Disneyland Resort was already primed for an exciting summer with the conclusion of its 70th anniversary celebration, new Star Wars experiences, and the highly anticipated D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. Disney just revealed even more news for guests visiting soon.
Disneyland announced 12 offerings coming this summer to Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and the resort’s three hotels. Many of them are only happening for a limited time. We have the full list of what’s new, the dates of each event, and other ongoing summer festivities. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including Disneyland changing its park hopping rule and LEGO’s first new Disneyland set in years.
READ MORE – Disneyland Dates to Avoid If You Hate Crowds 2026
New Celebration Throughout All of Disneyland Resort
Celebrate Soulfully: Summer Vibes is a new month-long event honoring Black culture and music, taking place across all of Disneyland Resort from June 19 through July 19, 2026.
Guests can expect food, music, and art as part of Celebrate Soulfully: Summer Vibes. This includes Summer Vibes Concerts in the Park at Disney California Adventure, featuring live jazz, Caribbean, and Zydeco music on select days, as well as characters and variety acts on Fridays and Saturdays. Summer Vibes Concerts in the Park will happen at Paradise Gardens Bandstand near Paradise Garden Grill and Goofy’s Sky School.
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.
Celebrate Soulfully: Summer Vibes will kick off with the previously announced Disney on the Yard Presents Yardfest at Downtown Disney on June 19. The event celebrates the culture and traditions of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and features percussion performances led by Drum Major Mickey Mouse.
New Announcements for Disneyland Park
Youngling Saber Building Expo – A Loth-Cat Crew Experience will open in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Park on May 22, 2026, for a limited time. This is a new, free way to step inside Savi’s Workshop, the build-your-own lightsaber store that is usually exclusive to guests who purchase access to the upcharge lightsaber-building experience for $275.
Based on Disney’s description, this sounds to me like a Star Wars version of the Ollivanders wand shop experience in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal theme parks. Guests will step inside to learn the lore of lightsabers, with the option to purchase one afterward.
Youngling Saber Building Expo is geared toward kids ages 3-9, who must be accompanied by an adult. We assume the inverse is true and that adults must be accompanied by a child.
Disney did not mention the end date for the Youngling Saber Building Expo, just that it will be in place for a limited time during select operating hours, which will be shared later. The upcharge Savi’s Workshop experience will still take place.
Disney has only announced the Youngling Saber Building Expo for the Disneyland version of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, not its East Coast counterpart at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The trio of free-roaming BDX Droids Audio-Animatronics figures will return to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland Park on May 22. Since they last appeared in Disneyland, they’ve completed a whirlwind tour of other Disney theme parks globally and filmed their parts for the movie The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Disney says the BDX Droids will be “making appearances in a whole new way” compared to their previous sightings, which involved guests observing the droids at a distance while a cast member spoke on a microphone. Guests can find the droids at Black Spire Station.
Mickey’s Park Rangers, a new scavenger hunt, will debut May 22 at Disneyland Park. Guests can pick up an activity book at shops in Adventureland, New Orleans Square, Bayou Country, and Frontierland to complete “quests” and receive stamps. It’s unclear if Mickey’s Park Rangers is an upcharge activity or complimentary.
Stitch’s Interplanetary Beach Party Blast will return to Tomorrowland Terrace at Disneyland Park beginning May 22. Guests can join Stitch and other characters for an ongoing dance party.
Walk in Walt’s Footsteps Guided Tour will return to Disneyland Resort starting August 14, 2026. The tour, which has not been available for several years, focuses on Walt Disney’s personal connection to Disneyland.
The tour will be updated to include some time at Disney California Adventure in addition to its regular Disneyland Park terrain. Like the previous version, the new Walk in Walt’s Footsteps concludes with a visit to Walt’s apartment above the fire station on Main Street, U.S.A. I took the previous version of this tour and enjoyed seeing Disney history in this way.
The new version of the tour is two hours long, costs $170, and comes with a snack box. The previous version was three hours, cost $110, and came with a meal.
These newly revealed experiences at Disneyland Park arrive on top of the previously announced new version of Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run, opening May 22, and the final months of the Disneyland 70th anniversary celebration, which runs through August 9.
New Announcements for Disney California Adventure
Disney Friends Dance Party will take place in the evenings inside the Disney Theater at Disney California Adventure starting May 22, 2026, with music and characters.
The Disney Theater venue is home to Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!, which will continue performances during the daytime.
READ MORE – Don’t Waste Your Lightning Lane On This Popular Disneyland Ride
Disney California Adventure will also be home to the new Summer Vibes Concerts in the Park and a new stop on the updated Walk in Walt’s Footsteps Guided Tour, both of which are described above.
These newly announced experiences at Disney California Adventure arrive in addition to the previously announced opening of Soarin’ Across America on July 2 and the ongoing performances of World of Color Happiness! as part of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration, continuing through August 9. The park will also celebrate Disney Jr. Let’s Play! from August 13 to 16 with special preschool-focused activations.
New Announcements for Downtown Disney
The Bubbles Experience will take place at the Downtown Disney Live! Stage daily from July 10 to August 16, 2026. The entire area will be filled with a barrage of bubbles, providing a photo-op moment for guests.
Downtown Disney will also host the previously announced Disney on the Yard Presents Yardfest on June 19, celebrating HBCUs and featuring performances by Drum Major Mickey Mouse.
New Announcements for Disneyland Resort Hotels
Dug’s Dance Party! will debut at the Pixar Place Hotel rooftop on June 5, 2026, continuing on Fridays through August 28. Guests can join the Dug from Pixar’s Up and show off their dance moves.
Summer pool parties will take place at Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Pixar Place Hotel on select dates from July 2 to September 7 with games, music, and characters.
Outdoor movie nights will be hosted at Disneyland Hotel and Pixar Place Hotel on select nights from June through September.
Guests can check with the hotel staff upon check-in for specific schedules for these and other existing hotel activities.
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.
