UPDATED September 11, 2026

We are in the final third of 2026, can you believe it?!? 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

EPCOT hosts four seasonal Festivals throughout the year: the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts (the first Festival of the calendar year), Spring’s EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival, the original EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, and the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays.

The 2026 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival is running from August 27th to November 21st, 2026!

The remaining Festival dates for 2026 are:

• EPCOT Festival of the Holidays — November 27th to December 30th, 2026

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
• 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

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 is back on 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. 

The Holiday Season at Disney World Resort

The Disney World Holiday Season officially kicks off on November 13th, 2026 (though, select events including Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party begin earlier!) and many of the festivities run through the New Year.

The festivities span across all four Disney World theme parks, Disney Springs, and the Resort hotels. Click HERE to find some of our favorite holiday events, tips, and suggestions for making this year’s Disney World holiday trip your merriest one yet!

Disney Jollywood Nights

Disney Jollywood Nights is a separately ticketed holiday event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It will take place on select nights from from November 7th, 2026 to January 5th, 2027 (extending into the New Year for the first time!).

Tickets are now on sale.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a seasonal Magic Kingdom event requiring a separate ticket for entry. The Party will take place on select nights from November 8th through December 22nd, 2026. 

Tickets are now on sale.

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 — Closed on July 6th for major updates to the attraction; It will reopen in late Spring 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

• Level99 in Disney Springs — OPEN as of June 29, 2026
• La Poutinerie in EPCOT — OPEN as of July 1, 2026
• Six Ravens in Disney Springs — OPEN as of August 3, 2026
• The Magic of Disney Animation — Opening September 14, 2026 (But you might catch it in soft opening NOW!)
• Hurly-Burly on the Disney BoardWalk — Opening October 1, 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.

While both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon were open from May 12th through September 8th, 2026, Typhoon Lagoon closed for its yearly refurbishment on September 9th.

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