Welcome to planDisney, Debbie! Planning a Disney trip always reminds me of the
Carousel of Progress. After all, there’s a great big beautiful tomorrow waiting, especially once you've purchased those theme park tickets!
And just like that classic attraction takes us through different moments in time, every season at the
Walt Disney World Resort brings its own kind of magic. In the fall, you’ve got all of the Halloween decor, snacks, and
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Around the holidays, there’s
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and
Disney Jollywood Nights, not to mention all of the seasonal decor, food, and even more specialty offerings that typically arrive at that time of year. The spring brings probably my favorite festival: the
EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival.
Since seasonal offerings are announced closer to each time of year, the best place to watch for details is the
Disney Parks Blog as your trip gets closer. And speaking of looking ahead, summer already has some exciting news to share. Disney
just announced the return of
Cool KIDS’ Summer, featuring discounts and deals, the chance to visit a water park for free on your check-in day from May 26 through September 8, 2026 (subject to availability), and some newly reimagined experiences opening across the resort.
You can currently purchase
theme park tickets through December 31, 2026. Tickets and vacation packages for the next year typically go on sale during the spring of the year before. For 2027, you’re usually looking at late spring/early summer of 2026 for the first ten months of 2027 to go on sale, with the holidays sometime after. But progress is always moving along, so keep an eye on the Disney Parks Blog for the latest announcements in case this year is different.
Whether you’re able to buy your tickets now or farther down the road, there are plenty of things you can do to pass the time while waiting. Hosting a Disney movie night is one of my favorites, where you get to talk about the things from that movie you may be able to see in the parks. Or you can mix it up by watching
The Imagineering Story on Disney+,
We Call It Imagineering on YouTube, and the great content on the
Disney Parks YouTube channel to get yourself excited for the parks! Of course, setting up a countdown is a fun daily activity. Because even if your trip isn’t for a while, now really is the best time to celebrate and look ahead!
Debbie, I hope your plans keep getting more exciting as the days go by.
Let me know if I can help with anything else!
Here's to what's next,
Matt