Disney World Rules Are Changing in 2026

Disney World is in a state of transition in 2026, with massive construction projects, permanent closures, and refurbished rides reopenings dominating the park’s calendar, and leading to a series of new “rules” that guests need to follow.

From making sure they’re taking advantage of every savings possible when booking their trip to taking advantage of perks and new additions, these “rules” are the key to making the best of a 2026 trip to the “Most Magical Place on Earth.”

“Make Sure to Look into Discounts”

Over the last few years, Disney has offered an unprecedented amount of discounts, with everything from dining to hotels to theme park tickets seemingly eligible for savings

. That’s continued into 2026, with several major offers, including savings of up to 30% on rooms at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels for stays most nights from May 1st to July 29th, 2026. Guests can save up to 30% for stays of 5 or more consecutive nights and 25% for stays of 1 to 4 consecutive nights at Disney’s Deluxe Tier Resorts, 25% off stays of 5 or more nights and 20% or stays of 1 to 4 nights at select Disney Moderate and Value Tier Resorts, and 20% off stays of 5 or more nights and 15% off stays of 1 to 4 nights at select Moderate and Value Tier Resorts, as well as the Fort Wilderness Campground. So, anyone booking a Disney trip this year would be wise to keep track of and take advantage of these discounts.

“Take Advantage of On-Property Perks”

Once guests have reached property, they’d be wise to take advantage of all the perks that come with staying at a Disney hotel, including:

• Free Water Park Tickets: In 2025, Disney introduced a new water park perk for hotel guests, which gave each member of their party admission to one of Walt Disney World’s water parks on their check-in day. The perk is returning in the summer of 2026.
• 30 Minute Early Entry: 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).
• Extended Evening Hours: 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.
• Characters will appear at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, and Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside.

“Prioritize NEW Versions of Old Favorites this Summer”

The spring and summer of 2026 are set to see several classic Walt Disney World attractions return with newly updated experiences, and in some cases, themes. These include:

• The iconic E-Ticket Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has been closed since January 2025 for a massive refurbishment project. According to Disney, the attraction is scheduled to reopen in Spring 2026 with “new magic,” including a fully refurbished track and a new sequence inspired by the Rainbow Caverns of Disneyland’s Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland. The ride is scheduled to reopen this summer.
• Tomorrowland’s Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin closed on August 4th, 2025, for a refurbishment that is scheduled to end sometime this spring. The refurbished attraction will feature new ride vehicles, new blasters, and a new scene featuring the park’s original robot character named Buddy, who will ensure “departing Space Rangers are fully prepared for their mission (by) enthusiastically providing encouragement, final system checks on their Star Cruisers, and a chance to hone their blaster aim.”
• In celebration of America’s 250th birthday this coming July, EPCOT’s Soarin’ will receive an “all-new airborne adventure across the US, honoring the heart and spirit of the nation.” Disney even brought in “aviation” legend Patrick Warburton (IYKYK) to announce the overlay.
• In conjunction with the release of the new Star Wars Mandalorian & Grogu feature film on May 22nd, Millennium Falcon Smuggler’s Run will see the addition of a new mission based on the titular character and his youngling Grogu (Baby Yoda, to those of you unfamiliar with the Galaxy Far, Far Away).
• Summer 2026 will also see the opening of the newly rethemed Muppets Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster – complete with a new Muppet pre-show that seems to include at least one animatronic Muppet as per the concept art –  after the original Aerosmith version permanently closed in March.
• Later in the summer, the reimagined Walt Disney Studios area will open in the former Animation Courtyard. The area will feature a new take on The Magic of Disney Animation, a Mary Blair-themed play area, and the new Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse show, which will feature “upbeat original songs, plenty of interactive fun for the little ones, and appearances by beloved Disney characters to sing and dance with.”

“Try Something New at Disney Springs”

Disney Springs will see several new openings in 2026, but the one many guests are excited for is Level99. Located at the site of the former NBA Experience, this  interactive, social entertainment center will feature “real-world, challenge-based, social entertainment” for adults featuring physical and mental challenges set in artistic environments.

The location will also offer food and drink options at a 2-story bar, including “handcrafted cocktails, local beers and made-from-scratch bites—including LEVEL99’s signature Detroit-style pizza.” It’s scheduled to open in the spring.

“Be Prepared for Construction”

With all that being said, Disney World’s future beyond 2026 will also be taking shape this year, as massive projects including the construction of Piston Peak in the Magic Kingdom, the Monsters, Inc. land in Hollywood Studios, and Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom are all underway. While this future is bright, in the present, it means guests need to be prepared for a mess of construction walls dominating these parks, making crowd flow a bit of a challenge.

If you’re heading to Walt Disney World in 2026, be sure to keep these “rules” in mind to make the best of your trip. Stay tuned to AllEars for more Disney World tips!

Disney World Started Building a New Land;And Then Just Stopped

Are heading to the resort this year? Let us know in the comments below.

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