How far in advance should I book Disney park reservations?

Ideally, you should have your reservation set at least two months ahead of time, and the reason why is next. Continuing the crowd control measures made necessary by the global pandemic that began in 2020, Disney now says it's no longer enough to buy a park ticket.



In 2026, the necessity of booking Disney park reservations depends on the specific park and ticket type. For Walt Disney World in Florida, reservations are no longer required for most guests with standard "date-based" tickets (the most common type). However, if you are an Annual Passholder or are using a non-dated ticket, you still need to make a reservation. For these guests, popular weekends and holidays should be booked 2 to 3 months in advance. For Disneyland in California, the rules are stricter: all guests still require a park reservation. You can book up to 120 days (4 months) in advance, and it is highly recommended to do so as soon as you purchase your tickets, especially for high-demand periods like Spring Break, Christmas, or the opening of new attractions. If you are a "Magic Key" holder in California, you should book your preferred dates the moment your 90-day window opens, as reservations can disappear within minutes for popular parks. Even for date-based tickets in Florida, while you don't need a "reservation," you should still book your "Lightning Lane" entries and dining 60 days in advance to ensure a smooth trip.

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Theme Park Reservations are required for every day you wish to visit the Parks- except for the two Water Parks. You will have to visit your My Disney Experience account and pick the Parks you wish to visit and on which day. Don't delay as the Park reservations can fill up!

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The 2024 Walt Disney World vacation packages and hotel rooms became available for booking beginning on May 31, 2023, with arrival dates starting on January 1, 2024.

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It's actually fairly unusual for Disney World tickets to be completely sold out. Even if a specific park's reservations are sold out, other parks are typically available. For example, Magic Kingdom reservations may be sold out, but Animal Kingdom may have reservations available.

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Because the number of park reservations is limited, they can occasionally run out. If you have found that the date you wish to visit no longer has reservations available, it's still worth checking the theme park reservation availability calendar often. You never know when other Guests may need to change their plans.

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Because the number of park reservations is limited, they can occasionally run out. If you have found that the date you wish to visit no longer has reservations available, it's still worth checking the theme park reservation availability calendar often. You never know when other Guests may need to change their plans.

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The best discounts are almost always offered 3 - 6 months in advance. Because Disney World is such a popular location, planning early also helps you get your first choice in hotel accommodations and restaurant reservations.

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For non-dated tickets, theme park reservations may be required. Disney notes that this is so they can continue to monitor and manage park attendance to ensure they deliver a great experience to guests.

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You'll need park reservations to visit and can make them by using our theme park reservation system. To enter a park, both a theme park reservation and valid park admission, for the same park on the same date, are required for Guests ages 3 and up.

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You can only hold 3 park reservations at a time (unless you have a resort stay booked). It's recommended you book Disney's Hollywood Studios first, as this reservation goes the quickest.

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The reservation window opens around 5:45 a.m. ET each day (the reservation hotline opens up at 7 a.m. ET). This will take you to another page that lists all of the restaurants on property.

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Genie Plus is definitely worth it for Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, and if you don't like early starts, you might consider it for Epcot and Animal Kingdom. If you are park hopping, Genie+ is even better value as it maximises the number of rides you have access to.

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To ensure you get the tickets you want at the best possible price, buy Disney tickets as soon as you know the dates you would like to visit. You should purchase Disney World tickets and packages around six months before your vacation, and some bookings can even be made up to a year ahead of time.

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Theme park reservations are required to enter a theme park through January 8, 2024. Beginning January 9, 2024, theme park reservations will no longer be required for date-based tickets. For other admission types, theme park reservations may be required. Learn more about theme park reservations.

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