This is a planning page, not a raid guide. You get the confirmed unlock schedule, a week-one plan, and readiness checklists that keep your first two resets clean.
Quick facts
- March 2: Midnight launches worldwide (3:00 pm PST).
- Week of March 17: Voidspire and Dreamrift open on Normal/Heroic (plus LFR starts).
- Week of March 24: Mythic opens for the first two raids, and Mythic+ Season 1 begins.
- Week of March 31: March on Quel’Danas opens on Normal/Heroic/Mythic.
- Week of April 7: March on Quel’Danas adds Story Mode + LFR.
- Exact start time by region (schedule is posted as “week of …”)
- Any last-minute changes to LFR wing cadence
- Maintenance timing that shifts the practical “first night” for your group
Confirmed schedule (week-by-week)
Everything in the table below is schedule-only: raid unlocks and season systems. No encounter notes, no boss planning, no spoilers.
| Week / window | What unlocks | What to do (actions) |
|---|---|---|
| Launch week (Mar 2–) | Launch window. Use it as a setup week. | Finish required unlocks, set a stable UI, pick your main, and make your “weekly rhythm” realistic. If you’re changing specs, do it now—before your first raid night. |
| Week of Mar 17 |
|
Build baseline power and habits. Clear your group’s chosen raid lane, patch obvious gear holes through dungeons, and start the weekly systems you can actually sustain. |
| Week of Mar 24 |
|
This is the “time pressure” week. Decide your lane (Mythic raid vs keys vs both), set minimum expectations, and cut low-ROI activities that steal your best play hours. |
| Week of Mar 31 |
|
New raid arrives with Mythic immediately. Re-prioritize your weekly plan and don’t over-farm older wings if your upgrade path shifts. |
| Week of Apr 7 |
|
Catch-up window. Use Story/LFR to bring returning friends up to speed, stabilize your roster, and keep your weekly routine consistent. |
Week-one plan (relative to launch)
Launch week (Mar 2–): remove friction
- Day 1–2: finish unlocks; fix keybinds; clean raid frames/nameplates; verify your interrupt and defensives.
- Day 3–5: lock your main and one fallback build you can play tired; set your consumables/gold plan.
- Day 6–7: decide your lane for week of Mar 17 (Heroic, keys, or mixed) and schedule your sessions like appointments.
Your character is functional under pressure: stable UI, no missing binds, and a weekly plan you can repeat. You don’t need perfect gear. You need a clean first two resets.
Raid week (week of Mar 17): build baseline, avoid chaos
- Non-negotiable: clear the raid lane your group chose (Normal/Heroic; LFR only if you’re catching up).
- Patch weak slots: use dungeons to fix obvious holes, not to chase a perfect spreadsheet.
- Protect your hours: week of Mar 24 adds Mythic + Mythic+. Don’t burn out before the hard week starts.
Readiness checklists
| Profile | Before week of Mar 17 | Week of Mar 17 priorities | Week of Mar 24 priorities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Returning player | Finish unlocks, clean UI, choose a main, prep basic consumables. | One clear path + a few dungeons to patch weak slots; start only the weeklies you’ll keep doing. | Start keys at comfort level; use Story/LFR to smooth catch-up; keep the routine small and repeatable. |
| Raider | UI stable, addons updated, consumables ready, role expectations clear. | Clear your target difficulty; keep a short list of “mandatory vs optional” activities for the roster. | Commit to Vault plan (raid + keys), tighten your time budget, and prep for Mythic scheduling decisions. |
| Raid leader | Roster audit, role redundancy, loot rules, attendance policy, calendar locked. | Set minimum expectations; track readiness issues early; fix coverage gaps before week of Mar 24. | Finalize Mythic roster + bench policy; set weekly ops cadence (review, recruiting, supplies, comms). |
Don’t expand the “mandatory list” as the season opens. Most groups fail week two because they try to do raids, keys, delves, and alts all at once.
What to do if you have limited time
2 hours this week
- 30 minutes: UI + consumables checklist (one-time fix, season-long payoff).
- 60–90 minutes: one focused dungeon block or one targeted raid wing with your group.
- Stop early on purpose. Consistency beats binge sessions.
6 hours this week
- 2 hours: dungeons to patch weak slots.
- 3 hours: your main raid lane (Normal/Heroic progression time).
- 1 hour: admin (consumables, schedule coordination, quick review of what actually upgraded you).
If your schedule can’t support prog nights, it’s worth planning for a clean clear path early—some players use raid carry options to secure a reset without reorganizing real life.
Common patterns (not confirmed, but practical)
- Launch week is a setup week: unlocks and UI fixes beat “extra farming” early.
- Week of Mar 17 is baseline week: you’re building habits and fixing holes before the hard week.
- Week of Mar 24 is the squeeze: Mythic raid and Mythic+ compete for the same hours—choose your lane.
- “Week of” timing can shift with maintenance or last-minute adjustments.
- LFR wing cadence is the easiest thing to tweak without “changing the season.”
- Competitive systems timing (especially keys) is high-impact—verify on reset week.
FAQ
Midnight launches worldwide on March 2, 2026 at 3:00 pm PST. Treat this as the start of your setup week.
Season 1 raid unlocks begin in the week of March 17, when Voidspire and Dreamrift open on Normal/Heroic (and LFR starts).
Mythic for Voidspire and Dreamrift is scheduled for the week of March 24.
Mythic+ Season 1 is scheduled for the week of March 24. Plan your weekly hours so keys don’t cannibalize raid readiness.
March on Quel’Danas opens on Normal/Heroic/Mythic in the week of March 31, with Story Mode and LFR following in the week of April 7.
Use LFR and Story Mode as a low-pressure entry point, patch weak gear slots through dungeons, and keep your weekly plan small enough to sustain.