Guests travel through time on DINOSAUR with a secret mission to bring back an Iguanadon.
Disney Imagineers have been play testing the changes coming to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin.
A new adventure inspired by "The Mandalorian and Grogu" will debut on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run the same day the film opens in theaters.
The Electric Mayhem will crank out rocking tunes in the recording studio inside of Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets. Along with the finest audio engineers (all penguins, of course) guests will see Scooter doing his best to convince Electric Mayhem to stop jamming and get to their increasingly restless fans.
Disney Junior: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! premiered at Disney California Adventure earlier this year.
World Showcase is sprinkled with holiday displays like this larger-than-life teapot in the U.K. pavilion during EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays.

Timing isn't everything, but it definitely matters when planning a trip to Walt Disney World.

It can make a huge difference in ticket prices, crowds and weather, depending on when guests choose to visit.

Though the latter can be hard to predict, date-specific ticket prices are published well in advance. Now the Florida resort has revealed something else to help travelers plan: the opening (and closing) time frames for some of its most anticipated events.

All of these are included with standard park admission.

What is new to Disney World in 2026?

EPCOT International Festival of the Arts

  • Jan. 16 to Feb. 23

DINOSAUR, Restaurantosaurus closes at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

  • Feb. 2

Frozen Ever After debuts updated audio-animatronics at EPCOT.

  • February

EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival

  • March 4 - June 1

Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin reopens with new tech at Magic Kingdom.

  • Spring

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens with new enhancements at Magic Kingdom.

  • Spring

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith closes for reimagining at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

  • Spring

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run unveils a new "The Mandalorian and Grogu" setting at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

  • May 22

Soarin’ Across America opens at EPCOT.

  • By Memorial Day

Cool Kid Summer returns resort-wide.

  • Summer

Bluey and Bingo debut at Conservation Station at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

  • Summer

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets opens at Disney Hollywood Studios.

  • Summer

Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! debuts at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

  • Summer

The Magic of Disney Animation opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

  • Late summer

EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival

  • Fall

EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays

  • Winter

What else is coming to Disney World?

Disney World also announced the return of perennial favorites: After Hours events starting in the spring, Disney H20 Glow After Hours in the summer, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in the fall, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Disney Jollywood Nights in the winter. Those are not included with standard park admission but instead have event-specific tickets.

Additionally, Banana Ball will debut at ESPN Wide World of Sports on May 29 and 30. Standard tickets will start at $35. Guests interested in attending a game will have to join a ticket lottery list on BananaBall.com.

Also, Level99 is expected to open at Disney Springs sometime next year. This third-party interactive social gaming experience costs extra.

How much does a ticket cost at Disney World?

Disney World tickets vary by park and date.

Standard one-day, one-park tickets start at $119 per adult at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the least expensive of the four theme parks. Guests age 10 and older are considered adults for pricing purposes.

Disney+ subscribers are eligible for a three-day, three-park ticket deal for $325 per adult visiting between Jan. 12 and May 22. Guests may enter one park a day, but not Magic Kingdom, which is excluded from the promotion.

The resort also is offering specially priced tickets and a new nearly yearlong pass to active-duty and retired members of the military.

Other deals, like free Disney Dining Plans for kids, may be found on Disney World’s special offers webpage. One to watch for is the return of free water park entry for Disney resort hotel guests on their arrival dates next summer.

(This story has been updated with new information and a new image.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Disney World just revealed opening dates for everything new in 2026

Reporting by Eve Chen, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect