It’s going to cost less to take your kids to Disney World this summer
- Walt Disney World is offering 50% off children's tickets for visits from May 27 through Sept. 20, 2025, on 3-day tickets or longer.
- Two new shows, "Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After" and "The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure", will premiere at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 27, 2025.
- A new nighttime parade inspired by the Main Street Electrical Parade will debut at Magic Kingdom this summer.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Walt Disney World is offering 50% off children’s tickets this summer as part of a resort-wide focus on families with children.
“This is a first-of-its-kind offer for three days or longer,” Chelsea Filley, vice president for customer experience and commercial strategy, said during a panel with fellow Disney World leaders and journalists in early April. “We want to make that 'why, how' so easy that it is just a no-brainer to come visit this summer.”
The Florida resort is also offering family-focused activities, new entertainment and deals to guests of all ages. Here’s what travelers planning Disney vacations should know.
Disney discounts, deals
The half-price kids tickets are valid for visits May 27 through Sept. 20 on three-day tickets or longer.
Only kids ages 3 to 9 count as children for pricing purposes at Disney World and many other theme parks. Adult pricing begins at age 10; guests under age 3 may enter free.
Disney World is also offering a specially priced three-day, three-park ticket for EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom – but not Magic Kingdom, the most popular theme park not just at Disney World but worldwide. Those special tickets start at $267 total and are valid for visits beginning April 6 through Sept. 22, with one park each day.
Disney+ subscribers can book Disney resort hotel rooms starting at $99 with a minimum 2-night stay, most nights from June 29 to July 31.
From Aug. 1 to Oct. 11, all guests can get up to 30% off select Disney resort hotel rooms.
Guests who forego those discounts can snag a different deal: a free Disney Dining Plan with non-discounted minimum four-day, four-night Disney vacation packages with the Park Hopper ticket option. This is valid select dates between June 29 and Dec. 22. It initially was unveiled for Disney Visa cardholders but opens to the public on Thursday.
All Disney resort hotel guests also get free water park entry on their check-in day all year long.
Disney character appearances
Disney has been testing announcing when characters appear at its resort hotels, so guests can plan ahead. This summer, the announcements will be made regularly at Disney’s Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach Resort and Wilderness Lodge. Additional family-focused activities will roll out at these four resorts this summer.
In the parks, guests will also see more characters roaming about during early entry for resort hotel guests.
Magic Kingdom will introduce new limited-time kid zones in Tomorrowland with Stitch and in Storybook Circus, and a Goofy kid zone will appear in CommuniCore Hall after the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival.
"Imagine you walk into EPCOT, you see Goofy and all the decor is centered around that and just games and music and things like that, geared toward families with young kids,” Jason Kirk, senior vice president of operations for Disney World, said during the panel. “The kids can play on their own with their parents just sitting there watching; or, of course, the parents can jump in and play as well.”
New Disney entertainment
Two new shows are coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios this summer. Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After and The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure will both premiere on May 27.
The Little Mermaid show replaces the Voyage of the Little Mermaid, which sunsetted with the pandemic, and adds new sets and musical numbers. The new Villains show will feature Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook and Maleficent, according to its webpage.
A new nighttime parade will debut at Magic Kingdom this summer. Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away will be inspired by the Main Street Electrical Parade. Its start date has not been announced.
Guests who visit this summer can also have one last hurrah on Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin before it closes this August for refurbishment and enhancements, including a new scene, new ride vehicles, new handheld blasters and more interactive targets.
(This story has been updated with new information.)
The reporter on this story received access from Disney. Paste BN maintains editorial control of content.