Disney World & Disneyland News: Flower & Garden Menus, Villains Land Rumors, and Park Updates

Epcot Flower & Garden Festival Updates

• 🌸 The menus for the 2026 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival (March 4th - June 1st) are officially released, featuring returning favorites and over 70 new items.
• 💡 Fan favorites like the trio of dips and chips and lemonchello sparkling cocktail are back, alongside new additions such as the coconut panacotta from the Nectar booth.
• 🇳🇴 A new snack spot has opened in the Norway Pavilion, offering school bread and a refreshing troll cream.

Disneyland & Disney World Construction and Refurbishments

• 🏰 Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom is undergoing a paint refresh, with a new gray color becoming visible from the side.
• 🚗 In Magic Kingdom, construction is progressing on the new Piston Peak National Park area inspired by the movie Cars, with foundations being laid for attractions.
• 🎬 At Disney's Hollywood Studios, the new Monsters Inc. Monstropolis land is taking shape where the Muppet Vision 3D courtyard used to be.
• 🦕 DinoLand U.S.A. in Animal Kingdom is being demolished to make way for new attractions, including an Encanto ride and an Indiana Jones attraction.
• 🎢 Refurbishments are scheduled for Disneyland's Matterhorn Bobsleds, Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin, Jungle Cruise, and Grizzly River Run in California Adventure.
• 🍔 Blacktap Craft Burgers and Shakes will have a 90-day popup at Disney Springs starting March 2nd, featuring their signature Crazy Shakes.
• 🍽️ Six Ravens, a new fast-casual restaurant specializing in savory hand pies by the owner of Gideon's Bakehouse, is expected to open at Disney Springs in 2026, with construction permits recently filed.
• 🚢 The Cruise Cup lounge at Disney's Yacht Club will temporarily close for refurbishment from February 23rd until May 2026.
• 🎸 Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith will close for refurbishment on March 2nd.
• 🐾 The Affection Section at Rafiki's Planet Watch in Animal Kingdom will temporarily close starting February 23rd for a new Bluey experience, affecting the Wildlife Express train access.

Park Rule Changes and New Features

• ✈️ Disneyland is eliminating the 11:00 a.m. park hopping rule later this year, allowing guests to hop between parks at any time.
• 📱 A new merchandise finder feature is being tested on the Disneyland app to show what items are in stock and where, with potential expansion to the Disney World app.
• 🌟 Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is receiving updates on May 22nd to improve the experience for all passengers, not just pilots.

Villains Land Rumors and Development

• 😈 Rumors about Villains Land in Magic Kingdom being scrapped are circulating, but reports suggest Disney is reconsidering initial plans for bigger ideas, which is a standard part of creative development.
• 💡 The delay in announcing details for Villains Land is likely due to Disney pushing creative boundaries and aiming for a grander scale, rather than the project being canceled.

Merchandise and Food Updates

• 🥛 Green milk is being discontinued at the milk stand in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland due to low demand.
• 🐻 Epcot's France Pavilion now offers a new chocolate marshmallow bear treat at Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie.
• 🛍️ New merchandise collections are launching, including items inspired by The Mandalorian and Grogu, a new Doney & Bourke collection featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and a variety of Star Wars LEGO sets.
• 🛍️ A comfortable and organized sling bag is recommended as an excellent park bag option for Disney World and Disneyland.