Walt Disney World requires a park ticket and a reservation to visit the theme parks! It is required to have Walt Disney World reservations to visit which is a large change to how the parks have operated in the past.
You cannot just show up to Walt Disney World with a park ticket and expect to get in- you need to have a reservation for each day of your visit too. You can make a Walt Disney World reservation far in advance so the instant you get your park tickets you need to book your reservation!
Keep reading for all the information you need to know on the Walt Disney World reservation system.
Walt Disney World Reservations
In order to enter Walt Disney World you need to have a valid theme park ticket and a theme park reservation. This is where the Walt Disney World reservation system comes in. Walt Disney World uses the reservation system to help them predict crowd levels and manage staffing. This reservation system was originally implemented to control capacity after the parks reopened after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and Disney had made it clear the reservation system is here to stay. Currently, you can make Walt Disney World reservations up to 2 years in advance.
You need to book your Walt Disney World as soon as you plan your dates as days will fill up and you can miss out on being let into the parks if you wait until the last minute!
You can check availability for your dates anytime by going to the Walt Disney World website and viewing the reservation calendar!
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How to Make Your Walt Disney World Reservation:
- If you do not already have a Disney My Experience account you will be prompted to make one. If you have one already then you will need to log in.
- You will need to link your park tickets or your vacation package to your My Experience Account in order to make your Park Pass reservations. Once you've finished linking your confirmation or ticket numbers, you'll be all set to make your reservations!
- Go Walt Disney World's Theme Park Reservation page and select your ticket type. You will have two choices: tickets and annual passes.
- Create your party.
- Select the day and theme park you’d like to visit. Guests with Park Hopper tickets will select which theme park they wish to start their day, pending availability, and then will be able to begin crossing over between the parks after 2PM that day (based on availability).
- Review, and confirm your visit! And as a reminder, guests with multi-day tickets will be required to make a separate park reservation for each day they plan to visit the theme parks.
This is crucial to do immediately so you don't miss out on your dates especially if you're visiting during a holiday!
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How to Make Walt Disney World Theme Park Reservations
Making Walt Disney World reservations is extremely easy and takes no time at all! Here is a step by step process so you can get an idea of how it works.
Repeat the process for each day for your visit!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Walt Disney World Resort Hotel guests have to get ticket reservations?
Yes, Walt Disney World hotel guests also need to secure park pass reservations.
Is park hopping available?
Guests with Park Hopper tickets get to park hop to another park at 2PM. You will need to select what park you would like to start your day at and you must scan into that park before you will be able to park hop later in the day.
Will multi-day ticket holders have to make multiple reservations?
Yes, multi-day ticket holders will have to make reservations for every day of their visit to Walt Disney World.
Can you cancel your reservation?
Yes, you can cancel your park pass reservations. I recommend checking for availability before canceling your reservation because there's no option to modify it to another park. You will have to cancel it entirely and rebook to switch parks.
What if I forgot to make reservations?
Unfortunately, this can happen to the best of us! It is still possible to secure reservations but you will have to be crafty. Continue to refresh the reservation page as often as possible- as people cancel their reservations those will be released back into the pool which can allow you to grab them! This is especially possible the day before as people make last minute changes to their plans.
Ready to to Book Your Walt Disney World Vacation?
Take advantage of our wealth of knowledge about Walt Disney World vacation planning! Subscribe to our FREE deals newsletter where you will receive helpful planning information, exclusive Disney deals, and access to the lowest priced Disney tickets anywhere. You can find more information on planning your vacation here:
- Disney World Planning Guide: Experience More, Save Money at Disney
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- Best on Property Walt Disney World Hotels for Large Families and Large Groups
- Camping at Walt Disney World – Everything You Need to Know
- When to Visit Disney World: Disney World Crowd Calendar