Can you believe that we’re almost halfway through 2021?!

July is coming up and if you’re planning on being in Disney World, you’re in for an AWESOME time! While it may be one of the hottest months to be in the parks, there are some SUPER exciting things happening that will make the heat worth it. These are the 5 BEST things to do in Disney World in July!

1. Watch the Returning Fireworks Shows

That’s right folks, the fireworks are BACK in Disney World! Shows will be returning on July 1st, which means you get the entire month to watch them! Happily Ever After will take place in Magic Kingdom every night, and EPCOT Forever will be seen in EPCOT (obviously).

This is a big deal for Disney! We haven’t seen a fireworks show since March of 2020, as the shows did not return when the parks reopened. Now you can stand with your friends and family in front of Cinderella Castle and cry happy tears while watching the Tangled lanterns float up during Happily Ever After (not speaking from experience, or anything…).

EPCOT Forever was only around for less than 6 months before the closures, so if you didn’t get a chance to catch the show, now is your time!

The fireworks are the temporary nighttime show in the park until its new show, Harmonious, debuts on October 1st.

Click here to read more about fireworks returning to Disney World!

2. Visit EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival

Food and Wine is here!! The festival kicks off on July 15th and will run through November 20th, 2021. Visit returning booths like Brazil (that cheese bread though) and Hawai’i. And also some NEW booths like The Noodle Exchange!

Now, not ALL of the booths will be open in July. 9 of them will be opening on October 1st for the 50th anniversary. So just make sure you know which booths will be available while you’re in EPCOT!

July is a great time to be at EPCOT because you’ll be some of the first people to experience Food and Wine this year! We’re still waiting to see all of the official menus for the festival, but when we do, we’ll make sure to tell you right away!

Click here to pre-order our Food and Wine guide!

3. Celebrate 4th of July

Independence Day is almost here, and what better way to spend it than in Disney World?! It’s sure to be a busy day at the parks. In fact, Animal Kingdom is currently the only park that still has reservations available! 

The 4th is usually a super crowded day in Disney, with capacity often being reached early in the day. This year is a bit less stressful because if you have a park reservation, you know you can get into at least one park for the holiday. Remember, you CAN park hop after 2PM, but only if the park you’re hopping to isn’t at capacity!

We would suggest trying to hop over to Magic Kingdom or EPCOT to catch one of the fireworks shows if you can! And definitely secure your viewing spot early in the evening as almost everyone will most likely be trying to watch the shows. As of right now, Disney World is not showing a special fireworks show on the 4th of July.

Besides fireworks, Disney World has a ton of patriotic activities to celebrate for the holiday. You can watch the Voices of Liberty or snack on some great barbecue in EPCOT, wear festive red, white, and blue merch, or even enjoy the flag ceremony in the morning at Magic Kingdom!

Click here to learn more about July park pass reservations in Disney World

4. Enjoy a Meal at ‘Ohana Again

Fan-favorite restaurant ‘Ohana is reopening on July 9th at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort! Reservations seem to be a hot commodity, but if you can’t get one for the date you wanted, keep trying! Sometimes there are last-minute cancelations.

Characters dining is not returning, but there will be strolling music at dinner. You can finally chow down on those amazing ‘Ohana noodles or the famous bread pudding once again.

We know what ALL of the menus will look like at the reopening restaurant, including the menus for Breakfast, Dinner, and Drinks! And as soon as ‘Ohana is open again, we’ll bring you a full review of EVERYTHING!

Click here to learn more about ‘Ohana’s reopening

5. Eat Everything at Disney Springs’ Flavors of Florida

Flavors of Florida is back in Disney Springs this summer! Starting July 6th, there will be food, drinks, and products inspired by Florida at over 20 retail and dining spots in Disney Springs.

We already know about some of the food items that you can grab at this year’s event! There will be Watermelon Dole Whip at Marketplace Snacks, Chocolate Chip Key Lime Cookies and Key Lime Pie Cakes at Gideon’s Bakehouse (OMG), Florida Rock Shrimp Tacos at Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar, and Golden Honey Margarita and Grouper Tacos at City Works Eatery & Pour House.

We can’t wait to see what other delicious food is in store for us, and for the fun merchandise! We’ll definitely keep you updated when we find out about more items.

Click here to read more about Flavors of Florida

Those are the 5 best things to do in Disney World in July! We hope you have an AMAZING trip if you’re visiting the most magical place on earth in July, just remember to prepare for the hot weather and drink a lot of water! As always, stay tuned to DFB for all the Disney news and updates.

Click here to read about how to pack for a HOT week in Disney World!

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Are you going to Disney World in July? What are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments!

The post The 5 Best Things To Do In Disney World In July first appeared on the disney food blog.