July’s Biggest Theme Park News You Might Have Missed

The vacation season at the theme parks is gradually coming to an end as the excitement of Halloween starts to creep into what feels like the dead of summer. With the arrival of fall events, park-goers can expect thrilling experiences sooner rather than later.

Here’s an exciting roundup of this month’s happenings at major amusement parks and immersive experiences featuring Disneyland 70, Universal Horrors, and a unique Wednesday x Wendy’s not-so-happy meal that will soon be available at a drive-thru near you.

Explore the Thrills at Universal Studios Resorts – Hollywood and Orlando

Let’s kick things off with the most thrilling news: Halloween Horror Nights has revealed the majority of its haunted house lineup for 2025. Both parks will largely share intellectual properties, but true fans know that the creative interpretations of the haunted houses often differ significantly between the East and West Coast teams. Universal Studios Orlando has more space to craft unique original houses for its horror theme park universe, making it the focus of our excitement.

Discover the Haunting Houses at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Orlando

Amazon Prime Fallout: Step into this post-apocalyptic world where the Ghoul will draw in thrill-seekers and horror lovers alike.

Blumhouse Five Nights at Freddy’s: Get ready for a spine-chilling experience as Jim Henson’s Creature Shop brings animatronic puppets to life in these haunted houses. We can hardly wait to see how they come alive!

Terrifier: Brace yourself for all-out gore, or perhaps you’ll experience water being splashed on you to simulate the bloodbath orchestrated by Art the Clown from the Terrifier franchise.

Jason Universe: It’s Voorhees, not Bourne, as you navigate through his many slasher incarnations in this terrifying adventure.

WWE Presents The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks: This haunted house draws inspiration from the recent horror-themed personas of wrestlers, particularly the Wyatt Sicks. While it may be past our WWE era, if you’re like us, you’ll remember legends like Kane and the Undertaker when it comes to spooky wrestling lore.

Experience Original Haunted Houses at HHN Hollywood

Monstruos 3: The Ghosts of Latin America: The West Coast’s HHN has delivered fantastic houses inspired by Latin folklore, featuring frightful interpretations of legends and cryptids like La Llorona. We are eagerly looking forward to this intriguing experience.

Scarecrow Music by Slash: This festive house makes a comeback, now reimagined with music from Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, adding a thrilling twist to the haunted experience.

Explore Original Houses at HHN Orlando

Hatchet and Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters: Promising a wild ride of Old West horror fun, this house will feature fiery lava demons battling mystical weapon wielders.

Dolls: Let’s Play Dead: Not for the faint of heart, as you’ll be pursued by eerie toy creations born from the twisted imagination of a little girl.

Grave of Flesh: This chilling experience invites you to enter your own grave, where you’ll be hunted by layers of flesh-eating purgatorial chaos. Sweet, isn’t it?

Gálkn: Monsters of the North: Dive into Northern European folklore enriched with fantasy elements as you explore the Fjords.

El Artista: A Spanish Haunting: Imagine a remote getaway in Spain where a tortured artist succumbs to madness. And we get to bear witness to the ensuing horrors? Count us in for this spine-tingling adventure!

Celebrate the Magic of Disneyland

Walt Disney comes to life—at least in animatronic form. The figure was unveiled to commemorate Disneyland’s 70th anniversary as part of a new attraction, Walt Disney: A Magical Life, where we can delve into the legacy of the man behind the mouse through his own words.

Among the festivities, the celebration’s magic key (not to be confused with the annual pass) introduces an interactive entertainment experience around the park, cleverly gamifying the way visitors unlock new adventures. This has drawn amusing comparisons to the Kingdom Hearts key in a fun reel, yet we still find ourselves yearning for more from the beloved Ubisoft game beyond this and the chance to meet Keyblade-wielding Donald and Goofy at Oogie Boogie Bash.

Speaking of Oogie Boogie Bash, Disney has released tantalizing hints about the villains who will be crashing the annual Halloween event. We are particularly excited about the hint of Syndrome from The Incredibles making an appearance. Tickets for Oogie Boogie Bash are now on sale and are expected to sell out quickly, if they haven’t already. 

Uncover the Magic at Walt Disney World

Halloween merchandise is now available both in the parks and online through the Disney Store. The Haunted Mansion takes center stage in this collection, showcasing special figures inspired by the iconic stretching room portraits (read more about them here). Additionally, new Mickey and Friends festive decor and costumes are ready for the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween parties at the Magic Kingdom.

The Magic Kingdom also introduced its first nighttime parade, Disney Starlight, while a refurbished test track has reopened at Epcot.

Discover Immersive Activations and Pop-Up Experiences

So what exciting events have been unfolding beyond the big theme parks? A whole lot, actually!

Unmissable SDCC 2025 Off-Site Activations

io9 was fortunate to attend various activations at San Diego Comic-Con, which showcased outstanding immersiveness and enticing giveaways. The Peacemaker Peacefest featured a fantastic photobooth, allowing attendees to get their own helmet mask. The Alien: Earth and Clown in a Cornfield pop-ups brought the scares, while Adult Swim hosted live readings of animated shows like Smiling Friends alongside adult carnival entertainment.

Experience the Netflix Wednesday x Wendy’s Meal of Misfortune

The stunt-inspired Wendy’s Wednesday-themed meal made a surprise appearance as a drive-through activation in Norwalk, CA. However, this special meal will be rolled out nationwide on August 4, just in time for the Wednesday premiere next week! Catch up on season one of Wednesday here.

Exciting Expansion at AREA15

AREA15 in Las Vegas stands as the premier immersive entertainment district in the country, featuring the captivating Meow Wolf: Omega Mart. It’s about to expand significantly with a new zone set to open on August 14, which will showcase Universal Horror Unleashed, Universal Resorts and Destinations’ year-round horror hub complete with haunted houses, spooky sips, delicious eats, and thrilling entertainment. Additionally, it will host Dolls Kill’s flagship store, the Escape Game, Felix & Paul Studios’ Interstellar Arc, iFLY Indoor Skydiving, and the largest-ever Museum of Ice Cream.

For more exciting io9 news, check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, learn what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and discover everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.