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All You Need to Know for Disney After Hours at EPCOT!

by Leap on February 2, 2024 18 Orlando   Video

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I'm all about short waits on rides, so you know I am extra thrilled that Disney After Hours is now offered at EPCOT! The separately ticketed event offers a chance to ride the park's most popular attractions, including Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. The 2024 dates run from Feb. 2 to July 18. (Psst ... save some extra green by purchasing tickets through your favorite frogs!) After attending the first event of the year, here's all the frogciting details for 2024!

Disney After Hours at EPCOT

Overview of Disney After Hours at EPCOT

Disney After Hours is a three-hour, separately ticketed event that allows guests to stick around after normal park hours with limited crowds. That means you’ll encounter little-to-no lines while you wait for rides, character meet-and-greets and other experiences at the parks. Plus, you'll get complimentary popcorn, ice cream and bottled beverages throughout the night once the event officially starts!

Disney After Hours has taken place at both Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom in the past and is currently also at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Check out our complete guide to Disney After Hours so you can get the full scoop, plus our guide for After Hours at Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom for even more info. H2O Glow After Hours also typically takes place at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park over the summer!

Check out our froggerific video on everything we accomplished at EPCOT After Hours last year (stay tuned for this year's video!), and continue reading for all the hopful details!

EPCOT After Hours Tickets

Disney After Hours — Event check-in

EPCOT After Hours events began Feb. 2, 2024, and will run through July 18, 2024. The event runs from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., and you may enter as early as 7 p.m. with an event ticket. Be sure to use the specific event turnstiles at the entrance. If you wish to enter before 7 p.m., you'll need regular park admission, plus a theme park reservation for select non-dated ticket types.

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  • Friday, Feb. 2, 2024
  • Thursday, Feb.8, 2024
  • Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024
  • Thursday, March 7, 2024
  • Thursday, March 28, 2024
  • Thursday, April 4, 2024
  • Thursday, April 25, 2024
  • Thursday, May 9, 2024
  • Thursday, May 23, 2024
  • Thursday, May 30, 2024
  • Thursday, June 6, 2024
  • Thursday, June 20, 2024
  • Thursday, July 18, 2024

For the initial dates, tickets went on sale on Nov. 14, 2023, to the general public, with a special early booking opportunity on Nov. 7 for Walt Disney World Hotel guests. Dates from April 25 to July 18 are available to resort guests as of Jan. 24 and to all guests as of Jan. 31. Dates can sell out, so be sure to book as soon as possible for this popular event!

What's Offered at EPCOT After Hours

EPCOT After Hours wait times

While most of the park is open for you to explore, not everything will be open during the event. The good news is — all rides are available during Disney After Hours at EPCOT, plus select characters and entertainment.

Attractions

  • Spaceship Earth
  • The Seas with Nemo & Friends
  • Journey of Water ~ Inspired by Moana
  • Soarin'
  • Living with the Land
  • Journey Into Imagination With Figment
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
  • Mission: SPACE
  • Test Track
  • Frozen Ever After
  • Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
  • Remy's Ratatouille Adventure

We enjoyed little-to-no-waits on rides and walked right on to just about all of them! Our longest wait was 20 minutes for Cosmic Rewind, though this included the pre-show so we barely had any wait at all.

Characters

Select characters may periodically appear throughout the park. We hoppened upon Mickey in France and Pluto near Disney Traders. Plus, Chip 'n' Dale make appearances at the DJ Dance Party near Mission: SPACE!

EPCOT After Hours — Chip 'n' Dale at DJ Dance Party

Entertainment

EPCOT After Hours sure feels like one big party with the event DJ spinning some awesome tunes near Mission: SPACE and Cosmic Rewind. The music gets piped into most of the main speakers, so you can groove to "real" music throughout the night! Chip 'n' Dale rocked the house with some epic dance moves at the dance party — they typically do 30-minute sets so be sure to save a little time to dance with our favorite chipmunks!

In Mexico, enjoy beautiful traditional folk music from the Mariachi Cobre and live bands at the Canada Mill Stage. Plus, select PhotoPass photographers are stationed throughout the park for photos (we saw lots of fun props like the Tinker Bell lantern!).

 

Dining

Disney After Hours EPCOT — Complimentary popcorn, ice cream and drinks

Enjoy complimentary ice cream treats (Mickey bar, Mickey sandwich and strawberry bar), popcorn and bottled beverages (bottled water, Sprite, Coke, Diet Coke) from snack carts:

  • Near Mission: SPACE
  • Near Creations Shop
  • Near The Seas with Nemo & Friends
  • Near Imagination!
  • Norway
  • Canada

Select food and beverages are available for purchase at:

  • Connections Eatery (until 10 p.m.)
  • Connections Cafe (until 11 p.m.)
  • World Discovery Hot Dog Cart
  • Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe (select items available)
  • Yorkshire Country Fish Shop (until 11 p.m.)
  • Rose & Crown Pub

Shopping

  • Creations Shop
  • ImageWorks – The "What If" Labs
  • Treasures of Xandar
  • Mission: SPACE Cargo Bay
  • Test Track SIMporium
  • SeaBase Gift Shop
  • Plaza de los Amigos
  • World Traveler

What's Not Offered During Disney After Hours?

Something to keep in mind for Disney After Hours is while all the rides are open, there are no stage shows and limited characters. Here are some offerings that are not available during Disney After Hours:

  • Shows such as Turtle Talk With Crush, Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along, Awesome Planet, Canada Far and Wide
  • Characters such as the princesses around World Showcase, Joy and Figment
  • Festival booths

Note that the section from China through Morocco is closed during the event, so you'll need to go from Norway, Mexico, the entrance to World Showcase, Canada, the United Kingdom and then France.

Tips and Strategy for EPCOT After Hours

 

To maximize your time at After Hours, we've compiled our top tips and strategy for your night at EPCOT:

  • Arrive as close to 7 p.m. as possible to get the most park time for your money. We recommend eating dinner during this time if you have not already. Since most of the restaurants are closed during the event, the bonus time is a perfect way to try some of the great EPCOT restaurants or many booths from EPCOT International Festival of the ArtsEPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival or EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival.
  • The pre-event time is also great for doing anything not available during the event, such as the EPCOT fireworks, meeting characters and watching any shows. Be sure to hop on some smaller rides such as Journey Into Imagination, Living with the Land, The Seas With Nemo & Friends and Spaceship Earth, since they usually have low wait times toward the end of regular park hours.
  • There is typically an hour between when the park closes and the event starts. Fireworks start at 9 p.m. and day guests can enter a ride up until 9 p.m., so there will still be some longer ride lines and crowds until the day guests are fully filtered out. During the in-between time, you can hop on any available ride by showing your event wristband. The complimentary snacks and drinks will not start until 10 p.m.
  • Check the My Disney Experience app just before park close to get an idea of wait times. Ride wait times will not appear in the My Disney Experience app during the transition time, but all event attractions should remain open (wait times will reappear at 10 p.m.). If you're looking to do all the rides, this is a great time to knock out a shorter wait before the event starts.
  • You'll want to decide if your goal is to either do as many rides as possible or ride your favorites multiple times.
  • The shops and food carts close when the event ends at 1 a.m., so grab any last complimentary snacks and drinks before then.
  • Nearly every ride we did was a walk-on with the exception of Cosmic Rewind at a 20-minute wait. Cosmic Rewind remained listed at about a 25 minute wait throughout the night. We decided to hop on right after fireworks ended (during the transition time between regular park hours and the event start). We recommend either starting with Cosmic Rewind or saving it for your final ride to extend your night.

What We Love About Disney After Hours at EPCOT

EPCOT After Hours - Frozen Wait Time

Just How Much You Can Get Done

Even with only three hours, you can get just as many rides done as a full park day, and even potentially more. With Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind being offered, this is the only time there is a standby option since it opened, which we're very excited about!

Experiencing the Parks in a Whole New Way

It's always fun to see the theme parks at night, especially with the glow of the Spaceship Earth lighting. It feels extra magical all lit up — plus, it is a great way to escape the Florida heat. We think EPCOT really shines (get it) at night — especially with the new World Celebration area — and is so much cooler, as it can be hard to find shade during the day (plus, we were able to get a photo with the Walt the Dreamer statue with no wait!).

The Calmness and Lack of Crowds

Tickets are limited for this event so you'll find the park nearly empty in some places. It's very peaceful with such low crowds. Staying up late can be draining but with very little standing in line, you hardly realize how late it is. Plus, at any point, you can get a pick-me-up with free popcorn, ice cream and drinks!

Is It Worth It?

EPCOT After Hours — Empty World showcase

We think EPCOT After Hours is worth the cost, especially with the addition of Cosmic Rewind. In general, we highly recommend this event if:

  • You aren't planning to go to EPCOT during the day with a regular park ticket, which will have similar costs, especially if you factor in purchasing Disney Genie+ and/or costs for a Guardians individual Lightning Lane.
  • You can book for your arrival day if you know your family can stay up late after a day of traveling. This could be especially ideal for those traveling from the West Coast. Reverse jet lag for the win!
  • You are looking for a standby wait for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. We know for many, this might just seal the deal!

After Hours might not be a good fit if ... 

  • You can only get to EPCOT once during your trip and you want to experience everything that a park has to offer. The park has a variety of characters, entertainment and cultures that are definitely worth experiencing!
  • You have young tadpoles that won't make it past midnight (or perhaps you're a fully grown frog who wants to catch up on sleep — we get it!).

Do you plan on attending Disney After Hours at EPCOT? Let us know your experiences in the comments below!

Related: How to Make the Most Out of Disney After Hours Events at Disney World

Keep hopping!

Keep hopping, Leap!
View Comments
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Mar 16, 2024 at 10:02 p.m. Amber Says...

Hello, will the shops at the different countries be open during the event?

Reply
Mar 18, 2024 at 9 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Amber!

The World Showcase section from China through Morocco is closed during the event. Out of the countries that do remain open, Plaza de los Amigos is available. Other gift shops include Creations Shop, ImageWorks – The "What If" Labs, Treasures of Xandar, Mission: SPACE Cargo Bay, Test Track SIMporium, SeaBase Gift Shop and World Traveler.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Mar 10, 2024 at 6:44 p.m. AmaJean Says...

We are going for a date night our second night there…grandparents will be arriving to stay with the sleeping kids! ???? The down side is they won’t be arriving until after 9. If we save GOG for last, when is the last entry time for the standby line?

Reply
Mar 11, 2024 at 11:09 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi AmaJean!

As long as you jump in line before the event ends, you'll be OK to ride.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Mar 2, 2024 at 3:49 a.m. Jess Says...

I'm going April 4th and staying at the Disney Dolphin - do you know if we can enter at the Skyliner/Friendship boat entrance near France, or only through the main front entrance to check in at 7? Thank you!

Reply
Mar 4, 2024 at 2:23 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Jess!

Yes! You can enter the park via the International Gateway entrance, and there will be a spot for After Hours check-in.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:32 p.m. Cecily Says...

Hello

If you get tickets for disney after dark at epcot. can you go through the cities at this event like morraco and china and others

Reply
Feb 12, 2024 at 4:19 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Cecily!

At the events we've attended, some of the World Showcase countries (from China to Morocco) were closed during the EPCOT After Hours events.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Dec 12, 2023 at 5:58 p.m. Jeremy Forbus Says...

Can you try to join the virtual boarding group for GOG when you enter the park at 7PM for the After Hours Event? I am sure there won't be any time slots available but it's worth a shot.

Reply
Dec 12, 2023 at 1:27 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Jeremy!

The odds are the virtual queue will likely be closed by 7 p.m. But as you said, if spots are still open, trying to join is worth a shot.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jul 27, 2023 at 5:19 p.m. Michelle Hayes Says...

Does anyone know what times the standby line guardians open?

Reply
Jul 28, 2023 at 9:57 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Michelle!

The standby line opens when the park closes to daytime guests, so typically right after 9 p.m.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jul 21, 2023 at 12:59 a.m. Christian Noyes Says...

Hey guys headed to the event in august! Is there any places that you saw serving alcoholic beverages during the event ??

Reply
Jul 21, 2023 at 8:59 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Christian!

Out of the limited restaurants open during After Hours, these would have some alcoholic options: Connections Eatery, Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe in Norway, Yorkshire County Fish Shop (open until 11 p.m.) and the Rose & Crown Pub.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jul 17, 2023 at 7:44 a.m. NAT Says...

Just to clarify before I drop $300… you do NOT need a regular admission ticket, just the after hours ticket- correct?

Reply
Jul 17, 2023 at 8:19 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Nat!

Correct — if you only plan to go to the After Hours event, you would just need that ticket.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jun 9, 2023 at 3:14 p.m. CarolCap Says...

Hi. You mentioned that if you are already in park there were locations to get late night wristband in the park without Leaving and reentering but this didn’t seem to be the case at first event. Is this going to change?

Also the calming atmosphere throughout park was really ruined by blasting the dance party music throughout the park, far away from the dj. The harmonious music soundtrack might have been great, random dance music wasn’t imo. A dance party like the one in Disneyland avengers campus with Peter Quill and Gamora characters would have been welcome near guardians ride to offset long wait for ride.

Reply
Jun 9, 2023 at 1:35 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi CarolCap!

This is a great question - we also were at night one and were able to check in inside the park with a Guest Relations cast member who had wristbands (we entered earlier with separate passes). This may be the only in-park location to get checked in (unlike some other events), so we've amended our post to reflect this. Thank for chiming in!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
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