UPDATED May 28, 2026

2026 is in full swing! We saw a lot in 2025, from ride closures to reopenings to hotel refurbishments, plenty of new snacks and merchandise, and just about everything in between. 2025 was great, but we’re now in a new Disney era!

For your 2026 trip, there are some key dates you’ll want to know before booking your vacation.

EPCOT Festivals

We don’t know the exact dates of all the festivals coming up this year, but we have an idea of when they’re scheduled based on previous years. While you’ll want to make sure you attend the festival, be cautious about opening dates when EPCOT can get busy, and on the other hand, times between festivals are usually pretty empty.

The Festival dates that have been confirmed for 2026 are:

• EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival — March 4th – June 1st, 2026 — NOW RUNNING!
• EPCOT Food & Wine Festival — August 27th to November 21st, 2026

The 2025 dates for EPCOT’S final Festival were:

• EPCOT Festival of the Holidays — November 28th to December 30th; Though the 2026 dates have not yet been confirmed, the Festival of the Holidays traditionally starts the day after Thanksgiving (which is Friday, November 27th, 2026) and lasts through December 30th. 

runDisney

If you’re not familiar with runDisney, these are large races where thousands of people come to run across Disney World property. While the races usually finish before the parks open, traffic patterns can change due to road closures, and there will be significantly more people than usual. You might find it harder to find hotel bookings since the race dates are posted about nine months in advance of the races. If you’re planning to visit around this time, make sure to book early.

Here are the remaining race dates for this calendar year:

• Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend — October 22nd –  October 25th

Holidays

Big holidays can bring big crowds! If you have the time off from work and school, it’s likely that everyone else does, too. There are always a few holidays you might forget about when planning your trip, so here’s a look at some you’ll want to keep in mind.

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day — January 19th
• President’s Day — February 16th
• Spring Break Crowds — Late March to Mid April
• Easter — April 5th
• Memorial Day — May 25th
• Summer Crowds — Lake May to Early September
• Juneteenth National Independence Day — June 19th
• Independence Day — July 4th* (*Magic Kingdom will celebrate with the special fireworks show “Disney’s Celebrate America! — A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky” for THREE nights: July 3rd, 4th, and 5th!)
• Labor Day — September 7th
• Columbus Day — October 12th
• Halloween — October 31st
• Veterans Day — November 11th
• Thanksgiving Day — November 26th
• Christmas Day — December 25th
• New Year’s Eve — December 31st

Seasonal Events and Parties

Cool KIDS’ SUMMER

For the second year in a row, Cool KIDS’ SUMMER is delivering some really cool offerings to Disney World during the hottest months of the year!

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

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

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. 

Closures

Permanent Disney World attraction and land closures are never fun, but knowing when they’re coming can give you a heads-up to ride your favorites one more time.

• The rest of DinoLand U.S.A. — CLOSED February 2nd (The last day to experience the land, including the DINOSAUR attraction and Restaurantosaurus, was February 1st.)
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith — CLOSED March 2nd
• Carousel of Progress — Closing on July 6th for major updates to the attraction; It will not reopen until 2027.

Openings

We might hate closures, but we sure do love openings! A lot is coming to Disney World in 2026, and although we don’t have exact dates for select openings, we know they’re scheduled this year. They’re worth keeping on your radar, so be sure to follow Disney Food Blog to stay informed about all the dates when they’re announced.

• New The Mandalorian updates to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run — OPEN as of May 22nd
• Soarin’ Across America —  OPEN as of May 26, 2026 (To make way for the changes, Soarin’ Around the World closed on May 14th, 2026.)
• The Walt Disney Studios Courtyard –OPEN as of May 26, 2026
• Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! — OPEN as of May 26, 2026
• Bluey’s Wild World at Animal Kingdom — OPEN as of May 26, 2026
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets — OPEN as of May 26, 2026
• FØØD by Swedish Chef — OPEN as of May 26, 2026

• The Magic of Disney Animation — Late Summer 2026
• Level99 in Disney Springs — Summer 2026

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

Disney Water Parks

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. Even better? From May 26th through September 8th, 2026, Disney World Resort hotel guests can visit either of the Water Parks FOR FREE on their arrival day!

That’s a lot! We’ll keep updating you with new dates and information so you can have the best Disney World vacation ever. If you’re looking for help planning your trip, you can reach out to our friends at Small World Vacations! Their experienced agents monitor your reservation for possible future savings, compare discounts, and figure out which one works best for your travel party, dates, resort, and touring plans. And, they share expert tips and first-hand advice with you about your magical vacation.

Keep following Disney Food Blog for more.

FULL LIST OF WHAT’S OPENING IN DISNEY WORLD IN 2026