Five Major Disney World Changes Coming in September 2026

Walt Disney World rarely stays the same for long, and September 2026 is shaping up to be a month when guests will notice some significant differences around the resort. Some changes involve experiences wrapping up as summer winds down, while others involve temporary closures that could affect dining plans or even entire park days. At the same time, Disney is preparing to debut a major new experience at Hollywood Studios and introduce something fresh for EPCOT's Food & Wine Festival.

If you have a September trip on the books, you'll want to pay close attention to the calendar. Here are five major Disney World changes happening in September 2026.

Cool KIDS' SUMMER Comes to an End

One of Disney World's big summer offerings is almost finished. Cool KIDS' SUMMER officially ends on September 8, 2026. Disney has not announced whether the seasonal event will return in 2027, so guests only have a few more weeks to experience its current lineup.

Cool KIDS' SUMMER brought special activities geared toward families and younger visitors to Disney World. One of its additions was Jessie's Roundup at Magic Kingdom, which gives families a place to get out of the Florida heat while Jessie and her friends lead children through dances and other activities. While the air conditioning is certainly a welcome bonus during a late-summer Disney World visit, Jessie's Roundup was always meant to be temporary.

Disney already has plans for the space — after Jessie's Roundup ends, the location will eventually make way for a new dining experience at Diamond Horseshoe. That makes September 8 an important date for families hoping to catch the summer experience one final time.

Coral Reef Restaurant Temporarily Closes at EPCOT

September will also bring a notable dining closure to EPCOT. Coral Reef Restaurant will temporarily close beginning September 8, 2026. Disney has confirmed the restaurant is expected to reopen later in 2026, though an exact reopening date has not been announced.

Coral Reef isn't exactly a typical Disney World table-service restaurant. Located inside The Seas Pavilion at EPCOT, it features massive windows overlooking the aquarium connected to The Seas with Nemo & Friends, letting guests watch fish and other marine life swimming nearby while they dine. That one-of-a-kind setting has long helped Coral Reef stand apart from other restaurants around the resort.

The good news is that Disney is presenting this as a temporary closure, with the restaurant expected back before the end of the year. Still, anyone visiting EPCOT after September 8 should remove Coral Reef from their dining plans until Disney confirms a reopening date. With the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival underway during this period, there will be plenty of other food options around the park — but guests hoping for the full Coral Reef table-service experience will need to wait.

Typhoon Lagoon Closes for the Rest of 2026

One of September's biggest changes won't just affect a single restaurant or entertainment experience — an entire Disney World park is closing for the remainder of the year.

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park will begin its seasonal closure on September 8, 2026, and is expected to remain closed through the end of the year. Blizzard Beach will stay open during Typhoon Lagoon's closure, giving guests a water park option for the rest of 2026.

Before the park closes, there's one more event to note: the final H2O Glow After Hours event of the year is scheduled for September 5. The separately ticketed event has given guests the chance to experience the water park after regular operating hours, but its 2026 run will conclude just days before Typhoon Lagoon itself closes.

For anyone planning a September Disney World vacation specifically around Typhoon Lagoon, those dates matter. Guests visiting during the first part of the month will still have a small window to visit the park. Starting September 8, however, Blizzard Beach becomes Disney World's available water park for the remainder of 2026.

The Magic of Disney Animation Opens at Hollywood Studios

Here's the September change that's sure to generate the most excitement. The Magic of Disney Animation is officially scheduled to open at Hollywood Studios on September 14, 2026. The experience will be located inside the new Walt Disney Studios Courtyard and takes inspiration from Disney Animation Studios' headquarters.

Rather than being a single ride, the area will include multiple experiences centered around Disney animation and characters. Disney has described four attractions as part of The Magic of Disney Animation experience, making this much more than a simple character location.

Off the Page — a large character meet-and-greet space where guests can meet six characters.
Olaf Draws — an experience that invites guests to sit down and learn how to draw Disney characters with some help from the lovable snowman.

Its September 14 opening gives Hollywood Studios another new addition during what has already been a significant period of change for the park. For guests visiting during the first half of September, the date creates an interesting planning decision — someone visiting Hollywood Studios on September 10, for example, will miss the opening by only a few days, while guests arriving September 14 or later will have a brand-new experience waiting for them.

Cheers to Cheese Arrives at EPCOT

Finally, EPCOT is getting another addition as part of its Food & Wine Festival festivities. Beginning September 18, guests will be able to experience Cheers to Cheese inside CommuniCore Hall.

The interactive exhibit will focus on the history of cheese and feature a collection of facts for guests to explore. Cheers to Cheese is currently scheduled to remain available from September 18 through November 8.

CommuniCore Hall has become a flexible space for EPCOT's festivals, giving Disney an indoor location to introduce activities and exhibits alongside the outdoor food booths scattered throughout the park. Cheers to Cheese will continue that approach during the 2026 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. Guests visiting EPCOT earlier in September won't have access to it yet, so those hoping to check it out will need to plan accordingly.

September Will Look Very Different at Disney World

Put it all together, and September 2026 becomes a surprisingly busy month for Walt Disney World. September 8 is particularly important — Cool KIDS' SUMMER ends that day, Coral Reef Restaurant closes temporarily, and Typhoon Lagoon begins its seasonal closure.

Then Disney quickly shifts from endings to openings. The Magic of Disney Animation debuts at Hollywood Studios on September 14, followed by Cheers to Cheese at EPCOT on September 18.

For guests with September vacations already booked, those dates could have a real impact on what they're able to experience. Someone arriving during the first week of September could still visit Typhoon Lagoon and catch the final days of Cool KIDS' SUMMER, but would miss The Magic of Disney Animation and Cheers to Cheese. A guest arriving later in the month gets the opposite situation — access to the new Hollywood Studios experience and EPCOT exhibit, but Typhoon Lagoon and several summer offerings will already be unavailable.

That's the reality of visiting Disney World during a period of major change. There's almost always something new arriving, but that can also mean something else is closing, changing, or disappearing. September 2026 will bring plenty of both.