.
Usually, the show premiers nightly at 9:20 P.M, but starting as early as Sunday, July 6th, those showtimes have been moved to 10 P.M. What this most likely indicates is that Disney is prepping for two nightly showtimes for Disney Starlight - one before Happily Ever After and one afterwards. As far as park hours go, they remain unchanged as the park is still scheduled to close at 11 P.M. like it always does.
Another red flag comes from the Cast Member blockout calendar. Currently, Cast Members are blocked out of the Magic Kingdom starting Thursday, July 3rd for Independence Day. This is typical and comes as no surprise. But what makes things especially interesting is that these blockout dates continue on until at least July 21st. The only reason why Disney would block Cast Members out is due to something big opening at the Magic Kingdom, and Disney Starlight is most likely the reason why.
UPDATE (5/27/2025): Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away will make its official debut on Sunday, July 20th, at the Magic Kingdom! New details were recently revealed, including brand new concept art and a sneak peek at some of the parade merchandise and original song. Check out everything that was shared here.
The Beak and Barrel Opens at the Magic Kingdom
Now we get into "late Summer." Staying within the Magic Kingdom, and we actually have something that seems to be more ahead of schedule rather than behind. Similar to GEO-82 at EPCOT, the Magic Kingdom will also be debuting a new bar/lounge, with this one being open to all guests. Over in Adventureland, a new Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired tavern will debut, called The Beak and Barrel.
"Prepare yerselves for the swashbucklin’ world of adventure as all bandits, buccaneers, swashbucklers, and scoundrels are invited to join a jolly crew at a new Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired tavern. Makin’ landfall in Adventureland in 2025, this new lively pirate pub will welcome pirates of all ages with a sea-worthy selection of grogs and grub and a few mysterious and magical surprises in store!"
What was originally scheduled for a "late 2025" debut is now gearing up for a "late Summer" opening instead... or at least that's what we think. It's a little complicated.
What makes things interesting here is that the first night of Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom is Friday, August 15th. Following this announcement a few weeks ago, Disney stated that reservations for The Beak and Barrel would soon become available for guests attending the Halloween event as early as August 15th.
But here's the thing. August 15th (at least right now), is not the official opening date for this tavern. But what we do know is that the tavern will be open by this date for party guests. This could mean a couple of things. Either (1), the tavern is ahead of schedule and will open to public (not just party guests) either on this date or beforehand. Or (2), Disney will soft open the tavern on August 15th and will test the experience for guests attending Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party only before opening it to all guests at a later time. Both seem like plausible options, but until we hear further confirmation from Disney, I can't say for sure what will happen.
Soft-opening the tavern for 2 1/2 months does seem a little odd for Disney, but this could also be Disney's way of trying to sell more tickets for the Halloween Party. In case you weren't aware, the price of event tickets saw a noticeable price hike this year, so soft-opening the tavern could be Disney's strategy of providing another incentive for guests to purchase a party ticket. If this is in fact the case, I wouldn't be surprised.
Either way, stay tuned for more updates about The Beak and Barrel coming soon!
Test Track 3.0 Opening Soon at EPCOT
The Summer 2025 season at Walt Disney World ends with a bang as we head back over to EPCOT for the debut of the only "new" attraction coming this year. In World Discovery, the fan-favorite Test Track will soon reopen in a new, reimagined way.
"Get ready to feel the thrill of the open road, the wind in your hair, and nothing but adventure ahead! Test Track presented by General Motors is making its return lap in late Summer 2025. Walt Disney Imagineering has been working with General Motors on an all-new storyline, and you’ll want to be all buckled in for an adventure."
Set to heavily take inspiration from the former World of Motion attraction (an EPCOT staple from 1982 - 1996), the new and improved version of this iconic thrill ride will take guests on a scenic journey and teach us about how yesterday's vehicles are helping us innovate the future of transportation one drive at a time. As an EPCOT die-hard, I am super excited for this new and improved version of Test Track!
Unfortunately, Disney has been pretty sparse on details. And while we're still awaiting an official reopening date, "late Summer" indicates a potential August or possibly even September opening. But if I know Disney (and I do), I'd bet they'll want to end the Summer season and kick off the Fall by aiming for a potential Labor Day weekend debut. After all, the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival - EPCOT's most popular festival - starts up on Thursday, August 28th, so I'd imagine Disney would also want to time the opening alongside that. And considering how popular EPCOT is set to be Labor Day Weekend alone, reopening Test Track is in Disney's best interest in order to help them manage the large crowds (or at least I'd think so). Guess we'll find out soon enough!
Miscellaneous Happenings
Those are all of the big Summer 2025 offerings that Walt Disney World will be debuting, but there are some other minor things happening that I'll quickly list as well:
V.I.P. Passholder Summer Days: May 14th - July 31st. Pick up a new Maleficent Passholder magnet at the Creations Shop at EPCOT and stop by the Passholder Lounge in the Morocco Pavilion to rest and recharge!
Experience both Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach from May 21st - August 2nd!
Astro Orbiter in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom will eventually reopen from an extended refurbishment sometime this Summer.
Also in Tomorrowland, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin will temporarily close for a lengthy refurbishment in August, and won't reopen until sometime in 2026.
Thanks for reading this far! I hope you found the information in this article useful. For the absolute latest happening, be sure to check out the vlog for in-park updates all throughout the Summer at both the Walt Disney World Resort and beyond. And let me know in the comments down below what you're most excited for coming this Summer. See you all soon!
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