7 BIG Changes Coming to Disney World for 2026
If there’s one thing that is consistent in Disney World, it’s change. If you’re thinking about a 2026 Disney trip, you definitely want to look at some big changes that are coming to Disney World for 2026.
Some of these changes are coming at the end of 2025, but since they’ll be close enough to impact 2026 trips, I’ve decided to include them.
These are by no means all the changes coming to Disney World for 2026, but these are some of the biggest you need to know about.
Dinoland officially closes
Dinoland in Animal Kingdom has been in a slow wind down. This land is close to make way for Pueblo Esperanza, which will be opening in 2027.
This new land will be themed around the tropical Americas and feature an Encanto attraction and Indiana Jones attraction.
DINOSAUR is the last attraction in the land that’s open and Disney has confirmed that it will remain open through 2025.
Once this ride closes, Dinoland is officially closed (and fully under construction).
New Story on the Millennium Falcon Smuggler’s Run
On May 22, 2026, the Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu releases in theaters. To sync up with this release, Millennium Falcon, Smuggler’s Run is getting a new story.
According to the Disney Park’s Blog, “you’ll be able to fly alongside Mando and Grogu on thrilling, and dangerous, missions.”
And on top of that, you’ll get to visit some new Star Wars locations and you’ll have the opportunity to choose your destination.
Retheming Rock ‘n’ Roller Coster to the Muppets
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, which is currently themed to Aerosmith, is getting an update. This ride opened with its current theming in 1999, but as of 2026, it’ll be themed to the Muppets.
That’s right! Muppets Courtyard may have closed, but the Muppets aren’t leaving Hollywood Studios.
An exact opening date for this Muppets takeover hasn’t been announced yet, but Disney has offered that they expect to open the ride in 2026.
You’re able to ride the current version through the end of 2025. Then it’ll be closed for a portion of 2026 for these refurbishments, before it reopens with the new Muppets theme.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Reopens
The ever popular Big Thunder Mountain Railroad closed for refurbishments on January 6, 2025. Disney reports that it will be reopening in 2026.
While they haven’t confirmed a date (and I certainly can’t promise anything), the consensus among Disney World aficionados is that it’ll likely reopen in the spring.
Zootopia, Better Zoogether
The Tree of Life is getting a new 4D show in its theater! Previously, this theater was home to A Bug’s Life: It’s Tough to Be a Bug, which closed early in 2025.
It’s Tough to Be a Bug was the theater’s original show, and has been there since the park opened in 1998. According to Disney, this new show “will take guests on an adventure through different biomes seen in the film.”
It’s expected to open on November 7, 2025.
Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin
Everyone’s favorite Space Ranger is getting a face lift. The ever popular Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is another big change coming to Disney World in 2026.
This ride officially closed for refurbishments on August 4, 2025. And while an exact opening date hasn’t been announced, Disney says that they expect to reopen the ride in 2026.
Disney has shared that when the ride reopens, it’ll include a new character named Buddy, a friendly support-robot there to make sure all space rangers are prepared for their mission.
The ride will also have new ride vehicles that will be equipped with live video monitoring, so you can keep track of your score as you go.
And you’ll also get hand held blasters, which is sure to make for a better user experience, and more interactive targets.
Lots of construction
In a lot of ways, 2026 is a bit of an in-between year for Disney World. While there’s a lot to be excited about and enjoy, there’s also a lot more coming in 2027, 2028, and 2029.
This means 2026 has a lot of construction. With Pueblo Esperanza coming to Animal Kingdom, a new Cars themed land and Villains Land coming to Magic Kingdom, and a Monsters Inc. themed land coming to Hollywood Studios, just about every park has some serious construction happening.
Cinderella Castle is also expected to be getting a paint job. Disney painted the castle blue and pink in honor of Disney World’s 50th Anniversary in 2021.
In 2026, the Castle will be returning to it’s gray and blue color scheme. This means at some point, you’ll likely have to contend with some scaffolding in your photos.
And while it may be tempting to skip Disney entirely this year, going to Disney while it’s under construction has its perks too.
First, it limits what’s available to you. And I know that sounds like a bad thing, but honestly, in Disney, I don’t think it is.
Disney has SO MUCH to do. You will never get to everything in one trip. My longest trip was 10 days, and I still had to make cuts.
With so much construction going on, there’s just a little less for you to navigate and prioritize. On top of that, Disney knows it’s a construction year, which means they’re much more likely to offer good deals and discounts.
If you want to take advantage of these discounts, keep any eye on this special offers page.
What big changes coming to Disney World for 2026 are you most excited about?