9 Big Things Happening in May at Disney World

June is the huge month of the year at Walt Disney World, but May 2024 is no slouch. While the “be fair to Florida” crew is currently out in full force, envious of all the characters and everything else coming to California for Pixar Fest, it’s actually shaping up to be a decently big summer at Walt Disney World.

Of course, there are the major additions and start dates we already know about CommuniCore Hall and Plaza and the “¡Celebración Encanto!” sing-along that debut on June 10, 2024. That same date, minor additions for Inside Out 2 and Lion King’s 30th Anniversary arrive at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, respectively. That sounds like the kickoff of the summer season, but there’s a lot more happening.

If you’ve already booked a trip to Walt Disney World in May 2024 and are regretting that choice, don’t worry. There are plenty of things happening at Walt Disney World next month! Here’s everything that is happening, changing, or coming to Walt Disney World in the month of May 2024! Oh, plus a few things that we’re pretty sure will not happen…

Cheer & Dance Competitions

Okay, so this is not something about which you should be excited. It’s actually kinda the opposite. The positive here is that the month of May 2024 is firmly in the shoulder season and should be one of the best times to visit of the entire year. At least, for the most part.

There are very few ‘red flag’ dates on the 2024 Walt Disney World Crowd Calendars for the next month, with the most notable exception being what’s currently on the ESPN Wide World of Sports calendar. Those start this weekend with the Cheerleading Worlds and Dance Worlds, and continue the first two weekends in May with the Cheerleading and Dance Summits.

These are major dance and cheerleading competitions that boost attendance at the parks and occupancy at the hotels, usually the All Stars and Coronado Springs. However, the impact on crowd levels in the parks isn’t significant as a whole–and tends to be overblown based on anecdotal experiences, which can be quite bad. (Meaning that you could think they’re a huge negative if you’re stuck in line for Haunted Mansion behind a group of 100 cheerleaders…or you might never see a single participant during a weeklong trip.)

The most noteworthy part about this is that Animal Kingdom will be closing at 6 pm on April 29 (obviously not in May, but close enough) for a park buyout as part of the Cheerleading Worlds. On the flip side, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is getting relatively unprecedented 10pm closings on those weekends in May 2024. I don’t think that has anything to do with the cheer and dance events–but it should be great for late nights at DHS!

Disney-MGM Studios 35th Anniversary

Speaking of which, the park formerly known as the Disney-MGM Studios for the majority of its existence will be celebrating its 35th Anniversary. Guests visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 1, 2024 will have the opportunity to experience the 35th Anniversary celebration by heading to the Theater of the Stars at 11am for a “special moment.” It’s likely that the park VP will speak, random characters, and longtime DHS Cast Members will take the stage.

Don’t expect anything more, though. We were at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the park’s 30th Anniversary, and it was just a minor thing. There was new merchandise and menu items, along with a cavalcade along with the unveiling of a bland new logo and tease about Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, plus the announcement of Toy Story Roundup Rodeo BBQ and debut of the Wonderful World of Animation projection show. I think about the only possibility for 2024 is an update on the new Little Mermaid show–everything else will probably be held back for the D23 Expo in August.

Starting May 1, you can rock the new exclusive Disney’s Hollywood Studios 35th Anniversary merchandise collection, available for a limited time at Stage 1 Company Store. This collection includes t-shirts, a Loungefly backpack, an exclusive pin and more.

If you want to buy this stuff, be advised that a virtual queue will be in place on May 1st to enter Stage 1 Company Store in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. You can request to join beginning at 7AM ET on May 1st. This will not impact your ability to join other virtual queues for attractions (although none of those are at DHS, anyway).

V.I.Passholder Days

V.I.PASSHOLDER Days (or VIP Passholder Days, if you want to sound it out and remove the yelling) is a limited-time offering just for Annual Passholders at Walt Disney World Resort. It’s the company’s way of saying ‘thank you’ for being a Walt Disney World Annual Passholder!

V.I.Passholder Days will occur between May 1 and June 26, 2024. The in-park focus of the ‘event’ appears to be at EPCOT so far, but like last year, there will probably also be offerings at Animal Kingdom. APs will be able to take advantage of exclusive perks and discounts throughout the parks and resorts during the month-long appreciation event, with one highlight being a free Stitch magnet at Creations Shop.

The other big development for the 2024 V.I.Passholder Days is the free lounge moving to Restaurant Marrakesh, which was previously the Florida Blue Lounge in Morocco. From May 1 until June 18, 2024, Passholders can relax and recharge in the exclusive AP lounge at EPCOT.

Unwind with complimentary snacks and water from noon until 8pm every day. Plus, enjoy charging stations for your mobile devices. But that’s not all! Get your cameras ready for surprise visits from special Disney characters.

May the 4th

Bouncing back to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the big day for Star Wars fans is May the Fourth. This is a very similar story to the 35th Anniversary of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, in the sense that this is an event that’s big with diehard fans…but Walt Disney World doesn’t do a whole lot to celebrate.

Starting May the Fourth, you’ll be able to find the following foods at Disney’s Hollywood Studios:

ABC Commissary, Backlot Express, PizzeRizzo & Rosie’s All-American Café (Available May 4 through 31; mobile order available) 

• Jettison Juice: Minute Maid Lemonade and watermelon served with a glow cube (Non-alcoholic Beverage)

Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo (Available May 4-31, 2024) 

• Mossberry Biscuit: Biscuit topped with ube and matcha icing, ube micro sponge cake, sprinkles, and dehydrated blueberries (New) 

Dockside Diner (Available through May 31, 2024) 

• Princess of Alderaan Shake: Salted caramel shake topped with whipped cream, edible glitter, and mini cinnamon rolls

Milk Stand (Available May 4-31, 2024) 

• Polystarch Puffbread: Croissants topped with blue and green milk craquelin served with yuzu-passion fruit-coconut dipping sauce (New) 

Rosie’s All-American Cafe (Available May 4-31, 2024) 

• Mustafarian Puff: Red cream puff with cookies ‘n cream custard filling topped with chocolate cream cookie crumbs

Oasis Canteen, Sunshine Day Bar, Tune-In Lounge, and The Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge (Available May 4-31, 2024) 

• Cosmic Rum Punch: Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, Bacardí Superior Rum, pineapple juice, Minute Maid Lemonade, grenadine, and a glow cube

Anaheim Produce, Grand Avenue, Market, and Churro Cart (Available May 4-5 at Anaheim Produce, Grand Avenue, and Market; May 4-31 at Churro Cart) 

• Lightsaber Churro with chocolate sauce

One question that commonly comes up with regard to May the Fourth is whether DHS will be insanely busy. In a normal year, the answer is no. Star Wars fans do descend upon the park, but their impact on wait times outside of Galaxy’s Edge and Star Tours is negligible.

For 2024, I’m not so confident of that answer. May the Fourth is a Saturday and it coincides with the aforementioned cheer and dance summits and DHS is open until 10pm and park reservations are fully booked for Annual Passholders. Those are a lot of variables, not all of which have to do with Star Wars, that point to the park being busier.

I do really, really like those 10pm closing times for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but those are also happening May 2-3. So if your schedule is flexible, those are unquestionably the better two days to visit. If not, don’t fret too much. DHS also opens at 8:30am on May 4, so arrive an hour before that and take advantage of Early Entry and rope drop, do a midday break, and return after 6pm. That should still be a great approach yielding lots of attractions with minimal waits.

Entertainment Time Changes

From now through May 11, the showtime of Happily Ever After at Magic Kingdom is 9pm. Starting on May 12, Happily Ever After will push its start time back to 9:20pm. This is a normal change that happens throughout the year, and is basically driven by sunset times.

Personally, I prefer earlier showtimes for Happily Ever After. Like clockwork, wait times drop for other attractions as guests grab dinner and then stake out spots for Happily Ever After. Then there’s the park-exodus as a high percentage of guests leave following the fireworks. The earlier all of this happens, the better–it means there’s more time that rides have shorter lines. This is a bit of a double-edged sword, as earlier showtimes also mean more crowded viewing areas for Happily Ever After.

The bigger and better change that’ll occur next month starts May 26, when the Festival of Fantasy Parade will once again have two daily performances, stepping off at 12pm and 3pm. The parade is currently being performed only at 3pm, which is its shoulder season (and off-season) schedule.

Simultaneous with this, the Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade will move to two evening performances at 5:10pm and 6:25pm. Current performance times are 10:30am and 11:45am. More showings of the Festival of Fantasy daytime parade is obviously a good thing, as it dilutes the crowds for each (and for other attractions). I also like the cavalcades moving later–it’s not a huge deal, but makes viewing them in shady spots easier.

Honestly, I really wish Festival of Fantasy had an evening mode like the Disneyland daytime parades. It wouldn’t be relevant during the summer months, but would be nice from November through early March, when a later showtime could occur at dusk. Few things I enjoy more than watching Magic Happens in cool weather with its night lighting effects. (It’s definitely not the same as a fully-fledged night parade, but it’s better than nothing.)

Expect Festival of Fantasy to have two daily showtimes through at least July. Sometime between mid-August and September, it’ll likely drop back to one daily performance.

DAS Overhaul Launch

Disney announced that they’ll once again be overhauling the Disability Access Service (DAS) to reduce abuse and misuse. These major changes will begin on May 20 at Walt Disney World, and then in June at Disneyland.

Cast Members at Walt Disney World will work with a team of specially trained health professionals from Inspire Health Alliance in conversations needed to determine a guest’s eligibility for DAS. The expertise of Inspire Health Alliance will help make sure that DAS is provided only to the small percentage of guests for whom it is intended and who require it. According to Disney, DAS is intended to accommodate a small percentage of Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.

To meet these goals, Walt Disney World and Disneyland are also extending Disability Access Service enrollment for eligible guests from 60 days to 120 days  and adjusting DAS party size to include immediate family members only, but otherwise no more than 4 people. Meaning that if you’re a DAS guest visiting with 5 immediate family members, all will be able to accompany you in line. But if you’re heading to the park with 5 friends, only you and 3 others would be able to join the line together via DAS.

There’s a lot more to know about the changes, which are quite consequential. If you missed it before, refer to our FAQ to Disability Access Service (DAS) Changes at Walt Disney World for everything we know so far. Some of the specifics won’t be certain until the changes actually roll out.

Disney Dreams That Soar

If you ask me, the Disney news of the entire year that flew most under the radar is the “Disney Dreams That Soar” drone show coming to Disney Springs. This was announced the same day as the aforementioned Lion Kingdom 30th Anniversary and Inside Out stuff at DAK and DHS, and there was more reader interest in both of those things…and they’re probably going to be fairly underwhelming.

I get that tourists are more interested in Walt Disney World’s four theme parks than Disney Springs, but I think the floor and ceiling are both much higher on “Disney Dreams That Soar.” (Not only that, but the future potential for drones!)

“Disney Dreams That Soar” will showcase Disney stories celebrating the joy of flight with state-of-the-art drones choreographed to create designs in the sky and paired with a “soaring” musical score and memorable movie quotes. After spending a day delighting in shopping, discovering fun activities and savoring diverse flavors at Disney Springs, turn your eyes to the skies above the West Side with a show amongst the stars. “Disney Dreams That Soar” will run nightly from May 24 through September 2, 2024!

Aside from Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, this is what I’m most excited about at Walt Disney World in 2024. I really hope “Disney Dreams That Soar” garners more fan buzz and interest once the first videos and reviews start circulating.

New Drawn to Life Experience

Guests will soon be able to get an insider’s look at Drawn to Life, the live theatrical production presented by Cirque du Soleil and Disney, with an all-new behind-the-scenes experience. Launching May 24, the “Page to Stage Signature Experience” will offer guests an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the show, including a backstage tour and artist meet-and-greet, in addition to premium show seating, collectible merchandise and more.

Following the performance of Drawn to Life, “Page to Stage” guests will meet with some of the show’s talented artists for photos and Q&A. In the exclusive highlight of the evening, guests will embark on a backstage and under-stage tour of Drawn to Life, with the opportunity to get an up-close look at some of the show’s intricate costumes and one-of-a-kind props.

The “Page to Stage Signature Experience” will be limited to nine guests and offered following the second performance on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Of course, all of this comes at a cost…tickets are $285 for adults and $225 for children!

H2O Glow After Hours Returns

Over at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park, the fan-favorite H2O Glow After Hours special event returns at the tail end of May! During the event, you will have access to shorter wait times for water slides, vibrant décor, high-energy DJ dance parties, exclusive glow-themed menu offerings, and more.

Disney H2O Glow After Hours at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon is held on takes place select nights from late May to early September, from 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm. You can get a head start on the exclusive event by entering the water park at 6:00 pm, giving you a total of 5 hours to enjoy the water park.

During the H2O Glow After Hours, popular water rides and slides at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park have significantly shorter wait times. Whether you’re shooting down Crush N’ Gusher, making a splash in the Surf Pool, or bustin’ a move on the dance floor, you’ll experience this storm-strewn paradise in a whole new light.

What Not to Expect in May 2024

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Opening or Previews – At one point, there were rumors of a Memorial Day opening for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which would’ve meant previews earlier in the month. I never thought Memorial Day was realistic for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’s official opening date, and now I think that ship has also sailed on soft openings or affiliation previews (AP/DVC/C33/etc).

Maybe the reimagined ride will be ready for Cast Member previews by then, but I’m skeptical–I think those slip into early June 2024. Keep in mind that even though ride testing is full steam ahead, work still needs to be done, along with Cast Member training, test & adjust, and more. That always takes more time than fans anticipate. Not only that, but we now know the media event for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is in mid-June, so obviously it won’t debut before then.

Our bet for an official opening is still June 20, 2024. There’s a reasonable probability of the opening date being from June 20-28, 2024. With each passing day without an announcement, though, the likelihood of the date slipping into early July increases.

Lightning Lane Pre-Booking – We’ve been predicting for a while now that an overhaul to Disability Access Service to further crack down on abuse and misuse was a necessary prerequisite for the rollout of Lightning Lane advance bookings. That started last fall with tour groups, and the endgame arrives on May 20 with the full DAS overhaul.

Consequently, there’s almost no chance that pre-arrival Lightning Lanes arrive by or before May 20, 2024. In all likelihood, Walt Disney World will want/need to assess the impact of the DAS changes and go from there. As discussed in the latest update to When Will Pre-Arrival Lightning Lanes Arrive at Walt Disney World?, this pushes the launch date later into summer or even the off-season.

Summer Festival – Memorial Day usually marks the unofficial start of the summer season at Walt Disney World. In the past, that has meant the kickoff of a celebration of some sort. This year, we’ve specifically been predicting an EPCOT Summer Festival due to the shortening of Flower & Garden and Food & Wine.

Whatever does happen–if anything does happen–it won’t start in May. Given everything that’s already announced for June 10, that is being viewed as the unofficial start of summer season at Walt Disney World. It’s possible more is slated to debut on that date…or maybe not! Walt Disney World might also do a multi-phase rollout, with more additions coming online the same date as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens. Whenever that is, it won’t be in May 2024.

Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!

YOUR THOUGHTS

Looking forward to May 2024 at Walt Disney World? Did you attend the event in any of the last few summers or falls? Excited for what’s happening, changing, or coming to Walt Disney World in the month of May 2024? Disappointed in what (probably) is not happening? Agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!