This week at Walt Disney World, Disney parks extend hours for what is expected to be a very busy summer, an unpopular mask rule is rolled back, plus Club Cool is confirmed to be coming back! 

Outside Walt Disney World, Universal announces a June opening for VelociCoaster and Lowe's Sapphire Falls announces a reopening date in the next few weeks! 

1. Walt Disney World theme park hours extended from now through June

With Walt Disney World theme parks seeing capacity crowds for the foreseeable future, the theme parks have extended hours for most dates in April, May, and June. Here are some highlights from the months ahead: 

• Disney's Hollywood Studios will have a later 8:00 PM closing
   
• Magic Kingdom will open earlier at 8:00 AM most days and close later at 9:00 PM
   
• EPCOT will close later at 9:00 PM or 10:00 PM most evenings. 
   
• Disney's Animal Kingdom will have earlier 8:00 AM openings and later 7:00 PM closings most days

2. Club Cool returning this summer to EPCOT

When Club Cool closed back in 2019 to make way for the construction of a new central area of EPCOT, fans were understandably disappointed. However, this week Disney has confirmed that Club Cool will be returning to EPCOT this summer, and this new location "will celebrate Coca-Cola in a fresh new way, while keeping the fan-favorite experience that invites you to explore tasty drinks from around the world."

3. Disney Genie confirmed to still be in development

Image: Disney

Though all eyes have been on the rollout of  Disney's MagicMobile service, it looks like another new app is coming soon: Disney Genie. Announced in 2019, this app aims to help guests plan and optimize their vacation plans. In case you need a refresher, here are some of the confirmed features that will be available inside this new app:

• Themed itinerary generator: The app will automatically generate customized itineraries geared to guests' interests, whether they are princesses, thrill rides, Star Wars, or something else. Simply pick a theme, and Disney will generate a schedule for you, complete with show times, FastPass+ reservations, and more
• Timing suggestions: If you already know what you want to do, you can plug in the attractions you want to experience and then Disney Genie will quickly evaluate millions of options to present you with an optimal day, suggesting times for stand by lines, FastPass+ availability, and more. 
• Real-time tips, updates and recommendations: Based on what you've already done at Walt Disney World, Disney Genie can recommend experiences for you throughout the day, and also provide tips to optimize your day as well.  
• Make reservations for you: Disney genie can make reservations for dining, FastPass+ and more in one step.