Walt Disney World is already teasing a packed year ahead, with updates to fan-favorite attractions, new character experiences, returning festivals, after-hours events, and fresh ticket perks for families. From Frozen upgrades at EPCOT to Muppets taking over a major coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of both nostalgia and new stories across all four parks, water parks, and Disney Springs.
Here’s a land-by-land look at what’s on the way.
Early 2026: Frozen Upgrades, Festival of the Arts, and Disney After Hours
Things start strong at EPCOT early in the year. Frozen Ever After will debut newly enhanced Audio-Animatronics figures of Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff in February 2026, inspired by the tech used in World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland. Guests can expect smoother movement, more expressive faces, and an overall refreshed experience on the Arendelle boat ride.
Just a few days earlier, the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts returns from January 16 through February 23, 2026. The festival will once again showcase food studios with art-inspired dishes, visual art displays, and DISNEY ON BROADWAY performances, bringing songs from beloved shows to the America Gardens Theatre stage.
Disney After Hours is also back in 2026 at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The separately ticketed, late-night events bring lower waits for select attractions, included snacks and drinks, and a more laid-back park vibe after regular closing.
Spring 2026: Flower & Garden, Big Thunder, and Buzz Lightyear Updates
Spring at Walt Disney World means blooms and big refurbishments.
The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival returns March 4–June 1, 2026, with topiaries, gardens, Outdoor Kitchens, and the Garden Rocks Concert Series. It remains one of the most laid-back and photogenic times of year to visit EPCOT.
Over at Magic Kingdom, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is set to reopen in spring 2026 after a major refurbishment. Disney has already teased Rainbow Caverns as part of the refreshed storyline, hinting at a mix of beautiful visuals and a bit of danger deep inside the mountain.
Also in Tomorrowland, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will come back online in spring 2026 with upgraded ride vehicles, new handheld blasters, and refreshed interactive targets. Guests will have a new shot at that Galactic Hero score with updated tech backing up the classic shooting-gallery ride.
Summer 2026: Cool Kids’ Summer, Water Park Fun, and Banana Ball
Summer 2026 at Walt Disney World will lean hard into family fun with new offerings and returning favorites.
A “Cool Kids’ Summer” campaign will bring new character play moments and games in the parks, plus refreshed attractions and seasonal fun across the resort. Disney is also promising new family-focused offers and vacation deals, with more details arriving in January.
Guests staying at Disney Resorts Collection hotels during the summer can start their vacation with complimentary water park admission on arrival day, adding an instant splash to the first day of their trip.
Disney H2O Glow After Hours will return to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon as a separately ticketed nighttime water park event featuring a DJ dance party, character appearances, after-hours access to slides and pools, plus included snacks and drinks.
Over at ESPN Wide World of Sports, Banana Ball is coming to Walt Disney World for the first time on May 29–30, 2026. The high-energy, trick-play take on baseball will bring teams like the Party Animals and the Loco Beach Coconuts to the complex, with a limited number of food-and-beverage-inclusive tickets expected to go on sale.
Bluey, Disney Jr., and Animation Take Center Stage
Families with young kids will find a lot to love in 2026.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Conservation Station will host a new Bluey and Bingo experience starting in summer 2026. Guests will be able to play games from the show—with an animal twist—and meet the beloved Blue Heeler sisters while also discovering animals from their native Australia.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will lean further into family entertainment with several new offerings. “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!” will debut in a newly reimagined area, bringing music, dancing, and a road-trip story featuring Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Daisy, and Pluto. The show, which has been a hit at Disneyland Resort, will get a Florida launch in 2026.
Later in the summer, a new experience called “The Magic of Disney Animation” will open at the park, inviting guests into an environment where characters appear to step out of their portraits and join in the fun. A “Drawn To Wonderland” playground inspired by Mary Blair’s concept art for Alice in Wonderland will offer a stylized, artistic play space.
Connected to that, “Off the Page!” will become a new character-rich area, themed as if guests are stepping into different departments of Walt Disney Animation Studios: Story, Layout, Hand-Drawn Animation, Computer Animation, Lighting, and Effects. Each zone will include photo ops and character encounters—like meeting Mulan in front of storyboards or seeing Rapunzel in a multilayered setting reminiscent of classic multiplane camera techniques.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Goes Muppetational
One of Disney’s most talked-about changes in 2026 will happen on Sunset Boulevard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is being transformed into Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, opening in summer 2026.
Guests still have some time to ride the current Aerosmith version through spring 2026 before the switch. Once it reopens, the high-speed coaster will come back with a brand-new storyline and Muppet-infused chaos layered over the familiar track.
Star Wars and Soarin’ Updates for 2026
Star Wars and Soarin’ fans both have big updates to circle on the calendar.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run will receive a new mission centered around The Mandalorian and Grogu, arriving on May 22, 2026. The fresh storyline will bring guests into a new chapter of the Star Wars universe while keeping the interactive cockpit format.
In honor of the United States’ 250th anniversary, Soarin’ Across America will debut at EPCOT by Memorial Day 2026. The updated ride film will fly guests over new U.S. locations, from natural landscapes to major city skylines, as part of a broader “Disney Celebrates America” initiative across the company.
Fall and Winter: Food & Wine, Halloween, and Holiday Celebrations
The back half of 2026 will be anchored by the usual lineup of festivals and seasonal events, plus returning holiday parties.
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival will once again headline the fall season, bringing global marketplaces, Eat to the Beat concerts, and a long run of fall flavors and entertainment.
At Magic Kingdom, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party returns on select nights in 2026, with the usual mix of trick-or-treating, Halloween entertainment, and character encounters. Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney Jollywood Nights will also be back for select holiday-season evenings, blending old-school Hollywood style with modern entertainment, themed food, and character meet-and-greets.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will return to Magic Kingdom, continuing to anchor the classic Christmas offerings with parades, fireworks, cookies, cocoa, and exclusive entertainment. EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, presented by AdventHealth, will round out the year with Holiday Storytellers, seasonal dishes at Holiday Kitchens, and the Candlelight Processional.
Level99 Brings Interactive Play to Disney Springs
Disney Springs will also get a major addition in 2026 with the arrival of LEVEL99 on the West Side. The interactive “challenge arena” will feature more than 60 themed rooms, duels, and art hunts that combine physical and mental challenges for groups of friends and families. The two-story venue will include a bar and food offerings such as Detroit-style pizza for guests to enjoy after tackling the games.
A Stacked Year for Walt Disney World
On top of everything new for 2026, guests will still be able to catch many of the latest additions that arrived just before the new year, including the nighttime parade “Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away!” at Magic Kingdom, “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” and “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the reimagined Test Track at EPCOT, and Zootopia: Better Zoogether! at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Between upgraded classics, new shows, expanded character experiences, seasonal festivals, and fresh ticket and resort offers, 2026 is set up to be a big year for first-time visitors and longtime fans alike at Walt Disney World.
Janine is a theme park and pop culture nerd from an early age. Since 1994, she’s been traversing the theme park world and has enjoyed all things from Halloween events to new ride releases and beyond. When she’s not at a theme park, she’s probably at a concert or doing something fun with her kiddo.