Thinking about finally planning that Disney World vacation you’ve been dreaming about?

We know the feeling. But, there are a TON of things to consider before you actually get down to the nitty-gritty. Where do you want to stay? What parks do you want to visit? And maybe most importantly — WHEN should you go? If you’ve got Disney World on your brain and can’t decide whether a 2023 or 2024 trip is right for you, we’re laying it all out for you right here!

Whether it’s your first time or fiftieth time visiting Disney World, there’s going to be at least a little bit of planning involved. But before you can decide where to stay or what delicious snacks you’ll chow down on — you have to decide just when you’ll be visiting the Most Magical Place on Earth. So, let’s find out if you should book a 2023 or 2024 vacation to Disney World!

Special Events and Experiences

Anniversary Celebrations

You’ll usually find some sort of special event going on around Disney World, but some are only around for a limited time! The 50th Anniversary Celebration, in fact, wrapped on March 31st 2023, and we loved sharing everything throughout the 18th-month celebration with you here on the DFB!

Where one celebration ends, a new one begins. The Walt Disney Company is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2023! EPCOT is serving as the HOST of the 100th Anniversary celebration in Walt Disney World! The festivities officially kicked off on September 22, 2023 and will last through December 31, 2023. 

LOTS of new additions have joined the park for the occasion, including a new, platinum Mickey Mouse statue, a character-filled mural, and more platinum decorations in World Celebration, and an evening light show on Spaceship Earth (set to “When You Wish Upon a Star”). And of course, Mickey and Minnie are decked out in their best for a new meet and greet in the Imagination! pavilion.

Click HERE to check out everything you need to know about the Disney100 Celebration!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom marked a milestone, as well…

2023 brought a 25th Anniversary celebration to the park in April! (It opened on April 22, 1998.)

Click HERE to see how Animal Kingdom celebrated 25 WILD Years!

Extra-Ticket Events

After Hours events returned to Disney World in January 2023. They kicked off on January 4th in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and on January 9th in Magic Kingdom.

New in 2023, After Hours came to EPCOT! The event kicked off at EPCOT on June 1st, 2023. 

After Hours events are separately ticketed parties where you can stay in the Disney theme parks for 3 hours after the park closes. There are specialty treats and drinks included in your ticket, and because the number of tickets sold for the parties is limited, you can often find lower wait times than usual on the rides and attractions.

Disney Dining Plan Status and MORE 2024 Vacation Package Changes

Most of Disney World has returned to normal operations, but there are still some experiences that have yet to come back. The Disney Dining Plan is a BIG one that still hasn’t returned. BUT… as of May 2023, there was  a HUGE UPDATE!! As it turns out… The Disney Dining Plan WILL RETURN to Disney World for stays starting on January 9th, 2024!

The Disney Dining Plan is RETURNING to Disney World for stays starting on January 9th, 2024! Read all the details HERE!!

Bookings are NOW OPEN as of May 31, 2023. If not having the Disney Dining Plan is a deal breaker for you, holding out until 2024 is obviously your best course of action!

But that’s not the only change for those 2024 vacations… here is a quick rundown, and you can click any of the links below for more details:

• While the details of this change have not yet been worked out, Disney is trying to simplify the experience of Genie+ for guests in 2024.
• And Disney plans on keeping its current system for rewarding Disney Resort hotel guests with bonus time in the parks. Early Theme Park Entry will continue to be offered for Disney hotel guests for all four parks. Extended Evening Hours will continue to be offered for guests of Disney Deluxe Resorts and Deluxe Villas on select dates in select parks through 2024.
• Also effective January 9th, the currently required Theme Park Pass Reservations will NOT be needed AT ALL for those who have date-based tickets!!! 
• Also effective January 9th, ALL-DAY Park Hopping returns to Disney World!
• Good-To-Go Days will be visible in the Annual Passholder calendar starting on January 11th, 2024. They will also be visible for Cast Members in their calendar starting on that day. On these days, Annual Passholders and Cast Members can visit ANY of the four Disney World theme parks without a Park Pass Reservation.

Tickets and packages for 2024 are now open for booking — and all of these changes will apply!

Ticket Prices

Disney World already raised ticket prices for 2023, so either way, you’re going to be paying more for your trip than you would have in 2022. Price increases on food, merch, and more tend to be an annual thing — and we’ve discovered some hidden price increases when it comes to 2024 theme park tickets already.

But, if you’ve already resolved yourself to the fact that you’ll be paying more either way and don’t mind digging into your pockets just a little deeper, a 2024 visit could work too — especially if you’re waiting for most of those construction projects to be done around Disney World by then. So that’s just something to keep in mind!

These are the 5 Most Devastating PRICE INCREASES in 2023

Major Openings

Speaking of construction projects, major changes are happening all around Disney World right now. Between hotel renovations, new restaurants, and the latest attractions opening — there is a LOT going on.

TRON Lightcycle Run officially opened on April 4, 2023, and Journey of Water — Inspired by Moana officially opened on October 16th, 2023. 

Click here to GO INSIDE EPCOT’s Moana-Inspired Journey of Water Attraction! And find our FULL VIDEO WALK-THROUGH here!

As for new restaurants, a new Table Service restaurant is NOW OPEN in Toy Story Land!  Roundup Rodeo BBQ officially opened on March 23, 2023. 

The new table service spot serves barbecue fare, and you can see the FULL MENU for this Family-Style dining experience here.

Though this spot is NOT a Toy Story character meal, the theming is pretty incredible nonetheless!

During a media preview, we got the chance to step inside the NEW Roundup Rodeo BBQ, and there is SO MUCH TO SEE!

We also got to DIG IN to TONS of BBQ fare… TOY STORY-style!

Find out our thoughts on the FOOD at Roundup Rodeo BBQ here!

Take a FULL PHOTO and VIDEO TOUR of Roundup Rodeo BBQ HERE!

MORE new restaurants that hit the scene in 2023 include:

• Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya is NOW OPEN in EPCOT’s Japan pavilion and EET by Maneet Chauhan is NOW OPEN in Disney Springs;
• Summer House on the Lake (including “The Cookie Jar”) opened on December 14th, 2023 in Disney Springs!

A new fireworks show — Luminous The Symphony of Us — made its debut at EPCOT on December 5th, 2023 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of The Walt Disney Company!

Harmonious closed on April 2, 2023 and EPCOT Forever began a limited time run on April 3, 2023 and ended the night before Luminous opened.

Magic Kingdom’s nighttime spectacular, Disney Enchantment, was introduced in 2021 as part of Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration. However, the show — which made its debut on the 50th Anniversary of Magic Kingdom (October 1, 2021) — ended its run with its final showing on April 2, 2023.

Then, April 3, 2023, delivered the RETURN of the Happily Ever After fireworks show to Magic Kingdom! The return of this beloved spectacular has a nod to Disney Enchantment, though, as Happily Ever After now features all-new projections which come to life all the way down Main Street, U.S.A.!

Click HERE to see the return of Happily Ever After!

But, if you’re waiting for the Splash Mountain re-theme to be finished so you can ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, well, you’re probably going to want to wait until 2024 as that’s when the ride is slated to be done.

(Splash Mountain itself had its last day of operation on January 22, 2023, and — as of January 23, 2023 — has permanently closed in Disney World.)

Additionally, EPCOT’s lengthy transformation is coming to a close, and some of the construction walls came down to reveal EPCOT’s all-new World Celebration Gardens as well as the Walt the Dreamer statue in early December 2023!

However, the opening of CommuniCore Hall and Plaza — which was set to debut in late 2023 in World Celebration — has met with delays. 

The new area will serve as a central location for EPCOT’s rotating festivals throughout the year. While CommuniCore was previously set to open in late 2023, Disney has now confirmed that it will open in 2024. 

In addition to providing dedicated spaces for EPCOT’s seasonal Festivals, CommuniCore Hall will also be the location of a new Mickey & Friends meet-and-greet! We’ll continue to keep our eyes peeled for updates.

More Character Experiences Returning AND Debuting

Traditional Character Meet-and-Greets started to return to Disney World in April 2021. But not all of these beloved experiences returned at that time. In fact, a select few Character Greeting locations remain closed (you can find all the ones that are OPEN here).

That said, the tide continues to turn, and NEW friends have arrived on the scene, too!! A new meet and greet with Ariel from the live-action version of The Little Mermaid officially opened on May 26, 2023 — the opening date of the film — in Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

You can meet the live-action Ariel in Walt Disney Presents. 

See pics and videos of this NEW Meet-and-Greet HERE!

Characters — Disney Princesses, specifically 😉 — are BACK at Cinderella’s Royal Table in Magic Kingdom as of February 28th, 2023! 

This restaurant has been presenting a modified experience with Cinderella greeting guests from a distance since it reopened in September 2020 (a few month after Walt Disney World reopened from its temporary closure). But now it is a full-fledged Character Meal featuring several Disney Princesses once again! In fact, Character dining around the Resort has slowly been bouncing back since Disney World reopened from its temporary closure in 2020, and we are thrilled that we can add Cinderella’s Royal Table to that list!

Read more about the Disney Princesses coming back to Cinderella’s Royal Table HERE!

And breakfast and lunch are BACK at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in EPCOT’s Norway Pavilion as of May 14th, 2023! (Until this date, Akershus did not begin serving daily until 2:45PM.)

Akershus offers a beloved Disney Princess Character Meal, and you can check out the breakfast menu here!

FIRST LOOK: The EPCOT Princess Breakfast is BACK!

Hooray! You can now start your EPCOT day with Chip ‘n Dale, Pluto, and Farmer Mickey once again as of June 14, 2023… that’s when BREAKFAST returned to Garden Grill!

This family-style breakfast is All-You-Care-to-Enjoy!

Click HERE to check out BREAKFAST at Garden Grill!

AND Moana is now greeting guests in Disney’s Animal Kingdom! If you want to meet her, you can find her on Discovery Island (of course, she’s on an ISLAND for her meet and greet) at Animal Kingdom. As you walk over the bridge towards the Tree of Life, make a right turn towards DinoLand. The entrance for visitors will be right before the DinoLand sign.

For times on when you can meet Moana, be sure to check the My Disney Experience app when you’re in Animal Kingdom!

Click HERE to check out the NEW Moana Meet-and-Greet with a VIDEO!

Mirabel from Encanto now (as of September 15th) has her own meet-and-greet in Magic Kingdom!

Fairytale Garden (on the path to the right facing Cinderella Castle) has been “transformed with whimsical decor inspired by La Familia Madrigal,” so you’ll get an extra special experience if you stop by to say hello to Mirabel. Not only that, but Mirabel’s uncle, Bruno, is a new part of the Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade, also at Magic Kingdom! (We finally can talk about Bruno, apparently. 😉 )

Click HERE to see the MIRABEL Meet-and-Greet!

As of September 10th, Figment is NOW MEETING GUESTS in the Imagination Pavilion in EPCOT!

If you’re planning to meet Figment, we definitely suggest checking that My Disney Experience app consistently to keep track of his appearance times, and be prepared for a potentially hefty wait time!

Come with us to MEET FIGMENT in EPCOT!

Also Moana is now meeting guests in EPCOT’s World Nature, right near the entrance to Journey of Water!

Not only that, but Disney has shared that CommuniCore Hall will also be the location of a new Mickey & Friends meet-and-greet!

The Closure of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

In May 2023, Disney announced that the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser would be closing permanently. The final voyage for the Star Wars Hotel took place from September 28th-30th, 2023. 

Here’s the statement a Disney spokesperson has released on the matter: “Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is one of our most creative projects ever and has been praised by our guests and recognized for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment. This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms, and as we prepare for its final voyage, we will take what we’ve learned to create future experiences that can reach more of our guests and fans.”

Read about the closure of the Galactic Starcuiser here. 

A lot can happen around Disney World (and we’ll continue covering all of the changes here), so keep all of this in mind when you’re deciding whether you should book a 2023 or 2024 vacation. Either way, you can be sure we’ll be bringing you the BEST planning advice and tips — like the hardest dining reservations to get in 2023 and how to save $1,000 on your trip.

We’ve got a great resource for you when you plan your NEXT Disney World trip – our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining. We wrote our ebook after decades of visiting Disney World, so that we could help you have a stress-free vacation! Click here and use code WDW2023 to get 25% off!

Stay tuned to DFB for the latest Disney World planning tips, news, and more!

How Far in Advance Should You Be Planning Your Disney World Trip?

Will you be heading to Disney World in 2023 or 2024? Let us know in the comments!