Walt Disney World Resort has swiftly reversed its COVID-19 policy for Annual Passholders, just one week after reintroducing the restrictions. The change comes after the debut of Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away, Magic Kingdom Park’s first nighttime parade in nearly a decade.
Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away, led by the Blue Fairy, features sparkling floats inspired by Disney’s Wish (2023), Frozen (2013), Encanto (2021), and more. On most nights, Magic Kingdom Park offers two performances of this highly anticipated parade, which debuted officially on July 20 after two days of surprise soft-openings. To help manage crowds, Walt Disney World Resort reinstated Disney Park Pass reservations for Annual Passholders from July 20 to July 27.
During this period, Walt Disney World Resort Annual Passholders had to make theme park reservations to visit the Magic Kingdom at any time on any day. This move marked a return to a stricter version of the reservation system, which had previously been loosened. In the past, Annual Passholders could visit the Magic Kingdom without reservations after 2:00 p.m. on most days, or at any time on designated “good-to-go” days.
But just a week after the policy was reinstated, Walt Disney World Resort decided to reverse course. On July 28, the Central Florida Disney destination announced that the strict reservation system would no longer apply to Annual Passholders visiting Magic Kingdom Park. Theme park journalist Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) shared the news on X (formerly known as Twitter), saying:
“NEW: The limited-time theme park reservation requirements that were in place from July 20 to July 27 for Passholders visiting Magic Kingdom have ended as of today.”
NEW: The limited-time theme park reservation requirements that were in place from July 20 to July 27 for Passholders visiting Magic Kingdom have ended as of today. pic.twitter.com/DJxvGRHj97
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) July 28, 2025
Under the updated policy, Annual Passholders can now visit Magic Kingdom Park after 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday without a Disney Park Pass reservation, just as they had before the stricter restrictions. For weekends, however, the reservation system remains in place, requiring Annual Passholders to book their spot in advance. This return to the previous system aligns with what guests experienced before the debut of Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away.
Checking the official Walt Disney World Resort website for the latest information regarding Park Pass reservations and “good-to-go” days.
Have you visited Magic Kingdom Park since Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away debuted? Share your experience with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
