Summer is already shaping up to be one of the busiest times Disney World has seen in a while, but next month could take things to another level entirely. Between special entertainment, patriotic celebrations, exclusive offerings, and huge crowds expected across the parks, guests visiting Walt Disney World during the Fourth of July holiday should prepare for a completely different atmosphere than a normal summer trip.And honestly, this year feels bigger than usual.Credit: versageek, FlickrDisney is leaning heavily into America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, and that means multiple parks around the resort will be getting limited-time experiences, nighttime spectaculars, themed entertainment, and unique offerings that could dramatically change how guests plan their vacations. Some longtime Disney fans already know how chaotic July 4th can get at Magic Kingdom, but this year, the celebration is expanding well beyond a single fireworks show.If you’re visiting Disney World next month, here are some of the biggest changes and additions you’ll want to know about before arriving.Magic Kingdom’s Fourth of July Fireworks Are ExpandingFor years, Magic Kingdom has been the center of Disney World’s Independence Day celebrations. Guests pack into Main Street, U.S.A. hours before nighttime entertainment begins, all hoping to get a good view of the patriotic fireworks spectacular over Cinderella Castle.This year, Disney is making one major adjustment.Instead of only showing Disney’s Celebrate America! — A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky on July 4th itself, Disney is stretching the show across three separate nights. Guests visiting on July 3, July 4, or July 5 will have the chance to see the exclusive nighttime spectacular.Credit: DisneyThat’s a huge change for vacationers because it gives people more flexibility when planning park days. In past years, July 4th at Magic Kingdom could become nearly unbearable by the afternoon due to crowds. Some guests even avoided the park altogether because of how packed it became.Now, Disney appears to be spreading those crowds across the holiday weekend instead.The fireworks themselves are expected to remain one of the biggest nighttime shows Disney offers all year. Main Street, U.S.A. becomes covered in patriotic decorations, the castle area fills with red, white, and blue projections, and the sky over Magic Kingdom turns into a nonstop wall of fireworks.Even longtime Disney visitors often rank this among the best fireworks shows the resort puts on annually.EPCOT Is Becoming a Major Holiday DestinationMagic Kingdom may traditionally get most of the attention during the Fourth of July holiday, but EPCOT is quietly turning into one of the strongest alternatives for guests who want a patriotic atmosphere without dealing with the same level of congestion.Disney is adding several special touches to EPCOT for the celebration.One of the biggest additions involves Spaceship Earth, which will feature patriotic lighting effects during the holiday festivities. The park’s iconic centerpiece already receives custom lighting packages throughout the year, but Disney is clearly making the Fourth of July celebration feel much larger this time around.Credit: Erica Lauren, Inside the MagicVoices of Liberty performances are also expected to become a major focus inside the park. The group has always been one of EPCOT’s most beloved live entertainment acts, and patriotic performances during Independence Day week tend to attract massive crowds.For many guests, EPCOT may actually offer the better overall holiday experience.The park has more room to spread out crowds, multiple nighttime viewing areas around World Showcase Lagoon, seasonal snacks and drinks, and a more relaxed atmosphere compared to the intense crowd levels that usually hit Magic Kingdom.That could make EPCOT one of the smartest choices for families trying to celebrate the holiday without spending the entire day squeezed into shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.Disney Is Adding Limited-Time Food and EntertainmentWhenever Disney hosts a major seasonal celebration, food usually becomes part of the event. That’s happening again next month.Disney confirmed that limited-time snacks and specialty offerings will appear around the resort during the patriotic celebration period. While Disney has not revealed every menu item yet, holiday-themed treats have become increasingly popular across Disney World over the past several years.Guests should expect plenty of red, white, and blue desserts, themed drinks, and exclusive items that likely won’t stay around long after the holiday weekend ends.Entertainment offerings are also expanding.Credit: DisneyThe Electrical Water Pageant, one of Disney World’s oldest nighttime traditions, will play a role in the anniversary celebration as well. That’s especially interesting because Disney has spent the last few years putting more attention back on some of the resort’s classic entertainment offerings.There will also be exclusive character appearances and experiences tied to the celebration.For guests visiting during the holiday week, this means schedules could look very different from a standard summer Disney vacation. Certain entertainment offerings may draw major lines, while limited-time food items could become some of the most talked-about offerings online.Disney Is Launching a Brand-New Television SpecialOne of the most unexpected additions to this year’s celebration is something happening outside the parks entirely.Disney announced a new television special called Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness, which will air on ABC on June 29th.The two-hour event will use Disney Parks locations like Main Street, U.S.A. and Tomorrowland as part of a larger celebration of American history, innovation, traditions, and achievements.Credit: Disney DiningThat’s a pretty unusual move for Disney.While Disney often broadcasts holiday specials or parade coverage, this appears to be a much larger patriotic-themed production centered around the country’s 250th anniversary celebration. Disney described the special as a coast-to-coast event designed to showcase some of America’s most iconic stories through the lens of Disney Parks and attractions.For Disney fans, it also means the parks themselves could become even busier leading into the holiday week as filming, promotion, and increased national attention all ramp up.Crowds Could Reach Extreme LevelsNone of these additions come without one major warning.Disney World is going to be busy.Really busy.The Fourth of July holiday has always been one of the resort’s most crowded periods of the year, but adding expanded fireworks schedules, anniversary celebrations, exclusive entertainment, television specials, and limited-time offerings could push attendance even higher.Magic Kingdom especially tends to hit capacity concerns during major holiday celebrations. Transportation lines become longer, mobile order return windows fill quickly, and popular attractions can post wait times that climb well above two hours.Credit: s.yume, FlickrEven EPCOT, which often handles crowds better because of its size, could see unusually high attendance levels this year thanks to the patriotic additions.Guests planning to visit next month should strongly consider arriving early, using Lightning Lane strategically, and building flexibility into their schedules.Trying to park-hop spontaneously during the holiday weekend may become far more difficult than normal.Disney World’s Summer Atmosphere Is About To ShiftThe biggest thing guests may notice next month is how different Disney World feels overall.Summer vacations at Disney are already loud, crowded, and energetic. But adding a nationwide anniversary celebration on top of that creates an atmosphere that feels much bigger than the average July trip.The parks will likely feel more festive, more packed, and more event-driven than usual.For some guests, that excitement will be part of the fun. Seeing patriotic fireworks over Cinderella Castle, watching Spaceship Earth light up in red, white, and blue, and experiencing special entertainment offerings only available during this period could make the trip feel incredibly memorable.For others, the crowd levels may become overwhelming.Either way, Disney World next month is clearly not going to feel like a normal summer week at the parks. Between expanded nighttime spectaculars, special entertainment, limited-time offerings, and America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, the entire resort is preparing for one of the biggest holiday events it has hosted in years.The post Disney Announces Major July Changes Across Magic Kingdom and EPCOT appeared first on Inside the Magic.