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It’s trite but true. It’s been a roller-coaster week for some Walt Disney World fans. They learned of promising expansion plans but later found that the addition of Magic Kingdom attractions translates into the subtraction of sentimental favorites.

Among the stash of worldwide Disney announcements made Saturday was the news that two “Cars” rides were being added to Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland area.

On Monday, Disney confirmed that the new rides will be built on Tom Sawyer Island replacing the longstanding fort and caves. The area also will lose the Liberty Belle boat, which currently rests on the Rivers of America that surround the island. The attractions have operated at Magic Kingdom since the early 1970s.

“So, people are completely forgetting all the good news, and now they’re just mad,” said Michele Atwood, owner of the Main Street Mouse website, who attended Disney’s weekend announcements during the D23 fan club event in Anaheim, California.

There are no rides on Tom Sawyer Island now. It’s a tree-lined rustic playground area. Its theme is based on Mark Twain characters, and visitors only access it via log rafts. Liberty Belle, a triple-decker paddle boat, loops around the island for views of Frontierland attractions and the nearby Haunted Mansion. read more

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday gave his second news conference in as many weeks as he adjusts to a newly energized Democratic ticket ahead of next week’s Democratic National Convention.

At his New Jersey golf club, the Republican nominee blended falsehoods about the economy with misleading statements and deeply personal attacks about his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Here’s a closer look at the facts.

Inflation did not take the toll Trump claimed. Growth surged under Biden

TRUMP: “As a result of Kamala’s inflation, price hikes have cost the typical household a total of $28,000. … When I left office, I left Kamala and crooked Joe Biden a surging economy and no inflation. The mortgage rate was around 2%. Gasoline had reached $1.87 a gallon. … Harris and Biden blew it all up.”

THE FACTS: Trump made numerous economic claims that were either exaggerated or misleading. Prices did surge during the Biden-Harris administration, though $28,000 is far higher than independent estimates. Moody’s Analytics calculated last year that price increases over the previous two years were costing the typical U.S. household $709 a month. That would equal $8,500 a year. read more

Coming to Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom will be home to a villains-themed land with two major attractions, shopping and dining. “It’s going to be a fearless new vision for what a Disney experience can be,’ said Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences. (Walt Disney Co.)

Coming to Walt Disney World: Animal Kingdom will be home to a Tropical Americas land that includes an ‘Encanto’ attractions and a ride tied to ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.’ (Walt Disney Co.)

Coming to Walt Disney World: Animal Kingdom will be home to a Tropical Americas land that includes an ‘Encanto’ attractions and a ride tied to ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.’ (Walt Disney Co.)

Coming to Walt Disney World: Animal Kingdom will be home to a Tropical Americas land that includes an ‘Encanto’ ride-through attraction featuring Antonio, who can communicate with animals, and other members of the Madrigal family and the Casita. (Walt Disney Co.) read more

Magic Kingdom was the most popular theme park in the world again in 2023, according to a global attendance report released Thursday.

But total gains North America were modest, with two Walt Disney World parks, both Universal Orlando parks and SeaWorld Orlando all having declines from their 2022 figures.

The TEA / AECOM Theme Park and Museum Index froze their rankings for the past three annual reports due to the COVID pandemic and its related closures. But it shared attendance numbers during that period.

“In essence, our 2019 list was a control set that we followed during the recovery period. This year is the right time to return to our normal process of ranking,” wrote Francisco Refuerzo, senior analyst with AECOM Economics.

In 2023, Magic Kingdom had 17.72 million visitors in 2023, an increase of 3.4%. Disneyland of Anaheim California was a close second with 17.25 million, an increase of 2.2%.

Epcot ranked eighth worldwide with 11.98 million guests, an increase of 19.8%. Disney’s Hollywood Studios was 10th with 10.3 million visitors, a decrease of 5.5%. read more

By Chanelle Bessette | NerdWallet

I’ve worked as a personal finance writer for seven years, and I’ve picked up some best practices along the way. These lessons come from conversations I’ve had with expert sources, countless hours spent giving star ratings to dozens of banking products and the experiences that readers have shared with me over email.

Here are five lessons that I’d like to share with you from my work as a consumer banking writer.

1. The best bank accounts have high interest rates, no fees and creative perks

The two things that I always recommend when shopping for a new bank account are to look for high interest rates and no monthly or minimum balance fees, since those benefits help you earn the most you can on your money.

Beyond those features, I’ve been really impressed by some of the creative new offerings that banks have been giving to consumers. They include round-up savings programs and overdraft buffers (more on that later). Other features have become a bit more common, like two-day early direct deposit, ATM fee reimbursements, cash back on debit card spending and “buckets,” which are subaccounts within your main savings account that you can create for different savings goals. If you’re shopping for a new account, be sure to look into these added benefits. read more