Welcome Home Weeks are returning to Walt Disney World for Summer and Halloween 2026, offering big 40% off restaurant discounts, excellent freebies and perks, and more to Disney Vacation Club Members. This lists the latest discounts and free things at WDW, along with our commentary about these perks and why it has us hopeful for the future.
Welcome Home Weeks debuted two years ago, following in the footsteps of V.I.PASSHOLDER Summer Days. Now it’s back once again, earlier and slightly longer than before, with DVC Welcome Home Weeks running from July 22 through August 26, 2026! This special DVC appreciation period features free tasty treats, special experiences, and extra aggressive discounts just for eligible Disney Vacation Club Members.
This is in addition to the growing list of Disney Vacation Club Membership Extras, which currently lists 330 Member Benefits according to Disney. Don’t get too excited–at least half of that list is either nothing special–but there are a lot of valuable perks. See our List of the Top 10 Disney Vacation Club Member Perks for the ones that are worthwhile.
Before we dig into the details, we also want to offer a quick note on Disney Vacation Club Member sneak peeks at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets and Soarin’ Across America in case you missed our updates to the respective posts about those previews.
Disney Vacation Club Members will get a chance to be among the first to experience Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets and Soarin’ Across America before they open on May 26, 2026. Eligible Members with a qualifying Walt Disney World Resort hotel reservation on the event dates are automatically registered for these special experiences.
DVC “priority access” dates are May 21, 2026 for Soarin’ Across America and May 24, 2026 for Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets. As explained elsewhere, we believe the language used in the announcement and emails to members is purposeful, and this “priority access” is one-time use Lightning Lanes during soft openings.
Anyway, on with the news about the 2026 Welcome Home Weeks…
First up is FREE ICE CREAM! This is not a drill!!! Treat yourself to a refreshing, complimentary Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Bar, ice cream sandwich or fruit bar at select TBD Walt Disney World locations. Last year, there was a spot in all of the 4 parks, plus Disney Springs.
Disneyland, Aulani Resort, Hilton Head Island Resort, and Vero Beach Resort will also offer complimentary ice cream. At Disneyland, it’ll be available July 28, August 11 and August 25, 2026 at a TBD location.
Members who are eligible for Membership Extras may enjoy this benefit. Valid park admission and park reservation required. Limit of one ice cream bar, ice cream sandwich or fruit bar per person per week, per location. A valid Disney Vacation Club Digital Membership Card and photo ID are required.
Welcome Home Wakeup
Mingle with fellow Members for coffee and a morning treat at select resorts at Walt Disney World, as well as Disneyland and Aulani Resort:
Walt Disney World Resort
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Location: Top of the World Lounge
- Dates: Fridays and Saturdays, starting July 24, 2026
- Times: 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Location: Reunion Station
- Dates: Saturdays and Sundays, starting July 25, 2026
- Times: 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Disneyland Resort
- Disney California Adventure Park
- Location: TBA
- Dates: July 27, August 17 and August 24, 2026
- Times: 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Limit of one Welcome Home Wakeup per week, per Member, while supplies last. A valid Disney Vacation Club Digital Membership Card and photo ID are required at event check-in. The Member listed on the Digital Membership Card must be in attendance. Valid park admission and park reservation required for in-park locations.
Eligibility: Members eligible for Membership Extras with a Resort reservation at the same Resort where the event is being held (on an event date) may attend, plus 4 Guests (or the number of additional Guests on the reservation). Eligible Resorts include:
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Aulani Resort
Disney Character Closeups
Meet beloved Disney Characters at fun events at Walt Disney World Resort, the Disneyland Resort, Aulani Resort, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort and Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort.
Walt Disney World Resort
- Location: Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney’s BoardWalk
- Dates: July 22, July 27 through July 28, August 4 through August 5, August 12 through August 13, August 17 through August 18, and August 26, 2026
- Times: 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
- Parking: There is no Resort parking for this event. Members are strongly encouraged to use Walt Disney World Resort transportation.
Disneyland Resort
- Location: To be announced
- Dates: July 22, August 5, 9 and 26, 2026
- Times: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Eligibility: Members eligible for Membership Extras with a Resort reservation at Walt Disney World Resort, the Disneyland Resort, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort or Aulani Resort, plus 4 Guests (or the number of additional Guests on the reservation).
A valid Disney Vacation Club Digital Membership Card and photo ID are required at event check-in. The Member listed on the Digital Membership Card must be in attendance.
Exclusive Disney Springs Freebies
Enjoy special Welcome Home Weeks-exclusive dining offerings at select locations across Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort.
Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew: Complimentary Donut
Stop by Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew at Disney Springs to receive a complimentary Welcome Home Weeks donut. No purchase necessary.
- Location: Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew at Disney Springs
- Dates: Wednesdays, starting July 22, 2026
- Times: During venue’s normal operating hours
- Eligibility: Members eligible for Membership Extras (one donut per Member, per week, while supplies last)
eet by Maneet Chauhan: Complimentary Desi Ice Cream
Visit eet by Maneet Chauhan at Disney Springs to receive a complimentary Desi ice cream. No purchase necessary.
- Location: eet by Maneet Chauhan at Disney Springs
- Dates: Thursdays, starting July 23, 2026
- Times: During venue’s normal operating hours
- Eligibility: Members eligible for Membership Extras (one per Member, per week, while supplies last)
Frontera Cocina: Complimentary Half & Half Appetizer
Receive a complimentary Half & Half appetizer when you purchase the DVC Welcome Home Weeks drink (available as a cocktail or mocktail).
- Location: Frontera Cocina at Disney Springs (valid only while ordering at the bar)
- Dates: Fridays, starting July 24, 2026
- Times: During venue’s normal operating hours
- Eligibility: Members eligible for Membership Extras (one per Member, per week, while supplies last)
The Polite Pig: Complimentary Pretzel
Receive a complimentary Hop Salt Pretzel when you purchase a specialty drink (cocktail or mocktail). As part of this offer, Members receive a 15% discount on food and beverage (nonalcoholic) items.
- Location: The Polite Pig at Disney Springs
- Dates: Mondays, starting July 27, 2026
- Times: During venue’s normal operating hours
- Eligibility: Members eligible for Membership Extras (one per Member, per week, while supplies last)
City Works: Complimentary DVC Slushie
Receive a complimentary, Welcome Home Weeks-exclusive slushie when you purchase any entree.
- Location: City Works at Disney Springs
- Dates: Tuesdays, starting July 28, 2026
- Times: During venue’s normal operating hours
- Eligibility: Members eligible for Membership Extras (one per Member, per week, while supplies last)
To redeem, Members must present their Disney Vacation Club Digital Membership Card and photo identification.
Free Candy
Receive complimentary candy at Movies Under the Stars at select Walt Disney World Resorts:
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort
- Disney’s BoardWalk Resort
- Disney’s Old Key West Resort
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
- Disney’s Riviera Resort
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resorts
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Dates vary by Resort. Please check with the Recreation team at each respective location. Available during normal operating hours of Movies Under the Stars. One selection of candy per week, per eligible Member.
Disney Cruise Line
- Locations: The concession counter outside the theaters on all Disney Cruise Line ships. Theaters: Walt Disney Theatre, Buena Vista Theater, Never Land Cinema
- Dates: Daily, July 22 to August 26, 2026
- Times: During normal operating hours
- Eligibility: Members eligible for Membership Extras (one complimentary popcorn or popcorn refill per Member, per movie). To redeem, Members must present their Disney Vacation Club Digital Membership Card and photo identification. (Be sure to add your Membership Card to your digital wallet before sailing.) The offer is not valid on novelty items such as popcorn buckets and does not apply to popcorn at live stage productions or presentations.
40% Off Select WDW Restaurants
Enjoy 40% off food and nonalcoholic beverages at select Table-Service restaurants at Walt Disney Resort on select dates:
Eligible Restaurants:
- Hollywood & Vine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (40% off breakfast, lunch & dinner)
- Tusker House Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park (40% off lunch & dinner)
- Biergarten Restaurant at EPCOT (40% off lunch)
- Tiffins Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park (40% off dinner)
- Coral Reef Restaurant at EPCOT (40% off dinner)
- Garden Grill Restaurant at EPCOT (40% off lunch & dinner)
- The Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom Park (20% off lunch & dinner)
- Be Our Guest Restaurant at Magic Kingdom Park (20% off lunch)
- Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (40% off brunch & dinner)
- Trattoria al Forno at Disney’s BoardWalk (40% off breakfast & dinner)
Dates & Details
- Dates: Mondays through Thursdays from July 22 to August 26, 2026
- Times: During normal operating hours of participating restaurants. Discount only valid during certain meal periods at select restaurants (see list of locations).
- Once the promotional period has ended, the Member discount will revert to the original 10% discount at valid locations.
Other Important Info:
- Members eligible for Membership Extras, plus up to 3 Guests, unless otherwise noted
- Valid during each location’s regular dining hours, unless otherwise noted. Offer valid for dine-in customers only and excludes to-go.
- Not valid on certain menu items, special events or packages (e.g., EPCOT Dining Packages, etc.) and may not be combined with any other discount, offer or promotion.
- Discount is off the regular price of food and nonalcoholic beverages, excluding tax and gratuity.
- Valid at select locations at Walt Disney World Resort listed above, Monday through Thursday only.
- Valid park admission and park reservation required for in-park locations.
To receive the discount, the Disney Vacation Club Member must show their Digital Membership Card and government-issued ID. Your Digital Membership Card can be found on the My Disney Experience app and should be added to the digital wallet of your mobile device.
Note that this list is almost identical to the lists from Annual Passholder Appreciation Days, and as such, our commentary is similar.
There are some fantastic restaurants on this list, including some that make our list of the 26 Best Restaurants at Walt Disney World for 2026 (or are honorable mentions). Sadly, many of our favorite restaurants are also unpopular ones, which is why they’re getting this aggressive discount.
Now that we have both lists, I know what and where we’ll be eating and when. It’s disappointing not to see Toledo on this list, but I can get my fill during AP Appreciation. Its exclusion makes sense given that Coronado Springs is not a DVC resort. Nice to see Trattoria al Forno make the cut here, and hopefully its unpopularity means the character dining will return at some point.
Other restaurants we’d recommend doing are Hollywood & Vine and Tusker House. Character dining at 40% off is too good to pass up, especially at these locations. When it comes to the intersection of cuisine quality and quantity, Tusker House is hard to beat.
Minnie’s Seasonal Dine is one of Sarah’s absolute favorite character meals, and we’re especially big fans of Minnie’s Halloween Dine. You could do Hollywood & Vine twice for two different character meals during Welcome Home Weeks. Although an official end date is TBD, Minnie’s Summertime Dine likely runs through early to mid-August (it usually tracks closely with MNSSHP, which starts August 7, 2026), and Minnie’s Halloween Dine the day after it ends.
Then there’s Tiffins. We recently re-reviewed Tiffins and, spoiler alert, it’s still absolutely fantastic. So good that I’m planning on dining there again during Welcome Home Weeks. For research, of course. (See Review & News: Walt Disney World’s Best In-Park Restaurant.)
It is interesting to me that this list is, once again, so limited. It’s unlikely that Olivia’s Cafe, Sanaa, Boma, Kona Cafe, Turf Club, or other restaurants with perpetual deep discounts for Cast Members have strong bookings for the next few months. And many of those are actually at DVC resorts, too!
When Disney Vacation Club first announced Welcome Home Weeks a couple of years ago, we speculated as to why they were offering this perk. Now in its third year, the 2026 DVC Welcome Home Weeks is bigger and better.
As for the motivations, DVC Member goodwill remains reason number one. Disney used to do a lot more little things that they call “surprise and delight,” which are little unexpected things that both surprise guests and delight them…hence the name. Welcome Home Weeks includes a bunch of perfect examples of “surprise & delight.” Members visiting during these dates didn’t expect free ice cream or coffee, but it delights them in a way that’s disproportionate to the cost for Disney.
The benefits of happy DVC Members should be fairly obvious, but nevertheless, it’s something that Disney “forgot” to an extent from mid-2020 to early 2023 (roughly). In the couple of years since, we’ve seen the pendulum start to swing back in the other direction, with Disney Vacation Club “realizing” that a happy membership base is important. This is doubly true when they’re trying to sell almost a half-dozen different resorts, plus Disney Lakeshore Lodge on the way soon.
The second reason is that the post-summer off-season is dead at Walt Disney World. Honestly, I’m surprised about the week-long overlap between AP Appreciation and Welcome Home Weeks in late July. Last year’s dates from mid-August through mid-September, which is the slowest stretch of the entire year.
The expansion of DVC Welcome Home Weeks into dining discounts can basically be viewed as a de facto extension of V.I.Passholder Summer Days. Obviously, Annual Passholders who aren’t eligible for these restaurant discounts won’t feel that way, but it terms of the practical impact, the result will be similar.
I’m honestly surprised there isn’t more like this, aimed at filling tables or nudging Annual Passholders to visit the parks in August and September. Then again, VIPAssholder Days just started less than a week ago, so perhaps there will be a secondary off-season event this year.
Another benefit for Disney Vacation Club when it comes to stuff like this, or even Moonlight Magic or the Member Lounges, is that it creates FOMO. That’s another driver for sales. When non-Members see some of the things they could have if they “just” joined DVC, it helps push them off the fence. Especially if they’re diehard fans or regulars who might as well take the plunge.
Likewise, Membership Extras are a good way of moving the needle on resales vs. direct sales, and could incentivize those on the fence to pay more to buy direct so they don’t miss out on any perks. It’s not as if a single cup of coffee or free ice cream is going to make someone drop $10,000 extra on a direct purchase. Even the most diehard of Disney fans are more rational than that.
However, if DVC Welcome Home Weeks becomes an annual staple, it’s going to start being mentioned in analysis of being directly from Disney or via the resale market. And from that perspective, it’s one thing of many that weighs in favor of a direct purchase as opposed to buying via the resale market.
Suffice to say, it’s a solid sales strategy from a holistic perspective. Welcome Home Weeks plus Moonlight Magic plus access to the Member Lounges, etc., will tip the scales in aggregate. That’s precisely why these perks exist–and are part of the marketing budget as opposed to annual dues–in the first place!
Ultimately, I love that Disney Vacation Club is doing Welcome Home Weeks and think it bodes well for the future. It could mean an expansion and restoration of other perks, as Disney aims to both sell a ton more points and also entice fans to visit during a slower season.
The company recognizing that going above and beyond and making guests feel warm and fuzzy about their visits is a good thing that’s mutually advantageous and, hopefully, will be more than just a “lever” pulled for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members. This should be Walt Disney World’s default philosophy towards all guests, and was for many decades.
If you’re thinking about joining DVC, be sure to read our Ultimate Guide to Disney Vacation Club. This covers the pros & cons, resale v. direct, how much money you’ll save, and other important things to know before taking the plunge. If you still can’t decide whether membership is right for you, “try before you buy” with the recommendations in How to Save BIG on Deluxe Disney Accommodations Renting DVC Points.
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think about the DVC Welcome Home Weeks returning from July 22 to August 26, 2026? Excited this will be happening during your trip, disappointed that you’ll miss it, or do you not really care? Longer term, are you optimistic that this bodes well for Disney heading in the right direction with more “surprise and delight” offerings and trying to exceed expectations, or think this is just a one-off? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Share any questions, tips, or additional thoughts you have in the comments!