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You Won't Want to Miss Disney After Hours at Disney's Hollywood Studios

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Summary

I'm all about maximizing my time at Walt Disney World and trying to get short waits on rides. So you know I am thrilled that Disney After Hours events are now at one of my favorite parks — Disney's Hollywood Studios. Galaxy's Edge, here we come! All rides are open to event guests, including access to the popular Rise of the Resistance. Get ready for those empty nighttime Millennium Falcon and lightsaber photos! We attended the first event of the season and have created this guide with all the details and tips for this frogtastic event. (Psst ... tickets are on sale now — save some extra green by purchasing through your favorite frogs!) In even more exciting news, these events got extended on select dates through June 28, 2023! While these tickets are now sold out for the season, you can read on to see what to expect from future events.

Disney After Hours at Disney's Hollywood Studios

 

Overview of Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios

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! Check out our complete guide to Disney After Hours so you can get the full scoop on other parks including Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. Returning in 2023 is H20 Glow After Hours at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park!

Be sure to check out our Youtube vlog for the full experience:

Dates and Tickets

Disney's Hollywood Studios offers an After Hours event about once a week, typically on Wednesdays. Dates were previously available through April 19, 2023 — but just got extended until June 28! February, March and April events run from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., and you may enter as early as 7 p.m. with an event ticket. If you plan to arrive at 7 p.m. or later, you do not need to make a Disney Park Pass reservation. (Though if you want to enter before 7 p.m., you'll need regular park admission and a theme park reservation.) May and June events (on sale beginning March 3) will run from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

  • Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023  (sold out)
  • Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023 (sold out)
  • Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023 (sold out)
  • Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023 (sold out)
  • Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023 (sold out)
  • Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023 (sold out)
  • Wednesday, March 8, 2023 (sold out)
  • Wednesday, March 22, 2023
  • Wednesday, March 29, 2023 (sold out)
  • Sunday, April 2, 2023 (sold out)
  • Wednesday, April 5, 2023
  • Wednesday, April 19, 2023
  • Wednesday, May 3, 2023
  • Wednesday, May 17, 2023
  • Wednesday, May 24, 2023
  • Wednesday, May 31, 2023
  • Wednesday, June 7, 2023 (sold out)
  • Wednesday, June 14, 2023 (sold out)
  • Wednesday, June 21, 2023 (sold out)
  • Wednesday, June 28, 2023 (sold out)

Did you know Undercover Tourist offers discount tickets to Disney After Hours? You can save up to $5 per ticket!

What's Offered at Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios

Disney After Hours Hollywood Studios — Screenshot of wait times at Hollywood Studios

While the entire 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 Hollywood Studios!

Attractions:

  • Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
  • Star Tours — The Adventures Continue
  • Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
  • Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
  • Alien Swirling Saucers
  • Slinky Dog Dash
  • Toy Story Mania!
  • Rock 'n' Roller Coaster*
  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

* Rock 'n' Roller Coaster will be closed for refurbishment beginning Feb. 20. It's expected to reopen in summer 2023, but no specific date has been announced yet.

Characters (subject to availability):

  • Chip 'n' Dale near Center Stage
  • Woody and Bo Peep in Toy Story Land
  • Green Army Drum Corps in Toy Story Land (intermittently)
  • Rey, Chewbacca and Vi Moradi throughout Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (intermittently)

Entertainment:

  • Disney Movie Magic — 11:25 p.m.
  • Wonderful World of Animation — 11:45 p.m.

Disney After Hours Hollywood Studios — Complimentary popcorn, ice cream and drinks

Dining

  • Ice cream treats (Mickey bar, Mickey sandwich and strawberry bar)
  • Popcorn
  • Bottled beverages (bottled water, Sprite, Coke, Diet Coke)
  • Select items for purchase at Woody's Lunchbox, Milk Stand, Anaheim Produce, Rosie's All-American Cafe and KRNR The Rock Station, as well as select outdoor bars
  • Limited walk-up availability at Oga's Cantina

Shopping

  • Mickey's of Hollywood, Tatooine Traders, The Marketplace at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Dok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities, Jessie's Trading Post, Rock Around the Shop, Tower Hotel Gifts
  • Limited walk-up availability at Savi's Workshop and Droid Depot

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's what is not available during the event so you know what to expect:

Unavailable Characters:

  • Mickey and Minnie at Red Carpet Dreams
  • Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
  • Sulley at Walt Disney Presents
  • Chewbacca, BB-8 and Darth Vader in Star Wars Launch Bay
  • Donald and Daisy on the balcony near Oscar's Super Service
  • Goofy on the balcony at Tower of Terror
  • Doc McStuffins, Fancy Nancy, Vampirina and Pluto in Animation Courtyard
  • Jessie and Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story Land
  • Kylo Ren and Stormtroopers near First Order Cargo

Unavailable Shows:

  • Muppet*Vision 3D
  • Beauty and the Beast — Live on Stage
  • For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
  • Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
  • Disney Junior Dance Party

Unavailable Restaurants:

  • Quick-service: ABC Commissary, Backlot Express, PizzeRizzo, Docking Bay 7, Ronto Roasters, Kat Saka's Kettle, Dockside Diner, Trolley Car Cafe, Catalina Eddie's, Fairfax Fare, BaseLine Tap House. The Market
  • Table-service: Hollywood Brown Derby, 50s Prime Time Cafe, Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, Hollywood & Vine

Tips and Strategy for Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios

In order to maximize your time at After Hours, we've compiled our top tips and strategy for your night at Hollywood Studios.

Disney After Hours Hollywood Studios — Guide for Hollywood Studios

  • 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 dining options at Hollywood Studios. Be sure to check the My Disney Experience app for hours as some restaurants are only open for lunch. 
  • The pre-event time is also great for doing anything not available during the event, such as Muppet*Vision 3D. We also highly recommend watching Fantasmic and/or the projection shows.
  • There is typically half an hour between when the park closes and the event starts. Day guests can enter a ride up until 9 p.m., so there will still be some longer ride lines 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 9:30 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 9:30 p.m.). We chose to ride Star Tours since it had a five-minute posted time. If looking to do all rides, this is a great one to knock out first anytime before the event starts.

Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios — Toy Story Land

  • You'll want to decide if your goal is to either do each ride once or ride your favorites multiple times. Every ride is doable, especially if you go on each ride as you come to them instead of hopping around. Unlike Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios is not a perfect circle so your order can vary. You can also decide to repeat rides while you have the chance, especially in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. It's not often you can ride Rise of the Resistance multiple times in one day!
  • Keep an eye out for characters. Chip 'n' Dale have lots of fun roaming around Center Stage and are available for photos and autographs. We also saw Woody and Bo Peep at Toy Story Land with a short line for photos and autographs. Bo Peep no longer meets during the day so that was a toyrific surprise! There were also characters in Galaxy's Edge that we didn't get a chance to see as characters may end early.
  • The shops and food carts close when the event ends at 12:30 a.m., so grab any last complimentary snacks and drinks before then.

What We Love About Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios

Disney After Hours — No crowds in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

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! We did every ride with either a walk-on or under a 10-minute wait, which is nearly unheard of for popular attractions such as Rise of the Resistance or Slinky Dog Dash. Doing all the rides during a regular day would mean waiting in lines most of the time, but instead, we could hop right on!

Experiencing the Parks in a Whole New Way

It's always fun to see the theme parks at night, especially Toy Story Land and Galaxy's Edge. It feels extra magical all lit up, plus it is a great way to escape the Florida heat.

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?

Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios — 5 minute wait for Rise of the Resistance

Disney After Hours is definitely worth the cost considering how much you can get done, especially with the number of popular attractions at Hollywood Studios. We think the event is highly recommended for the following:

  • You aren't planning to go 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 Rise of the Resistance 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 little-to-no wait for Rise of the Resistance. We know for many, this might just seal the deal!

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

  • You can only get to Hollywood Studios once during your trip and you want to experience everything that a park has to offer. The park has such a variety of shows and characters that are definitely worth seeing!
  • Your budget can't accommodate the extra ticket cost.
  • You have young tadpoles that won't make it past midnight.

Have you attended Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios? Let us know your experiences in the comments below!

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

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Apr 11, 2023 at 4:31 p.m. Andrew Says...

Any thoughts on whether Disney will add more dates in July 2023?

Reply
Apr 11, 2023 at 12:32 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Andrew!

At this time, we do not know if Disney will extend After Hours at Hollywood Studios beyond June 28, but Disney can (and does) add additional dates throughout the year, so it's a possibility.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Apr 30, 2023 at 1:33 p.m. Mark Says...

If I buy Hollywood Studios After Hour tickets for June 28 and then they open up dates in July, can I exchange mine for a later date?

Reply
May 9, 2023 at 3:01 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Mark!

If additional dates are announced, then it could be possible to exchange dates as long as there is availability and the ticket is still on sale. (Pricing can also vary by night, so keep in mind that if a new date has a higher price, then you would need to pay the difference.)

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Mar 24, 2023 at 3:48 p.m. Melissa Says...

Does Fantasmic happen at both 8:30 & 10:30?

Reply
Mar 24, 2023 at 3:11 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Melissa!

Showtimes are subject to change, so it all depends on the date of your visit. Currently, Fantasmic is showing twice at 8:30 and 10 p.m. nightly, and it appears that this schedule will continue through mid-April before it goes down to one showing per night at 9 p.m.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Mar 23, 2023 at 10:41 p.m. erica Says...

Can you build a lighter Saber during this event?

Reply
Mar 24, 2023 at 10:13 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Erica!

A limited number of walk-ins for Savi's is available during After Hours.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Mar 16, 2023 at 2:43 a.m. Karen Says...

Hi! Thanks for this great info! Wondering why most nights are on Wednesdays when that is the day of the week Magic Kingdom stays open late for hotel guests? Does Disneyworld ever move the after hours nights around? Planning for a November trip so looking at differences hotels still. Thanks!

Reply
Mar 16, 2023 at 10 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Karen!

Disney does extend After Hours dates throughout the year, but we only know dates up until June 28 so it may be a few months until we hear any more After Hours date announcements. Generally, these events stick to the same schedule, but we also see occasional outliers (for instance, it will be taking place April 2, which is a Sunday).

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Mar 8, 2023 at 4:18 a.m. Casey Says...

So it looks like the milk stand in galaxy’s edge is not bailable after hours?

Reply
Mar 9, 2023 at 2:14 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Casey!

The Milk Stand is listed as available :)

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Mar 7, 2023 at 3:40 a.m. Michelle Says...

I’m really hoping they extend this at least one more time. As of now, the last night is our first night at Disney, and I think we’ll be too tired to go. At what point should I probably give up hope that they will put more dates for sale?

Reply
Mar 7, 2023 at 5:09 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Michelle!

It's not something we can guarantee, but in the past, Disney has extended dates throughout the year — usually a few months at a time. But as for which event at certain parks, we won't know until anything is announced. We'll be sure to update our post with any news though, so keep an eye out!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Mar 3, 2023 at 2:49 a.m. Kate Says...

There is a Hollywood Studios After Hours when we will be there this summer in peak season, but it's on a Wednesday when MK extended hours should be (we're staying at Beach Club). Is After Hours at HS worth paying for over free Extended Hours at MK? Or would it be better to get a lot done at MK at night and use Park Hopper for another partial day at HS instead? I should note we only have a teen, love Star Wars, character meets aren't a focus, and we'll go to both parks during the day for the shows and more rides. The expense isn't an issue if HS would be more valuable for lower crowds and getting to see everything around too, but if we can get a lot done with Genie + and Lightning Lanes we'd pass. Thanks!

Reply
Mar 17, 2023 at 3:09 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Kate!

That's a tricky one! Both Extended Evening Hours and After Hours will provide you with super low crowds - so we'd go with whichever park you'd like to prioritize. If a nearly empty Galaxy's Edge speaks more to you, we'd spring for After Hours. We've previously been able to ride every single ride at Hollywood Studios during After Hours, so we found that time super valuable and cannot speak highly enough about it (even though it'll come at a cost versus taking advantage of a free perk). With a Star Wars lover and a teen who can handle the late hours, we're leaning towards After Hours :) Have a great time!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Feb 28, 2023 at 3:54 p.m. Rebecca Says...

We will be visiting the week of April 24, doesn’t look like there are after hours available that week. Do you foresee any openings potentially that week for Hollywood Studios?

Reply
Feb 28, 2023 at 2:42 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Rebecca!

While it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye out, we don't think it's likely (though of course, if we hear otherwise, we'll be sure to share the news in our blog post!).

Stay cool!

Tad

Reply
Feb 25, 2023 at 5:28 p.m. Mike Says...

My family is planning our 1st trip to Disney World October 2023 and we were thinking about including an after hours ticket to Hollywood Studios! My question is, are more dates made available throughout the year or is it limited to January-June? Thanks for your help!

Reply
Feb 27, 2023 at 11:21 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Mike!

Disney can extend (and previously has extended) dates throughout the year; however, whether Disney chooses to extend After Hours at Hollywood Studios in October, we aren't toadally sure!

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Feb 4, 2023 at 4:58 p.m. Debbie Says...

Do you need a park pass to enter for this event?

Reply
Feb 6, 2023 at 8:21 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Debbie!

If you're attending the event, then you don't need a park reservation to enter at 7 p.m. (If wanting to arrive any earlier, you would need valid admission and a park reservation.)

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jan 25, 2023 at 8:26 p.m. Tina L Says...

Hello! Do you know if they typically offer after hours events the week between Christmas and New Years?

Reply
Jan 26, 2023 at 8:24 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Tina!

Not usually — Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party typically ends just before Christmas, and in the past, there haven't been any normal After Hours events during the busy holiday weeks of Christmas and New Year's.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jan 23, 2023 at 1:16 p.m. Ainslie Says...

Hello! We are going to after hours in April and can't wait however we thought we would be giving up a chance to go to Savi's workshop. Your article suggests it is open to walk-ins..is that right?! Are you able to book? Thanks for all the info, it's really helpful!

Reply
Jan 23, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Ainslie!

Thanks for hopping by! That's correct — a limited amount of walk-ins for Savi's is available during Disney After Hours. It does not appear that you can book in advance unless you make a reservation during regular park hours once you can enter at 7 p.m. For example, we just checked availability for March 22 — the furthest After Hours date available to book right now — and there are a few 7-8 p.m. time slots available but nothing beyond 8 p.m.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jan 23, 2023 at 10:58 p.m. Ainslie Says...

Thank you, it is great to at least have a chance for an appointment. Thanks for replying!

Reply
Jan 24, 2023 at 8:10 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Of course, Ainslie! Have a frogtastic time :)

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jan 20, 2023 at 1:48 a.m. Jenny Says...

Does the Skyliner keep running for these After Hours events? I see that it goes until the parks close....but if the park is still semi-open, does that mean Skyliner can take me home after the After Hours event?

Reply
Jan 20, 2023 at 9:04 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Jenny!

The Disney Skyliner operating hours vary depending on the parks' operating hours, but usually, it only stays open about 60 to 90 minutes after park close. But not to worry! There are buses available later for After Hours guests.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
Jan 19, 2023 at 5:02 p.m. Madeline filion Says...

Need to purchase 3 adult tickets for Disney's Hollywood studios for 02/22/23.for after hours. It seems that it is sold out. Is there a waiting list? What do you recommend? Appreciate any help. Thanking you in advance. Keep safe

Reply
Jan 19, 2023 at 1:25 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Madeline!

Unfrogtunately, yes, that date for Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios has sold out. Usually, additional tickets are not released and there isn't a waiting list to join. You could continue to keep an eye out for any potential ticket releases or ask at the gate on the day of, just in case, but availability is unlikely and not guaranteed.

Keep hopping!

Leap

Reply
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