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Disney, Abu Dhabi and theme park economy at ‘crossroads’ of world

Travel NewsMay 11, 20253Views

Ferrari World building in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on December 2nd, 2023. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images Disney's announcement last week that its newest theme park will be in Abu Dhabi offers further confirmation of the status of the United Arab Emirates as a global consumer crossroads located in the Middle East. At the…

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Slowdown in tourists coming to the U.S. puts Disney’s theme park magic at risk

A slump in air travel to the U.S. is emerging in the wake of President Donald Trump's tariffs, and it could hit Walt Disney 's important theme park business where it hurts. With international guests accounting for about 20% of Disney's park attendance in Orlando, Florida, and Anaheim, California, according to Barclays, the latest data…

April 30, 20258Views

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The First Orlando Theme Parks Have Gone Cashless

The cashless revolution has reached Orlando. Five popular theme parks in Central Florida stopped accepting cash this week. Although the banishment of paper currency and coins has been advancing steadily for the past decade, plastic-only transactions made a huge leap toward dominance during the worst of Covid-19. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has been rolling…

May 2, 2024110Views

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Our Q&A with Dolly Parton at Dollywood, Quite Possibly the USA’s Best Theme Park

You could argue that Dolly Parton now fills the pop-cultural role once occupied by Mickey Mouse. After all, both figures are beloved, theme park–affiliated, and easy to recognize by voice or silhouette alone. But actually Parton probably has the edge on the Mouse, and not only because “Jolene” slaps infinitely harder than Mickey’s whistling in…

April 29, 2024131Views

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Universal’s Epic Universe: New Details About the Florida Theme Park’s Rides and Worlds

Florida's Universal Orlando Resort has at last released the first official details about its hotly anticipated upcoming theme park, Universal Epic Universe. First announced in 2019 and set to open in 2025, the new park—Universal Orlando's fourth, if you count the waterslide park—is still under construction and has been widely reported to be costing Universal parent…

April 27, 2024313Views

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The Best Disney World Hotels and Resorts That Are Close to the Theme Parks

Essentially the same hotel as Yacht Club (including in price) except more blue in color and slightly closer to Epcot, Disney's Beach Club allows you to walk to the World Showcase entrance of Epcot in about 10 minutes, marginally quicker than the walk from Yacht Club. Walking to Disney’s Hollywood Studios takes about 30…

April 25, 2024111Views