If you’re still considering taking a trip to Disney World in 2021, there are several BIG dates you should have on your radar!
Cinderella Castle
With the 50th Anniversary Celebration right around the corner and as more resort hotels open up, things could get pretty crowded at Disney World as the parks continue to increase capacity.
Keep in mind that these dates are worth considering avoiding if you don’t want to deal with crowds! These dates are going to be popular for a very good reason — there are more new offerings and returning favorites across the parks and resorts!
Dates to Consider Avoiding
August 1st
Earlier this month, we saw the return of fireworks in Disney World! Happily Ever After and EPCOT Forever are both currently running, but Disney’s Hollywood Studios has yet to get any nighttime entertainment back…until August 1st!
Wonderful World of Animation
That date is when the Wonderful World of Animation will return! This could bring big crowds to Hollywood Studios, especially in the evening. As of this writing, we have no word yet on when Fantasmic! may return to Disney World.
Click here to read more about the return of fireworks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
August 10th
August 10th is the official kick off of Disney After Hours BOO Bash! This year’s Halloween parties will take place on multiple nights in August, September, and October. If you’re planning out which dates you want to visit Magic Kingdom this summer and fall, you may want to avoid the dates where a BOO Bash event is scheduled.
Boo Bash ©Disney
Guests attending BOO Bash can get into Magic Kingdom as early as 7PM, so you may see additional crowding in Magic Kingdom on those dates!
Click here to see the full list of dates for this year’s Disney After Hours BOO Bash!
September 28th & 29th
Late September will bring about two bitter-sweet evenings. September 28th is the final performance of EPCOT Forever, and September 29th will be the final performance of Happily Ever After before the new shows move into EPCOT and Magic Kingdom.
Happily Ever After Fireworks
There could be a LOT of fans wanting to say goodbye to these two shows, especially Happily Ever After. Expect major fireworks crowds at those two parks on those two dates, especially in the evening hours.
Click here to read the current fireworks schedules for the month of September.
October 1st
Alright, buckle in for this next one. October 1st, 2021 is likely going to be one of the biggest dates in Disney World history — there is a LOT going on!
©Disney
October 1st, 2021 is Disney World’s official 50th anniversary! This is the big date where the 18-month-long 50th Anniversary Celebration officially kicks off.
©Disney
October 1st is when we’ll see new nighttime entertainment debut at Disney World, including Disney Enchantment at Magic Kingdom and Harmonious at EPCOT.
Disney Enchantment ©Disney
Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a new daytime show called Disney KiteTails will debut on October 1st!
Animal Kingdom’s New Daytime Show ©Disney
October 1st is also when we’ll see the grand opening of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in the France Pavilion…
We can’t wait to stand in this line!
…and right next door, La Crêperie de Paris will open as well on the 1st!
La Crêperie de Paris
Speaking of food at EPCOT, NINE additional food booths will open at the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival on October 1st.
It’s Food and Wine Festival season once again!
Needless to say, October 1st will be a packed day across the Disney World parks for a variety of reasons. It’ll be a super fun day filled with tons of new offerings, but if you’re not about those big crowds, you might be better off waiting a while to check all of these new offerings out — don’t worry, none of them are going anywhere anytime soon! It’s an 18-month celebration!!
Click here to read about everything you need to know about Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebration!
November 25th, December 25th, and December 31st
Finally, we wanted to include three dates that are notorious for big Disney World crowds — Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve.
Santa!
These three holidays could be even more crowded this year since last year’s holiday plans were put on hold for many guests due to the pandemic. And with the 50th Anniversary Celebration overlapping, this could be one busy holiday season at Disney World.
Fireworks Crowds from 2019…when could we see this again?
If you’re considering traveling to the parks on these dates, be sure to pack your patience!
Click here to read which dates you should book Park Passes for ASAP.
Dates You Likely Won’t Need to Avoid
Additional Attraction and Entertainment Reopening Dates
While there are some MAJOR opening dates coming up for new and returning Disney World attractions and entertainment, there are a few additional dates to keep in mind. These likely won’t draw any major crowds, so you shouldn’t be concerned about avoiding these dates. In fact, if you’re a big fan of these attractions and shows, you may want to make it a point to be among the first guests back! On August 8th, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor will reopen at Magic Kingdom…
Monsters Inc Laugh Floor
…Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage will reopen at Hollywood Studios on August 15th…
Beauty and the Beast Theater of the Stars
…and Turtle Talk with Crush will be back at EPCOT starting on August 21st!
Turtle Talk with Crush
We’re excited to see these three offerings return to Disney World in the coming weeks!
Click here to read more on the return of more attractions and entertainment at Disney World.
Resort Reopening Dates
Finally, we wanted to review the lineup of opening and reopening dates for the resort hotels on Disney World property! You likely won’t notice an impact on the crowds in the parks on these dates. Starting off, we have Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge reopening on August 26th…
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
…the brand-new Walt Disney World Swan Reserve will have its grand opening on September 1st…
The Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
…on September 16th, Disney’s All Star Music Resort will reopen…
All-Star Music Resort
…Disney’s Port Orleans Resort Riverside and French Quarter will reopen on October 14th and October 28th, respectively…
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter
…and finally, on December 9th, Disney’s All Star Sports Resort will reopen!
All-Star Sports Entrance
Potential restaurant reopening dates could pop up at the same time at some of these hotels (like possibly Jiko and Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge), in which case you’ll need to set those alarms early so you’re among the first to grab an Advance Dining Reservation!
Click here to read more on the full list of resort hotel opening dates!
We hope this list helps you plan your upcoming trip to Disney World! If you’re considering traveling sometime in 2021, be prepared for those 50th Anniversary Celebration crowds to arrive in full force starting October 1st! We’ll be covering all of the latest news and events taking place in and around Disney World, so be sure to tune in for all of the up-to-date happenings!
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What are your thoughts on the marathon in January?
When I planned my trip, I didn’t realize I had planned it for over Labor Day and 9/11. Other than the parks closing earlier on the latter, what should I expect?
DJ Moves, Labor Day weekend itself will likely be busier, but otherwise, I don’t think you’ll notice much difference in operations.
Marie, Marathon weekend is usually busy at Walt Disney World.
Just watched a vlog, it was a walk through the Animal Kingdom. It was horrendous. Huge crowds and the lines for attractions were unbelievably long. Over 1 1/2 hours for Navi River ! Again this was just a walk through the park and no other wait times were provided. People waiting in all the extra long attraction lines looked unhappy. I didn’t see any smiles or happy faces. If WDW doesn’t reestablish Fast Pass I can’t see going to the parks in the future especially during the busy holidays and after October 1st. I learned that the history of Fast Pass participants was 80% and the stand by lines accommodated 20% of the crowds. The system seemed to work very effectively for the slow and busy times. It’ is getting beyond time to bring back Fast Pass or a comparble system. Apparently, Disney is either not aware of the lines and wait times or just not concerned since their attendance is up. I just don’ t understand Disney’s thinking. It certainly isn’t with The customer’s comfort or their experience.
walk through of Animal Kingdom. It made me rethink