Disney did not mention the re-painting of Cinderella Castle or the addition of a Walt animatronic to Carousel of Progress in their Walt Disney World 2026 calendar.
2026 Walt Disney World Calendar
The 2026 full calendar includes new attraction and experience openings, the ends of attraction refurbishments, events, and more. Some offerings were given specific dates while others have general timeframes.
The opening of LEVEL99 was included even though Disney doesn’t have a more specific opening than sometime in the year 2026.
Notably absent was the castle painting project and Carousel of Progress update, both of which were announced at Destination D23 in August. Cinderella Castle will be restored to its classic colors after five years with a pink color scheme first introduced for the 50th anniversary of Magic Kingdom. The pink color will officially be removed from the castle when this occurs. Carousel of Progress will get a new opening featuring a Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic.
Disney has yet to announce when either of these updates will take place, but their absence from the calendar indicates they may not be complete in 2026. It’s possible painting will begin and Carousel of Progress will close next year, with both projects set for completion in 2027. It’s also still possible they will be finished in 2026 and Disney just didn’t want to make an announcement yet.
What do you think of the updates to Cinderella Castle and Carousel of Progress? Let us know in the comments.
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