As you plan out your year, don't let Disney's hype machine trick you into thinking that 2026 is the year to go to Walt Disney World. It is not. Stop and think about it before you leap and spend all that money. The Magic Kingdom may be the most attended theme park in the U.S.A., but an enjoyable day there will be impacted by the huge expansion going on. Frontierland has become a world of walls since they demolished the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island to create a new area based on the Cars franchise. Piston Peak may end of being beautiful, but for now, it's a mess. The whole left side of the park is one huge crowd trying to navigate to Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Once Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens, it's only going to get worse. If you're a first time visitor to Walt Disney World, this will not make your visit memorable for the right reasons... nor will an iconic castle surrounded by scaffolding while it is being painted back to its original 1971 perfect color scheme.
There's more to Disney World than the Magic Kingdom you might say. And you're right about that. Yet of the other three, two of the other parks, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom, both have major construction going on. Each of these parks have a minimal amount of existing attractions but there's walls o'plenty as well. A whole new Monsters Inc. land is replacing the Muppets at the Studios- and the Muppets are in fact replacing Aerosmith at Rock 'n' Rollercoaster. If stage shows are your thing, a day at the Studios could be satisfying. But if not, that's a lot of pressure to put on the rest of the ten whole attractions (or less) at the former Disney-MGM Studios. It's just not worth your money.
Over at Disney's Animal Kingdom, construction walls on the way to Expedition: Everest showcase just how little there is to do in this park. DINOSAUR will soon depart for good with a ride based on Encanto and a new Indiana Jones Adventure one the way. They open in 2027 at the earliest. Animal Kingdom is a gorgeous park, but it's better to wait when it all comes together. The park's replacement for It's Tough to Be a Bug, Zootopia: Better Zoogether is not something worth visiting for. It's the same old 3D show in the Tree of Life Theater with a quickly thrown together story that feels cheap and self-serving.
That leaves Epcot. If you're in the mood for a food festival, go early in the year. Otherwise, skip it as well and wait until 2027. Aside from a Soarin' film about America that will certainly stay around longer than they say, nothing new is coming in 2026, so hold out.
If you must go on vacation, head somewhere else in the States or travel to a different part of the world. The real world has so much to offer. You'll not be disappointed in visiting other cultures and interacting with the people, trying new foods, and seeing important historical sites. Disney can wait. Trust me, you'll be happy you did.
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