Disney September 2026

When Kelli heard that one of her favorite bands, MercyMe, had performed at the 2025 Eat to the Beat Concert Series, I told her I’d be up for a quick trip the following year to see them. When the 2026 lineup was announced, we made plans for a three-night getaway.

We decided to stay at Disney’s Pop Century Resort since we had already used our DVC points for an upcoming trip. Plus, the Skyliner provides convenient access to EPCOT, dropping us off near the International Gateway entrance and making it easy to get to the concerts.

To ensure priority seating for the shows, we booked two Eat to the Beat Concert Series dining packages: Spice Road Table and Le Cellier.

Friday, September 18

Travel Day

We had a 7:30 a.m. JetBlue flight out of JFK, so our brother-in-law Scott picked us up at 4:30 a.m. Fortunately, construction around the airport wasn’t an issue at that hour. We had only carry-on luggage and TSA PreCheck, so we made it through security and to the gate in no time.
The flight was full, and the airline asked 35 passengers to check their carry-ons. Our plane was named C’est La Blue, and we pushed back from Gate 7 at 7:25 a.m.

The flight was uneventful. I watched Hail Mary, although I didn’t get to see the ending. We landed early at 9:45 a.m. Unfortunately, we deplaned at the farthest gate in Terminal C, and there were no motorized carts available to save us from the very long walk.

I picked up a Chevy Blazer from Budget. To pay the tolls, I used my New York E-ZPass and temporarily added the rental car’s license plate to the app. By 11:30 a.m., we were driving under the Disney entrance sign!

Checking In at Pop Century

My Disney app still showed that our room wasn’t ready, so we checked in at the front desk of Disney’s Pop Century Resort. Our Cast Member was Giovanni. Unfortunately, he didn’t provide the complimentary gift that came with our package, and we still had no room assignment.

We browsed the shops, picked up some postcards and two chocolate croissants, and grabbed lunch. We split a “Gouda Vibes Burger” with fries and purchased a Disney Rapid Fill Refillable Mug.

Eventually, we received a text letting us know our room was ready. We were assigned Room 3247 on the second floor of the 1950s section, conveniently located near the elevators.

After resting for about an hour and a half, we headed out to take some pictures around the resort.

EPCOT and the Eat to the Beat Concert Series

We left for the Skyliner around 3:30 p.m.

We entered EPCOT at 4:00 p.m. and began exploring World Showcase.

Our first stop was the United Kingdom pavilion, where we did some shopping and listened briefly to Command Performance. We also checked out a giant book inside the Crown & Crest shop containing an extensive database of surnames.

Is your name in the book? Bochnik wasn’t, but Jewell was!

Next, we headed to France. I picked up some interesting-sounding Camembert-flavored chips and collected a complimentary perfume sample for DVC members.

From there, we continued to Morocco, where Atlas Fusion was beginning its set. This Moroccan musical group blends traditional and modern sounds. After a couple of songs, a belly dancer joined the performance, adding to the atmosphere.

Dinner at Spice Road Table

We checked in for our Eat to the Beat dining package at Spice Road Table. While waiting for our table, we took advantage of the ice water available to anyone passing by. It’s a great thing to know about on a hot day!

The package included two drinks, so we ordered two Pomegranate Açaí - vitaminwater açai blueberry pomegranate, Bacardí Dragonberry Rum, Lime Juice, Agave, and Soda Water. The service startes with the Lemon-Vegetable Couscous Tagine, featuring fresh vegetables, olives, and preserved lemon. We each got two small plates to share.

We shared the following dishes:

  1. Spice Road Table Bread Service — Hummus, zaalouk, chermoula, marinated olives, and za’atar.

I love how Moroccan cuisine combines so many spices to create layers of wonderful, distinctive flavors. Sharing several small plates was a great way to sample a variety of dishes.

MercyMe in Concert

We got in line for priority seating at 6:40 p.m. and could already hear the 6:45 performance underway. When it was time for the 8:00 p.m. show, we secured seats in the third row. We were in a great spot to enjoy MercyMe!

After the concert, I checked off an item from my Disney bucket list: the Akoya Pearl experience.

Located inside the Mitsukoshi Department Store in the Japan pavilion, this interactive souvenir experience lets you select an oyster and watch as a Cast Member opens it to reveal your pearl. I ended up with a beautiful 7 mm pearl!

We finished the evening watching Luminous: The Symphony of Us from the area between France and the World Showcase exit. Unfortunately, some of the fireworks ash was falling on us, so we left before the finale.

The line for the Skyliner was long but kept moving, and we eventually made it back to Pop Century. Before calling it a night, I took note of the 1964 and 1966 trivia signs around the resort.

 

Saturday, September 19, 2026

EPCOT – Food, Fun, and MercyMe

We were up early and made it to Everything POP for breakfast by 7:30 a.m. Kelli had oatmeal, while I went for the Waffle Bounty Platter, which included a Mickey-shaped waffle, scrambled eggs, potato barrels, bacon, and sausage.

We headed to EPCOT to take advantage of the 8:30 AM Early Entry.

Before entering the park, we stopped at Guest Relations to have our tickets adjusted so we could spend a second day at EPCOT. Cast Member Jared helped us get everything sorted out.

Soarin’ Around America

Once we were in the park, we headed straight to The Land pavilion and beat the regular crowds to the new Soarin’ Around America attraction.
What a great addition! We enjoyed it so much that we went on a second time. This time, we managed to get the top row in the middle section—a great spot for the experience.

Patrick Warburton, best known as David Puddy on Seinfeld, still stars as the Chief Flight Attendant in the pre-show. However, he now sports a mustache! For the safety video, he introduces his former, clean-shaven self.

Next, we enjoyed Living with the Land with only a short wait. This time, we noticed displays featuring fruits and vegetables used to prepare many of the dishes served during the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival.

We then headed to the Seas Pavilion, where the lines for both the Lightning Lane and standby entrances for The Seas with Nemo & Friends stretched out the door. The ride must have been temporarily down, so we went inside the pavilion and waited for the next showing of Turtle Talk with Crush

A new addition to Turtle Talk was the appearance of Bailey, the beluga whale.

Afterward, we watched the Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival and took some pictures of the monorail and the fountains outside the pavilion.

We wanted to try the coffee drinks at the Belgian Food & Wine Festival booth in the World Showcase, near France. Kelli ordered the nonalcoholic Chilled Belgian Coffee, while I tried the Chilled Belgian Coffee with ChocoLat Deluxe Salted Caramel Chocolate Liqueur. Both were fantastic!
To escape the heat for a while and relax, we headed to the Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along.

Next, we made our way over to Canada, where we admired the beautiful Victoria Gardens before checking in about half an hour early for our Le Cellier Steakhouse Concert Series lunch. We had a short wait before being seated.

The bread service came with a delicious butter topped with sea salt and maple sugar.

I ordered the Ottawa Apple, made with Canadian whisky, maple, apple infusion, and cranberry juice. For my entrée, I had the Le Cellier Filet Mignon, featuring mushroom risotto, Pomodoraccio tomatoes, Chardonnay-truffle butter sauce, and petit herbs.

Kelli ordered the Filet Mignon with mashed potatoes and the Sauce Flight. We both loved the sauce flight, and every sauce was delicious! The five sauces were Chardonnay-Truffle Butter, Cabernet Demi, Brandy-Peppercorn, Béarnaise, and Sauce Verte.

For dessert, we shared the Maple Crème Brûlée, served with Chantilly cream, seasonal fruit, and tuile, along with the Canadian Butter Tart, featuring brown butter panna cotta, maple crème anglaise, and cocoa nib tuile.

By 2:30 PM, the heat, humidity, and crowds had become too much, so we left EPCOT and headed back to the resort to relax. We tried the pool, but lighting in the vincinity had closed it.

We returned to EPCOT at 4:30 PM. Shortly after arriving, we spotted a red-shouldered hawk flying into a tree. Nobody else seemed to notice it, but we were happy to catch the sighting!

We watched the 5:30 PM concert from the back of the theater, standing for the performance.

After a bathroom break, we got in line at 6:40 PM as the crowd for the 6:45 show was being admitted. We stopped along the wall and let the remaining 6:45 crowd pass us. That strategy worked out perfectly! We ended up as numbers 17 and 18 in line for the next show, and we listened to the 6:45 PM performance while waiting for our turn. Cast Member Hassan did a fantastic job organizing the lines, and those with scooters and wheelcheers, all with a cheery smile.

This gave us excellent seats for the 8:00 PM show. We chose the second row, right in the center of the stage! Kelli especially enjoyed the concert because she was only about 20 feet from the lead singer.

We left the park right after the show and encountered only a short line for the Skyliner.

Back at Pop Century, we stopped at Everything Pop for some late-night desserts. We picked up a Whoopie Monster with apple and caramel marshmallow buttercream and the classic Tie-Dye Cheesecake. Kelli even saved me a monster eyeball!


Sunday, September 20,2026

Magic Kingdom – New Attractions, Fall Decorations, and Resort Time

We were up and out early, heading to breakfast at 6:30 AM while it was still dark outside. Unfortunately, the cast members at Everything Pop seemed a bit disorganized. The bagels weren't ready for the egg-and-bacon sandwiches, and when we ordered oatmeal, one cast member disappeared for five minutes to get cups. I eventually switched to scrambled eggs and bacon.

After breakfast, we took the resort bus to Magic Kingdom and were walking up Main Street, U.S.A., by 8:00 AM.

Our first stop was the Purple Wall for a selfie on the way to Tomorrowland. We were eager to try the updated Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. The ride has been refreshed, with redesigned rooms and removable blasters, similar to the version at Disneyland.

Unfortunately, neither of us managed to score beyond the second level, Astro Aviators. My score was 86,580, while Kelli scored 31,925.
Next, we enjoyed a relaxing ride on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover.

As we made our way toward Fantasyland, the White Rabbit was out greeting guests and posing for pictures. We rested on a wall a little farther along and waved as he walked past us on his way to take a break.

Our next attraction was Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid.

Behind Cinderella Castle, we stopped to take the magical picture of the Cinderella statue. If you kneel down in front of her, the crown painted on the wall behind the statue appears perfectly positioned on Cinderella’s head!

We then made our way back to Main Street so Kelli could do some shopping. While she browsed, I headed outside to photograph all the pumpkins lining the street. I also enjoyed listening to the Dapper Dans singing aboard the horse-drawn trolley.

By then, we decided it was time to leave the park, avoid the worst of the day's heat, and enjoy some resort time.

We were back at Pop Centuryby 11 AM, we grabbed our refillable mug and enjoyed some drinks at Everything Pop.

We finally got to spend a couple of hours at the pool, The life guards did close the pool due to lightning in the vicinity. After showering we headed over to Art of Animation's Landscape of Flavors food court for a late, light lunch. Along the way, I heard some distant outdoor alarms, followed by lightning and thunder at almost the same instant. These alarms seem to detect lightning just a few seconds before a strike. If you ever hear one going off right next to you, DUCK! It started raining as we arrived and it poured as we ate.

We shared the Chicken Adobo Nachos, made with corn tortilla chips, grilled chicken adobo, avocado, roasted corn pico, zesty cheese sauce, and cilantro-lime crema. They were delicious!

For dessert, we tried the Chocolate Sketch Cake. It featured vanilla cake, vanilla buttercream, and chocolate ganache, topped with an edible sketch of Simba. It was almost too cute to eat!

After lunch, we browsed the Ink & Paint Gift Shop before returning to our room to relax as the rain began.

Dinner was back at Everything Pop, where we split an order of pasta and meatballs. We wanted to save room for the Ice Cream Truck Sundae, which came with our choice of soft-serve ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, rainbow sprinkles, cherries, and Snickers pieces. Best of all, you get to keep the little ice cream truck!

I also wanted to stop at Petals Pool Bar for a drink, something I hadn't done in years. I ordered the Piña CoLAVA, made with Bacardí raspberry rum blended with coconut, pineapple, and raspberry purée.

It was okay, but the serving size was very small for $17.50. I remember getting Piña CoLAVAs twice the size at the Dawa Bar in Animal Kingdom!


Monday, September 21,2026

Gatorland and the Journey Home

For our final morning, breakfast consisted of oatmeal, bacon, an egg-and-cheese bagel, and potato tots. We also spotted a tame great egret.

Since our JetBlue flight wasn't scheduled to depart until 2:20 PM, we went online and purchased two tickets to Gatorland. Rather than heading straight to the airport, we decided to squeeze in one more adventure before going home!

After checking out of Pop Century, we arrived at Gatorland just before opening. We had a blast!

I'll admit that Kelli and I enjoyed the wild birds there even more than the captive animals. Wood storks, great egrets, and snowy egrets came remarkably close to visitors as they tried to steal fish being fed to the alligators. Watching them was a highlight for us! We also saw Common Gallinule with chicks, Boat-tailed Grackles, Tricolored Heron and White Ibis

 

Of course, Gatorland offers much more than alligators. We also saw snakes, tortoises, a Florida cougar, capybaras, crocodiles, and parakeets.

The park also had plenty of funny signs scattered throughout, adding to the fun.

 

We spent some time browsing the large gift shop before heading to the airport.

Lunch was at Shake Shack, and we took a motorized cart to our gate. Our plane was named Blue Thumbs Up.

We taxied toward the runway but then stopped. There was a delay because the radar system in the Northeast had gone out. We were told we would have to wait until 3:00 PM to find out whether we could take off, would have to wait longer, or would return to the gate.

At 3:00 PM, we learned that the radar had been fixed, but planes were backed up around the airports, and we would have to wait for the traffic to ease. Then, at 4:00 PM, we received word that we would be taking off in about 10 minutes. We were now an hour and 50 minutes behind schedule!

We also learned that the backup system for the radar had been cut by Amtrak. Needless to say, we breathed a sigh of relief when we finally took off.

During the flight, I watched the final part of Project Hail Mary and then watched Barbie.

Scott picked us up at 7:00 PM, and we arrived home just before 8:00 PM.

And just like that, our September Disney getaway came to an end. We had enjoyed new attractions, great food, a wonderful concert, relaxing pool time, and a final adventure at Gatorland before heading home.

Thanks for reading.  

Michael and Kelli

Read our other trip reports at Kelli and Mike's Adventures

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