Here are today’s 6 verified theme park & live event stories, covering Theme Parks & Roller Coasters and Live Music & Venues.
Every item below links to its original source.
The TLDR
- Theme Parks & Roller Coasters: Hersheypark’s Sooperdooperlooper Coaster to Close Until Summer 2027
- Live Music & Venues: Early Motown Songwriter Janie Bradford Dies at 87
Theme Parks & Roller Coasters
Hersheypark’s Sooperdooperlooper Coaster to Close Until Summer 2027
Hersheypark announced that its classic Sooperdooperlooper looping coaster will close after September 7, 2026, and won’t reopen until summer 2027, according to Screamscape. The closure clears the way for a brand-new station building as part of a refreshed arrival and boarding experience that will include lights and audio, timed to the ride’s 50th anniversary. Fans who enjoyed the transformation behind Rougarou at Cedar Point will recognize this as the kind of long-term reinvestment parks make in legacy attractions rather than a permanent closure.
Disney Shares New Lion King Flume Concept Art for Disney Adventure World
Disney Imagineering released new concept art for the Lion King-themed flume ride under construction at Disney Adventure World near Paris, depicting a confrontation scene between Simba and Scar, according to Screamscape. The attraction takes guests through caverns beneath Pride Rock and ends in a big plunge, a climactic drop not unlike the vertical-drop centerpiece of Dorney Park’s Iron Menace. No opening date was announced alongside the artwork.
Mickey and Friends Debut New Harlequin Halloween Costumes at Disneyland
Mickey, Minnie, and the rest of the Disneyland gang have debuted new Halloween Time costumes for 2026, appearing in Town Square in a harlequin-inspired design with an orange-and-black color scheme, according to WDW News Today. Minnie’s new dress features striped puffy sleeves, diamond patterns, and a matching bow. The costumes mark this year’s seasonal refresh as Halloween Time continues at the resort.
Universal Orlando Opens Passholder-Exclusive Keyholder Bar for Halloween Horror Nights 35
Universal Orlando Resort unveiled the Keyholder Bar, a limited-entry spot exclusive to Annual Passholders located to the left of the Music Plaza Stage at Universal Studios Florida, according to WDW News Today. The bar will be open on Halloween Horror Nights event nights from August 28 through November 1, and passholders must show a valid Annual or Seasonal Pass to enter.
Epcot Adds Small Upgrades Ahead of Food & Wine Festival
Attractions Magazine spotted several small changes around Epcot timed to the 2026 Food & Wine Festival, including new shelf-style ledges and high-top tables for festival food near the Mexico and Germany pavilions, and a refreshed rest area near Creations Shop and Test Track with shade umbrellas and turf, per Attractions Magazine. The Germany pavilion’s miniature train village also received new scenes, and the park has added complimentary menstrual products in most restrooms. Festival signage this year highlights the event’s 30th anniversary.
Live Music & Venues
Early Motown Songwriter Janie Bradford Dies at 87
Janie Bradford, an early Motown songwriter who co-wrote the label’s first hit, ‘Money (That’s What I Want),’ has died at 87, according to Billboard. Beyond that classic, she also wrote songs recorded by Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Mary Wells, cementing her place among Motown’s earliest songwriting voices.
Explore more: Rougarou at Cedar Point, Iron Menace at Dorney Park.
Get More from Theme Park News
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Theme Park News, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Want the day’s theme park news in your inbox? Subscribe to ThrillZing Daily — free.