Disney4me Posted October 26, 2025 Report Posted October 26, 2025 There’s nothing like planning a trip to Disney World, only to get there and realize that you – and thousands of other people – have picked the wrong time to visit. Magic Kingdom We’ve been there, staring down Main Street, U.S.A. while the hordes make their way to Cinderella Castle like something out of The Walking Dead, all because it’s a special holiday weekend, or there’s a runDisney event, or something else that’s brought people to the parks. Or maybe you just want to know when special events are happening in Disney World. Well, we’ve got you covered because we’re going to give you every single date you need to know for Disney World in 2026. Before we get started, you should know that we have done the homework for you, and we’ve got a calendar of special events in Disney World you can download! Drop us your email and sign up at the link below! January January tends to be a quiet time in Disney World on MOST days, but there are still some things you’ll need to watch out for. This is a great time to visit, though, although it’s not uncommon to experience uncomfortably chilly weather (yes, Florida can get cold). January 7th-11th The Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend kicks off on January 7th, which brings a lot of runners to Disney World EARLY in the mornings of race days, but also into the parks later once the runs are over. January 12th After Hours are returning to Magic Kingdom on January 12th, and tickets are already available. This is a chance to visit Magic Kingdom AFTER it officially closes for the day, giving you time in the parks with fewer people and shorter lines. You also get FREE snacks and special character interactions. Magic Kingdom After Hours runs from 10PM to 1 AM, and tickets run from $175 and $199 per ticket, depending on the date. Here’s the full list of 2026 After Hours in Magic Kingdom: January 12th and 19th February 2nd, 9th, and 23rd March 2nd and 9th April 13th and 20th May 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th June 1st, 22nd, and 29th July 13th and 27th Wristband for After Hours in Magic Kingdom January 14th After Hours in Disney’s Hollywood Studios kicks off on January 14th. This event runs from 9:20 PM to 12:30 AM, except on May 30th, when it runs from 10:30 PM to 1:30 AM, and on September 12th, when it runs from 10 PM to 1 AM. Tickets run from $155 to $189. Here’s the full list of After Hours dates in 2026 for that park. January 14th and 28th Feburary 4th, 11th, 21st, and 25th April 29th May 6th, 14th, and 30th June 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th July 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th August 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th September 2nd and 12th January 16th-February 23rd The EPCOT Festival of the Arts kicks off on January 16th and runs through February 23rd. During this time, you’ll get to experience dozens of additional food booths around EPCOT, the Disney on Broadway concert series, all kinds of art-focused activities and entertainment, and more. Paige O’Hara signing at 2025 EPCOT Festival of the Arts This is one of our favorite EPCOT festivals, so if you’re visiting during that time, you HAVE to check it out. January 20th Moonlight Magic is a special after hours FREE event just for Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members. Moonlight Magic will happen in Disney’s Animal Kingdom on January 20th. Members will need to register for the event. January 22nd After Hours events return to EPCOT on January 20th from 9:30 PM to 12:30 AM. Tickets run from $155 and $179. Here’s the full list of dates you’ll be able to buy tickets for After Hours events in that park: January 22nd and 29th February 19th March 5th and 12th April 2nd, 9th, 15th, 23rd, and 30th May 21st June 11th and 18th July 9th and 23rd August 6th and 13th September 16th and 24th Minnie Mouse at EPCOT After Hours January 25th-31st If you plan on staying at a Skyliner resort in Disney World, you will not be able to take the Skyliner from January 25th through January 31st. The Skyliner will be closed during that time for routine maintenance. Buses will be available, though, to take you to the parks. January 26th-May 26th The pools at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort will be closed for refurbishment from January 26th through May 26th. However, guests staying at Bay Lake Tower can use any of the other pools at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Bay Lake Tower January 26th-April The Surfboard Bay Pool and the kiddie pool at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort will be closed from January 26th through April. The Grand Slam Leisure Pool will remain open. Guests can also use the pools at other Disney All-Star Resorts. February It can still be a little chilly in Disney World in February, but it’s also a good time to visit, if you avoid dates that bring crowds (like Presidents’ Day weekend). February 12th EPCOT will have its own Moonlight Magic event on February 12th for DVC members. You will need to register ahead of time, though, to attend the event. February 14th-16th This is Presidents’ Day weekend, which means you could expect to see more crowds than usual in Disney World. Things can be busy, so you’ll want to plan accordingly. 2023 President’s Day Weekend February 26th-March 2nd The Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend starts on February 26th and runs through that entire weekend. Expect to see more people in the parks than you normally would. March Spring in Disney World? YES, please! The parks are overflowing with beautiful flowers (especially EPCOT), and you’ll probably see a lot of bees…a LOT of bees. March and April can bring Spring Break crowds to the parks, too. March-June The EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival usually starts in May and runs through June. This is a great time to visit EPCOT, because the festival brings topiaries, gardens, food booths, entertainment, special activities, and so much more to the park. EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival You’ll especially want to check out the Garden Rocks concert series, which brings a lot of popular acts to America Gardens Theatre in the American Adventure Pavilion. April The weather starts warming up in April, but it’s still not as bad as visiting during the summer. You might see some Spring Break crowds hitting the parks, though. April 5th Easter is a fun time to visit Disney World because you get to enjoy a lot of spring and Easter-themed treats. If you visit close enough to Easter, you may get to say hello to the Easter Bunny and Mrs. Easter Bunny in Magic Kingdom. Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny The Easter egg displays are also one of the coolest things to check out at Disney World hotels. April 16th-20th The Springtime Surprise Weekend, another runDisney event, runs from April 16th through 20th, so you’ll see a lot of runners in the parks early in the mornings, as well as visiting the parks later in the evenings. Note that runDisney events can close some roadways around the resort. April 22nd DVC members can enjoy a Moonlight Magic event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on April 22nd. May May kicks off the summer, including the summer season in Disney World. That means family vacation time, especially around Memorial Day, so expect to see some crowds. May 2nd-3rd Spring Dapper Day is in EPCOT on May 2nd and in Disney’s Animal Kingdom on May 3rd. This is an unofficial event that brings tons of people all dressed up to the parks (and that’s the idea — to dress your most dapper). @antonyatt Expect to see a lot of vintage fashion and fun outfits. May 4th May 4th is May THE Fourth, and we usually see a few special things happening in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. There may be some fun merchandise, but this day can also bring very limited-time treats! May 22nd Speaking of Star Wars, a brand new movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu premieres in theaters on May 22nd. To celebrate, the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride is getting a brand new experience, including a brand new storyline featuring the Mandalorian and Grogu, as well as new scenes. ©Disney However, the biggest change is that you and your crew get to control your final destination, and the engineer will actually get to communicate with Grogu throughout the ride. May 23rd-25th Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer vacation period, meaning the swarms are headed to Disney World. Sure, it’s fun to spend a long weekend in the parks, but there will be crowds…LOTS of crowds. May 26th-January 27th If you’ll be staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge from May throughout the rest of the year, expect to see and hear construction while the Jambo House rooms get refurbished. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge We’re looking forward to seeing what kind of refresh the rooms are getting! June June is when things get hot in Disney World…and we’re talking about the weather. However, there’s not a lot going on during this month. June 25th June 25th is Moonlight Magic at one of Disney’s water parks, Typhoon Lagoon. Several Moonlight Magic events are scheduled for the water park, including the following dates: August 4th, August 20th July July brings a big holiday to the parks, and that means crowds. Oh, yeah, it’s also starting to get uncomfortably hot in Florida. July 4th July the 4th is a HUGE holiday for Disney World because EPCOT usually brings special character interactions to the American Adventure Pavilion, plus a special nighttime show, while Magic Kingdom has special fireworks on that evening. ‘Fantasy In The Sky’ fireworks show in Magic Kingdom Expect both parks to be PACKED. Summer We don’t have a specific opening date for the new Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring The Muppets, but Disney has promised to have the new ride ready to go in summer 2026. That could be anywhere from May through early September, so we’ll just have to wait and see. August Expect August to be hot in Disney World, too, although things are quiet at the beginning of the month. August-October Halloween season kicks off in Disney World in August and runs through the end of October. That means you’ll see Halloween decorations in Magic Kingdom, as well as have the opportunity to get a ticket for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. The best part, though? The Halloween snacks! August-November While we don’t have official dates yet, the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival usually kicks off in August and runs through November. This is one of the biggest festivals at EPCOT with a TON of food booths, the Eat to the Beat concert series, and so much more. Eat to the Beat Plan on spending a day or two just at EPCOT to enjoy the festival. September The EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is still going strong in September, but crowds do tend to wind down a little bit once kids are back in school. The weather can still be hot, though, so plan ahead! September 5th-7th Labor Day weekend is the last big hurrah for summer, and a lot of folks like to spend it in Disney World. This means long lines and crowds. September 10th EPCOT will have another Moonlight Magic event for DVC members on September 10th. November November kicks off the holiday season in Disney World, and you’ll see holiday decorations up in the parks as early as November 1st. The weather can be almost pleasant this time of year. Sometimes. November-December As we mentioned, the holiday season kicks off in Disney World in November and runs through December 31st. That means you’ll have a chance to see Santa, as well as buy tickets to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights. The EPCOT Festival of Holidays also kicks off the day after Thanksgiving and runs through December. So that’s more food booths, lots of holiday fun, the iconic Candlelight Processional, and more! Josh Gad narrating the 2024 Candlelight Processional However, the best part may be all the wonderful holiday decor you’ll find in the parks, at the hotels, and in Disney Springs. The hotels also display their gingerbread creations for all to see — and believe us, those displays are PHENOMENAL. November 26th-29th Another super busy time of the year in Disney World is Thanksgiving weekend. This could be one of the most crowded days in the parks, so expect to deal with a lot of crowds and lines. If you’ll be spending Thanksgiving Day in Disney World, though, you’ll find plenty of restaurants with special Thanksgiving Day meals. December The holiday season is in full swing come December, and the temperatures are generally comfortable. The first of the month isn’t too bad, but as we get closer to Christmas, the crowds start making their way to the parks. December 25th Who doesn’t want to spend Christmas in Magic Kingdom? Well, it turns out that EVERYONE wants that, so you’ll find Magic Kingdom OVERLOADED with folks who want to feel that magical holiday cheer. However, the other parks can be crowded on Christmas Day, too. December 31st Magic Kingdom and EPCOT will also be VERY crowded on New Year’s Eve. EPCOT hosts a variety of dance zones and parties across World Showcase, as well as a special nighttime show, while you can count down to the New Year with fireworks in Magic Kingdom. But you’ll be doing it with a LOT of other people. New Year’s 2025 Fireworks crowds TBA There are some things we know are going to happen in 2026, but we don’t have exact dates for. Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Room Refurbishment Disney has confirmed that it will be refurbishing rooms at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort throughout 2026. We don’t yet have exact dates, but we’ll let you know when Disney releases that information. The Walt Disney Studios grand opening Animation Courtyard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is getting reimagined into The Walt Disney Studios (and yes, it’s becoming almost a throwback to what this area originally was when Hollywood Studios was a REAL working TV and movie studio). ©Disney The area will feature an interactive space themed around Disney animation called The Magic of Disney Animation, character meet and greets, an Alice in Wonderland playground, and more. It’s supposed to open sometime in 2026. Grand Floridian lobby completion Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa is getting a brand new lobby, and it’s supposed to be completed in 2026. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopening Magic Kingdom’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has been closed since early January 2025 for a massive upgrade. The ride is getting a new track, new scenes, and a new exterior that will help it blend in with the new Cars expansion being built nearby. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will reopen in 2026. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin reopening Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin in Magic Kingdom also recently closed for a huge upgrade. The ride will be getting new vehicles, a new scene, plus some more improvements. It’s expected to reopen in 2026. ©Disney Knowing when to go to Disney World is part of the planning process, so if you can, choose your dates carefully so you can have the BEST trip possible. And stay tuned to DFB for more. We Found EVERY SINGLE 2026 Disney World Ticket Price Increase So You Don’t Have To <span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span> Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Will you be visiting Disney World in 2026? Have you thought about when you’ll visit? Let us know how you decide in the comments.The post 2026 Dates You Should Know If You’re a Disney World Fan first appeared on the disney food blog.View the full article Quote
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