Bluey, Soarin', and a Swedish Chef Walk Into Disney World

May 26 Delivers a One-Two Punch: Bluey's Wild World and Soarin' Across America Launch the Same Day

Two major openings on a single Monday. That almost never happens at Walt Disney World, and when it does, it tells you something about the scale of the summer Disney is trying to build. On May 26, Bluey's Wild World opens at Conservation Station in Disney's Animal Kingdom, and Soarin' Across America debuts its limited-time patriotic film at EPCOT. Together, they represent the twin pillars of Disney's summer strategy: hook the families with the most beloved children's IP on the planet, and give the nostalgic adults a reason to line up for a freshly filmed version of one of the most popular attractions in Florida.

Bluey first. WDW News Today and TouringPlans both confirmed that Bluey's Wild World at Conservation Station opens May 26 with a virtual queue. WDW Prep School reports that guests will need to secure a spot through the My Disney Experience app at either 7 a.m. or 10 a.m. on the day of their visit. You will not be able to walk up and wait in a standby line. WDW News Today also notes that kangaroos will be part of the experience, and that guests will "see" Australian animals rather than pet them, a detail worth flagging for anyone traveling with toddlers who assume every animal encounter is a petting zoo.

WDW Prep School emphasizes that despite launching as part of Cool Kids' Summer at Walt Disney World Resort, Bluey's Wild World is a permanent addition to Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is significant because seasonal overlays generate excitement, but permanent attractions reshape how families plan trips for years. Bluey and Bingo meeting guests in a dedicated space at Conservation Station gives Animal Kingdom a draw it has needed for its younger demographic, and the virtual queue system signals that Disney expects demand to be intense from day one.

Meanwhile, BlogMickey reports that Soarin' Around the World is now closed at EPCOT as the team prepares to install the Soarin' Across America film, which also opens May 26. The new film will showcase more than a dozen locations across the United States, including the Grand Canyon, as part of the America 250th celebration. BlogMickey notes that Disney used a unified setup of cameras, lenses, helicopters, and heavy-lift drones to capture the aerial footage, a process designed to eliminate the CGI that drew criticism in the Around the World version. The attraction will feature the signature Soarin' elements: the flight, the score, and the scents.

One important caveat from BlogMickey: Soarin' Across America is a limited-time journey rather than a permanent replacement for Around the World. Disney did not respond to a request for comment on when the original film would return. Editorially, if the new film lands the way the original Soarin' Over California did, Disney would be wise to let it run as long as it keeps drawing crowds.

The Parks

The Swedish Chef is setting up shop at Disney's Hollywood Studios. WDW News Today reports that Muppets-inspired FØØD by Swedish Chef is coming to the park, with a food kiosk near Rock 'n' Roller Coaster already surrounded by planters in preparation for the announcement. Details on the menu remain scarce, but any Muppets expansion at Hollywood Studios is welcome news for fans who have watched that franchise's footprint shrink over the years. The fact that Disney is branding it with the Swedish Chef's signature chaos energy suggests this will be more than a generic counter-service window.

Over at Magic Kingdom, WDW News Today reports that a permit has been filed with a wrecking company for the Tomorrowland bridge. The site also notes that retaining wall construction continues in Piston Peak, Big Al's sign has been removed ahead of expected demolition for the same project, and lights and speakers have been installed at Cinderella Castle for a Dave Matthews Band concert in the park. That concert prep, combined with the private buyout that emptied Magic Kingdom on Wednesday, paints a picture of a park in transition, juggling active construction, premium private events, and the daily business of hosting tens of thousands of guests.

Lightning Brain's daily park report captured just how dramatically that private buyout reshaped Wednesday's crowd dynamics. Magic Kingdom posted a 2/10 (Light) crowd level with an 8.5-minute median wait, as guests who knew about the 5:30 p.m. closure simply stayed away. EPCOT absorbed the displaced demand and ran at 5/10 (Average) with an 18.1-minute median, roughly 20% above its 30-day average. The Flower and Garden Festival continued to pull guests into World Showcase, and Living with the Land ran well above its typical pace as festival-goers used it for air-conditioned relief between outdoor garden displays.

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At Disneyland, Disney Tourist Blog shared a preview of distinctly patriotic treats arriving later this month for the America 250th celebration, headlined by a Sam Eagle popcorn bucket. WDW News Today also reports that patriotic Muppets Sam Eagle treats will celebrate America at Disneyland, reinforcing the Muppets' role as the comedic backbone of Disney's semiquincentennial programming across both coasts.

Disney Food Blog published a comprehensive breakdown of Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party dates and pricing for 2026. The party runs on select nights from August 7 through October 31, with tickets starting at $119 for early August dates and climbing to $224 for late October. October 31 is already sold out. Disney Food Blog recommends avoiding October 8 through October 29, when prices peak and crowds are heaviest. A new addition this year: Stitch will host a dance party at the Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland, joined by Lilo and Angel.

WDW News Today also reports that a My Disney Experience app update streamlines Walt Disney World Resort check-in, and that Rapunzel and Mulan are meeting guests at Disney's Hollywood Studios ahead of new Animation meet and greets opening at the park. Construction on a new Island Tower window at Disney's Polynesian Resort is complete, while bus stop lights and dock work continue elsewhere at the resort.

And one small but lovely detail: WDW News Today notes that Teddi Barra has returned to Country Bear Musical Jamboree after her third absence. Welcome back, Teddi.

The Screen

Disney's 2026 Upfront presentation at North Javits Center was a full-scale flexing of the company's entertainment and sports portfolio, and it delivered at least one genuine surprise. The Walt Disney Company confirmed that Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts revealed Conan O'Brien will return to host the 99th Academy Awards, making it a three-peat for the comedian. The presentation also featured more than 100 on-stage stars, including Robert Downey Jr., Anne Hathaway, Lindsay Lohan, Shaquille O'Neal, Ewan McGregor, Olivia Colman, and Quinta Brunson, with a surprise closing performance from Olivia Rodrigo.

The Walt Disney Company highlighted that in 2027, Disney will bring together the College Football Playoff Championship Game, the GRAMMYs, Super Bowl LXI, and the Oscars, with New Year's Rockin' Eve kicking off the year. That concentration of marquee live events on a single media platform is staggering. Rita Ferro, president of global advertising, emphasized the strength of Disney's ad-supported streaming audience, powered by what the company described as a connected, end-to-end Disney platform.

On the FX front, the presentation revealed that Paul Anthony Kelly will join the star-studded 13th installment of American Horror Story, joining Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Gabourey Sidibe, Billie Lourd, and Emma Roberts. And WDW News Today reports that Disney and CMA have extended their partnership through 2032, with CMA Awards streaming live on Disney+.

Shifting from the stage to streaming, D23 spotlighted Lisa Ann Walter's career across Disney properties ahead of her first streaming stand-up special, Lisa Ann Walter: It Was an Accident, debuting on Hulu on May 15. D23 traces her Disney arc from Chessy in The Parent Trap to Melissa Schemmenti on Abbott Elementary, framing the special as the latest chapter for an actress whose career has been quietly intertwined with Disney for nearly three decades.

The Vault

Disney Parks Blog published a profile of Chef Maria Colon Cabrera, head chef for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and it is one of those stories that reveals how deeply Imagineering's storytelling philosophy extends beyond attractions and into the food. Maria describes a process where menu development starts with dozens of ideas, then gets refined through tastings and "story conversations." The team considers what guests already love, what might be served in a galactic outpost on the edge of Wild Space, and how familiar comfort food can be transformed into something that feels right at home on Batuu. Her example: pot roast with turmeric-garlic mash, where the golden color makes a classic dish look like something from a trader's stall in Black Spire Outpost.

Maria is a second-generation Cast Member whose parents both retired from Disney. "Knowing my parents are proud means everything to me," she told Disney Parks Blog. "Leading a team here and creating something so meaningful feels incredibly full circle." Her wife, Olivia, whom she met while both were working at Disney's Hollywood Studios, continues her own Disney career as a leader at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Across the Atlantic, Disney Experiences published a deep look at how Disneyland Paris trained more than 350 Cast Members to become "villagers of Arendelle" before World of Frozen opened on March 29, 2026. The recruitment effort began nearly 15 months before opening day, with a European casting tour and thousands of auditions. Each selected Cast Member received what became known as the "letter from the village," an invitation from Fredrik, royal emissary of Queens Anna and Elsa. Cast Member Dorine Hermier described being chosen for the opening guest flow team as a "heart-stopping surprise," adding that she felt "speechless, excited, honored, and already imagining the magic ahead." In total, more than 1,000 Cast Members joined as Disney Adventure World took shape. The scale of that effort, 15 months of preparation so that Arendelle felt like home from the very first guest interaction, is Imagineering's philosophy applied to people rather than plaster and paint.

Sources

WDW News Today · BlogMickey · TouringPlans · WDW Prep School · Lightning Brain · Disney Tourist Blog · Disney Food Blog · Walt Disney Company · D23 · Disney Parks Blog · Disney Experiences