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Welcome back to Park & Heart! And if you’re new here—I’m so glad you’re here!
Each Sunday, I keep it short & sweet with two things I love most:
🏰 What’s new (and helpful) around the Disney parks
💛 A bit of heart-level encouragement
Last week’s response was truly unexpected —thank you. Turns out this mix of magic + meaning might just be what we all need.
No selling. No pressure. Just a weekly pause to catch your breath, stay in the loop, and smile a little.
Ready? Let’s go!
🏰 PARK | Disney Updates Worth Knowing
✨ Disney Starlight: A New Night Time Parade!
Magic Kingdom’s first nighttime parade in years debuts July 20!
There will be 9pm & 11pm showings that first night—rumor has it Happily Ever Afterwill run in between.
🎉 I’ll be there and plan to Live Stream!
🌿 Animal Kingdom | Tropical Americas Update
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The Boneyard playground closes Sept. 2 to make room for the new Tropical Americas land (opening 2027).
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Expect Encanto-inspired attractions and a re-theme of Dinosaur to Indiana Jones.
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Construction is well underway! 2027 feels like forever away!
🐛 It’s Tough To Be a Bug… has been zapped!
The attraction under the Tree of Life is being replaced with a Zootopia-themedshow. I'm excited for this new show!
🚗 EPCOT | Test Track Returns
The reimagined Test Track reopens July 22!
🍦 My Top THREE Places to Get Ice Cream at Walt Disney World (and beyond):
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Beaches & Cream (Beach Club) – Get the No Way Jose if you love peanut butter
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Avalunch (Blizzard Beach) – Sand Pail Sundae - it's Sand Pail sized!
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Scoops (Celebration, FL) – The BEST PB Chocolate ice cream I've ever had (okay, this one is off property, but WORTH the drive to Celebration)
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50’s Prime Time Café (Hollywood Studios) – Peanut Butter & Jelly Shake
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Magic Kingdom – Any cart with Mickey Ice Cream Bars
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Deck 10, Disney Treasure – Unlimited soft serve, yes please
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Ghirardelli - Anything on the menu
(I realize I may have a peanut butter problem…and couldn't stop at just three)
🌟 Cool Kid Summer @ Magic Kingdom
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Pop-up character sightings (think Incredibles, Chip & Dale, Stitch roaming freely!)
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A Tomorrowland dance party
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New fun under the Big Top in Fantasyland
🚀 Astro Orbiter Update
After a complete disassembly, it’s back in place above the PeopleMover and has started testing! No reopening date yet, but it’s looking close.
🎶 Brisket Nachos + Yehaa Bob (Port Orleans Riverside)
Yehaa Bob is back in the River Roost Lounge—don’t miss his show if you’re staying nearby.
And yes, the Brisket Nachos are a must.
(Okay, you could go just for the nachos... but Yehaa Bob makes it a full night out!)
💛 HEART | This Week’s Encouragement
I was walking through the queue of Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin when I overheard a little boy ask his dad, “What are we riding next?”
His dad smiled and said, “Buddy… let's enjoy this ride while we're here.”
Whew. That one hit me. That dad gets it.
How often do we live like that little boy—rushing, striving, constantly looking ahead to the next thing… while missing the fact that we’re already standing in a blessing.
It’s easy to chase the next goal, the next plan, the next “someday.” But sometimes the very thing we’ve been wishing for is already unfolding—we just need to pause long enough to notice.
This week, take a breath. Look around. See the beauty that surrounds you.
📚 Behind the Curtain (Book Update!)
You may (or may not) know—I’m writing a book! Yes, it still feels weird to actually say that out loud.
It weaves together faith, Joy, and the magic of the Disney parks. Like the kid I mentioned above, I think we often miss the blessings we're smack dab in the middle of...I think we miss the Joy because we're often looking for the next big thing.
And by "we" - I mean me.
What started as journaling through life’s challenges, blessings, and magical moments has turned into a full project.
And honestly? It’s been one of the most therapeutic and life giving things I’ve ever done—besides whitewater rafting down the Colorado River for five nights in my 30s. But that's another story!
I’ve written 10 of the 16 chapters but I keep tweaking, deleting and editing (and re-editing) them so it sure isn't going fast.
Sharing the progress here helps keep me stay accountable and will force me to go through with this and share this with others. I truly feel it has a message that needs to be shared.
After last week's first Park + Heart I received so many encouraging notes about excitement behind this book - now I HAVE to finish it! :)
Seriously... thank you!
Bonnie
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