Immersive Lands and Dining Experiences:

Disney kicked off its Disney100 celebrations at all its theme parks. The festivities celebrate 100 years of the Disney company. It kicked off at Disneyland with a new nighttime spectacular, Wonderous Journeys. Of course, the celebration includes special merchandise found at all parks and on ShopDisney.

Aeronautica Landing opened at Carowinds as part of their 50th-anniversary celebration. It includes 6 family-friendly attractions all themed around adventure and innovation.

Adventure Port opened at Kings Island. This area of the park was redesigned to celebrate exploration. Two new attractions were added to the area called Cargo Loco and Sol Spin. A new queue and some theming were added to the Adventure Express coaster.

The Boardwalk opened at Cedar Point which includes the new coaster Wild Mouse. This area of the park was resigned to pay homage to the “Cedar Point of yesteryear.” The new theming included updated cues to current attractions, as well as the addition of Cedar Point’s Grand Pavilion.

Mickey’s Toon Town reopened at Disneyland in March. In addition to Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, the land now includes CenTOONial Park, Donald’s Duck Pond, and Goofy’s How-To-Play Yard.

Round Up Rodeo BBQ opened in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This table-service dining experience features barbeque favorites like ribs, brisket, and chicken. It is open for lunch and dinner.

Saying Goodbye to Several Attractions and Entertainment Offerings:

Splash Mountain officially closed at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. The iconic attractions gave the last rides as the parks prepare to transform the water ride into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Kentucky Kingdom announced the closure of T3 earlier this year. The suspended looping coaster was notorious for uncomfortable rides.

Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari announced that their Raging Rapids ride would be closing after over 3 decades in operation. The park also announced that a new attraction would come to Boulder Canyon soon.

Universal Studios began demolition of most of its Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone and Fievel’s Playland to make way for what many believe to be a Dreamworks-themed family area.

Poseidon’s Fury closed at Islands of Adventure. The popular attraction gave its last performance in May. It has been a fan favorite since its opening in 1999.

Walt Disney World ended its 18-month-long 50th-anniversary celebration at the end of March and with it came the end of Enchantment at Magic Kingdom and Harmonious at Epcot. However, Walt Disney World fans rejoiced at the return of Happily Ever After. Additionally, Epcot welcomed back Epcot Forever temporarily. They will introduce an all-new nighttime show later this year.

The first half of 2023 has been a transformative and exhilarating period for theme park enthusiasts. From the unveiling of record-breaking coasters to the addition of newly redesigned lands, the industry continues to evolve, offering guests increasingly immersive and thrilling experiences.

As we enter the second half of the year, anticipation builds for upcoming announcements, attractions, and innovations that will shape the future of theme parks.