Disney World Expanding Character Interactions with Limited Time Family Entertainment This Summer

Summer at Walt Disney World will include many new offerings like brand new shows coming to Hollywood Studios plus many discounts to take advantage of!

There’s even more to look forward to this summer as Disney has announced new limited-time experiences for young kids in the theme parks and hotels plus a new summer discount offer. These new offerings join two new shows debuting at Walt Disney World and news of a major Buzz Lightyear ride refurbishment.

Let’s get into all the new offerings coming to Walt Disney World this summer which includes expanded character experiences all guests can enjoy!

Kid Zone Experiences Coming to Disney World

The snowcone Smellephant for Smellephants on Parade at Magic Kingdom Park.

From May 27 through September 1, 2025, Disney will be offering “limited-time experiences” for young kids in the theme parks including new kid zones with activities and more ways to interact with Disney characters.

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These kid zones will include pop-up entertainment offerings, games, music, dancing, and other adventures for kids to enjoy.

Some of these kids zones will be located in Storybook Circus with expanded offerings along with Tomorrowland featuring interactions with Stitch.

Goofy Takes Over CommuniCore Hall

Goofy at Disney California Adventure

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After the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival ends, families can enjoy an “ultimate game party” and play space in CommuniCore Hall led by Goofy. More details on this offering will be announced soon!

This is a great use of the space in EPCOT especially in the summer months when the temperatures can become unbearable and the parks are hard to navigate with small children.

More Chances for Disney Character Interactions

animal kingdom early entry sign

Some characters will also be available in the parks during Early Entry. So for the first 30 minutes of the day, before the park opens, Disney World hotel guests can interact with characters. Disney describes this offering – “characters will also be out in the park earlier than normal for Disney Resort hotel guests”. This sounds a lot like the way that characters interact at Disneyland where they are out in the theme parks much more freely than the characters currently are at Walt Disney World.

This is a great offering to add on as character meet and greets at Walt Disney World are very popular and often cause long lines. This could be the ideal time to meet those favorite characters especially if you have small kids! Kids are more “fresh” in the morning so this could make for a better experience. For those who don’t want to stop to meet characters, this will also give great Disney energy when guests pass them by.

Guests staying at select resorts will also be able to enjoy more Disney-themed activities designed for families along with character visits with set appearance times so guests can plan these into their day. These offerings will be available at Art of Animation Resort, Pop Century Resort, Caribbean Beach Resort and Wilderness Lodge.

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About Lindsay Brookshier

Lindsay has been recognized as a Disney expert since 2017 and has been featured by outlets including CNBC, SFGate, NerdWallet, and Visit Anaheim. She visits Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Universal Orlando multiple times each year, giving her first hand insight into park operations, seasonal trends, crowd patterns, and touring strategies.

Her experience also extends to Disney Cruise Line, where she has sailed on every class of ship, visited both of Disney’s private islands, and participated in specialty sailings such as Marvel Day at Sea and Very MerryTime cruises. This depth of travel allows her to provide practical, data informed guidance across Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line, Universal theme parks, and related destinations.

As Content Director of Mickey Visit, Lindsay oversees editorial strategy and daily content, leading a team of writers who produce timely news coverage and general planning content. She leads the development and analysis of Mickey Visit’s crowd calendars, applying expert insight into crowd behavior, seasonal trends, and park operations. Lindsay writes touring plans, authors in depth reviews, and offers expert analysis on Disney experiences, while also analyzing the best and worst days to visit. She serves as an expert on Disney discounts, tracking and evaluating ticket offers, hotel promotions, and seasonal deals. She comes from a lifelong Disney family, has been visiting Disneyland since the 1990s, and is even in the middle of planning a Disney Cruise Line wedding.

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