A popular — and game-changing — hotel perk is officially returning to Walt Disney World in 2026, and it’s sure to inject a strong dose of… character in many vacations!

Pop Century

As part of the returning Cool Kids Summer promotion — which runs from May 26th to September 8th — Disney characters will be appearing in scheduled meet & greets at select Walt Disney World hotels.

First introduced in 2025, this game-changing perk allows guests to experience character encounters that were previously park-exclusive on days when they choose not to leave their hotels. This can be especially helpful for parents who want to have a bit of a cool-down day at their resort, while still being able to appease kiddos who are yearning for some Disney magic. 

Character Meet and Greet sign at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort

As part of the 2026 Cool Kids Summer promotion, character encounters are expanding to the following hotels:

• Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside

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Further perks available at Disney hotels this summer include:

• The return of free water park tickets for all members of a party on check-in day. The perk is returning in the summer of 2026, specifically from May 26th to September 8th.
• Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels (and select other hotels) can take advantage of a 30-minute early entry into each of Walt Disney World’s theme parks every day of their stay (including check-in and check-out days).  Furthermore, as part of the returning Cool Kids Summer promotion, Disney will offer special character meet & greets during Early Entry. There’s no list of which characters will be available in each park, but they WILL be different! Disney is encouraging guests to visit the different parks for Early Entry throughout their trip so they can take advantage of all the special meet and greets.
• Extended Evening Hours are offered at select Walt Disney World theme parks on select nights. However, these two extra hours are only available to guests at Disney Deluxe Tier or Deluxe Villa resort guests.
• Guests staying at Walt Disney World Hotels can begin booking their Lightning Lanes 7 days in advance of the first day of their stay for the duration of their stay (up to 14 days). This is 4 days sooner than non-Disney guests who’ve purchased theme park tickets.
• Disney hotel guests can also book their dining 60 days in advance of the first day of their stay, once again for the full duration of their stay (up to 14 days).

Animal Kingdom During Extended Evening Hours

Character appearances at select Disney World hotels are just one of the hotel perks returning to Disney World this summer! Stay tuned to DFB for more on the resort’s offerings!

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