Eat to the Beat Concert Lineup Announced

Disney changes dining reservations app, Test Track changes Lightning Lane lineup

This week, significant developments are reshaping the guest experience across Walt Disney World, with major announcements impacting entertainment, park operations, and digital convenience.

EPCOT's highly anticipated Eat to the Beat Concert Series has unveiled its lineup for the 2025 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, featuring six new headlining acts. Simultaneously, Disney has rolled out substantial enhancements to the My Disney Experience app, fundamentally improving the process of securing coveted dining reservations.

Further operational shifts are announced, as Test Track's reopening on July 22 will recalibrate EPCOT's Lightning Lane structure. Beyond these strategic updates, a new offering comes to Animal Kingdom and a new shop at Magic Kingdom. And the big news this coming week is the closure of Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Square Riverboat permanently ceasing operations on July 7. These closures are part of a massive expansion, transforming the area into Piston Peak National Park, a new Cars-themed land.

Let’s take a look at the major headlines from the week:

Eat to the Beat Concert Series Lineup: Six new headliners will be performing at this year’s Eat to the Beat 2025 Concert series as part of the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival from Aug. 28 through Nov. 22, 2025. The performers joining the Eat to the Beat Concert series for the first time include KT Tunstall, Bowling for Soup, Jordin Sparks, Ben Rector, The Wanted 2.0, and The Beach Boys. In addition to these debuts, many of your favorite musical groups from prior years are returning to deliver more sound-sational fun. Get ready to sing along with beloved acts like Joey Fatone & Friends, Hanson, and Boyz II Men.

Prices and List of Restaurants for the Eat to the Beat Dining Packages: For those wanting a guaranteed seat to any of the Eat to the Beat concerts coming during the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, Disney is again offering dining packages. There are those you can make advance reservations for and same-day dining packages

Test Track’s Return Shifts EPCOT’s Lightning Lane Lineup: Disney has announced a shift in EPCOT’s Lightning Lane Multi Pass lineup, effective July 22, coinciding with the reopening of Test Track. Once Test Track reopens, it will join the higher tier of experiences, meaning guests can select it as their single premium attraction.

Disney World Updates Dining Reservation App: Searching for dining reservations at Disney World using the My Disney Experience app can be cumbersome when trying to find a variety of times. Now, Disney has updated the app to make things easier. This new update was designed to make things easier. Specifically you can:

• Use an enhanced availability calendar to view all available reservations for a single location for those hard-to-get spots and use a custom time slider to target exact dining times

• View all available reservations at all locations across a date range to make planning dining easier for your vacation.

• Filter and sort dining availability based on your preferences, including more specific time frames that work for you and nearby locations

• Join a walk-up list or place a mobile order from select Disney World table service locations when searching for same-day dining reservations

Daisy Duck Joins the "Cool Kid Summer:” Disney's Animal Kingdom has unveiled a new "Cool Kid Summer" experience: Daisy's Dig at Restaurantosaurus. Located in "The Hip Joint" room of the DinoLand quick-service spot, this new offering provides a welcome escape from the heat and a chance to hang out with Daisy Duck. Guests visiting Daisy's Dig can enjoy air-conditioned comfort while participating in coloring activities. Daisy herself will be wandering around, ready to interact with guests and perhaps even join in on the coloring fun.

New Hat Store Opens in Magic Kingdom: The newly reimagined Prairie Outpost is now open to guests in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom. Once home to candy and snacks, the location has been transformed into a dedicated headwear shop featuring styles from Chapel Hats.

Next Disney Earnings Call Scheduled: The Walt Disney Company has announced when they will host a live call to discuss their third quarter 2025 financial results. The report will be released before the opening of regular trading on August 6, 2025. The live audio webcast will take place at 8:30 a.m. ET / 5:30 a.m. PT on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.

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