Exciting Updates: New Harry Potter Wands and Disney’s Extended Evening Hours!

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Summary

  • New wands at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter enhance spell-casting with illumination and haptic effects for an immersive experience.
  • Extended Evening Hours return to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in May 2025 for a unique after-hours park experience.
  • The Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away parade debuts at Magic Kingdom soon, featuring floats inspired by Disney and Pixar.

Fans of theme parks can anticipate numerous thrilling advancements as both Disney and Universal make announcements. Some of these exciting developments include refined spell-casting wands in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which promise a more realistic experience, an extension of Extended Evening Hours at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in May 2025, and the creation of a specific webpage on the official Walt Disney World website to provide details about the upcoming Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away nighttime parade at Magic Kingdom Park.

Universal Orlando Unveils Next-Gen Wands for a More Magical Experience at Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Starting from March 1, Universal Orlando Resort is amplifying the enchantment for Harry Potter enthusiasts with the launch of upgraded interactive wands. These latest wands are designed to elevate the spell-casting adventure across The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, incorporating advanced technology that brings magic to life in a way that feels incredibly realistic.

The revamped interactive wands will offer guests an extraordinary, immersive wand-wielding experience through fresh features such as illumination effects and personalized vibration sensations that respond distinctly to each incantation, enabling them to observe and feel the outcome of their spells more vividly than ever before. (As shared by Universal Orlando in a statement)

Beyond enhanced wands, the park is unveiling five fresh spell sites spread out in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, and more are on the horizon at the eagerly awaited Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, opening this May at Universal’s Epic Universe. These new spots will bring the count to 30 interactive magic areas within the existing parks, with an additional 14 planned for Epic Universe, amounting to 44 enchanting experiences across the entire resort.

The new spell locations include:

  • Hogsmeade: The Dueling Club Tent – Attempt to bring a dueling dummy to life.
  • Hogsmeade: The Owl Post – Try to freeze pixies hiding behind packages.
  • Diagon Alley: Ariadne’s Spinners – Repel spiders on newspaper-covered windows.
  • Diagon Alley: Knockturn Alley Sky – Control a storm or calm the sky.
  • Diagon Alley: Knockturn Alley Staircase – Conjure a Patronus to dodge a Dementor.

At first, these wands will only be available at the Florida resort, but they’ll also connect with the Universal Orlando app via Universal Play. This way, visitors can set up a customized wizarding persona by choosing their own wizard name, Hogwarts house, avatar, and Patronus. These details will influence the spell-casting effects, ensuring that each encounter is tailored to the user.

Extended Evening Hours Return to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in May 2025

Beginning in May 2025, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park will resume Extended Night Hours, providing an exclusive after-hours visit for certain guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels. Usually available at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, or Disney’s Hollywood Studios, this privilege offers a unique chance to explore Animal Kingdom under the cover of night.

Starting on May 5th, the park will be open from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Early Entry for resort hotel guests begins at 7:30 a.m. and lasts until 8:00 a.m. After regular hours end at 6:00 p.m., Extended Evening Hours will follow, lasting till 8:00 p.m. During this special period, visitors can enjoy an exclusive late-night park experience. Disney hasn’t specified which attractions will be available during the Extended Evening Hours at Animal Kingdom yet, but in the past, similar after-hours events have included popular rides such as Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Avatar Flight of Passage, and Na’vi River Journey.

For guests lodging at chosen Disney hotels, there’s an added advantage – Extended Park Hours. This perk means less crowds and quicker access to some of the park’s beloved rides during these hours. Moreover, it offers a unique opportunity to delve into Disney’s Animal Kingdom after dark, where you can savor the park’s enchanting ambiance and the captivating bioluminescence in Pandora – The World of Avatar.

Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away Nighttime Parade Nears Debut at Magic Kingdom

Preparations are underway at Walt Disney World for the grand unveiling of their eagerly awaited nighttime parade, titled “Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away,” set at Magic Kingdom Park this coming summer 2025. The official Walt Disney World website now offers a detailed glimpse into what we can expect from this upcoming spectacle. It appears that Disney is in its final stages of preparation before the grand debut. The newly launched webpage showcases stunning concept art of the breathtaking floats to be featured, including those inspired by popular Disney and Pixar tales like Moana, Encanto, Frozen, Peter Pan, and Pinocchio. A notable aspect will be a float dedicated to Disney Princesses, drawing inspiration from Mary Blair’s original Cinderella concept art, bringing an enchanting artistic flair to the parade.

Disney invites you to discover an enchanting spot under the night sky to enjoy Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away, a radiant procession inspired by the timeless Main Street Electrical Parade. This shimmering spectacle is like a stardust constellation of Disney dreams, made real by the magic of the Blue Fairy. The parade will captivate you as it meanders through Frontierland to Main Street, U.S.A., offering a blend of classic Disney magic and contemporary storytelling for an unforgettable nighttime experience. The event will star the Blue Fairy as its central character, stirring up nostalgia for the iconic Main Street Electrical Parade while presenting innovative new elements.

Although Disney hasn’t officially set a launch date for Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away, the recent addition of a calendar feature on their website seems to indicate that an announcement might be coming soon. At present, the calendar is displaying “No Performance Today” up until April 25, which is the farthest date available.

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2025-03-03 01:54