News Walt Disney World Launches After 2 PM Summer Ticket for 2026

[ToTBellHop]

I have to disagree. By 2:00 I find the parks to be unbearable until almost dark. We often joke how it only seems to get hotter the later it gets!

I was (obviously?) joking. It’s hot as balls from 8:47 am to 9:03 pm most days in summer. Sometimes a downpour cools it down for 20 min but then it’s even muggier afterward!

 

[DisneyCane]

I was (obviously?) joking. It’s hot as balls from 8:47 am to 9:03 pm most days in summer. Sometimes a downpour cools it down for 20 min but then it’s even muggier afterward!

If that wasn't obvious than I don't know what is! It is somewhat bearable before 10 AM although not pleasant. If it gets cloudy the late afternoon isn't terrible but is muggy for sure. If it's sunny it is disgusting. The times when we go in the summer we usually rope drop, spend maybe 2 hours in the park, go somewhere for lunch then maybe go to a mall or store for a little bit for AC. Then we'll return around 4 for another couple of hours and try and do things with mostly indoor queues.

 

[Biff215]

I was (obviously?) joking. It’s hot as balls from 8:47 am to 9:03 pm most days in summer. Sometimes a downpour cools it down for 20 min but then it’s even muggier afterward!

I’m usually pretty good but sorry I missed the sarcasm this time. Makes me feel better as I started to fear it was just age that was preventing me from enjoying WDW in any way during the summer anymore!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Back in my day, you could go a whole day with just a nickel............

Outside of TVs nothing is as cheap as it was 10 years ago.

and before you twist yourself into a pretzels trying to prove EVERYTHING has increased 400% in the last 20 years…let me help you:

We know it’s your happy place…
We know you feel special there…
We know EVERYONE should want to be there…but you’re better than the ones who can’t…
And we know when the Mickey spins it’s a life changing event…

Did ya scrub the cooties off from the locals you saw walking across the DAKL parking lot that one time, yet?

 

[ToTBellHop]

I’m usually pretty good but sorry I missed the sarcasm this time. Makes me feel better as I started to fear it was just age that was preventing me from enjoying WDW in any way during the summer anymore!

I actually do enjoy it because crowds are nonexistent. Can easily see everything we want in the parks and have a lengthy pool break daily. Can’t always do that in the winter between crowds and weather. That’s when I feel old. I’m so old, I can’t swim if it’s under 80 degrees! When I was a kid, I remember swimming at All Star Movies at night in February. It was maybe 40 degrees.

My mom just huddled under a blanket waiting for me haha

 

[Chi84]

and before you twist yourself into a pretzels trying to prove EVERYTHING has increased 400% in the last 20 years…let me help you:

We know it’s your happily place…
We know you feel special there…
We know EVERYONE should want to be there…but you’re better than the ones who can’t…
And we know when the Mickey spins it’s a life changing event…

Did ya scrub the cooties off from the locals you saw walking across the DAKL parking lot that one time, yet?

What a bizarre post!

 

[phillip9698]

and before you twist yourself into a pretzels trying to prove EVERYTHING has increased 400% in the last 20 years…let me help you:

With that wild math you have going on, there is absolutely nothing you could help me with sir.

But I can help you.

For a one day ticket, prices have increased 167% since 2006.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

With that wild math you have going on, there is absolutely nothing you could help me with sir.

But I can help you.

For a one day ticket, prices have increased 167% since 2006.

Ok…now do multi days?
Hoppers?
Annual passes?
Restaurant prices?
Dvc prices?
Resort rates?

And now if you REALLY want to have fun…go back to 2000

Go deeper…don’t start at the one off strawman

And a quick searchie (grain of salt) had the 2006 one day costing $63-67 for a one

Now the range is a low of $119 at DAK to $209 high at magic kingdom

So that’s 277% (a 177% increase on the low) to a 312% (212% increase on the high)

So math is indeed fun. But that - alas - is but the tip of the spear


Am I saying prices shouldn’t have gone up? Of course not…that’s insane…

But every time it’s “well…____ has gone up too!!” Is just a lazy way to Justify consumers who blindly follow their supplier masters.

 

[larryz]

I have to disagree. By 2:00 I find the parks to be unbearable until almost dark. We often joke how it only seems to get hotter the later it gets!

 

[Comped]

If it were my company, I’d offer after-4 pm tickets for like $50 right in the hotel lobby of each on site resort. They could use their own internal capacity and wait time data to direct guests to specific parks, even. Many guests don’t plan on a park when they arrive but might jump at a simple option for an impromptu evening in a park. Disney keeps admitting guests complain about having to plan so much but they do very little to address this.

When I was a concierge, I was SHOCKED at how many non-APs would burn a day of their park tickets on their arrival day, especially when they were staying for significant amounts of nights (7+). Especially those who didn't want to do the free waterpark day...

 

[Touchdown]

Disney is gonna have to offer some even deeper discounts to deal with the next several months (at least), but to their credit so far they are dealing with the global situation much more realistically then Universal.

What hasn’t Universal done? Epic is now on park hoppers, APs are getting 3 extra months for renewals and really great hotel deals (early July I have 6 nights at the Hard Rock booked for $2600.)

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

What hasn’t Universal done? Epic is now on park hoppers, APs are getting 3 extra months for renewals and really great hotel deals (early July I have 6 nights at the Hard Rock booked for $2600.)

Would be good if they added Epic to AP's!

 

[DisneyHead123]

I was (obviously?) joking. It’s hot as balls from 8:47 am to 9:03 pm most days in summer. Sometimes a downpour cools it down for 20 min but then it’s even muggier afterward!

Oh drat. With all the deals we’re doing our first summer trip this year and I’m trying to convince myself it will be fine once we hit evening, lol.

 

[FettFan]

Just the 8.6 million people who live within 75 miles of Lake Buena Vista.

This isn't aimed at guests with a hotel stay already booked.

Or the folks in town for a convention/etc. who would need a bit of incentive to actually visit the parks in their downtime.

I myself went in 2019 while attending the Kagan summer teacher conferences at the Hilton hotel across from Disney Springs. Conferences ended at 4pm each day, so paying full price for a park ticket would not have been worth it.

If not for the fact that my family was already planning a Mardi Gras 2020 trip (bought my annual pass), I would not have bothered going to the parks at all.

 

[TxBucki]

The hottest time of day is 4pm, so it’s going to be HOT! There will be no lightning lanes left, if there is virtual queue that’s not an option…if you’re lucky, 3 maybe 4 rides. In fine print, if you bought for heavy day and park closes for capacity, now what?? Just make it half price…

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The hottest time of day is 4pm, so it’s going to be HOT! There will be no lightning lanes left, if there is virtual queue that’s not an option…if you’re lucky, 3 maybe 4 rides. In fine print, if you bought for heavy day and park closes for capacity, now what?? Just make it half price…

You do understand the reason they’re doing this is the summers have been declining for 5 years to the point of an old west ghost town?

 

[Chi84]

You do understand the reason they’re doing this is the summers have been declining for 5 years to the point of an old west ghost town.

It’s a good time to go then if you can take the heat.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Oh drat. With all the deals we’re doing our first summer trip this year and I’m trying to convince myself it will be fine once we hit evening, lol.

Let me start by saying I personally like summer weather at WDW. I like summer weather better than Jan weather.

How you feel about it sorta depends on your tolerance for heat and humidity. I don't mean that as negative as it sounds.

you didn't ask, but here are my pearls of wisdom after many summer visits:

Also, even in summer, WDW temps are not the same every day. They are maybe more consistent that other places, but there is still variation. So I have seen a few days when it was too hot even for me, but mostly it just feels like summer to me. I often find the weather especially nice following an afternoon storm.

In the evening, the temps do drop, and FL doesn't have mountains to trap the heat the way some other cities do. There is often a nice breeze.

IMO though, the key to a great summer visit is to take an afternoon break. It especially wise to take a break during afternoon storm O'clock. Know that many rides close during storms, and no swimming. If you like to swim or take shuttle boats, plan around any potential storms.

Another byproduct of the heat for me is that it tends to make me sleepy, especially after lunch. So again, a siesta works. IMO, it is also good if your lunch is a little on the later side and/or a little on the lighter side, and/or try to avoid high glycemic foods like french fries at lunch. On the other hand, having a scoop of ice cream for my lunch works pretty well. Also, sometimes a tiny bit of sugar is your friend. Overall though, one of the best things I find, is to keep eating produce! Lots of tomato, cucumber, Cuties tangerines, bananas, plus any other watery summer veggies I can find. (Ratatouille has long been popular for a reason!)

Fresh fruit is super. Also make sure to stay hydrated. Hydration packets are a decent option, as is electrolyte water. It is possible to drink too much plain water. I find I want a little more salt than normal. Sometimes a little apple juice and/or lemonade are the best options at WDW. Swimming and getting wet are good, but misters feel icky/clammy. I also wasn't a huge fan of the cooling towels, but they aren't expensive and don't cost much money. Some people like them.

Summer, for me, also requires a specific type of footwear. More or less, hiking/walking sandals that are water tolerant. You want something with a very good footbed (arch support), adjustable straps (for any foot swelling), a solid-traction tread (for walking on wet pavement). Some good brands are Teva (like the Hudson), Ecco (Yucatan), Dr. Scholls (Adelle, Gavin). I'm currently a big fan of the Dr. Scholls footbed. It molds like an orthotic insert to the shape of your foot, but you might find another brand/style is more to your liking.

I like to start the day early, and be out late. Do be mindful of the risk of hear exposure, and know the signs. When you feel a need to be indoors, get indoors, but generally, I really like WDW in the summer. It just takes a little adjustment.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

Let me start by saying I personally like summer weather at WDW. I like summer weather better than Jan weather.

How you feel about it sorta depends on your tolerance for heat and humidity. I don't mean that as negative as it sounds.

you didn't ask, but here are my pearls of wisdom after many summer visits:

Also, even in summer, WDW temps are not the same every day. They are maybe more consistent that other places, but there is still variation. So I have seen a few days when it was too hot even for me, but mostly it just feels like summer to me. I often find the weather especially nice following an afternoon storm.

In the evening, the temps do drop, and FL doesn't have mountains to trap the heat the way some other cities do. There is often a nice breeze.

IMO though, the key to a great summer visit is to take an afternoon break. It especially wise to take a break during afternoon storm O'clock. Know that many rides close during storms, and no swimming. If you like to swim or take shuttle boats, plan around any potential storms.

Another byproduct of the heat for me is that it tends to make me sleepy, especially after lunch. So again, a siesta works. IMO, it is also good if your lunch is a little on the later side and/or a little on the lighter side, and/or try to avoid high glycemic foods like french fries at lunch. On the other hand, having a scoop of ice cream for my lunch works pretty well. Also, sometimes a tiny bit of sugar is your friend. Overall though, one of the best things I find, is to keep eating produce! Lots of tomato, cucumber, Cuties tangerines, bananas, plus any other watery summer veggies I can find. (Ratatouille has long been popular for a reason!)

Fresh fruit is super. Also make sure to stay hydrated. Hydration packets are a decent option, as is electrolyte water. It is possible to drink too much plain water. I find I want a little more salt than normal. Sometimes a little apple juice and/or lemonade are the best options at WDW. Swimming and getting wet are good, but misters feel icky/clammy. I also wasn't a huge fan of the cooling towels, but they aren't expensive and don't cost much money. Some people like them.

Summer, for me, also requires a specific type of footwear. More or less, hiking/walking sandals that are water tolerant. You want something with a very good footbed (arch support), adjustable straps (for any foot swelling), a solid-traction tread (for walking on wet pavement). Some good brands are Teva (like the Hudson), Ecco (Yucatan), Dr. Scholls (Adelle, Gavin). I'm currently a big fan of the Dr. Scholls footbed. It molds like an orthotic insert to the shape of your foot, but you might find another brand/style is more to your liking.

I like to start the day early, and be out late. Do be mindful of the risk of hear exposure, and know the signs. When you feel a need to be indoors, get indoors, but generally, I really like WDW in the summer. It just takes a little adjustment.

As a native NY-er give me a Florida January cold any day of the year. Please. The heat is NOT for me

 

[Figments Friend]

Yeah….

There is a real good reason folks do not want to visit Florida in the summertime.

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