Ready to experience the magic of a Disney World park after dark? Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom offers shorter wait times on your favorite attractions, including TRON Lightcycle / Run and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train! The 2026 dates run select Monday nights from Jan. 12 through July 27. (And your favorite frogs are offering discount tickets!) Here's everything you need to know about this enchanting late-night offering!
Hop To
FAQs
- What is Disney After Hours? Disney After Hours is a three-hour evening event that allows guests to stay in the park after official hours to enjoy limited crowds and low wait times for rides.
- What's included with a Disney After Hours ticket? Aside from event admission, you can also enjoy an unlimited amount of complimentary popcorn, ice cream and bottled beverages.
- When does Disney After Hours take place at Magic Kingdom? The event runs on select nights, starting Jan. 12 through July 27, 2026, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. You can enter the park as early as 7 p.m.
- How much are tickets? Prices vary by date, starting at $178 (including tax) if you purchase through Undercover Tourist.
Overview of Disney After Hours
Disney After Hours is a three-hour, separately ticketed event that allows guests to stay in the park after regular hours with limited crowds. That means you’ll encounter little to no lines while you enjoy rides, character meet-and-greets, and other experiences at the parks. Furthermore, you'll get complimentary popcorn, ice cream and bottled beverages throughout the night once the event officially starts!
Disney After Hours currently takes place at Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. Check out our complete guide to Disney After Hours for full details. Don't froget to check out our guide for After Hours at Hollywood Studios and After Hours at EPCOT for even more info. In the summer, you can also experience H2O Glow After Hours at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park!
Last year, we were able to experience 14 different attractions from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. This year, we're frogcited to watch Disney Starlight at 7:45 p.m., Happily Ever After at 9 p.m. and Disney Enchantment at 11 p.m. Check out our YouTube video from 2025.
Magic Kingdom After Hours Dates and Tickets
After Hours at Magic Kingdom takes place on select nights from Jan. 12, 2026, through July 27, 2026. There are 18 event nights at Magic Kingdom.
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 you may need a theme park reservation for select non-dated ticket types. As a reminder, most multi-day tickets no longer require theme park reservations. Hop here for more info.
If you're already in the park, you can pick up your wristband at select locations (we saw one at Tortuga Tavern).
- Monday, Jan. 12, 2026
- Monday, Jan. 19, 2026
- Monday, Feb. 2, 2026
- Monday, Feb. 9, 2026
- Monday, Feb. 23, 2026
- Monday, March 2, 2026
- Monday, March 9, 2026
- Monday, April 13, 2026
- Monday, April 20, 2026
- Monday, May 4, 2026
- Monday, May 11, 2026
- Monday, May 18, 2026
- Monday, May 25, 2026
- Monday, June 1, 2026
- Monday, June 22, 2026
- Monday, June 29, 2026
- Monday, July 13, 2026
- Monday, July 27, 2026
Ticket Sale Dates
For select Disney Resort guests, tickets went on sale Oct. 9, 2025 (including guests booked at Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin Hotels and Shades of Green). Tickets are now available to all guests. Dates can sell out, so be sure to book as soon as possible for this popular event!
Guests with an After Hours ticket do not need to make a park reservation to enter the park at (or after) 7 p.m.
What's Offered at Magic Kingdom After Hours
While most of the park is open for you to explore, not everything will be open during the event. Here are the rides and experiences that are confirmed to be available at Magic Kingdom After Hours in 2026.
Attractions (always subject to change)
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (newly reopened)
- Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (newly reopened)
- Jungle Cruise
- Space Mountain
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Haunted Mansion
- "it's a small world"
- Peter Pan's Flight
- Under the Sea — Journey of The Little Mermaid
- Mad Tea Party
- TRON Lightcycle / Run
Though not officially confirmed, the following were available at the 2025 event. We expect these to be available in 2026 as well:
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Swiss Family Treehouse
- Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
- Country Bear Musical Jamboree
- The Barnstormer
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Mickey's PhilharMagic
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
Entertainment
- Disney Enchantment (11 p.m.)
- If you arrive early, catch Happily Ever After before the event officially starts (9 p.m.)
*Times are subject to change.
Dining
Enjoy complimentary ice cream, popcorn and bottled beverages from snack carts at these locations:
- Popcorn and snack carts near Cinderella Castle
- Maurice's Popcorn near Gaston's Tavern
- Ice cream carts near Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Pinocchio Village Haus
- Astrofizz in Tomorrowland
- Ice cream carts near Tomorrowland Speedway
- Popcorn carts near Liberty Tree Tavern and Jungle Cruise
Select food and beverages are available for purchase at select locations, including:
Shopping
Last year, shopping was available at the following locations:
- Emporium
- Box Office Gifts
- Curtain Call Collectibles
- Plaza del Sol Caribe Bazaar
- Hundred Acre Goods
- Sir Mickey's
- Tomorrowland Launch Depot
Character Greetings
Last year, the following character experiences were available:
- Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater
- Princess Fairytale Hall
What's Not Offered During Disney After Hours?
Something to keep in mind for Disney After Hours: while most rides are open, there are no stage shows and limited character appearances. Here are some offerings that may not be available during Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom:
- Attractions such as Carousel of Progress, The Hall of Presidents and Walt Disney World Railroad
- Shows such as Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire or Enchanted Tales With Belle
- Regular or roaming characters beyond Town Square Theater or Princess Fairytale Hall
Tips and Strategy for After Hours at Magic Kingdom
To maximize your time at After Hours, we've compiled our top tips and strategy for Magic Kingdom:
- Arrive as close to 7 p.m. as possible to get the most park time for your money. For example, we recommend eating dinner during this time if you have not already (especially since most of the restaurants are closed during the event).
- A great way to fill the pre-event time is watching Happily Ever After (the first of two nighttime spectaculars!). This is also a great time to knock out some of the smaller attractions, such as The Little Mermaid, Winnie the Pooh or Magic Carpets of Aladdin.
- You'll want to decide if your goal is to either do as many rides as possible or ride your favorites multiple times.
- We noticed TRON seemed to remain around 30-45 minutes most of the night, with the lowest dip during the fireworks or right at the end of the night.
- The shops and food carts close when the event ends at 1 a.m., so grab any last complimentary snacks and drinks before then.
What We Love About Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom
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. Plus, we got to experience TWO different fireworks shows in one night: Happily Ever After during regular hours and Disney Enchantment exclusively during the event.
Experiencing the Parks in a Whole New Way
It's always fun to see the theme parks at night, especially with the glow of Cinderella Castle and Main Street U.S.A. Be sure to get that empty castle photo! Magic Kingdom 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?
We think After Hours at Magic Kingdom is worth the cost, especially with the addition of TRON Lightcycle/Run. In general, we highly recommend this event if:
- 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 want to get a lot of rides in at Magic Kingdom and don't care as much for the characters and entertainment.
- You are looking for low wait times for other high-demand rides. Toward the end of the night, we walked on to Peter Pan's Flight and only waited 10 minutes for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, two of the most popular Magic Kingdom attractions!
After Hours might not be a good fit if ...
- You can only get to Magic Kingdom once during your trip and you want to experience everything that the park has to offer. The park has a variety of characters, entertainment and general ambiance that are definitely worth experiencing — especially seeing Cinderella Castle in both day and nighttime!
- 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 Magic Kingdom? Let us know your experiences in the comments below!
Related: How to Make the Most Out of Disney After Hours Events at Disney World
Related: What's Coming to Disney World in 2026 and Beyond
Keep hopping!
