Disney nighttime parade - Begins July 20, 2025!!

[gottalovepluto]

Hoping this new AP reservation rule goes away by end of Aug/Sep. Looks like we won’t be park hopping in our MK day…Ugh! Now wish I’d never bought a new AP. What a mess!

Read it again. Hopping with a park res hasn’t been taken away or changed.

 

[Skywatcher1206]

We are hoping to park hop to MK as the last park of our 4 park challenge day on 7/22. Really hoping that they are still allowing park hopping to MK!

 

[scrappinginontario]

We are hoping to park hop to MK as the last park of our 4 park challenge day on 7/22. Really hoping that they are still allowing park hopping to MK!

Yes, park hopping is permitted unless a park reaches capacity which rarely happens. I would not be concerned unless you see on July 20 or 21 that PH is stopped.

 

[elvispursley]

Read it again. Hopping with a park res hasn’t been taken away or changed.

No, it’s still allowed but if you have an AP, you can’t hop to MK unless you have a reservation.
From July 20, 2025:

• Annual Passholders must hold a theme park reservation to visit Magic Kingdom at any time of day — even after 2:00 PM.
• This change is specifically due to the expected high demand during the launch of the Starlight parade.

Prior to this, we would be able to have a reservation at another park and hop to MK later. Now it sounds like you have to have a reservation for MK regardless. Am I missing something?

 

[Dave006]

Now it sounds like you have to have a reservation for MK regardless. Am I missing something?

No you are correctly reading the new policy. Passholders visiting Magic Kingdom park at any time of day (including after 2:00 PM) must have a theme park reservation,

The change limits just what you initially stated. You can have a park reservation to another park, and then hop to MK before, during or after 2 PM.

So you would need to start your day with a park reservation, and then you are able to hop to MK at any time after you enter a park .

There are no changes yet to Park Hopping rules, but expect restrictions to be put in place as crowds start to build in MK.

ETA: make more sense in the post.

Dave

 

[gottalovepluto]

No, it’s still allowed but if you have an AP, you can’t hop to MK unless you have a reservation.
From July 20, 2025:

• Annual Passholders must hold a theme park reservation to visit Magic Kingdom at any time of day — even after 2:00 PM.
• This change is specifically due to the expected high demand during the launch of the Starlight parade.

Prior to this, we would be able to have a reservation at another park and hop to MK later. Now it sounds like you have to have a reservation for MK regardless. Am I missing something?

I believe you are adding your own interpretation. "A theme park reservation" is required, not "a Magic Kingdom theme park reservation". And literally nothing has changed under the park hopping section. This is all about having no park reservations at all, not having a MK specific park reservation. This is what the website states

Other Times When Theme Park Reservations Are Not Required

In addition to good-to-go-days, there are other times when Passholders can enter a theme park without a theme park reservation. See details below:

• Before July 20, 2025: Annual Passholders may visit the theme parks without a theme park reservation on a good-to-go day or after 2:00 PM (except on Saturdays and Sundays at Magic Kingdom park).
• For a Limited Time, Starting July 20, 2025: Passholders will continue to be able to enter EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park after 2:00 PM without a theme park reservation. However, due to anticipated high demand upon the opening of the Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away parade on July 20, 2025 Passholders visiting Magic Kingdom park at any time of day (including after 2:00 PM) must have a theme park reservations

Park Hopper Benefits
Annual Passholders are able to visit another theme park at any time of day during park hours (subject to capacity limitations). To use the Park Hopper benefit, Annual Passholders must make a theme park reservation for the first park they plan to visit AND enter that first park prior to visiting another. Or, they can enter a theme park without a reservation on a good-to-go day—or at other times when theme park reservations are not required (see details above).


ETA- formatting

 

[toesmom]

No, it’s still allowed but if you have an AP, you can’t hop to MK unless you have a reservation.
From July 20, 2025:

• Annual Passholders must hold a theme park reservation to visit Magic Kingdom at any time of day — even after 2:00 PM.
• This change is specifically due to the expected high demand during the launch of the Starlight parade.

Prior to this, we would be able to have a reservation at another park and hop to MK later. Now it sounds like you have to have a reservation for MK regardless. Am I missing something?

Thanks for confirming this. Too bad we are leaving July 20 back home to Toronto. I would have liked to see it

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I’m looking forward to seeing the actual parade schedule for the first few weeks. Hopefully there are two shows scheduled per evening and closing time is extended past 10 pm.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

I made MK reservations for every day of my trip after July 4th speculatively...oh well time to modify to other parks again! Hope whoever goes enjoys it! Can't wait to see it in person as well!

 

[Turk February]

Do we think Happily Ever After will remain at 10p or revert back to 9:20 for early-mid July now that the parade won’t be running until the 20th?

 

[Joanna71985]

Do we think Happily Ever After will remain at 10p or revert back to 9:20 for early-mid July now that the parade won’t be running until the 20th?

my guess is it stays at 10pm

 

[Michaelasmom222]

Will this parade still run in October on non party night?

 

[Joanna71985]

Will this parade still run in October on non party night?

yes

 

[DebbieB]

Will this parade still run in October on non party night?

Yes and I would expect large crowds on those nights.

 

[Joanna71985]

Yes and I would expect large crowds on those nights.

last October had huge crowds on non-party nights, and there was no parade then (so I can't even imagine what this fall is going to look like)

 

[Leigh123]

Hoping this new AP reservation rule goes away by end of Aug/Sep. Looks like we won’t be park hopping in our MK day…Ugh! Now wish I’d never bought a new AP. What a mess!

So I just watched the weekly DFB video and I “think” she stated that you just need a theme park reservation to any park with an AP to hop to MK. That can not be right correct?

 

[elvispursley]

So I just watched the weekly DFB video and I “think” she stated that you just need a theme park reservation to any park with an AP to hop to MK. That can not be right correct?

I’ve heard it both ways so my confusion continues. Hoping some AP will report back after 7/20. I guess for now I’ll make several MK reservations. I really hope it’s not the case though.

 

[Leigh123]

I’ve heard it both ways so my confusion continues. Hoping some AP will report back after 7/20. I guess for now I’ll make several MK reservations. I really hope it’s not the case though.

Not that it will matter, but I emailed Disney my frustration this morning. We live in Pennsylvania so we have to buy the most expensive annual pass which cost over $3000 a year for two of us and we travel down about three times a year. I feel liked if you are a resort guest annual pass or no annual pass, you should not have to make reservations. Also, please note I am not saying that the cost of my pass should get me special privileges. I’m saying the fact that I’m a resort should negate my need for park reservations. I say to all who get that less expensive Florida annual pass. I wish I could so please don’t take that as a act on entitlement

 

[DebbieB]

Not that it will matter, but I emailed Disney my frustration this morning. We live in Pennsylvania so we have to buy the most expensive annual pass which cost over $3000 a year for two of us and we travel down about three times a year. I feel liked if you are a resort guest annual pass or no annual pass, you should not have to make reservations. Also, please note I am not saying that the cost of my pass should get me special privileges. I’m saying the fact that I’m a resort should negate my need for park reservations. I say to all who get that less expensive Florida annual pass. I wish I could so please don’t take that as an act on entitlement.

The risk is being turned away for capacity. They do reservations to avoid that. They also stop sales of one or two day passes, that happened last Christmas. I wouldn’t be surprised if park hopping is suspended on 7/20 in the afternoon.

 

[brockash]

Not that it will matter, but I emailed Disney my frustration this morning. We live in Pennsylvania so we have to buy the most expensive annual pass which cost over $3000 a year for two of us and we travel down about three times a year. I feel liked if you are a resort guest annual pass or no annual pass, you should not have to make reservations. Also, please note I am not saying that the cost of my pass should get me special privileges. I’m saying the fact that I’m a resort should negate my need for park reservations. I say to all who get that less expensive Florida annual pass. I wish I could so please don’t take that as a act on entitlement

Totally agree. If I'm staying onsite and I have an annual pass then Disney knows I'm there. It's safe to assume I'm visiting the parks, just as every other resort guest with a ticket.