Six Flags bought ArieForce One, Universal is offering Florida residents a cheaper way into Epic Universe, Disney has opened The Magic of Disney Animation, and that's only the beginning of a packed theme park news episode!

On Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast Episode 279, Tom and Jon catch up on the biggest theme park stories from the first half of September.

🎢 Regional Park News

• Six Flags purchases ArieForce One and plans to relocate the RMC coaster

• Six Flags Magic Mountain announces the new Thrill Glider coaster

• California's Great America confirms operations into 2027

• Dollywood announces plans to honor Dolly Parton

• Hersheypark's Tidal Force takes its final splash

• Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi reveals a massive three-land Harry Potter expansion

👻 SeaWorld & Busch Gardens

• Howl-O-Scream 2026 is officially underway at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

• SeaWorld Orlando launches its 2026 Howl-O-Scream event

• We share some thoughts now that we've actually experienced this year's Orlando-area events

🌎 Universal Orlando

• Animal Actors on Location! is closing at Universal Studios Florida

• Universal Nights adds more Epic Universe dates

• Florida residents can now get a special three-day ticket including Epic Universe starting at $85 per day

• The Traitors: New Blood takes over the bars at Universal's Great Movie Escape

• Rock the Universe announces its 2027 lineup

• Joey Fatone's Fat One's Hot Dogs & Italian Ice gets its Universal CityWalk grand opening date — September 19, with Joey himself appearing for the celebration

🏰 Walt Disney World

• The Magic of Disney Animation opens at Disney's Hollywood Studios

• Disney announces Festival of the Arts and Flower & Garden dates for 2027

• Disney After Hours returns to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios

• New 2027 Walt Disney World discounts arrive

• Disney announces the 2026 Candlelight Processional narrator lineup

• Hurly-Burly prepares to open at Disney's BoardWalk

• Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill permanently closes at Disney Springs, ending nearly three decades of Wolfgang Puck restaurants at the resort

There's a LOT happening, including some stories that could give us clues about where Universal goes next with Epic Universe Annual Pass access.

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Where do YOU think Six Flags should relocate ArieForce One?

The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is back for 2026 — and Jon was there on opening day to eat his way around the festival!

On Episode 278 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast, Tom and Jon break down Jon’s picks for the best, worst, biggest surprises and best values from this year’s festival, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Which new foods are actually worth your money? Which returning dishes still deserve their spot? Has the Italy booth finally redeemed itself? And why should you never take a Mickey-shaped macaron for a walk through EPCOT in the Florida heat?

Before we eat, there’s plenty of theme park news to discuss, including:

• The passing of Dolly Parton and her incredible legacy at Dollywood

• Tim Curry, including his memorable role as S.I.R. in ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter

• Peter Cullen, longtime voice of Eeyore and Optimus Prime

• Dollywood opening NightFlight Expedition

• The latest questions surrounding X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain

• LEGOLAND Florida rebuilding Coastersaurus

• New Brick or Treat details

• SeaWorld Orlando introducing Pestilence for Howl-O-Scream

• Halloween Spooktacular bringing Hotel Transylvania to SeaWorld Orlando

• Fast & Furious: Supercharged permanently closing at Universal Studios Florida

• Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift beginning technical rehearsals

• Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle returning to Universal Orlando

• Halloween Horror Nights 35 officially beginning

• Disney retiring the Play Disney Parks app

• EPCOT apparently giving up on the World Celebration pavement lighting

• Disney Lakeshore Lodge receiving an opening date and new details

• And more!

Then it’s off to EPCOT as Jon takes us through his opening-day Food & Wine experience, including the Chocolate-Pistachio Cookie, Spicy Temaki Hand Roll, Blackberry Buckle, Paella Caldoso, Mickey-Shaped Celebration Macaron and plenty more.

Some were great.

Some were questionable.

And apparently Jon actually found something he liked at the Italy booth.

🍽️ Read Jon’s complete Best & Worst review at Attractions Magazine:

https://attractionsmagazine.com/best-worst-food-epcot-food-wine-festival-2026/

🎂 Read Jon’s Mickey-Shaped Celebration Macaron review at Main Street Magic:

https://www.mainstmagic.com/mickey-celebration-macaron-epcot-food-wine-review/

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🎃 VacationScares is back!

Halloween season has officially arrived in Orlando, which means it's time to close the coffin on the regular Vacationeers Podcast and resurrect VacationScares for another season!

On Episode 277, Tom welcomes Joyless Jon Self back from the second Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party of 2026 at Magic Kingdom. Jon shares his experience from the party, including the Halloween atmosphere, entertainment, food, attractions and what stood out during his night.

Then we turn our attention across town to Halloween Horror Nights 35 at Universal Orlando Resort.

With the houses announced, it's time for one of our favorite preseason traditions: the HHN House Hype List.

Tom and Jon rank the HHN 35 haunted houses based entirely on how excited they are to experience them before ever stepping through the doors. Which houses immediately jumped to the top? Which ones have some convincing to do? And just how badly will these rankings age once HHN actually begins?

The screams have started.

VacationScares 2026 is officially underway.

👻 Featuring:

Tom – Vacationeer Tom

Jon Self – @pastorJonSelf

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Disney dropped a mountain of theme park news at D23 2026, and we're digging through the biggest announcements, surprises, and updates from around the world.

At Walt Disney World, we finally learned what the two attractions inside Villains Land will be, got new details and names for the Cars attractions coming to Magic Kingdom, and learned that Spaceship Earth is getting a major update. But perhaps the biggest EPCOT surprise of all: Dreamfinder is coming back with Figment!

And somehow, after all these years, Disney says they're finally going to bring the Expedition Everest Yeti back to life.

We also discuss the major reimagining of Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress, new details about Indiana Jones and Encanto at Disney's Animal Kingdom, the rollout of Monstropolis at Hollywood Studios, Disneyland's massive Tomorrowland overhaul, the upcoming Coco attraction, Avengers Campus, Disneyland Paris' new Lion King attraction, and much more.

So which D23 announcement has us the most excited — and which projects still leave us with way more questions than answers?

Join us for our complete D23 2026 Disney Parks recap!

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Tom and Jon finally get around to The Queue segment that didn’t fit into Episode 273 and apparently theme park leftovers can still make a full meal.

We begin at SeaWorld Orlando, where Tom discusses visiting on the final day of the park’s free-beer promotion and his experience with the locker system near Mako.

Next, we head to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Tom talks about unusually long security lines stretching beyond the tram area, his first look at the new Edge of Africa: Lion & Hyena Ridge, weather interfering with plans to ride Kumba and another round of free beer.

There was also food involved, because naturally there was. Tom, Elena and Jon tried the 16-inch Family-Size Meat Lovers Pizza from Taproom Pizza for $33.99.

Finally, Tom and Jon briefly discuss Six Flags Great Adventure’s newly announced Bakunawa. Coming in 2027, the massive spinning launch coaster is being promoted as a six-record-breaking attraction featuring a 382-foot climb, speeds of up to 100 mph and an upside-down launch.

🎢 IN THIS EPISODE

• SeaWorld Orlando’s final free-beer day

• The Mako locker experience

• Massive security lines at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

• Edge of Africa: Lion & Hyena Ridge

• Weather interfering with one last Kumba ride

• Busch Gardens’ free-beer promotion

• Taproom Pizza’s Family-Size Meat Lovers Pizza

• Six Flags Great Adventure’s Bakunawa announcement

📺 RELATED VIDEO

Busch Gardens’ New Lion & Hyena Ridge, Taproom Pizza and Free Beer:

https://youtu.be/sj90pBzyhnA

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So until the next vlog, podcast or livestream, keep making memories.

In Episode 273 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast, Tom and Jon break down the newly released HHN 35 multi-night passes, the elimination of multi-night Express products, and Universal Orlando’s dramatically revamped Stay & Scream process plus much more.

No rumor report this week—only confirmed news from official announcements, financial filings and dependable reporting.

• SeaWorld San Diego Howl-O-Scream 2026

• Area 64: MOTHERSHIP

• SeaWorld Orlando’s Nekrosis scare zone

• The Rewind interactive bar

• Busch Gardens Tampa’s “The Doctor Is Back” teaser

• Comcast’s quarterly theme park results

• Possible implications for Epic Universe annual passes

• Comcast’s proposed separation from NBCUniversal

• Back to Hogwarts at Universal Orlando

• Back to Hogwarts at Universal Studios Hollywood

• Downtown Clowntown

• Art the Clown and Killer Klowns from Outer Space

• Fortnitemares

• Evil Dead Burn

• Ozzy house all but officially announced

• HHN 35 multi-night passes

• Rush of Fear and Frequent Fear pricing

• Elimination of multi-night Express passes

• New Stay & Scream wristband process

• Haunted houses beginning at 2 p.m.

• The Untrainable Dragon temporary closure

• Jimmy Fallon attraction evacuation

• The Magic of Disney Animation opening September 14

• Drawn to Wonderland

• Off the Page! character experiences

• Olaf Draws!

• Once Upon a Studio Theater

• Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party food

• Parisian Breakfast at Chefs de France

• Ale & Compass removes its breakfast buffet enhancement

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Kumba's days are officially numbered.

In Episode 272 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast, Tom and Jon discuss the latest theme park news and announcements from the first half of July 2026.

Busch Gardens Tampa has confirmed that Kumba will permanently close following its final day of operation on August 2. We look back at the legendary B&M coaster, discuss its impact on Busch Gardens Tampa, and talk about what could eventually replace it.

We also dive into the latest Halloween announcements from both Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando. Halloween Horror Nights continues its 2026 rollout with the Hellraiser haunted house, Nightmare Fuel: Blood Noir, and new scare zones including Sideshow of Decay. SeaWorld Orlando has also started revealing what's waiting for guests at Howl-O-Scream 2026.

Plus, we discuss Universal Nights at Epic Universe, the return of UOAP Nights, and Holiday World's newly announced record-breaking water coaster.

Then it's time for the Rumor Report, including speculation about a possible major Space Mountain refurbishment at Magic Kingdom and the last two remaining houses yet to be announced at HHN.

ThrillLedger, the new theme park ride and visit tracker from Vacationeers Media Group. Track your park visits, log your rides and wait times, count your coaster credits, unlock achievements and see your theme park stats all in one place.

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🎙️ In This Episode:

• Kumba closing at Busch Gardens Tampa

• What could eventually replace Kumba?

• SeaWorld Orlando Howl-O-Scream 2026 announcements

• Halloween Horror Nights 35 reveals

• Hellraiser comes to HHN

• Nightmare Fuel: Blood Noir

• New HHN scare zones

• Universal Nights at Epic Universe

• UOAP Nights return

• Holiday World's new record-breaking water coaster

• Space Mountain refurbishment rumors

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So until the next blog, podcast or livestream, keep making memories.