Credit: Univaded Fox, FlickrA new change at the parks that guests need to be aware of.
Just like its bigger counterpart on the East Coast, the West Coast’s Disneyland Resort is bracing for big change over the next decade. From the DisneylandForward expansion project to the doubling of Avengers Campus and the launch of the Avatar franchise in the California theme park, Walt Disney’s first theme park–which just so happens to be celebrating 70 years this year–is on the brink of entering a new era.
While many are already looking ahead, it’s worth keeping one eye on the here and now. Operations at both parks have continued to change as The Walt Disney Company manages its expansion projects. Another cause of change is seasonal and hard-ticketed experiences like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney World and Disneyland, respectively, and events like the runDisney races that happen year-round.
But the arrival of the Halloween Half Marathon Weekend 2025 at Disneyland Resort will usher in an urgent access change.
Disneyland Resort guests will see a temporary shake-up in Early Entry this weekend, with runDisney’s Halloween Half Marathon festivities prompting a switch in the usual schedule. On Friday, September 5, Early Entry will shift to Disneyland Park, while on Saturday, September 6, the extra half-hour perk will instead be offered at Disney California Adventure.
Once the event wraps, the schedule will revert to its familiar pattern. Normally, hotel guests can count on Disneyland Park opening early every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, while Disney California Adventure takes its turn on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
This adjustment comes as runDisney nears a major pause in its return to the West Coast. The Halloween Half Marathon Weekend, set for September 4 through 7, 2025, marks one of the final runs before Disneyland suspends these races in 2026 due to construction projects across the resort. The program will conclude with the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend scheduled for January 29 to February 1, 2026.
The Early Entry benefit itself has been around since 2021, giving resort hotel guests the opportunity to step into the parks thirty minutes before general admission. However, this long-standing perk won’t be around much longer. Disney has already confirmed that Early Entry will officially come to an end on January 5, 2026. In its place, guests will receive one Lightning Lane pass per person, a significant shift in how resort stays add value for visitors.
While the changes this week are only temporary, they highlight a bigger transition on the horizon for Disneyland Resort. Guests visiting in the months ahead will want to take advantage of Early Entry while it’s still available because the way hotel perks work at the resort is about to look very different.
How do you manage Disney’s ever-changing operational schedule? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!