When to visit Walt Disney World is a common question, with many fans wondering whether it’s a good idea to delay a vacation due to current construction, ride reimaginings & closures, and new attractions. This addresses whether to visit in 2026 or wait for expansion to debut in 2027. We also share the perfect weeks to target in the next 2 years for maximizing what’s new while minimizing construction & closures.
Our general ‘travel philosophy’ is that postponing experiences for something theoretically better down the road is a bad idea. In life and with Disney, there’s this fantasy of a brighter future and imperfect present. Something better, newer, or bigger on the horizon that you should wait to see.
To borrow a line from Andy Bernard (who went to Cornell), “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” This sentiment is profoundly simple, yet simply profound. And it’s especially true when it comes to Walt Disney World, as fans often look towards the future instead of embracing today.
To put a finer point on this, we heard from many Walt Disney World fans in mid-2019 who were delaying visits that year, despite our insistence that crowds wouldn’t be as bad as expected. They were worried about a surge in attendance and chaotic conditions due to the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and other new additions. As it turned out, things were great in late 2019.
Then March 2020 happened. Many of those people sitting on the sidelines never got to take that trip…or took it 1-2 years late with major cuts, compromises, and significantly higher costs. We all know what happened that year, and it’s easy to say that was a black swan event, and a bad example as a result.
However, the under-discussed angle of 2019 vs. 2020 is that crowds were crazy from January through mid-March 2020. Walt Disney World would’ve set a record for attendance that year, had the world not gone sideways. So even in an alternate universe where the COVID closures never happened, waiting would’ve been a bad idea. And in our universe, it was an awful one.
This is not meant to be an “I told you so” to those who postponed trips. To the contrary, we truly feel for those families, especially the ones with young children for whom the clock was ticking on Walt Disney World. Now that we’re parents, thinking back on some of those comments really hits home.
We cannot fathom our daughter missing ‘Disney milestones’ that she’s already experienced–or will experience–simply because she aged out of them at a time when they weren’t offered. We reflect on this often, thinking about how life was disrupted back then. As a result, we have more of a ‘carpe diem’ attitude when it comes to traveling with our toddler. Because even in the absence of a black swan event, the clock is ticking!
Accordingly, the answer to the titular question for many of you–if not most of you–lies within. Are your kids currently in that ‘sweet spot’ age where Walt Disney World is magical? Are you considering a multi-generation with aging grandparents? Will the same trip realistically be possible in 2 years?
If now is the right time for your family to visit, do so with zero regard for externalities. They are not, and will never be, make or break. Your circumstances are much more important. Your kids will remember characters; they’ll forget construction walls.
Suffice to say, our default recommendation is visiting sooner rather than later. There’s no such thing as a perfect time, and you never know what the future holds. Beyond that, in the wise words of Mr. Bernard, it’s hard to identify the good ole days while you’re in them. What looks like a time to avoid–as was the case for many fans with mid-2019–might become a Golden Age when viewed with the benefit of hindsight.
If that’s not enough to answer the question for you, keep reading, as we’ll discuss the pros & cons of 2026 vs. 2027 and beyond…
Construction & Closures
In weighing whether or not to wait, top of mind is construction and closures in the lead-up to major expansion plans. There’s a ton on the horizon in the next 5 years at Walt Disney World with new lands and attractions themed to Villains, Cars, Monsters, Indiana Jones, Encanto & more. There are also reimagined rides, new entertainment, dining, and more.
One concern many fans have expressed is the number of closed attractions in the coming year. While some claim this is unprecedentedly high, that’s inaccurate. If anything, our view is that Walt Disney World still is not doing enough routine refurbishments (emphasis on routine) to prevent unexpected downtime and delays.
If you compare the Walt Disney World Refurbishment Calendar with those for Disneyland or, “worse” yet, Tokyo Disneyland, you’ll notice a stark contrast and far fewer closures at WDW. The other difference, which isn’t reflected in those calendars, is that Tokyo has higher maintenance standards and fewer unexpected attraction breakdowns.
To each their own, but I will happily take more scheduled refurbishments that I can plan around over unanticipated downtime. But that’s a bit beyond the scope of this post. The point here is more that refurbishments are always going to be an issue, and if anything, we’d expect to see more of them in the second half of the 2020s given the amount of deferred maintenance in the first half.
We would also expect more ride reimaginings–not just in 2026, but for the next decade. There are a lot of attractions and even entire lands needing major refreshes that will necessitate lengthy closures.
Unfortunately, the refurbishment roster does not reflect the full scope and scale of construction at Walt Disney World. The parks are just now ramping up their next development cycle, and that’s already evident in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, Dinoland at Animal Kingdom, and en route to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
While the guest impact won’t be nearly as bad as the last development cycle, there visible construction walls, closures, and more. See Walt Disney World’s 5-Year Plan: Construction, Closing & Opening Dates for New Lands & Rides for everything you need to know.
It’s also worth noting that Walt Disney World unveiled the first portion of its 10-year plan at the 2024 D23 Expo. More announcements will likely be made at the 2026 D23 Expo. Those could include medium-term projects for 2027-2028, along with large scale ones for 2030-2032. Meaning that we do not yet know the full extent of closures in 2027–there might end up being many more than in 2026!
If you’re specifically concerned about visual blight, consider checking out How Construction Walls Will Impact Walt Disney World from Now to 2029. The nutshell version is that most of the projects are out of guest view, on the perimeter of the parks. You’ll pass construction walls, but they’re not particularly impactful.
The biggest exception to this is around the River(bed)s of America at Magic Kingdom. This is very much in view of Frontierland and Liberty Square, and stands out. On the plus side, it’s occurring to–as the name suggests–a former waterway. So it’s not as if walkways or guest flow are impacted.
Nothing currently under construction is remotely as bad as the Giant EPCOT Dirt Pit in the middle of that park for ~5 years. That made navigating the front of EPCOT a nightmare amidst a maze of construction walls. No mazes this time around. All construction is either at dead ends of the parks or in the former waterway at Magic Kingdom.
Waiting for New Expansion
The flipside to construction is, of course, exciting new additions. Hooray! But none of them will open by next year. Womp womp.
This might seem like a clear point in favor of skipping 2026 and waiting until 2027. However, it is highly likely that none of the new additions will open in the first half of 2027.
At this point, the only upcoming project with an opening year is Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom in 2027. Judging by progress thus far and the closing date of DINOSAUR (going extinct February 2, 2026), it seems like the best case scenario is opening in Late 2027. Even that looks like it’ll be a race against the clock for the marquee Encanto and Indiana Jones attractions, but perhaps the critter carousel will debut before then.
Everything else is further down the road, but here’s roughly what we’re expecting:
Monstropolis & Monsters Inc Door Coaster: 2028 (this one could be accelerated)
Piston Peak Cars Land: 2029
Villains Land: 2030
Walt Disney World’s typical new addition cadence is one major addition per year, which is the basis for this staggering. With that said, Monstropolis has been moving fast and looks like it’ll open in the first half of 2028, if not even earlier. So if the question is actually somehow 2026 or the first half of 2027 vs. Spring 2028, there’s more of a compelling case to wait. Zero new lands versus two!
The bottom line is that unless you’re debating between Christmas 2026 or Christmas 2027, there might not be a material difference from the perspective of major new additions. Tropical Americas is the only new land on the horizon in the next two years, and we wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see that open in December 2027. To the contrary, we would be surprised if it debuts in Summer 2027 or earlier. Sometime in or after October seems likely.
Of course, it’s not just new lands on the horizon. There are several reimagined rides debuting in the next year-plus. Now this actually is where 2026 vs. 2027 does make a difference. Here’s a rundown of what’s been announced thus far:
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Reopens (TBD Date in Spring 2026)
Bluey & Bingo at Conservation Station (TBD Date in Summer 2026)
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin Reopens (TBD Date in Spring 2026)
Carousel of Progress Closes & Reopens (TBD Dates in 2026 and/or 2027)
Frozen Ever After Adds New Audio Animatronics (Mid-February 2026)
Soarin’ Across America Debuts (TBD Date by Memorial Day 2026)
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Adds Baby Yoda & Mandalorian (May 22, 2026)
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith Closes (March 2, 2026)
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets Debuts (TBD Date in Summer 2026)
The Walt Disney Studios Lot Opens (TBD Date in Summer 2026)
The Magic of Disney Animation Debuts (TBD Date in Late Summer 2026)
A lot of this was shared in Walt Disney World’s 2026 Calendar of Events & Projects, which reveals all of the newly-reimagined attractions and areas debuting next year. The short version of that is that most upcoming additions will debut in the first half of 2026.
However, it’s important to note that these are just the projects we know about and ones that have defined timelines. While this might seem to paint a decisive picture that the first half of 2026 will be “worse” for ride reimaginings than Fall 2026 through 2027, it’s important to recognize the reality that we don’t know what we don’t know.
Reimaginings happen on a tighter timeframe, and although it might seem like there aren’t any scheduled then, it’s more accurate to say that we don’t know about any yet. Fast-forward one year, and we could be having exactly this same conversation about 2027 reimaginings and ride closures looking “worse” than 2028. That’s simply the nature of the beast with nearer versus distant projects.
Discounts
Walt Disney World has gotten more aggressive with discounts as “revenge travel” has exhausted itself in the last couple of years. They’ve been pulling “levers” in order to entice people to visit the parks and stay in the hotels. In plain language, this means discounts.
Walt Disney World has already released several discounts for the first half of 2026, all of which have been on par with deals released in 2024-2025 or 2018-2019, and much better than during the height of pent-up demand.
The next round of discounts will almost certainly be released in early January 2026, covering travel dates for summer through early fall (maybe as far out as October 2026). We’re expecting the normal room-only discounts, stay longer & save more, plus maybe a wildcard since Free Dining won’t have the same allure (see below).
It will be interesting to see whether 2026 beats 2025 pricing, which is within the realm of possibility. Although room deals have been released in full for the first few months of the year, ticket deals have only just started (see New Disney World 2026 Ticket Deal for Disney+ Subs).
Over this past summer, the result of aggressive discounting was the lowest price for Walt Disney World vacations in over 6 years. (See How to Get the Cheapest Walt Disney World Trip Since 2019.) With summer seeing a slowdown, it’s entirely possible that we see a repeat of that in Summer 2026.
The big discount-addition for next year is Kids Free Dining Plan in 2026 at Walt Disney World. This will be huge for families with children, as the Disney Dining Plan will suddenly offer savings again, as opposed to the illusion of them. It’s also why Free Dining loses its allure–because this Kids Free Dining Plan perk is stackable with other discounts, whereas traditional Free Dining is not.
But we’re straying from the point. In a post questioning whether you should visit in 2026 or wait until 2027, we cannot offer anything declarative. Discounts were nonexistent for a couple of years during pent-up demand, then improved dramatically, and have plateaued at an aggressive level.
There’s no basis for asserting that Walt Disney World will offer “better” discounts in 2026 or 2027. Special offers most commonly correspond with marketable new additions (or a lack thereof) and real world economic conditions. We already know that the former are more or less the same in 2026 vs. 2027, and it’s too early (and not our place) to make predictions regarding the latter.
Regardless, we recommend paying close attention to special offers and booking them ASAP once released, as availability can be limited. Taking full advantage of discounts will greatly reduce the package prices discussed below. We closely monitor what’s released and notify subscribers of our free email newsletter when any Walt Disney World discounts are released or rumored!
Price Increases
Walt Disney World long ago adopted the “Kohl’s Model” to pricing, where the sticker prices are almost meaningless due to discounts. It’s all about perception and the illusion of a deal, and Disney’s desire to keep pace with inflation and investor expectations with consistent price increases.
Over the last couple of years, Disney has consistently raised prices pretty much across the board in the range of 3-5%, all while ramping up discounts. Typically, menu prices increase in winter and potentially again in fall. Vacation packages and resort rates for the following year are usually released in late spring or early summer, and usually reflect higher rates year-over-year. All other prices usually go up around the start of the new fiscal year in October.
If you’re debating between 2026 and 2027, the smart money is on next year being cheaper. That is usually true due to price increases, with limited exceptions. Unless you’re a time traveler and know when the inevitable economic correction or recession is going to hit! In which case, there might be better uses of your knowledge than timing Disney trips.
2026 vs. 2027 Conclusion
All things considered, it doesn’t seem to us like there are many compelling reasons to wait until 2027 to visit Walt Disney World. Almost all of the same considerations in 2026 will also end up applying for most of 2027. To the extent that it currently doesn’t seem that way, it’s mostly because we just don’t have visibility further into the future.
From the perspective of pricing, construction, new offerings, and more…it all seems like it’s pretty much a wash between the two years, at least based on what’s presently known. If you’re waiting for the major new lands and attractions to start coming online, you’re realistically waiting until Spring 2028 or beyond. That is when the biggest differences will start being felt.
And if you want all of them, that’ll be until 2030. But that’s just for the first half of a 10-year plan, so really, you’re looking at 2035 for the current cycle to fully finish. At that point, maybe you start thinking about taking your future grandkids as opposed to your kids?!
If you’re wanting a visit without construction walls, that may never happen. If Parks & Resorts continues to overperform relative to the studios and streaming, there will be every reason to double-down and invest even more in Walt Disney World during the 2030s and beyond.
Best Weeks in 2026 & 2027 to Minimize Closures & Construction
Rather than posing a question in the post title and not answering it, I’ll end with two specific recommendations. If you want to embrace our ‘now is the time, now is the best time’ philosophy, we’d advise visiting during any of our Best Weeks at Walt Disney World in 2026 or 2027 starting with Independence Day 2026.
That doesn’t avoid any construction (impossible), but gets you past the worst of the ride closures in 2026. Beyond that, we’d advise targeting dates later in the year for better weather, which is critically important but not all that relevant to a discussion of one year versus another.
There will undoubtedly be new ride reimaginings and refurbishments added to the list in the second half of 2026, but we’d hazard a guess that attraction and area closures will nevertheless peak earlier in the year and get progressively better between Memorial Day and July.
If you want the best of both worlds and to hedge your bets: visit during our favorite week of the year in 2027. While there is no guarantee as to when Tropical Americas will open in 2027, or even if it won’t be delayed into 2028, picking that week at least gets you into the beginning of December 2027.
It’s a great week even if you end up missing Tropical Americas, so there’s that. And history is also on your side: Star Wars Rise of the Resistance opened on December 5th. So there’s precedent for that window in the lull between Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Do you agree or disagree with our recommendations for visiting Walt Disney World in 2026 vs. 2027? When would you recommend visiting? Are you waiting until Tropical Americas opens or any of the reimagined rides debut? Any thoughts or predictions of your own to add? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
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