Over the past month, Disney World has made some major announcements pertaining to new additions and openings, discount deals, and park operations changes. Whether you’re planning a trip or just staying in the loop, this is all the news you will want to be aware of.
This month, Walt Disney World in Florida revealed new attraction opening dates and special offers for summer 2026. New developments also occurred with Disney’s DAS disability pass. We recap all the news below. Keep reading to see what Walt Disney World news you missed in March 2026. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including the list of artists and celebrities being inducted as Disney Legends this year and new attractions coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
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Attraction Announcements, Food Changes, and More Disney World News from March 2026
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith permanently closed on March 2, 2026. Disney is currently transforming the existing ride into a reimagined experience called Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets. See our coverage of the closure and details for what’s coming.
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Membership Magic Beyond is returning for Disney Vacation Club members. See the list of all 7 of the program’s perks, including access to areas of Magic Kingdom and EPCOT only for DVC members.
Disney World announced the return of free Disney Dining Plans for select resort guests. Learn all the details here, including what you receive for free, which hotels are eligible for the deal, and our thoughts on whether the Disney Dining Plan is worth it.
Walt Disney World Swan and Walt Disney World Dolphin hotels revealed what to expect for their annual Food and Wine Classic special event. Check out the 2026 details, including dates, ticket options, and pricing.
Travelers with Disney World trips in late spring may want to know about Magic Kingdom’s early closure announcement. Whether you see this as a positive for visiting early in the day with lower crowds or a negative for missing out on nighttime hours, here’s what we know about the closure so far.
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Throughout Walt Disney World, various dining locations introduced over 150 menu changes in March! See part 1, part 2, and part 3 of our coverage on these changes to get all caught up on what’s new and what’s gone.
Disney World is gearing up for Cool KIDS’ SUMMER, launching on May 26 and celebrating families with young children. In March, Disney hyped up Cool KIDS’ SUMMER by revealing new summer discounts on theme park tickets and hotel stays, including special offers just for Florida residents and annual passholders.
Cool KIDS’ SUMMER will also see the grand openings of new attractions like Bluey’s Wild World at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Disney shared opening dates for these and other upcoming attractions.
BoxLunch debuted a new spring apparel collection featuring characters rarely seen in Disney merchandise, like the stars of Bambi and The Aristocats. The clothing items come in pastels, perfect for springtime.
Massive construction is ongoing in three of Walt Disney World’s four theme parks. In March, construction crews accomplished milestones at the future homes of Piston Peak National Park at Magic Kingdom, Monstropolis at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Tropical Americas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. In addition to our detailed coverage of each of these projects, see our high-level report on all the construction sites at a glance.
2026 marks 100 years since Winnie the Pooh’s debut in author A.A. Milne’s book. To celebrate, Disney is releasing a ton of new Pooh merchandise.
Disney released the schedule for Extended Evening Hours, exclusive to select Disney World hotel guests, into mid-May. Learn which parks will be open on which dates, and what hotels are eligible for the perk.
You might know you can have your wedding at Disney World, but did you know you can rent out a ride for your wedding party? See how a couple celebrated their marriage at a favorite EPCOT attraction.
Effective March 18, 2026, Josh D’Amaro became The Walt Disney Company CEO, replacing Bob Iger. Subsequently, Thomas Mazloum became Disney Experiences Chairman, replacing D’Amaro. Mazloum was previously President of Disneyland Resort, and now will lead all the Disney theme parks, including those at Walt Disney World. Learn more about how both of these leaders will step into their new roles.
Along with Disney’s personnel transitions came lots of news. On the first day of Josh D’Amaro’s tenure as CEO, he discussed the future of Disney, which included commenting on EPCOT’s Figment, and shared remarks on Lightning Lane policies within Disney theme parks.
The Walt Disney Company held its annual shareholders meeting on March 18. One of the items on the agenda was a vote on a proposal to evaluate Disney’s Disability Access Service (DAS) policies. Learn more about the verdict of this proposal and what its result means, and see D’Amaro’s comments on the current state of DAS.
As March continued, spring break crowds arrived at Disney World. See which attractions accrued the longest wait times and how the crowds impacted Lightning Lane availability.
The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience reopened on March 19 at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. This restaurant had been closed for six years! Its reopening is part of sweeping changes at the hotel. See what’s on the new menu and a before-and-after look at the restaurant’s design.
Have you ever wanted your own personal tour guide at Disney World? Disney announced a hefty discount on the expensive Disney Private VIP Tours for select guests. Learn about which guests and dates are eligible.
Lots of changes are happening at Disney World hotels in the “value” category. These hotels are Disney’s most affordable resorts, and significant updates are taking place. Disney recently wrapped up an overhaul of one value resort and is prepping to launch an extended period of work on another.
In March, a few character meet & greet changes took place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. One classic character moved locations, and Disney switched up the character perk for Disney Visa cardholders.
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, formerly known as D23 Expo, returns to Anaheim, California, on August 14-16! This biennial event takes place very close to Disneyland, not Disney World, but we expect lots of news to be shared about the future of all Disney parks, including those in Florida.
On March 26, Disney announced all the details on D23 2026 ticket pricing and purchasing and revealed the full roster of Disney Legends honorees, including several people significant to Disney World’s history, who will be inducted during D23.
Toward the end of the month, Disney World made a change to the eligible attractions open for Early Theme Park Entry. See what was removed and which attractions are still open during this perk for Disney World hotel guests.
Dive Deeper Into Disney with Mickey Visit Exclusives
This month, Mickey Visit brought you exclusive behind-the-scenes content and vacation-planning guides providing deeper insight into Walt Disney World.
Moritz Bächer, Director of Disney Research Lab Zurich, the technical team within Disney responsible for unique character innovations, gave us a sneak peek at what’s next for Disney’s character meet & greets.
Mickey Visit writers shared recommendations and tips about Disney World dining, including which restaurants near EPCOT to eat at when the park gets too crowded and a can’t-miss quick-service breakfast to plan your day around.
Also in March, we looked ahead to Disney World’s short-term and big-picture future with features on the new Soarin’ coming to EPCOT this summer, the new Disney World hotel opening in 2027, the full list of new attractions coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and what’s in store for the future of Magic Kingdom.
Looking Ahead to April 2026 at Walt Disney World
On April 8, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin reopens at Magic Kingdom, having been closed since August 2025. See what changed about this classic ride.
April 16–20 is runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend throughout Walt Disney World with 5K, 10K, and 10-mile races. Learn how the race weekend will impact Disney World operations. After Springtime Surprise, runDisney events will take their annual summer hiatus before returning for Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend on October 22–25.
The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival continues all April long, lasting through June 1. See our tips on which of the festival’s concerts may be the least crowded and most crowded.
There are lots of popcorn buckets available in April at Disney World, too! See also our full list of rides and operational changes happening in April at Disney World.
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