Summary
'Sup! Tad here. Free, unlimited popcorn and ice cream plus staying up super late is basically my jam, so I toadally love attending Disney After Hours Events. Enjoy little-to-no waits on your favorite attractions at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom. Recently announced, After Hours will debut in EPCOT this summer, and you'll have a chance to ride the popular Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind! In this guide, we cover everything you’d need to know, so you can decide if an After Hours event would be a good fit for you — as well as our top tips for attending. (Psst ... tickets are on sale now — save some extra green by purchasing through your favorite frogs!)
Disney After Hours Events Overview
First appearing in 2016, Disney After Hours events turn Disney World parks into a whole new world. You get to see the parks come to life under the stars, and you don’t have to deal with large crowds or the mid-day Florida heat. It’s a win-win! On the other hand, Disney After Hours is a time-limited, separately ticketed event, so you also have to consider whether it’s right for your schedule and budget.
Disney After Hours events allow guests to stick around the participating parks after normal park hours with limited crowds. Yipee! 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 during the official event time!
These three-hour nighttime events typically happen during non-peak periods, and batches of dates are released throughout the year. They were first offered at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom for spring 2023. Hollywood Studios will be adding more dates beginning May 3, while EPCOT kicks off starting June 1!
They may have a similar name, but it’s important to point out that Disney After Hours events are NOT the same as Extended Evening Hours. The extended evening theme park hours are a new benefit for Disney Deluxe Resort hotel guests that allows them to stay in a park a few hours later than normal park hours. This offering is exclusive to deluxe resorts and does not require a separate purchase beyond valid park admission, unlike Disney After Hours events.
Disney After Hours Dates & Tickets
Disney After Hours is back in 2023 with select nights at Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. The event takes place from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. (or 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at Hollywood Studios through April 19). You may enter as early as 7 p.m. with just an event ticket.
Magic Kingdom Park
- Monday, Jan. 9, 2023 (sold out)
- Monday, Jan. 16, 2023 (sold out)
- Monday, Jan. 23, 2023 (sold out)
- Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023 (sold out)
- Monday, Feb. 20, 2023 (sold out)
- Monday, Feb. 27, 2023
- Thursday, March 2, 2023
- Monday, March 6, 2023
- Monday, March 13, 2023 (sold out)
- Thursday, March 16, 2023
- Monday, March 20, 2023
- Monday, March 27, 2023
Disney's Hollywood Studios
- 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
- Wednesday, June 14, 2023
- Wednesday, June 21, 2023
- Wednesday, June 28, 2023
EPCOT
- Thursday, June 1, 2023
- Thursday, June 15, 2023
- Thursday, June 22, 2023
- Thursday, June 29, 2023
- Thursday, July 6, 2023
- Thursday, July 12, 2023
- Thursday, July 20, 2023
- Thursday, July 27, 2023
- Thursday, August 3, 2023
- Thursday, August 10, 2023
- Thursday, August 17, 2023
- Thursday, August 24, 2023
Tickets are on sale now! Undercover Tourist tickets for Disney After Hours events range from about $130-$140 per person, plus tax. Tickets for EPCOT as well as Hollywood Studios tickets for May and June went on sale beginning March 3. Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels could purchase tickets to Disney After Hours at EPCOT as early as February 28, 2023.
Arriving at Disney After Hours Events
Even though Disney After Hours officially starts sometime between 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. (depending on the event), event guests are able to enter the parks as early as 7 p.m. You’ll definitely want to take advantage of that extra time! If you'd like to enter before then, you’ll need regular park admission and a theme park reservation.
If you arrive at (or after) 7 p.m., head to the specific event turnstiles where you'll receive a special event wristband. But if you have regular park admission and you’re already inside the park for the afternoon, you won’t have to go all the way to the entrance. There are typically stations inside the park with cast members distributing wristbands. Just be on the lookout for special event signs! At Magic Kingdom for instance, you could receive your wristband in Adventureland and Tomorrowland.
Once the park closes, guests without wristbands are directed toward the front to exit the park. There are typically 30 minutes from when the park closes to when After Hours officially starts to allow for this transition. Expect some overlap, especially near the front of the park as they are leaving at the beginning of the event, but the process happens fairly quickly. Depending on the park hours, there may not be any transition time. On our Magic Kingdom night, the park closed at 10 p.m., the same time as the event started, so just know you may have some crowds up until the event starts.
Before the event starts, we recommend eating dinner if you have not done so previously. Most restaurants are closed during After Hours, plus you'll want to maximize your event time. The overlap with regular park hours is a great time to do anything not open during the event. We recommend Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios or the fireworks at Magic Kingdom and EPCOT as the perfect time filler.
Disney After Hours Rides and Entertainment
As one of the most significant perks of Disney After Hours, you’ll be able to hop right onto your favorite rides with no — or very short — lines. However, it’s important to note that while most rides will be available, not all attractions will be open during the event. (Note that during the possible transition time from park close to event start, you can hop on any available ride by showing your event wristband. Ride wait times will not appear in the My Disney Experience app during this time, but all event attractions should remain open).
Here's what's open during the events in 2023:
Magic Kingdom
- Jungle Cruise
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Swiss Family Treehouse
- Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
- Country Bear Jamboree
- Splash Mountain*
- Haunted Mansion
- "it’s a small world"
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- Princesses at Princess Fairytale Hall
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- The Barnstormer
- Mad Tea Party
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Astro Orbiter
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Space Mountain
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
- Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater
* Splash Mountain will permanently close on Jan. 23 to make way for Tiana's Bayou Adventure, opening in 2024.
Hollywood Studios
- Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
- Star Tours — The Adventures Continue
- Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's 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. No end date has been announced yet.
EPCOT
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
- Remy's Ratatouille Adventure
- Frozen Ever After
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
- Living with the Land
- Mission: SPACE
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Soarin' Around the World
- Spaceship Earth
- Test Track
- and more!
At Hollywood Studios, we were able to accomplish every ride, either before or during the event! All rides were under a 10-minute wait with most being a walk-on. At Magic Kingdom, we could get most rides done, with everything having nearly no wait besides Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which stayed at about 20-30 minutes throughout the night (definitely allowing for a reride if a priority!).
Characters at Disney After Hours
Character meet-and-greets may also be available at every After Hours event. However, character greeting locations may be limited. At Hollywood Studios, we saw Chip 'n' Dale around Centerstage and Woody and Bo Peep at Toy Story Land. At Magic Kingdom, you can meet the princesses at Princess Fairytale Hall or Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater. You can expect that character greetings will be more limited during the party than in daytime hours, so if characters are a priority, hop to it during that early entry period!
Entertainment at Disney After Hours
At Hollywood Studios, enjoy additional showtimes of both projection shows at the Chinese Theater — Disney Movie Magic at 11:25 p.m. and Wonderful World of Animation at 11:45 p.m. You can also watch the first showtimes during regular park hours, which we recommend to maximize your ride times.
PhotoPass photographers are also available at select locations during the event. At Magic Kingdom, we got to knock off a unique and popular photo opportunity by holding Rapunzel's lantern by the "Tangled" area in Fantasyland — with almost no wait!
Disney After Hours Dining & Shopping
While exploring the park after hours, you’ll definitely crave a late-night snack. Included in the cost of event admission are unlimited ice cream treats (Mickey bar, Mickey sandwich and strawberry bar), popcorn and select beverages (bottled water, Sprite, Coke, Diet Coke), available at carts stationed throughout the park once the event officially begins.
Most table-service and quick-service restaurants will be closed, but some select locations may remain open. At Hollywood Studios, select menu items are available at Woody's Lunchbox, Milk Stand, Anaheim Produce, Rosie's All-American Cafe and KRNR The Rock Station, as well as select outdoor bars. There may be walk-up availability at Oga's Cantina. At Magic Kingdom, Main Street Makery and Casey's Corner are open with select items.
Though we don't recommend spending too much time shopping during the event, select merchandise shops may be open during event hours. Limited walk-up availability may be offered at both Savi's Workshop and Droid Depot.
Hollywood Studios — 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 and Tower Hotel Gifts
Magic Kingdom — Emporium, Box Office Gifts, Curtain Call Collectibles, Plaza del Sol Caribe Bazaar, Hundred Acre Goods, Sir Mickey's, Buzz Lightyear's Space Rangar Spin Photos
Themed Disney After Hours Events
Disney H2O Glow After Hours
Typically held each summer, Disney H2O Glow After Hours is a separately ticketed event at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. This tadpole-friendly event features DJ dance parties, specialty food and drink, and a chance to enjoy your favorite water attractions glowing at night. Check out our guide to H2O Glow After Hours for all the hoppin' details as the event returns May 20, 2023!
Disney Villains After Hours
Disney introduced a wicked twist to the After Hours events in summer 2019. At Magic Kingdom, malevolent music and frightful lighting took over the park as Disney Villains took centerstage! Like any other After Hours event, guests had exclusive three-hour access to over 20 attractions after the park closes, but the event also featured a special stage show, a character cavalcade, a live DJ and specially themed ride overlays. The spooky event returned in spring 2020, as well. No word yet on if this themed event will return in the future.
Tips and Strategies for Disney After Hours Events
Here are our top tips for attending Disney After Hours events:
- Arrive at 7 p.m. for early access during normal park hours. You’ll want to maximize your time during the event, and this allows up to two or three extra hours that you can spend inside the park before the event officially begins. (Remember that you can get in at 7 p.m. with just your After Hours ticket. If you want to get there earlier, you'll need to have valid admission and a park pass reservation.)
- If you arrive before After Hours officially begins, visit any attraction or show that is unavailable during event hours. For example, we watched Fantasmic while at Hollywood Studios. In Magic Kingdom, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is not open for the event, so if going for all of the "mountains", be sure to ride during regular park hours. Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor and Carousel of Progress are also unavailable for the event, so if interested in viewing those, we recommend heading to Tomorrowland in the pre-event time. Note that they close early (often by 9 p.m.) so be sure to hop over early.
- Eat dinner before you arrive. While snacks and drinks are provided, only select food locations remain open. You’ll probably want to spend more time in line for rides and character meet-and-greets anyway!
- Prioritize your options. We highly recommend figuring out which rides or experiences are must-dos and tackling those as soon as you get there. Three hours pass by in the blink of an eye!
- Start with your #1 must-do experience and continue to move from one part of the park to the next. You don’t want to lose precious time hopping back and forth from opposite sides of the park.
- Don’t hesitate to take a short break. You might feel pressured to get everything done in the short amount of time you have, but don’t get so overwhelmed that you don’t enjoy the experience. (Plus, a break is the best time to eat a Mickey ice cream bar.)
Is Disney After Hours Worth It?
We’ve laid out all the details before you, and now it’s time for you to decide. Whether Disney After Hours is worth it truly comes down to whether it’s right for your family, schedule and budget. To sum it all up, these are the main pointers to consider.
After Hours could be a good fit if ...
- You want to hop on those popular rides with minimal wait times.
- You want to avoid long lines, large crowds and the daytime heat as much as possible.
- You're a huge Star Wars fan. Honestly, with this year's event taking place in Hollywood Studios, we think it's an incredible opportunity to visit with shorter wait times AND get a fun nighttime ambiance.
- You're only visiting Disney World for a short vacation and you just want to hit the highlights. This event can help squeeze in a park that you otherwise might miss due to your schedule's time constraints.
After Hours might not be a good fit if ...
- You want to experience everything that a park has to offer. Many shows stop performances after the daytime hours, and some rides are not available during After Hours events.
- Your budget can't accommodate the extra ticket cost.
- You have tadpoles. My sister, Lily, did not come with me on this one, since she's little and heads to bed so early. Instead, my dad, Leap, and I headed in to take advantage of all of the thrills and ice cream we could handle.
Overall, you're bound to have a great time in a nearly empty park with unlimited snacks no matter which park you choose!
If you're ready for a fun night at the parks, be sure to get your Disney After Hours tickets before they sell out. Have any questions? Ask away in the comments below!
Related: All the Glimmering Details of Disney H2O Glow Nights
Stay cool!
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