Disneyland always makes an effort to introduce new offerings throughout the year, even during months that are historically a little less eventful. This is the case for this May, when Disneyland will debut a new version of an attraction following major changes to the land where it’s located.
Beyond this major new addition, there are some other notable changes happening at the parks this month that may impact your visit. Keep reading for a full breakdown of all the changes happening at Disneyland in May 2026. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including quiet changes to these two rides without warning, and Disney content creators sharing “rules” they follow when filming in the theme parks.
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Special Ticket Offer End Date Will Cause Huge Crowds
It is typical to see a huge surge in crowds during the last few days of validity for a special ticket offer. This May, the Disneyland California Resident ticket deal, which offered extremely low park hopper prices for California residents, is valid for visits through May 21, 2026. Because guests can use this ticket on nonconsecutive days, you can expect to see a surge in crowds during the last few days as families try to squeeze in their last days before the offer expires. In our Mickey Visit Disneyland crowd calendar, we expect crowds to be high from May 15th through May 21, and the presence of the crowds will definitely be noticeable in the last few days of the 19th-21st, especially.
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Unfortunately, there won’t be much reprieve from the crowds in the days following. Crowds will spike again during Memorial Day Weekend, which takes place from May 23 through May 25, 2026.
All of that being said, you shouldn’t panic if you have a trip planned during this time. We visit Disneyland during peak crowds all the time and still manage to get a lot done. It just means you will want to be extra diligent about getting out ahead of the crowds. Get up early for rope drop to ride popular attractions in the morning when it’s quieter, make good use of Lightning Lane and the “modify” feature, and take advantage of mobile ordering. See more of our best time-saving hacks when Disneyland is crowded.
Longer Park Hours in Late May
The upside of busier times of year is that the parks are typically open for longer days. We reported how Disneyland just changed park closing time for a batch of summer dates, meaning that in late May, guests will be able to enjoy extended hours. The closing times for these were previously 11 PM and 9 PM for Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, respectively.
On all of the days listed below, Disneyland Park will be open from 8 AM to 12 AM, and on May 24, Disney California Adventure will be open from 8 AM to 10 PM.
- May 24, 2026
- May 25, 2026
- May 26, 2026
- May 27, 2026
- May 28, 2026
- May 29, 2026
- May 30, 2026
- May 31, 2026
These extended hours give guests a little bit more flexibility in their schedule to enjoy rides and entertainment, and even take advantage of our Mickey Visit Disneyland evening strategy to get on popular rides with shorter wait times.
Note that on select nights throughout the month, Grad Nites will close Disney California Adventure at 9 PM. On some of these days, 9 PM is when the park would typically close, but on a few, this is an hour earlier than the typical 10 pm closure (on weekends). See all of the early closures at Disneyland in May and June listed out here.
Nighttime Shows Shift to Different Times
Another change happening in May is the shift of Disneyland Park’s nighttime show times. Paint the Night will shift back by 15 minutes, and Fantasmic! and Wondrous Journeys will shift back by 5 minutes. Tapestry of Happiness will shift showtimes to later in the night, and Shadows of Memory will shift its earlier show back by 15 minutes.
These showtime shifts will take effect starting May 8. Here are all of the changes listed out:
- Paint the Night
- New showtimes: 8:45 PM and 10:45 PM (previously 8:30 PM and 10:30 PM)
- Fantasmic!*
- New showtimes: 9:05 PM and 10:30 PM (previously 9 PM and 10:30 PM)
- Wondrous Journeys, fireworks version*
- New showtime: 9:35 PM (previously 9:30 PM)
- Fire of the Rising Moons*
- New showtime: 9:35 PM (previously 9:30 PM)
- Tapestry of Happiness
- New showtime: 10 PM or 10:10 PM, depending on date (previously 8:05 PM and 10:15 PM)
- Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga
- New showtimes: 8:45 PM and 10:30 PM (previously 8:30 PM and 10:30 PM)
*Only performs Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through May 17. Daily performances starting May 22.
New Storyline Debuting for Millennium Falcon
The most major event happening in May is the debut of the new Millennium Falcon storyline featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu on May 22, 2026. The new story will feature the fan-favorite duo and take guests to several destinations across the Star Wars universe. After taking off from Batuu and going to Tatooine, the crew will get to choose the next destination between the three new locations: Endor (through the wreckage of the second Death Star), Coruscant, and Bespin, home of Cloud City.
Here is what Disney shared about the storyline of the new version: “In this new story arc, Hondo Ohnaka catches wind of a deal on Tatooine between ex-Imperial officers and pirates, setting the stage for a high-stakes chase across the galaxy. Guests will team up with Mando and Grogu to track them down and claim a bounty in a dynamic, galaxy-spanning adventure.”
This new addition should be an exciting upgrade to the ride, which has always felt a little lackluster and low-stakes, especially next to the show-stopping Rise of the Resistance. The role of the engineer will also get some exciting upgrades, including the ability to choose the second location and communicate with Grogu during the mission. You can read about all of the changes coming to the ride in our full article here.
The new storyline’s debut takes place in the context of some major changes to Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge that just went into effect, which takes us to our next point…
Star Wars Festivities in May
Though there is no official Star Wars: Season of the Force celebration this May as there have been in past years, there are still plenty of major Star Wars offerings this month and beyond.
Disneyland revealed several new Star Wars popcorn buckets and novelties, and there is a massive May the 4th Star Wars merchandise collection available. These offerings will be available for a limited time, but there was also a permanent change that just debuted.
Galaxy’s Edge just introduced original trilogy characters to the land, who are here to stay. In a major shift to part of the land’s timeline, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, and Darth Vader will now roam Galaxy’s Edge. Along with these new characters, Disneyland introduced some changes to the shopping and dining to align with the timeline shift, and the iconic John Williams Star Wars music now plays in the land. You can see all details about those changes that are now in effect here.
Whenever a new character debuts, you can expect that they will be swarmed by guests first. This will especially be the case for a group of four very iconic characters, so be prepared to encounter some pretty major crowds in the land during May until the novelty wears off. The characters roam, which makes it a little harder to ensure a good interaction, but we recommend keeping a close eye on character meeting times and trying to hit the land during less busy times for your best chance of meeting these characters.
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Mother’s Day Offerings
Mother’s Day takes place on Sunday, May 10, and the parks have some special offerings to celebrate! Every year on Mother’s Day at Disneyland, complimentary carnation flowers are handed out when you enter Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. If you want to take advantage of this free offering, make sure to arrive early, as flowers typically run out by mid-morning.
From May 9 to May 10, 2026, Plaza Inn will have a special Mother’s Day character dining brunch, which includes a picture with Minnie Mouse wearing a new Mother’s Day spring dress, a meal with a Disney Character processional, and a commemorative photo package. Storytellers Cafe also hosts a special Mother’s Day character dining brunch and dinner buffet on May 10.
At the time of writing, there are no more reservations left for Plaza Inn, but there is still a chance you may be able to grab a cancelled reservation by signing up for dining alerts. See our tips for getting last-minute Disneyland dining reservations here. Reservations for Storytellers Cafe will likely book up for these experiences by the time Mother’s Day weekend comes around, so make sure to lock down your dining plans if you will be visiting that day.
Kids Rule Summer Discounts and New Rides
Right after the end of the California Resident special ticket offer, a kids’ summer ticket offer launches on May 22. If you plan your trip in late May, you can take advantage of these deals and new attractions, like the Mandalorian & Grogu storyline of the Millennium Falcon ride, as well as the new Bluey attraction in Fantasyland. The new Bluey show, foods, activities, and novelties debuted earlier this spring to very high demand.
Guests ages 3 to 9 can visit for as low as $50 per person with a special 1-Day Park Hopper Ticket. There are also 2-Day and 3-Day tickets offered, with options to add on Lightning Lane Multi Pass for an additional fee. These tickets can be used on nonconsecutive days, so it’s a flexible option if you know you’ll be visiting on a few different dates between May 22 and September 7. Our travel partner, Get Away Today, offers an even more discounted price for these tickets, which you can get for as low as $47 per day.
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On top of this, a special hotel offer will also run during this time. From May 22 through September 7, guests who are staying at the Disneyland Resort hotels can save up to 25% on stays of 4 or more nights.
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