Disney Limits Access for Annual Passholders Due to Demand for New Entertainment

Walt Disney World’s highly anticipated new nighttime parade debuts July 20 at Magic Kingdom and Disney is already preparing for the upcoming demand.

Walt Disney World released information today that limits access to Magic Kingdom for Annual Passholders temporarily due to the expected crowds that will turn out to see Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away.

READ MORE – Rides Disney Almost Built But Didn’t (And Why They Never Happened)

Annual Passholders Must Have Magic Kingdom Reservation

DIsney starlight

Due to anticipated high demand for the debut of the Disney Starlight parade on July 20, 2025, Annual Passholders will be required to secure a theme park reservation for Magic Kingdom.

Disney World Ride Closure ALERTS, Major Park Changes, Secrets Revealed

Get alerts on closures, park changes, exclusive discounts, and free printables. Trusted by 100,000+ Disney fans & planners.

This includes after 2:00 PM which previously did not require a reservation to visit. Passholders will continue to be able to enter EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park after 2:00 PM without a theme park reservation.

Before the start date of Disney Starlight on July 20, Annual Passholders may continue to visit the theme parks without a theme park reservation on a good-to-go day or after 2:00 PM (except on Saturdays and Sundays at Magic Kingdom park).

There was nothing shared in the update regarding park hopping changes. It’s likely that Annual Passholders can still hop to Magic Kingdom as long as they scanned into the park they held a reservation for first.

Disney Starlight is one of the most highly anticipated summer events and news of its opening was shared along with the debut of Cool Kid Summer character interactions and the start of the updated Little Mermaid and Disney Villains shows at Hollywood Studios.

READ MORE – Don’t Pack These Items For Your Disney Trip. They Can Cause Headaches and Some Are Banned.

Disney Starlight will feature a finale float inspired by the iconic Main Street Electrical Parade along with new merchandise coming to Walt Disney World.

Don’t Miss the Latest Disney News

Don’t miss the latest Disneyland and Disney World news from Mickey Visit. Join the FREE Mickey Visit newsletter that over 100k readers receive every single week. Mickey Visit is here to help you save money and experience more during your Disney and Universal vacation. See the Mickey Visit guide to Disneyland and the Mickey Visit guide to Disney World for tips.

Disney Ride Closure ALERTS, Major Changes, Secrets Revealed

Get alerts on closures, park changes, exclusive discounts, and free printables. Trusted by 100,000+ Disney fans & planners.

Disclosure: We have used all the products recommended on Mickey Visit. We may receive compensation when you click on links to some products featured.

About Lindsay Brookshier

Lindsay Brookshier has been recognized as a Disney expert since 2017 and has been featured by outlets including CNBC, SFGate, NerdWallet, and Visit Anaheim. She holds a Master’s degree in English and 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 travel 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. She also leads the development and analysis of Mickey Visit’s crowd calendars, using historical wait time data, ticket pricing trends, and seasonal attendance patterns to forecast park crowd levels. Lindsay writes touring plans, authors in depth reviews, and offers expert analysis on Disney experiences. She also serves as an expert on Disney discounts and merchandise, tracking ticket offers, hotel promotions, seasonal deals, major merchandise collaborations, and collectible releases across the parks and online.

Lindsay comes from a lifelong Disney family and has been visiting Disneyland since the 1990s. She is currently planning a Disney Cruise Line wedding and her favorite ride is the Haunted Mansion.

See her Muck Rack profile here.

MickeyVisit - Ultimate Disneyland Guide

Get Latest Mickey Visit Stories When You Search on Google

Get the latest Disney news and planning tips every day, live from the parks. Add us as a Google preferred source to see our stories when you search. Unlike mainstream media chasing clicks, Mickey Visit delivers fan-first Disney coverage. We do this because we love Disney too.

MickeyVisit - Ultimate Disneyland Guide

Disney Ride Closure ALERTS, Major Park Changes, Secrets Revealed + DISCOUNTS

Join 100,000+ Disney fans and vacation planners on our free newsletter. Get essential trip dates, ride closing alerts, new ride details, and exclusive limited-time discounts on tickets, hotels, and gift cards.
“Essential for planning your trip!” – Helen, Portland, Oregon