Hello there, Dawn. Welcome to planDisney!
At this time, most visitors to the
Walt Disney World Resort do not need
Theme Park Reservations. If you have a date-based theme park ticket, which means you selected a window of dates from a calendar for which your tickets are valid, you likely do not need reservations to visit a park. This also typically includes vacation packages where you've booked
theme park tickets tied to a
Disney Resorts Collection Hotel room reservation. Some of the tickets that may still require these reservations are student group tickets, Sports and Convention tickets, Disney Military Salute Tickets, and
Annual Passes. Most other tickets do not need such a reservation.
If you have a ticket type that requires reservations, go to
the Theme Park Reservations page, select the option that's applicable to you, and you'll be taken to a calendar that will show you the parks available for each date you're looking to reserve. While it's become rarer these days for the parks to be fully booked, it is highly recommended that you book your parks as soon as you know the dates you'll be visiting them. Popular dates, including weekends and holiday periods, may have more limited availability.
Since you're visiting the resort during the month of December, follow along with the
Disney Parks Blog for news and updates on the
holiday season. It's such a special time to visit the resort, and if you can fit
Disney Jollywood Nights or
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party into your plans, I'd highly recommend it. Plus, you've got the
EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays taking place from November 27 through December 30, 2026. Between the Holiday Kitchens, the
Candlelight Processional, and much more, it's a must for me every holiday visit.
Dawn, best wishes for planning the best holiday visit ever. If you have any other questions,
I'm happy to answer them!
The best part of Christmas is being together,
Matt