NEWS: 2026 Packages Including Free Dining for Kids Now Available

It’s time to start planning for 2026 Walt Disney World vacations! Bookings open soon, along with a fantastic free Disney World Dining Plan offer for kids! Learn more below.

 

Here are all the details from Disney Cast Member Josh Higgens:

Eat, Stay, and Play in 2026

• • • Walt Disney World vacation bookings for 2026 will become available starting April 22.
    • As a special offering for 2026, guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel will get a free dining plan for their kids (ages 3-9) when purchasing a dining plan with their package for others in their party (ages 10 and up).
    • Disney Resort hotel guests may continue to enjoy early theme park entry, complimentary transportation, free parking, early access to dining reservations, and other perks.

Looking ahead to everything you can do with your family during a Walt Disney World vacation next year? Well, you’re in luck, because beginning April 22, guests can start booking their 2026 vacations to Disney World with plenty of convenient and flexible options to choose from.

It’s never too early to start thinking about your next trip, and 2026 is going to be a fantastic year to visit — especially for kids!

How to Get Free Disney World Dining Plan for Kids (Ages 3-9) in 2026   

Throughout all of 2026, guests staying at one of our more than 25 Disney Resort hotels will get a free dining plan for their kids (ages 3 to 9) when purchasing a dining plan as part of their package for the other members of their party (ages 10 and up). Dining plans can help you maximize your stay with added peace of mind, letting you enjoy some of the many dining locations we offer from meals to snacks and kid-friendly favorites.

The kids free dining plan offering can be combined with other select special offers, meaning you may still be eligible to take advantage of other deals we later roll out for 2026.

2026 Disney World Resort Perks   

There’s nothing like a visit to Disney World. With so many attractions, entertainment offerings, dining, shopping and more across our four theme parks and beyond, staying at a Disney Resort hotel means being right inside the magic. With everything we offer, Walt Disney World remains the place to be for an ultimate multi-day vacation, a special occasion, or a day full of rides, food, and fun.

 

Get More Time at the Theme Parks   

Continuing through 2026, Disney Resort hotel guests can enjoy more time in our theme parks with 30 minutes of early theme park entry every day, at every park.* That means getting a head start in the parks to check out some of your favorite attractions. Guests of our Disney Deluxe Resorts or Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts will also continue to have access to extended evening hours at select theme parks on certain days.

_{*Valid theme park admission required for entry.}  

Enjoy Free Transportation, Parking, and More   

Disney Resort hotel guests continue to get access to other offerings and special perks that make vacation planning easier.

• • • Complimentary theme park transportation via monorail, boat, bus, and Disney Skyliner

• • • Free standard parking at hotels, theme parks, and water parks

• • • Early access to dining reservations and Lightning Lane for your entire stay, as well as advanced access to purchase tickets to select special events.

• • • Coming back in summer 2026, Disney Resort hotel guests can get free water park admission on their check-in day (subject to availability). Additional details, including specific dates, will be shared at a later time.

Get Even More Magic at Your Disney Resort   

Whether you’re taking a day off from the theme parks or simply want to relax at your hotel, there’s no shortage of activities all from the convenience of your hotel.

Guests can enjoy resort activities, themed pools, character dining, and surprise character visits. When you stay at a Disney Resort hotel, you’re staying as close as you can to the magic with everything you need. That includes the outstanding guest service and hospitality provided by our cast members.

You can book your 2026 Disney World vacation starting April 22 for travel dates through October 2026. Please note that bookings for November and December 2026 will become available at a later date. Want to visit sooner? There are special offers available now for 2025 Disney Resort hotel stays and theme park tickets, including ways to save and enjoy limited-time fun this summer!

We highly recommend booking with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner to ensure you are well taken care of and get all the discounts available to you. For more details and help booking your vacation, call our travel partners, Magical Vacation Planners, at (407) 442-0227. You can also get a no obligation, FREE vacation quote by clicking here.  Their services are free to you and they can answer any questions you may have.

RELATED ARTICLE: 6 Reasons We Keep Going Back to Walt Disney World

by Cindy E. Nykamp

A few years back, I ran into an old childhood friend that I had not seen in years. When meeting her new husband, she introduced me as the girl who was obsessed with Disney World. She must have been referring to the stream of pictures I would post from our Disney vacations that we seemed to take “all the time.” She admitted she didn’t get it, especially when she learned that we took our 10th anniversary trip to Disney World without the kids (scandalous)! She confided that she would probably go there one time when she had kids “because you have to,” but she really hated the thought of having to go. This was a rather odd conversation for us, one that we’ve had with other friends and family from time to time. They ask, “What is it about Disney World? Why do you go back year after year?” Here are the six reasons we keep returning to Disney World.

 

6 – Lasting Family Memories

Vacations are an excellent time to build some lasting family memories. Vacations to Disney World have so many opportunities to create amazing memories because there’s so much to see and do and explore together! Disney World is twice the size of Manhattan, offering entertainment and attractions that can’t be found anywhere else on the planet! There are so many “firsts” that your family can enjoy together. So many traditions that can be done every trip and so many experiences that your family will remember over the years.

5 – Bringing Generations Together

A vacation to Disney World brings generations together with the common bond of loving a mouse! We have taken multiple trips with our mothers and have enjoyed watching them connect with their grandchildren in ways just not possible at home. Grandparents know the characters, the Disney movies, and the story of Disney because they grew up with them, too. They get to share that love and create special memories and bonds with their grandchildren.

Parents also get to share their love and excitement of all things Disney with their children. I was never able to go to Disney World as a child, though it had been a dream of mine. When I finally went for the first time, I loved it. However, I loved watching my children experience the park more. Their experiences meant more to me, and that made the trip so much more enjoyable than I ever could have imagined.

 

4 – Quality Entertainment and Attractions

There are a lot of amusement parks in the world, and many of these are very good. But none can provide the level of quality and depth of the experience like Disney can. How do they do it? It goes beyond a commitment to quality and big budgets. It springs out of their DNA as storytellers. Expedition Everest isn’t just a rollercoaster, it’s a trip through a culture to a faraway destination with an engaging story that starts when you enter the queue and doesn’t end until you’ve left the gift shop. When you’re at Disney World, you don’t just ride rides, you explore stories.

3 – Excellent Customer Service

Disney World’s customer service is among the best in the world. Other businesses model their customer service to match Disney’s. In fact, they offer classes at Disney University to teach other organizations how to do things the “Disney Way.” We’re always hearing amazing stories of Disney Cast Members going above and beyond to make things right and to make Disney dreams come true. The great moments that stand out in other places are the norm at Disney. There’s just nowhere else you can go that consistently reaches this standard, and we enjoy being treated so well.

2 – Disney World is Constantly Changing

You might think that we would be bored with Disney World. Well, not a chance. Disney World is always growing, changing, and evolving. With refurbishments, additions, and expansions, Disney World keeps improving and keeps setting the bar higher. In the last few years alone, Disney Springs has been totally transformed (for the better), Pandora has opened at Animal Kingdom, Toy Story Land, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT has been transformed, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg! There are always new things to explore!

1 – The Most Magical Place on Earth

Disney World can be described as the most magical place on Earth. It’s true. Everyday life and troubles often melt away while on a Disney vacation. You’ll hear us refer to the “Disney Bubble.” The mysterious invisible barrier surrounds Disney World that usual troubles cannot pass through. When you enter it, the Disney magic takes hold of you, and you can really forget what you left at home for a while. Families are generally happier because they spend time together, doing some really cool, fun things.

Now, of course, this doesn’t mean that families don’t fight, children don’t cry, and people are not unhappy at Disney World. Real life still does happen. Overall, though, we’ve found our vacations at Disney World were times when we were happier as a family and enjoyed each other much more than during our regular routines at home. Disney World is a little closer to the world we wished we lived in, and we’re a bit closer to the people we want to be all the time.