6 CHANGES Happening in January in Disney World

January is coming soon, and that means a NEW year in Disney World!

Each new year often brings big changes for Disney World, and 2026 is no different. We’ll be seeing updates with attractions, changes to hotel perks, and even some major closures. So let’s dive into the differences you can expect to take place in January!

Holiday Celebrations End

The first big thing to change in January 2026 is that the holiday season will end! Some entertainment offerings and specialty character meets will cease on December 31st, but many of the decorations in the parks will stay up through the first week of January.

We typically see all traces of the holidays disappear shortly after the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend in early January. That means the Christmas trees will come down and the garlands will be removed, so if you’re hoping to snap those holiday pics, do it in the first few days of the month.

See the Menus for the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays Here!

The Festival of the Arts Begins

It’s almost time for the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts! In 2026, this festival runs from January 16th through February 23rd. It’s one of EPCOT’s shortest festivals, but it’s the most colorful.

The festival highlights creativity in its dishes and entertainment, and throughout the fest, you can purchase artwork at pop-up tents around the park. It’s an absolutely stunning time to visit EPCOT!

Click Here to See Which Festival Is Disney Fans’ Favorite!

DinoLand, U.S.A. Could Be Extra Crowded

Sadly, we’ll be saying goodbye to DinoLand, U.S.A., completely in February 2026. That means that in January, this area of Animal Kingdom is likely to be BUSY with fans coming to pay their final respects.

DINOSAUR, Restaurantosaurus, The Dino Institute, and the character meets in the area will all close on February 2nd, 2026. These closures will make way for the new Tropical Americas land with attractions themed to Encanto and Indiana Jones.

Disney JUST Filed a Permit for This New Land — Learn More!

A Popular Hotel Perk Changes

Beginning with the new year, a big Disney hotel guest perk is changing. Currently, you can visit a Disney World water park for free on the day of your check-in to your Disney Resort. However, in 2026, this perk will ONLY be available in the summertime.

Disney hasn’t yet announced what dates constitute “summer” for this perk, so we’ll be on the lookout for that news. This offering has been very popular in 2025, so it could influence fans of the water parks to book their trips in those hotter months.

Learn More About the Perk Change Here!

After Hours Events Return

Once the holiday season has wrapped up, January is traditionally the return of After Hours events in the park. For 2026, Disney After Hours will return to Magic Kingdom on January 12th, Hollywood Studios on January 14th, and EPCOT on January 22nd.

These are hard-ticketed events that take place on select evenings in the park. They’re a great way to experience rides with little to no wait, and they come with complimentary snacks like popcorn and Mickey bars. We’ve been big fans of After Hours in the past!

See All the 2026 After Hours Dates Here!

A Popular EPCOT Attraction Closes Temporarily

Finally, a temporary closure is coming to Frozen Ever After in EPCOT and its corresponding gift shop, The Fjording. Frozen Ever After is set to get updated animatronic figures, so the ride will close on January 26th.

It should reopen sometime in February 2026 once the refurb is complete. We can’t wait to see what the new animatronics do to improve the ride overall! We’ll make sure to update you once we get an official reopening date.

Looks like January in Disney World is going to be WAY different! We’ll be there throughout the month to share all these updates with you in real time.