Disney World Drops Reservation Requirement For Guests

Disney has finally changed one of its most controversial rules, allowing Guests to once again roam the Resort at their own pace.

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There’s no denying that the Walt Disney World experience has changed significantly in recent years. The majority of the changes can be traced back to the original outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020. Since then, we’ve seen price hikes, ride closures, food shortages, and changes to how the Walt Disney World operates.

One of the biggest changes came in the form of a new reservation system that Guests are required to use if they want to visit ‘The Most Magical Place on Earth.”

For those who don’t know, Guests need a Park reservation to visit each of the four parks at Walt Disney World. Guests can still park hop, but they will need a valid ticket and reservation date to do so. Guests also need to wait until 2 p.m. to visit their second Park.

This new policy was implemented at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World shortly after reopening. This change was very unpopular to most Guests, as they’ve always had the freedom to Park hop whenever they pleased. This was done to keep crowds down to a minimum to ensure safety, but in 2023, the reservation system already seems dated. Disney claims that the Orlando, Florida Resort is operating under a significantly lower capacity than it once was, though Guests still pour in by the thousands each day.

However, this all ends on April 18, 2023, with Disney dropping the 2 p.m. park hopping requirement. But there’s a catch.

Related: Disney Begs Guests to Not Use Bathroom in Public at Park

This only applies to Walt Disney World Annual Passholders, meaning regular Guests will still need t a reservation to park hop before 2 p.m. at the Resort. Annual Passholders will still need to make a reservation on Saturdays and Sundays. This was just confirmed by reporter Scott Gustin:

Reminder: Starting tomorrow (April 18), Walt Disney World Annual Passholders will be able to visit the theme parks after 2 p.m. without needing a park reservation, except on Saturdays and Sundays at Magic Kingdom Park. Blockout dates will continue to apply. pic.twitter.com/op4PMe0yIq

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) April 17, 2023

While this system has not been dropped entirely, we have to say we’re excited to see the Walt Disney World start returning to more normal operations.

What do you think about the reservation system at Walt Disney World? Have you visited Disneyland?