Overview
- Eligible hotel guests can meet rotating characters during the Cool Kids Summer window from May 26 to September 8, with standard 30‑minute Early Entry ride access unchanged.
- Disney released 2026 Early Entry attraction lineups for all four parks, with offerings subject to change as refurbishments and re-themes progress.
- Commentators say the new character option will spread guests across the parks by encouraging some to choose interactions over immediate rides.
- Attraction schedules are shifting: DINOSAUR closed on February 2 for an Indiana Jones transformation, and Frozen Ever After is in early‑2026 refurbishment to add new animatronics.
- More changes are timed for summer, with Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster closing March 2 for a Muppet re-theme planned to debut in summer, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad plus Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin slated to reopen in spring or summer after major updates.