Mickey's Magic Minute • Jan 12

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👋 Good evening! Welcome to your pixie dusting of Disney news.

Whether you're a seasoned subscriber or a new arrival, we're thrilled to have you here. Each week we'll deliver the latest Disney scoop and our favorite Disney deals directly to your inbox.

In this weekend issue:

📺 Disney+ Revamps Holes with Gender-Swapped Series Pilot Featuring Female Lead
A new take on Holes follows a teenage girl in a mysterious detention camp.

🏰 New Pirates Lounge and Nighttime Parade Debuting Amid Attraction Closures
Magic Kingdom adds a Pirates-themed lounge and nighttime parade in 2025.

🦖 DinoLand U.S.A. Bids Farewell: Iconic Attractions Close Permanently Today
DinoLand U.S.A. attractions closed permanently today at Animal Kingdom.

🎨 2025 EPCOT Festival of the Arts: Disney-Inspired Creations and Artist Signings Await
EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts begins January 17th with exclusive Disney art.

🎭 Disney Villains Take Center Stage: New Live Show Coming This Summer
A new live show featuring Disney villains opens this summer at Hollywood Studios.

🦸 Avengers Campus Expansion Begins with Two New Attractions Featuring Iron Man
Construction starts on Avengers Campus expansion with two new attractions.

🛳️ DCL Unveils Plans for Smaller, Eco-Friendly Ships in Global Fleet Expansion
Disney Cruise Line announces smaller, eco-friendly ships debuting by 2031.

🏃 Disney Announces 2025-2026 runDisney Event Dates
Disney reveals upcoming runDisney event dates for Walt Disney World and Disneyland.

✨ Stay tuned for the latest Disney news and updates!

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💸 Disney Seasonal Deals 💸

Unlock exclusive Disney discounts with the help of a certified Disney travel agent—completely free of charge! Explore the offers below, and don’t hesitate to reach out (just hit Reply) for personalized, no-cost assistance in making your Disney dream vacation a reality.

🎠 DISNEY WORLD

ENJOY A FREE DINING PLAN WHEN YOU PURCHASE A NONDISCOUNTED 3-NIGHT, 3-DAY WALT DISNEY WORLD PACKAGE AT SELECT DISNEY RESORT COLLECTION HOTELS
**May 27 to June 26, 2025 and July 7 to August 6,2025**

SAVE UP TO 25% ON ROOMS AT SELECT WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT HOTELS IN EARLY 2025
**For most nights from February 23, 2025 to April 30, 2025**

SAVE UP TO $200 PER NIGHT ON A 3-NIGHT, 2-DAY ROOM-AND-TICKET PACKAGE AT SELECT DISNEY RESORTS
**For arrivals most nights from February 26 to June 30, 2025**

🚢 DISNEY CRUISE LINE

SAVE UP TO 30% ON SELECT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND SAILINGS

DISNEY+ SAVINGS ON SELECT DISNEY CRUISES: SAVE 50% ON KID FARES
**For sailings from January 3, 2025 through June 13, 2025 on the Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, and Disney Wish**

🌺 AULANI RESORT, HAWAII

SAVE UP TO 25% ON SELECT ROOMS AND VILLAS FOR STAYS OF 5 OR MORE NIGHTS - AND UP TO 20% FOR STAYS OF 4 NIGHTS
**For select stays of 4 or 5 nights from January 4, 2025 to April 10, 2025**

Disney+

DISNEY+ REVAMPS HOLES WITH GENDER-SWAPPED SERIES PILOT FEATURING FEMALE LEAD

Disney+ has ordered a pilot for a gender-swapped reimagining of Holes, based on Louis Sachar’s 1998 novel, which will follow a teenage girl sent to a detention camp where she is forced to dig mysterious holes. Alina Mankin, Liz Fang, and Drew Goddard are among executive producers, with Walden Media returning as the producer, though casting details remain unclear.

Walt Disney World

DISNEY WORLD 2025: CHEAPEST AND LEAST CROWDED TIMES TO VISIT

Early February and mid-September are among the least crowded and most affordable times to visit Disney World in 2025, with specific low-cost dates in August and September. Disney also offers promotions like discounted tickets for Florida residents, free water park entry for resort guests, and dining plans for select vacation packages.

MAGIC KINGDOM

NEW PIRATES LOUNGE AND NIGHTTIME PARADE DEBUTING AMID ATTRACTION CLOSURES

Magic Kingdom in 2025 will see exciting new additions, including a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge in Adventureland and the debut of the “Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away” nighttime parade. While closures like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad’s refurbishment and the permanent closing of Tom Sawyer Island may disappoint, these new attractions will be a fun addition to the 2025 lineup.

An artist rendering of the all-new lounge themed to
Pirates of the Caribbean will open at Magic Kingdom in 2025

ANIMAL KINGDOM

DINOLAND U.S.A. BIDS FAREWELL: ICONIC ATTRACTIONS CLOSE PERMANENTLY TODAY

Today marked the final opportunity to experience TriceraTop Spin, Chester & Hester’s DinoRama, and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures in DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. While these attractions have now permanently closed, the Dinosaur ride will remain open through the end of 2025.

EPCOT

2025 EPCOT FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS: DISNEY-INSPIRED CREATIONS AND ARTIST SIGNINGS AWAIT

The 2025 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts, beginning January 17th, will feature a diverse lineup of artists showcasing original Disney-inspired works and offering opportunities for guests to have pieces signed. Highlights include renowned names like Alex Maher, Jerrod Maruyama, Jasmine Becket-Griffith and Joey Chou, among many others, celebrating the magic of Disney through art.

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

DISNEY VILLAINS TAKE CENTER STAGE: NEW LIVE SHOW COMING TO HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS THIS SUMMER

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is preparing for the debut of Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After, a new live show opening this summer at the Sunset Showcase, replacing the former Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy. A recently filed permit indicates construction is underway to transform the venue into the “realm of the Magic Mirror,” where iconic villains like Captain Hook, Maleficent, and Cruel de Vil will perform.

Disneyland

AVENGERS CAMPUS EXPANSION BEGINS AT DISNEYLAND WITH TWO NEW ATTRACTIONS FEATURING IRON MAN

Construction has officially begun on the Avengers Campus expansion at Disney California Adventure, which will double the land’s size and feature two new attractions: Avengers Infinity Defense, a dark ride through alternate realities, and Stark Flight Lab, an Iron Man-themed experience. The Timon parking lot has closed to accommodate the project, and Robert Downey Jr. will reprise his role as Tony Stark in both attractions.

Disney Cruise Line

DCL UNVEILS PLANS FOR SMALLER, ECO-FRIENDLY SHIPS IN GLOBAL FLEET EXPANSION

Disney Cruise Line announced plans to expand its fleet to 13 ships by 2031, including a smaller, energy-efficient class of vessels debuting between 2027 and 2031. These new ships, designed to accommodate 3,000 guests, will support Disney’s global expansion and environmental goals while complementing the larger Wish-class ships and classic vessels.

runDisney

DISNEY ANNOUNCES 2025-2026 runDISNEY EVENT DATES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD AND DISNEYLAND

Disney has announced the dates for four upcoming runDisney events at Walt Disney World, bringing tens of thousands of visitors and making these weekends some of the busiest of the year. Registration for each event opens first to Club runDisney members, followed by general registration one week later:

• October 23-26, 2025: Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend
• January 7-11, 2026: Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
• February 26-March 2, 2026: Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend
• April 16-19, 2026: runDisney Springtime Surprise Marathon Weekend

Additionally, registration is open for the Disneyland Halloween Half-Marathon Weekend on September 4-7, 2025.