New Splash Mountain Re-Theme Details, Finger Scanning Returns, and More Disney News You Missed!

The month of August is almost over, and it has been, well, a month. We’ve had so much Disney news to process and yes, we’re still trying to wrap our minds around everything.

We’ve learned more about the re-theme of Splash Mountain!

From new details and pricing for the Star Wars Hotel to the announcements about Disney Genie to reopenings to everything else, a lot has happened. Even this week, there’s been a lot of news to share.

And in case you missed any of it, here are the top Disney news stories you might have missed.

Magic Key Passes Have Gone on Sale

Earlier this year, Disneyland announced that it was suspending its annual passholder program, but a replacement was on the way. That replacement, called Magic Key, is now officially gone on sale. And those who got online to grab their passes on the first day they became available online ended up having to wait quite a while to grab them.

Four different kinds of Keys are available, ranging in price from $399 to $1,399, with each pass having an increasing level of benefits, depending on its price.

Answering Your Biggest Questions About Disneyland’s Magic Key Pass

Spider-Man: No Way Home Trailer Drops

The Internet pretty much exploded when the first trailer for the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home landed online. Not only did the trailer continue to confirm the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s embracing of the multiverse, but it also dropped a lot of major surprises on fans.

The trailer went on to have a record number of global views (355.5 million) between its release at CinemaCon and on social media, beating out the previous record-holder, Avengers: Endgame. The hype is real.

VIDEO: Marvel Just Dropped the FIRST Trailer for ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’!

Finger Scanners Return to Disney World

When Disney World reopened last year, one thing we noticed that was missing were the finger scanners at the park gates — these were removed due to the current health and safety guidelines. Now the biometric finger scanners have started to return to the parks.

Guests scanning their fingers as they enter Animal Kingdom

It works just like it did before Disney World’s closure last year — you hold your ticket or MagicBand up to the tapstile and then you place your finger on the scanner to be admitted into the park.

PHOTOS & VIDEO: Finger Scanners Are Back in Disney World

More Details Released About Splash Mountain Re-Theme

Last year, we learned that Splash Mountain would get a new re-theme, one centered around The Princess and the Frog. This week, we got a lot more details about that re-theme. First, Disney released some new concept art for the ride. Look closely because some brand new characters are being introduced here for the attraction.

Then we got to see some original artwork painted by Sharika Mahdi — this piece will serve as inspiration for the final Mardi Gras scene in the ride.

The story of the re-themed attraction will pick up after the events in The Princess and the Frog. We can’t wait to see what Disney comes up with for the ride.

The New Detail You Missed from Disney’s Splash Mountain Re-Theme News

EPCOT Princess Promenade Ends

Things continue to change at Disney World as the parks revert to pre-closure normalcy. The most recent change is that EPCOT has discontinued the Princess Promenades.

However, guests can now see the princesses throughout EPCOT for distanced meet and greets. Anna and Elsa remain in Norway, but you can find Jasmine in Morocco, Snow White in Germany, Aurora and Belle in France, and Mulan in China.

Disney World Quietly Discontinues Princess Cavalcade at EPCOT

That’s all the biggest news you might have missed for this week, but we’ll continue to cover Disney news, so please keep checking back for the latest!