TouringPlans Travel Beat 8-3-2025

At Travel Beat we have all the “other” news from the last week or so—the stuff that wasn’t big enough to stop the presses for. What did the newsroom bring us this week? (Sneak peek: Lots of cruise news.) Bullets are just ahead if you’re in a hurry, and more details follow below. Don’t forget to check out the Headline News Recap, in case there was something you missed!

• Park Pass Reservation Requirements for Starlight Parade Updated
• 2025 MNSSHP Food & Merch Details Announced
• Half-off 3rd and 4th Guests on Disney Cruise Line Offer
• Halloween Overlay Coming for Jock Lindsay’s Hangar Bar
• Bookings Open for Minnie & Mickey Cove Cabanas at Castaway Cay
• Disneyland Magic Key Sales Paused for All Four Tiers
• Norwegian Announces Major Expansion to Private Island
• Mickey’s Not So Scary Dates Begin to Sell Out
• 2025-2027 Refurbishment of DVC Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Headline News Recap

Can you guess which story inspired this week’s cover image? Leave your guesses in the comments!

Park Pass Reservation Requirements for Starlight Parade Updated

With the debut of the Starlight Parade, Disney updated the Park Pass Requirements for Magic Kingdom, requiring Annual Passholders to have a reservation no matter which day of the week they visited, and even after 2 pm. Those changes were rolled back this week, and Passholders may once again visit any park without a reservation on a good-to-go day, or after 2 pm, except on Saturdays and Sundays at the Magic Kingdom.

2025 MNSSHP Food & Merch Details Announced

Disney has released the menus for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and there’s plenty that looks delish. Popular returning items include the Madame Leota Seance Candle cake pop (pictured above), but there are quite a few new dishes. You can see the full lineup here – or read our take on last year’s treats: REVIEW: Eats and Treats at the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.

The merchandise guide is also out, with T-shirts, spirit Jerseys, and other collectors’ items like pins and mugs, some of which are available during regular park hours.

Finally, spanning the merch / foodie line are this year’s Jack Skellington Gravestone popcorn bucket and Nightmare Before Christmas Mayor Sipper, which are definitely only available during the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. You can find the sipper at Pecos Bill’s, and the popcorn bucket at carts throughout the park.

Half-off 3rd and 4th Guests on Disney Cruise Line Offer

Disney Cruise Line has released a brand new offer for select sailings on the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Wish between October 3, 2025, and March 30, 2026. When you book two full-fare guests in a stateroom (categories 04A through 11C), the 3rd and 4th guests in the same stateroom are half-price. To view the full list of eligible sailings and additional details, see the offer page. The offer applies to new and existing sailings, but must be booked by October 12, 2025.

Halloween Overlay Coming for Jock Lindsay’s Hangar Bar

Want some seasonal snacks without coughing up the dough for a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party ticket? Beginning August 19th, you can head over to Jock Lindsay’s Halloween Bar (regularly known as Jock Lindsay’s Hangar Bar) for some seasonal menu items. No word in Disney’s Instagram post on what these dishes are called or what’s in them, but let’s face it, we buy them because they look cool, right?

Bookings Open for Minnie & Mickey Cove Cabanas at Castaway Cay

Cabanas are a hot ticket item on Castaway Cay, and now guests have an additional 30 available. After months of construction, the brand-new Mickey & Minnie Cove Cabanas are available to book for sailings beginning December 5, 2025 and beyond. Cabanas have a variety of shaded seating, as well as refrigerated beverages, fresh fruit, snacks, and more.

Disneyland Magic Key Sales Paused for All Four Tiers

Disneyland Magic Keys are back in the vault, with new sales of all four tiers now paused after the latest release on March 5 of this year. It could come earlier, but we at least expect that new sales will be released shortly prior to the holiday season so that they can be given as gifts.

Norwegian Announces Major Expansion to Private Island

Norwegian Cruise Lines had previously announced the construction of a pier to their private island of Great Stirrup Cay. But wait, there’s more! This week, plans were released for a waterpark expansion, as well as an updated entrance plaza and tram service.

The Great Tides Waterpark will cover 6 acres with 19 waterslides, 8 of them in the 170-foot-tall Tidal Tower area. Cliffside Cove will have racer slides, plus cliff jumps. Guests can also look for a 9,000 square foot splash zone with mini-slides and water features, and a family slide with a hidden cave bar tucked underneath. Cabanas will be available near the edge of the brand-new lazy river.

Other expansion plans include a new heated pool at the Great Life Lagoon, and a new recreational area (think mini-golf and pickleball courts) called Horizon Park. These new areas are expected to open in summer of 2026.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Dates Begin to Sell Out

Halloween sold out on the first day that Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party tickets went on sale to the general public, with the 2nd and 3rd parties not selling out until much later. But the first (more expensive) night of August 15 has now sold out. With opening night of the party season just a couple of weeks away, expect sellouts to become more frequent – if you’ve been holding off a decision on whether or not to attend, now is probably the time to make a call one way or the other.

2025-2027 Refurbishment of DVC Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge

Disney has announced refurbishment dates for the Disney Vacation Club Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge. These upcoming hard goods refurbishments (meaning: gut reno and not just paint and pictures) are not new news, but the dates hadn’t been announced. Kidani Village will be the focus from October 2025 through May 2026, and when work closes down there, it will begin at the Jambo House Villas, running from May 2026 through January 2027.

If you’re planning a stay during that time, all amenities will remain open, but guests may hear some construction noise. And if you’re planning a stay once the rooms are complete, the answer is – yes, we are expecting the popular update of replacing the sofabeds with pull-down Murphy sofas!

Headline News Recap

Vacation has begun, and heat is bringing summer doldrums to the news. But Express Pass is now available during Early Park Admission at Universal Orlando, and we updated our guide: Getting to Know: Early Park Admission at Universal Orlando

That’s it for this week’s Travel Beat. What news are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments!