Disney World faces split vacations as All-Star Movies refurbishments start
Planning for disney world is shifting for 2026 as more Orlando travelers divide a single trip between Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort, effectively cutting Disney’s share of vacation days in half in many itineraries. At the same time, Walt Disney World has scheduled a multi-month room refurbishment at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort beginning in May 2026, adding a separate planning variable for budget-minded guests.
Universal’s Epic Universe shifts trips
A noticeable change is emerging in how families structure Orlando vacations: instead of committing nearly every day to Walt Disney World’s four theme parks, many are now building “split vacations” that include both Disney and Universal. The practical effect is simple math. A family that previously spent six days on Disney property may now allocate three days to Disney and three to Universal, cutting Disney’s share of the trip by roughly 50% within that example itinerary.
The context for that shift is Universal Orlando’s newest theme park, Epic Universe, which opened in 2025. Its arrival expanded Universal’s footprint and created an experience that visitors feel they cannot skip. With new lands, new attractions, immersive environments, and a surrounding resort district with hotels and dining, Epic Universe is described as strong enough to anchor a full trip rather than serve as a short add-on.
The pattern suggests the competitive pressure is not just about adding one more park day. It is about time allocation: as Epic Universe increases the number of must-do experiences on the Universal side, travelers who have a fixed number of vacation days are more likely to re-balance those days away from disney world, even if they still view Disney as a central draw.
Disney World All-Star Movies schedule
Walt Disney World has also set a clear on-property change for 2026: rooms at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort are scheduled for refurbishment beginning in May 2026 and likely lasting through January 2027. The work is described as a multi-month refurbishment, and specific buildings and timing by building have not been detailed.
Operationally, the refurbishment is expected to be room-focused. Other areas of the resort—pools, recreational areas, and the food court—are currently expected not to be affected by construction. Still, guests staying during the construction period are advised to anticipate noise and possible reroutes for walking.
The figures point to a planning overlap: the refurbishment window runs directly through much of 2026, the same period when split vacations are described as becoming more noticeable. For value-resort guests, room availability and the on-site experience can influence whether they keep more nights at Disney or decide to shift additional nights elsewhere.
What 2021 renovations signal
All-Star Movies has a recent renovation precedent. When the resort’s rooms were renovated in 2021, the refurbishment lasted a year, and the updates included wood laminate flooring replacing carpeting, queen beds plus a pull-down Murphy bed, and new decor. That prior scope does not confirm what changes will arrive in the May 2026–January 2027 project, but it does establish that the resort has undergone substantial room-level work within the past few years.
Yet the immediate takeaway for 2026 travelers is more basic than design speculation. The confirmed details are the dates, the room focus, and the on-site impacts—noise and walking reroutes—while the most consequential unknown remains which buildings will be affected and when.
The next concrete milestone in the context is the start of the refurbishment in May 2026. If the split-vacation trend holds as Epic Universe continues to draw multi-day commitments, the data suggests some guests will weigh that May 2026 construction period against how many nights they dedicate to Walt Disney World versus Universal Orlando Resort.
