2026 hasn’t even started yet, and yet Disney World’s calendar is already chock-full of dates that anyone planning a trip to the “Most Magical Place on Earth” needs to know!

Look at the colors…

From ride openings (and reopenings) and closings, iconic character arrivals, and planning for annual events, 2026 is shaping up to be one of the busiest at Walt Disney World in the near-decade that I’ve been covering Disney theme parks.

February 2026: DinoLand Goes Extinct

February 2nd will see the end of the “phased closure” of DinoLand U.S.A., with everything left – including the Animal Kingdom opening day attraction Dinosaur – closing forever to make way for the final phase of Tropical Americas to begin.

DINOSAUR

April 2026: Food & Wine Dates

April generally sees the confirmation of dates for EPCOT’s International Food & Wine Festival late in the year. In other words, if you’re planning to attend EPCOT’s premier festival in 2026, you’ll need to keep an eye on DFB in April to be on top of WHEN you’ll be heading to Florida. (Though we will note, this might stretch into May, so be prepared to possibly check for a few extra days).

Frozen Rose at the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival

May 2026: Mando, Grogu, and Mickey: OH MY!

First of all, May of 2026 is guaranteed to see a major change at Hollywood Studios when the titular characters of The Mandalorian and Grogu debut as part of a (some would argue much-needed) revamp of Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in Galaxy’s Edge. This new adventure will also feature several Star Wars environments, including Bespin, the wreckage of the second Death Star around Endor, and Coruscant.

New missions will be added to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers run in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, featuring the Mandalorian and Grogu.

In addition, history tells us that sometime in May will ALSO see the release of the 2026 dates for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. So if you’re planning a spooky season trip to Walt Disney World, keep an eye out for dates in the spring.

Magic Kingdom at night during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

June 2026: “Wocka Wonka Rock ’n’ Roll!”

So, this one is a bit of a cheat. We know that SOMETIME in the summer of 2026, the Muppet-ized version of the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster is scheduled to debut at Hollywood Studios. Now, technically, summer could cover July or August as well, but judging by previous years, we would think June,

©Disney

July 2026: Start Getting Jolly

When it comes to Christmas in July, Disney tends to take the term to heart. The 7th month of the year generally sees dates announced for that year’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party event.

©Disney

In addition to all this, several other major events are scheduled to happen sometime in 2026, though Disney hasn’t publicly confirmed more in-depth timelines yet. These include the respective reopenings of the refurbished Big Thunder Mountain Railroad…

©Disney

… and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at the Magic Kingdom…

©Disney

… as well as the debut of the new version of The Magic of Disney Animation over at Hollywood Studios.

©Disney

If you’re planning a 2026 trip to Walt Disney World, keep these dates in mind when planning. Stay tuned to DFB for further updates on the resort’s 2026.

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Planning to head to Disney World in 2026? Let us know in the comments below.