Walt Disney World Resort has reversed its recent ban on Magic Kingdom Park entry, making it easier for cast members and guests to visit the iconic park once again.
This policy change comes after the debut of Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away, the first nighttime parade at the Magic Kingdom in nearly a decade. The parade, which premiered on July 20, 2025, features stunning floats inspired by classics like Pinocchio (1940), Frozen (2013), and Encanto (2021), as well as a brand-new mascot train called Whimsy.
Before the parade’s debut, Walt Disney World Resort introduced strict crowd control measures to prevent overcrowding. The Central Florida destination implemented a Disney Park Pass reservation system for Annual Passholders visiting Magic Kingdom and imposed restrictions on cast members, blocking them from entering the park for most of July.
However, with crowd levels stabilizing after the first few performances of Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away, Walt Disney World Resort decided to lift these restrictions. On July 28, the park reversed the Annual Passholder reservation rules, allowing guests to enter Magic Kingdom after 2:00 p.m. on weekdays without needing a Disney Park Pass reservation. Additionally, select “good-to-go” days were reinstated, bringing things back to the policies in place before the parade debuted.
Later, Walt Disney World Resort lifted the blockout dates for Magic Kingdom Park, allowing cast members to visit freely from July 29 to August 15, 2025. However, as is usual during peak holiday periods, the park will reintroduce select blockout dates for Halloween from August 16 through October 11, 2025. Disney is expected to announce Christmas blockouts later this year.
Magic Kingdom Park guests can enjoy Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away nightly, with two performances before and after the Happily Ever After fireworks show. However, the parade will not be held during special events like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
For the latest showtimes and updates, check out the daily entertainment schedule on the Walt Disney World Resort website or the My Disney Experience app.
Have you watched Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away yet? In the comments, share your thoughts on the new parade with Disney Dining!
