Could 2026 be the year when we finally see lower crowds around Disney World?! Only time will tell, but if you ask us, people have plenty of reasons to hold off on traveling to the Most Magical Place on Earth next year, and that could mean lower crowds for the rest of us.

Whether you’re planning a trip to Disney World for 2026 or are just thinking about potentially making the journey, a lot is happening around the parks and beyond that you need to know about — including why crowds could be lower in 2026!

We don’t claim to be fortune tellers here at DFB, but we have this sneaking suspicion that Disney World crowds might not be as bad in 2026. At least, there are definitely reasons why we think folks might not want to do a “big Disney trip” next year — from construction to price increases to park expansions and more.

Construction Complications

If you’re heading to Disney World in 2026, expect to see quite a bit of construction at nearly every theme park and several hotels. Things are changing around Disney World, and that means that lots of things have had to close for those changes to occur — and it also means there will be lots of construction in the process.

At Magic Kingdom, Tom Sawyer Island and Liberty Square Riverboat closed permanently in July to make way for a new Cars-themed area called Piston Peak National Park. Not only that, but the Villains-themed land is in the works as well (though that doesn’t impact day-to-day operations as much).

Hollywood Studios is changing in more than just one land! On September 25th, Animation Courtyard (which was home to Star Wars Launch Bay and Disney Jr. Play and Dance!) closed to make way for The Walt Disney Studios. This new area will feature The Magic of Disney Animation experience.

The Muppets Courtyard at Hollywood Studios also permanently closed in 2025, so that Disney could begin building a new Monsters, Inc. land. Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano, PizzeRizzo, and Muppet*Vision 3D all permanently closed as part of this change.

Over at Animal Kingdom, DinoLand U.S.A. has been undergoing phased closures since January 2025 for the new Tropical Americas-themed Pueblo Esperanza land. TriceraTop Spin, Fossil Fun Games, Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures, The Boneyard, Trilo-Bites, and Dino-Bite Snacks have all closed. DINOSAUR and Restaurantosaurus will close on February 2nd.

This means that at three of the four Disney World parks, there will be significant construction changes, walls, and closures throughout 2026. Luckily, EPCOT will be relatively construction and closure-free — at least based on the information we have now. Folks who might normally be planning a trip could choose to vacation somewhere else in 2026, so that they can visit Disney World once more of the construction is complete.

2026 Dates You Should Know If You’re a Disney World Fan

Park Expansion Postponement

This brings us to the people who will be forgoing their 2026 Disney World trips in favor of planning one once all (or most) of these big construction projects are completed. While we don’t have concrete opening dates for any of these major expansions, a few of them are supposed to be completed in 2027 and later, so if you’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip, wouldn’t you plan it for once the new lands and rides are open?

This probably isn’t a large number of people, and of course, there are the die-hard Disney fans who will visit the parks no matter how many construction walls are up and rides are closed, but for the folks who really want to get the most out of their money, it probably makes sense to postpone their trips until they can experience more things.

A Full List of New Theme Park Land Expansions Disney Is Planning

Price Increases & Pinching Pennies

Thousands of price increases hit the Disney World parks in October 2025. Park tickets, Annual Passes, parking, snacks, character dining, merchandise, and a whole lot more will now cost you more in 2026, and with the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) reporting that prices are still increasing with inflation (CNN), it’s entirely possible that people will choose to skip Disney World vacations in 2026 in favor of less expensive trips.

Disney is likely anticipating this downturn in attendance as well — there have been quite a few promotions and discounts released for hotels, vacation packages, and Annual Passes throughout 2026 that might help ease the burden on people’s pockets and encourage them to book with these discounts in mind.

There are also things like FREE Dining Plan Deals and special offers for Georgia residents. And, Disney is continuing the free water park deal, which gets all guests staying at a Disney-owned hotel FREE Disney water park tickets on their hotel check-in day — something that Disney has announced is returning during summer 2026.

Learn More About the FREE Water Park Perk Here

Epic Universe Elopers

We don’t know if you’ve heard the news by now, but there’s a BRAND-NEW theme park at Universal Orlando Resort! Epic Universe opened in May 2025, and to say people are obsessed with the park would be an understatement. Though Disney executives have said they’re not concerned that Epic Universe will poach a significant number of people from the parks, we have to wonder how many people who would normally plan a Disney World trip will plan a Universal trip instead.

Even if it’s just for part of the time, the new theme park — combined with all the construction currently going on at Disney World — could sway people to Universal’s side for 2026. Epic Universe really is Epic, and with park hopper options now being available for Epic Universe, it will be even easier for folks to plan a multi-day trip.

How Long Can You Stay in Epic Universe After It Closes?

Cruise Castaways

As it turns out, one of Disney’s biggest threats when it comes to theme park attendance and crowds in 2026 may actually be… Disney. The House of Mouse has made a HUGE push with the Disney Cruise Line recently, and cruising is more popular now than ever. The new Disney Wish ship was followed by the Disney Treasure, and now the Disney Destiny and Disney Adventure are preparing to set sail for the very first time.

With so many new cruise ships in the mix, hardcore Disney fans — and even folks who are dipping their toes into the Disney Cruise Line or the world of cruising — could decide to switch things up and go on a cruise instead of planning a trip to Disney World. If you ask us, doing a Disney World trip followed by a Disney Cruise is the way to go, but we know that’s not in the cards for many!

Setting Sail with Disney Cruise Line

International Incidents

A huge factor in what Disney World attendance will look like throughout 2026 is a drop in international visitors, primarily from Canada. The number of Canadian visitors to the United States has decreased over the past seven consecutive months. In September, Visit Lauderdale said that Canadian visitors were down 10% to 16% since April, with 13.5% fewer Canadians flying in. Officials estimate that could mean up to a $90 million loss in economic activity.

There are some predictions that international travel will ramp back up in 2026, but there’s no guarantee that people will be quick to flock to Florida and Disney World, either.

We’ll be on the lookout for more updates from Disney World that could impact your 2026 trip and beyond. In the meantime, make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news and more!

Are you planning a trip to Disney World in 2026? Let us know in the comments below.