Cool Kid Summer at Disney World in 2025 - Everything You Need To Know
There has never been a better time to book a summer trip to Walt Disney World.
Disney World is focused on making the summer of 2025 a magical time to visit for young families with extra perks for staying at Disney Resorts and kid-focused programming in the parks and at select resorts.
Our family was invited to preview the magic coming to Walt Disney World this summer, and I’m so excited to share all the details here!
If your family is on the fence about a summer visit to the most Magical Place on Earth, keep reading to see what will make this the best summer ever at Disney!
And if you already have your trip planned between May 27 through September 1, make sure you make the most of all of the benefits you have to look forward to!
This was actually a great preview for our family, too, since we are surprising our kids with a trip to Disney World with our extended family (grandparents, aunts & uncles, and cousins!) this summer.
Here’s everything you have to look forward to at Walt Disney World in summer of 2025.
Disclosure: We were hosted by Disney World to learn about Stay In The Magic and Cool Kid Summer. All opinions are my own.
This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Benefits of Staying at Disney Resorts in Summer of 2025
Early Theme Park Entry
Guests who stay at a Disney Resort always get 30 minutes of extra park time with early theme park entry.
However, an additional perk this summer is that there will be more characters out and about in the parks during early theme park entry, so be prepared for more character interactions before the parks get too busy!
Free Admission to Disney Water Parks
A new and exciting benefit to staying on property in 2025 is that resort guests get free entry to Disney Water Parks on the day they check in!
While you’re waiting for your room to be ready, you can head to Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach for some water park fun! The tickets will automatically be linked to your reservation, so no action is required on your part!
We were able to just scan our Magic Bands to enter Typhoon Lagoon since we were staying at Caribbean Beach Resort.
To take full advantage of this, I would recommend packing swimsuits, goggles, flip flops, water shoes, sunscreen, and a beach bag in one packing cube, backpack, or suitcase so you have easy access to what you’ll need for the water park without having to dig through multiple suitcases. Also, towels and kid-sized life jackets are available and complimentary to use at both water parks.
You can store your luggage at your resort until it’s time to check in, too!
Cool Kid Summer Programing at Select Hotels
While Disney World is the most magical place on earth, it’s also tiring being on your feet in the heat from park open to close - especially when you have young children!
One of my top recommendations for planning the best Disney vacation ever is to plan for a day at the hotel in between your park days.
Disney has made that more appealing than ever this summer with a special program called “Cool Kid Summer” at select hotels!
Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge have Disney-themed activities for families, so you can spend the day at the pool, doing activities like arts & crafts or roasting marshmallows for s’mores, and even meeting characters!
That’s right - in summer of 2025, the hotels listed above will have character experiences in and around the lobby area! A sign at Caribbean Beach Resort said character experiences will take place on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Be sure to check with your resort on when and where character experiences will take place.
It was so fun to meet a character in a more intimate setting without a super long line in the hot sun. Grab your autograph book and your camera, and head to the lobby!
Movies Under the Stars
Guests at Disney Resorts can cozy up under the stars to watch a different Disney movie each night (weather-dependent, of course).
Grab a snack, a blanket, and your favorite stuffed animal and enjoy some relaxing evening entertainment.
Each resort has different movies and locations for their movies, so check at the front desk of your specific resort, or look for signage in the common areas for the schedule.
I personally think this is a great alternative to fireworks if you have kids who are easily overstimulated or sensitive to crowds and noise. It’s also a good activity for a non-park day!
Free Transportation
Transportation around the Walt Disney World resort is not a new perk in summer of 2025, but it’s worth mentioning.
A few years ago, my parents, my youngest daughter, and I visited Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and we decided to stay off-property to save some money. It really backfired on us, because the transportation to and from the parks was at the worst times, so you were really limited on when you could get to the park or back to the hotel.
We ended up paying for a few Ubers, which was also a pain because my daughter was still in a car seat.
Lesson learned - always stay on property at Disney World so you don’t have to worry about how and when you’ll be able to get to the parks!
Caribbean Beach Resort is a new favorite of mine since it’s located right on the skyliner, which can take you to Epcot or Hollywood Studios. There are also frequent busses to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, as well as the water parks and Disney Springs.
Early Lightning Lane Pass Purchase
Another perk of staying on property is that you’ll be able to purchase and reserved your lightning lanes 7 days ahead of the first day of your reservation.
This means you’ll have a better chance at choosing earlier times for popular rides!
Advance Dining Reservation
Finally, if you love a sit down dining experience, or you want to take your kids to character dining, you’re going to want access to those advance dining reservations.
If you stay on property, you have access to dining reservations 60 days before the first day of your stay.
Cool Kid Summer In the Parks
The more I learn about the Cool Kid Summer program, the more excited I get for families with young children who are visiting the parks this summer!
Disney has installed special experiences in the parks specifically geared toward little kids:
Magic Kingdom
Big Top Bash in Fantasyland - A DJ dance party, games, and fun with Pluto, plus activities inside Big Top Souvenirs.
Galactic Blast in Tomorrowland - a space-inspired DJ dance party with occasional appearances from Stitch, and a craft at Merchant of Venus.
Hollywood Studios: a magician and jump rope performers in Animation Courtyard with games and crafts, plus an indoor DJ party with Mickey and Friends!
Epcot: GoofyCore! Join Goofy in CommuniCore Hall for a DJ dance party and interactive games.
Animal Kingdom: Wilderness Explorers program where kids can complete challenges and earn badges throughout the park.
Disney has printed out pamphlets specific to Cool Kid Summer that will be available at the entrance of each park starting May 27. I got a sneak preview of these pamphlets, and I think they are so helpful for parents to find the rides, shows, character meet-and-greets, and activities that are perfect for younger kids.
There’s a map and easy to read legends that show what kids will like and where it’s located.
I think this pamphlet is genius, because while the app is amazingly helpful, it can be hard to find exactly what’s available for young kids.
Not only does it show all of the attractions and entertainment young families will enjoy, but it also has tips for adults, like where to find the Baby Care Center, the best snacks for kids, how to use the Rider Switch program, and there’s even a scavenger hunt for kids on the back. Oh - and it also points out where water bottle refill stations are around the park.
Don’t forget to pick up these pamphlets when you enter the park!
If Disney World is on your mind for this summer, don’t forget to read my blog posts to help you plan your trip!
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Emily Krause is a Wisconsin-based travel content creator who writes about exploring the world with kids.
On A Mom Explores you’ll find the best family travel destinations, Disney World tips, and how to make travel with babies and toddlers a little easier.
Emily believes that exploring starts in our own backyards, and adventure can happen anywhere with the right mindset.
