Disney Finally Made the 3 Announcements We've Been Waiting For

The Walt Disney Company is constantly changing.

Disney World

From the theme parks to Walt Disney Studios, and everything in between, we keep up with every single change so you don’t have to! There is so much happening on any given day, so we like to do a weekly round-up of the biggest news that you might have missed. Let’s dive in!

When it comes to Disney news, there is always some change or update going on! The parks are changing quite a bit right now, new movies and shows are dropping frequently, and we’re even on CEO watch for 2026. Our first news takes us over to the Magic Kingdom!

Cinderella Castle Paint Job

If you heard several thousand Disney fans freaking out this week, it was thanks to Cinderella Castle. (Is there a more Disney Adult sentence possible?) Disney officially confirmed the classic color scheme is coming back to Cinderella Castle at Disney World.

©Disney

The colors changed during the 50th anniversary, but it’s officially being painted to go back to the original colors. The announcement came during Destination D23 with Imagineers saying, “Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom is getting a new color palette, inspired by the classic and original look of the castle. The updated paint will feature grays, creams, blues, and touches of gold, aiming to enhance the castle’s architecture.”

Cinderella Castle

The castle is currently pink, and it was painted with the current color scheme for the 50th anniversary. While we’re seriously excited for this change, we suspect it isn’t just an aesthetic one. We spoke with a source who has a professional background in projection mapping, and he shared a little secret with us: The best color to project designs on is gray, so the projections during shows like Happily Ever After should pop a lot more than the pink did.

Happily Ever After

Disney hasn’t confirmed when this change will take place, but even just knowing it’s on the way is giving us goose bumps and butterflies. The nostalgia is strong here!

Disney Announces HUGE Change for Next Year’s D23 Expo

DinoLand U.S.A. Closing Date

In more bittersweet news, Disney has officially confirmed when DinoLand U.S.A. will close forever in Animal Kingdom. The land has been operating through a series of phased closures that began in January 2025. Now we know that DinoLand will close permanently on February 2nd, 2026.

Construction in August 2025

Restaurantosaurus and DINOSAUR, the attraction, will be closing on February 2nd to make way for the new Pueblo Esperanza, the Tropical Americas themed land opening in 2027. Disney shared that the final day to experience DINOSAUR, The Dino Institute Shop, Restaurantosaurus, and Restaurantosaurus Lounge is February 1st, so be prepared.

DINOSAUR

Disney previously announced that the area would be transformed into Pueblo Esperanza, and the land will highlight the Tropical Americas using intellectual properties like Encanto and Indiana Jones. We’ve been following the changes to this land since it was originally announced in 2022, before we knew the specifics of the new area.

The Casita ©Disney

The new land will feature classic Spanish-style architecture with a large hacienda that will also serve as one of the largest quick-service restaurants at Disney World. The rich and lush color and biodiversity of the Tropical Rainforest will be on full display, and at the center of Pueblo Esperanza will be a large fountain where stories will be told by gathering villagers. We don’t have an official opening date for the land yet, but we know it’s projected to open in 2027.

Here’s everything we know about Pueblo Esperanza!

New Pirates of the Caribbean Bar

Finally, the most recent Disney news takes us out onto the open sea with the Disney Cruise Line! On November 20th, 2025, Disney’s newest ship, the Disney Destiny, is setting sail with new shows, dining experiences, and more. One of the most anticipated offerings is the Cask and Cannon, the new Pirates of the Caribbean-themed bar. Luckily for us, Disney gave us a new sneak peek at the bar.

©Disney

The bar is “inspired by the iconic characters and scenes from the beloved Disney Parks attractions around the world, the new pub will be an eclectic yet cozy watering hole furnished with treasures ‘acquired’ (read: pillaged and pilfered) during the pirates’ many voyages around the globe.” They showed us new concept art (along with some merchandise) while detailing what we should look for in the bar!

©Disney

Disney teased several Easter Eggs that use inspiration from the attractions around the world, the famous films, and the original concept art from Disney Legend and Imagineer Marc Davis. They’ve warned us to look up and down to uncover every design element because even the ceiling and carpet will have secrets hidden in them.

Disney shared that “pillaging is highly discouraged,” but we’re still excited to get our hands on the selection of rare and specialty rums, plus some “‘bootlegged’ brews developed specially for the venue and served straight from the barrel in true pirate style.”

Dive Into Every Easter Egg We Know About In The Cask and Cannon On The Disney Destiny Here

Does it feel overwhelming to keep up with all of this while planning your next trip? Let someone else keep up with the changes!

Small World Vacations does it all! They plan your Disney trips on land or sea, find the best discounts, and handle all of the stress so you get to enjoy all of the magic. As always, be sure to keep following DFB for more Disney news, updates, tips, and tricks!

All the NEW Rides and Attractions at Disney World in 2025 and Beyond

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