To be honest, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve spent extended time checking out all the new attractions at Walt Disney World. Last spring, my husband and I did spend a day trying to catch all the songs on Guardian’s Of The Galaxy’s Cosmic Rewind coaster at Epcot amidst a much longer Universal Studios trip, but in general time has passed since I’ve stayed at an On Property resort and had enough time to go extras like Disney Springs, mini golfing or the water parks. One benefit that’s heading to the Orlando theme park may just be enough to entice me back in those humid summer months, however.
Recently, Walt Disney World announced one special benefit that’s coming for families and childless adults alike this summer: free water park access on the day of check-in. This is a huge deal given how many formerly free perks have become monetized in recent years. Even better? During the summer of 2026, both water parks will be open at the Disney World resort, which means you can decide between pretending you are at the beach in the middle of a typhoon or the middle of a blizzard, both which have pros and cons, certainly.
How To Get The Big Water Park Benefit At Walt Disney World In Summer 2026
The only caveat? In order to get the “free” — or should I say, included? – benefit, you must be staying at a resort on property. This means resorts at varying price points from the Polynesian all the way down to the All-Star Resorts; however, it’s worth pointing out it does not include the property adjacent Swann and Dolphin. Disney made the announcement recently, noting this special promotion will run between May 26 and September 8th.
It’s interesting that the promo is running specifically during the time period most kids in the United States are out of school. Subsequently, we know that despite the hot, hot Florida heat, the parks tend to be more crowded than usual. Spreading out the numbers across a few extra parks likely helps keep those numbers manageable.
Meanwhile, as a frequent theme parkgoer, there’s something special about going to a Florida water park during the summer as a means to keep cool. It’s also super special that both Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach will be options this summer. The water parks are honestly quite different, and not just due to theming. Despite this, I can’t remember the last time Disney had both parks operating simultaneously in the summer. The news was so shocking CinemaBlend's own Dirk Libbey thought it was an April Fool's joke. Now, getting to choose between them and go upon arrival is total added benefit.
If you were looking for a reason to check out or return to the parks, this could be it.
Honestly, I typically avoid the summer crowds, and originally my partner and I had were not planning a jaunt over to Orlando until later in the year. But I've been mulling this theme park thing for days now, and something about rolling up to a Disney World resort on a hot day and popping over to a water park is honestly making me rethink this year's theme park plans-- particularly given all the new attractions coming in 2026.
Now, I just need to make a few more decisions: Is it a year to go Coronado Springs or the year we shell out for something on the monorail line? Is May or September the best time of year to enjoy fun in the sun? And, of course, what the heck am I gonna wear?
