No matter the year, there's magic waiting around every corner at Walt Disney World! Right now at Walt Disney World, you can experience the updated Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin at Magic Kingdom, Frozen Ever After Audio-Animatronics at EPCOT, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets at Hollywood Studios, Bluey's Wild World at Animal Kingdom and more.
Plus, Disney World hotel guests receive complimentary water park admission on check-in day for arrivals between May 26 and Sept. 8, 2026. The complimentary water park day will also return for summer 2027 (exact dates TBD), minus the campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort.
Special events are returning for 2026 and likely for 2027, including Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and EPCOT's iconic festivals. Disney After Hours events also hoppen at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios on select nights from January to September.
Cool Kids' Summer is here from May 26 to Sept. 8, 2026, and features special character meet and greets during early theme park entry and scheduled appearances at select resorts (Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach and Port Orleans — Riverside). In addition, your favorite Toy Story pals can be found at the Diamond Horseshoe at Magic Kingdom, where you can join Jessie's Roundup with crafts and dancing. Goofy, along with the Goof Troop, will host dance parties and interactive games at CommuniCore Hall.
Also, guests can dance and take photos with Bluey and Bingo at the Conservation Station in Disney's Animal Kingdom. This brand-new interactive experience includes dancing and games, with a fun twist!
If you're already planning a trip in 2026 or 2027, Walt Disney World tickets, hotels and vacation packages are now available through Undercover Tourist!
While there's lots of excitement on the horizon, there are some key things you should know when planning a Disney World trip in 2026 and beyond. Let's jump in!
Key Things to Keep in Mind If You're Planning a Disney World Trip in 2026 or 2027
1. Get Familiar with Lightning Lane Passes
For those who haven't been to Walt Disney World since July 2024, you'll want to read up on the newest iteration of Disney Lightning Lane Passes. For you Genie experts out there, the two most common Lightning Lane Pass options operate similarly to the previous Genie+ service (Lightning Lane Multi Pass) and individual Lightning Lanes (Lightning Lane Single Pass).
The biggest change with Lightning Lane Passes is the ability to make selections in advance. Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests can pre-book up to three Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections per day, and/or separately purchase up to two Lightning Lane Single Passes, for the entirety of their stay up to seven days in advance. Other guests can book up to three days in advance. Much like the previous FastPass+ system, rides in most parks fall under tiers. When booking selections in advance, the three Multi Pass options must be in the same park, but once you redeem your first reservation, you can start making selections in other parks, if park hopping.
If you don't want to hassle with making reservations, a third option is the Lightning Lane Premier Pass. This option allows one-time access to each Lightning Lane experience (no matter if it's usually Single Pass or Multi Pass) without any pre-planning — just show up at the Lightning Lane queue and enter! Note: You can only purchase a Premier Pass for one theme park per day, even with park hopping capabilities.
2. You No Longer Need Park Reservations for Date-Based Tickets
To manage capacity during post-pandemic times, Disney World implemented a Disney Park Pass reservation system that required all guests to reserve the park they planned to attend on each day of their vacation. However, as of Jan. 9, 2024, guests with date-based tickets no longer need to make Park Pass reservations!
Guests with other types of tickets and annual passholders may still need to make reservations for the day(s) of their visit. But annual passholders can keep an eye out for "Good-to-Go" days, which do not require reservations and are added periodically, days or weeks in advance. Annual passholders can also continue to visit without a park reservation after 2 p.m. unless visiting Magic Kingdom on a Saturday or Sunday.
3. All-Day Park Hopping Access Is Back
Also, as of Jan. 9, 2024, guests with Park Hopper tickets and annual passholders can visit another park at any time of the day (no more waiting until 2 p.m.!). Park hopping is still subject to capacity limitations (though this is most likely to hoppen only on the busiest of days, such as Christmas Day or New Year's Eve).
4. New Attractions Are Coming in the Near (& Far) Future
Speaking of what's new or coming in the future, we have a lineup of attractions debuting in 2026. Disney has also announced future projects that have broken ground in 2025. Construction has begun for a Cars Land expansion in Frontierland and Villains Land at Magic Kingdom, as well as Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom and Monsters, Inc. Land in Hollywood Studios.
Here's a quick breakdown of important dates to know in 2026:
- Frozen Ever After at EPCOT reopened in February 2026 with new Audio-Animatronics in honor of its 10th anniversary.
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin are both back after lengthy refurbishments. Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin reopened April 8, 2026. Big Thunder reopened May 3, 2026.
- Soarin' Across America got a special overlay to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States as of May 26, 2026.
- Rock 'n' Roller Coaster closed March 1, 2026, as the Aerosmith version of the ride. The attraction reopened on May 26, 2026, with a new Muppets theme!
- The Magic of Disney Animation is a new experience coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios in late summer 2026, replacing Animation Courtyard (which will be known as The Walt Disney Studios area). The Walt Disney Studios outdoor courtyard is ready to explore as of May 26, 2026.
- Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! is a new stage show featuring Mickey and friends. It debuted on May 26, 2026 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, bringing music, dancing and interactive fun for the littles.
- The Mandalorian and Grogu on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is a new adventure that began on May 22, 2026, where you can take a trip to Cloud City, Tatooine or the ominous wreckage of the Death Star. For the first time ever, you're in charge of what planets your ship visits!
- Bluey's Wild World opened May 26, 2026, at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and is expected to stay beyond Cool Kids' Summer.
Hop over to our full post to see more of what's coming to Disney World!
5. Virtual Queues Are Not Currently In Use for In-Demand Rides
As of Feb. 25, 2025, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Tiana's Bayou Adventure have transitioned to using a standby line instead of a virtual queue! Both rides are also available on the new Lightning Lane Passes, with Guardians available for an additional fee via Lightning Lane Single Pass, and Tiana's available as an option on the Lightning Lane Multi Pass.
Bluey's Wild World is using a virtual queue during the initial opening (a standby queue is expected to open at a later date). Join in the My Disney Experience app at 7 a.m. or 10 a.m.
6. Mobile Order Is a Must-Do
While it's not required, Mobile Order is all but a must-use for quick-service restaurants. No one wants to spend more time in line for a hot dog than for a ride! Thankfully, with Mobile Ordering at Disney World, you don't have to. It's pretty easy to set up Mobile Ordering using the My Disney Experience app, and we've got a full guide to walk you through it. (Psst ... on the app, you can also check table-service restaurants near you for walk-up availability!)
7. Check Out Special Events
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party will return on select nights from Aug. 7 to Oct. 31, 2026. For the holidays, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and Disney Jollywood Nights are also back in 2026. If you're planning a Disney World trip around these events, keep in mind that hotels can fill up around these dates, so we'd highly recommend booking your stay in advance if you plan to attend.
Likewise, Disney World has been offering more After Hours events, which are a great way to wait in shorter lines AND beat the heat if you're up for a late Disney night. Did we mention unlimited Mickey ice cream bars?!
Plus, don't froget about EPCOT's year-round festivals:
- EPCOT International Festival of Arts — January to February 2027
- EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival — March 4 to June 1, 2026
- EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival — Aug. 27 to Nov. 21, 2026
- EPCOT International Festival of Holidays — November to December 2026
8. Hotel Guests Get A New Water Park Perk
That's right — on their check-in day, Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests get free access to a Disney water park! This perk ran through 2025, and has returned for summer 2026 (May 26 to Sept. 8, 2026). It will also make a comeback for summer 2027, excluding the campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort. We'll keep you posted with dates and more info as it unfolds.
9. Water Parks Are Back on a Seasonal Schedule
For the past several years, Disney's Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon water parks have typically traded off which one is open (usually Blizzard Beach during the fall and winter months, and Typhoon Lagoon during the spring and summer months). But last year, both water parks stayed open for the summer. Both water parks are once again open this summer, especially helpful since the new benefit for Disney hotel guests (mentioned above) is back from May 26 to Sept. 8, 2026.
For summer 2026, guests can meet Goofy in his beach outfit at Blizzard Beach or see Stitch causing playful mischief at Typhoon Lagoon.
10. On-Site Guests Also Get Early (and Sometimes Late) Access
Early Magic Hours are gone, and in its place is the Early Theme Park Entry benefit. Early Theme Park Entry is available for Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests and allows entry to any theme park 30 minutes before it opens to the public (the park you can visit aligns with your admission ticket). During busy times, such as the holidays and spring break, this may expand to a full hour. Deluxe and Villa resort guests also have access to Extended Evening Hours at select parks on select nights. If you're planning a Disney World trip, you may want to consider staying on-site to take advantage of these benefits.
11. Now, More Than Ever, You Need to Plan Your Time in the Parks
It is perhaps more important than ever to have a plan when visiting the parks. At the very least, have all of your family members decide at the outset which rides are most important so that no one is left disappointed. If you want more direction than that, we frogs have Disney World park plans that consider these changes to help you plan your best day. We also created a hopful Jump Start Guide to help you get a leg up on your planning. If you're using Lightning Lane, this is especially important so you're ready to make your selections in advance.
12. Dining Plans Are BACK! (Get a FREE Kids Dining Plan for 2026 Packages!)
As a special offer throughout all of 2026, guests staying at a Walt Disney World hotel will get a free dining plan for kids (ages 3-9) when purchasing a dining plan for others in their party (ages 10 and up), as part of their Hotel + Ticket package. The kids' age is determined by how old they will be at the time of travel.
The free dining plan depends on the type of dining plan purchased — the Disney Dining Plan is included for kids ages 3-9 when you purchase a Disney Dining Plan for guests ages 10 and up. Likewise, the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan is included for kids ages 3-9 when you purchase a Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan for guests ages 10 and up.
Heads up! As of now, the free dining plan for kids will not return for 2027. However, new in 2027, there will be a new third dining plan option called the Deluxe Table-Service Dining Plan, which includes 2 table-service meals, 1 quick-service meal and 1 snack/nonalcoholic drink per night of your stay.
13. Set Your Alarm
There are a few key dates and times in the planning timeline to make note of:
- 60 days out: Advance Dining Reservations (for the full length of stay for on-site guests), starting at 6 a.m. ET
- 7 days out: On-site guests can purchase and make Lightning Lane selections for the full length of stay, starting at 7 a.m. ET
- 3 days out: Off-site guests can purchase and make Lightning Lane selections, starting at 7 a.m. ET. If you have date-based tickets, you can make reservations for the length of your ticket. Otherwise, you can select passes for any day within the 3-day purchase window.
14. Save BIG on Your Tickets and Hotel Stay
SAVE UP TO 35% on Walt Disney World Vacation Packages for select stays through Oct. 3, 2026! PLUS, GET A FREE DINING PLAN FOR KIDS (AGES 3 TO 9) when you book a Hotel + Ticket Package that includes a dining plan for each Guest ages 10 and up for all arrivals in 2026. Even better? Book your Disney World vacation package today through Undercover Tourist for a refundable $200 deposit, and pay the remainder 30 days prior to check-in!
Experience all four Walt Disney World Theme Parks this summer with the 4-Day, 4-Park Magic Ticket! Valid for arrivals from May 26 to Sept. 26, 2026.
For a limited time, you'll get a FREE $10 Disney Gift Card with the purchase of each eligible Walt Disney World® Resort Theme Park ticket purchase. Hop on this deal now while supplies last!
We frogs pride ourselves on saving you time and money! This means we can't round off this list without reminding you that we've got everyday discounts on Disney World tickets. Plus, at select times, you can save even more during promos such as special ticket offers for Florida Residents or even seasonal savings such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Right now, take advantage of the 4-Park Magic Ticket, which is valid for arrivals from May 26 to Sept. 26, 2026 — perfect for knocking out all the Cool Kids' Summer activities.
Want to bundle everything together? Undercover Tourist now offers vacation packages with park tickets, a hotel stay and optional dining plans! Plus, you can now secure your vacation package with only a $200 refundable deposit and pay the remaining balance 30 days prior to your check-in date.
Are you ready for your next Disney World trip? Have a tip you think other vacationers would benefit from knowing when planning a Disney World trip? Share it in the comments below!
Related: Best Times to Visit Disney World
Keep hopping!
