UPDATED May 22, 2026

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.

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!

 

CURRENT EVENTS

Before we dive into the events by month below, here is a look at ongoing events that are happening RIGHT NOW around Disney World.

March 4th-June 1st

The 2026 EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival is NOW RUNNING from March 4th through June 1st, 2026. 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.

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.

Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom

After Hours returned to Magic Kingdom on January 12th, and tickets are now 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

Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios

After Hours in Disney’s Hollywood Studios kicked 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
• February 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

Disney After Hours at EPCOT

After Hours events returned to EPCOT on January 22nd 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

May 2026

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 took place 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).

Expect to see a lot of vintage fashion and fun outfits.

May 3rd

Magic Kingdom’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has been closed since early January 2025 for a massive upgrade. The ride received 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 reopened on May 3, 2026! 

We Rode the New Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and We Have So Much to Tell You!

May 4th

May 4th is May THE Fourth, and we always see special things happening in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

May 12th

For much of the year, the two Disney World Water Parks — Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach — operate on a rotating basis. The great news is that BOTH Blizzard Beach AND Typhoon Lagoon are NOW open from May 12th through September 8th, 2026.

May 22nd

Speaking of Star Wars, a brand new movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu premiered in theaters on May 22nd. To celebrate, the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride is debuted a brand new experience, including a brand new storyline featuring the Mandalorian and Grogu, as well as new scenes!

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!

Take a FIRST LOOK at Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Changes in Disney World

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, 2026

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets will open on May 26th, 2026! Disney has shared that the attraction will be “fueled by the tasty tunes of the Electric Mayhem and the high-speed hijinks of The Muppets.”

Oh! And and FØØD by Swedish Chef is opening right along with it on that same date!

We Just Rode Disney’s NEW Rock ‘n ‘Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets, and We Have SO Much To Tell You

May 26th, 2026

OH, BOY! May 26th delivers EVEN MORE new experiences to Disney World, debuting along with the kickoff of Cool KIDS’ SUMMER  (which you’ll learn more about below)!

Here’s the rundown:

• Soarin’ Across America debuts in EPCOT (To make way for the changes, Soarin’ Around the World closed on May 14th, 2026.)
• A fresh version of “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!” will debut at Hollywood Studios May 26, 2026 (Officially, though you may be able to see this new show NOW)
• The Walt Disney Studios Courtyard opens in Hollywood Studios  (Officially, though you may be able to access the new land NOW)
• Bluey’s Wild World at Conservation Station opens at Animal Kingdom (PLEASE BE AWARE that Bluey’s Wild World will require a Virtual Queue to access during its initial opening!)

May 26th – September 8th, 2026

For the second year in a row, Cool KIDS’ SUMMER will bring some really cool offerings to Disney World during the hottest months of the year in addition to the new experiences listed above!

From May 26th through September 8th, 2026, guests can enjoy these additional experiences AND MORE:

• BOTH Disney World Water Parks — Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon — will be OPEN!
• Disney World Resort hotel guests can visit either of the Water Parks FOR FREE on their arrival day!
• Disney Character experiences will EXPAND the Resort, including special appearances at select Resort hotels, the return of GoofyCore at CommuniCore Hall in EPCOT, and Toy Story characters joining guests dining at Magic Kingdom’s Diamond Horseshoe restaurant for Jessie’s Roundup, extra Disney pals in the parks for Early Entry, and MORE!

June 2026

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 2nd – September 5th

H2O Glow After Hours is an extra-ticket event held at Typhoon Lagoon Water Park for select dates during the summer! The 2026 event will return for select nights from June 2 – September 5, 2026. 

This extra ticket event features glow-in-the-dark fun after the sun goes down with shorter wait times for the park’s waterslides, a DJ dance party, exclusive menu items, Disney character appearances (including Powerline Max, Chip ‘n’ Dale as the Rescue Rangers, Scrooge McDuck, Launchpad McQuack, and Donald and Daisy in tropical outfits), and more.

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 (AND the 3rd and 5th!)

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.

In fact, Magic Kingdom will celebrate with the special fireworks show “Disney’s Celebrate America! — A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky” for THREE nights in 2026: July 3rd, 4th, and 5th!

Expect both parks to be PACKED.

August 2026

Expect August to be hot in Disney World, too, although things are quiet at the beginning of the month.

August 7th – October 31st

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a seasonal Magic Kingdom event requiring a separate ticket for entry. The event will return for select nights from August 7th through October 31st, 2026. 

Once inside, guests enjoy plenty of ghoulish fun and entertainment only available at the Party! Tickets are on sale now. 

August 27th – November 21st, 2026

The EPCOT Food & Wine Festival is an annual celebration of global cuisine in Disney World! The 2026 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival will run from August 27th through November 21st, 2026. 

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. Plan on spending a day or two just at EPCOT to enjoy the festival.

 

 

September 2026

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 2026

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!

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 2026

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.

TBA

There are some things we know are going to happen in 2026, but we don’t have exact dates for.

The Magic of Disney Animation

As mentioned above, the Walt Disney Studios Courtyard opens in Hollywood Studios on May 26th.

But later in the summer, on a date that is to-be-announced, The Magic of Disney Animation (which will be housed in the new Walt Disney Studios section of the park) will open, as well!

Level99 Opening in Disney Springs

LEVEL99 is coming to Disney World’s shopping, dining, and entertainment district, Disney Springs in the summer of 2026!

LEVEL99 is an interactive, social entertainment experience. More specifically, it is a destination for “real-world, challenge-based, social entertainment” for adults featuring physical and mental challenges set in artistic environments, and it will open this summer. 

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

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.