Guide to Disney World After Hours Events

In typical Walt Disney World fashion, there is always another party, another festival, or another special event to add more magic to your already magical Disney Vacation. Disney After Hours events are no exception. But, with the high cost of yet another ticket and limited hours, one has to ask; Is the Disney After Hours event at Walt Disney World Worth it? Here is everything to know about Disney After Hours this year. From ticket prices, to hours to complimentary snacks.

Getting the chance to head to the parks without the crowds, is always a good idea. And if you’re okay not starting your park day until about 7 PM, you can probably get in more rides during party time hours, than during a typical park day. See at Disney After Hours, you can expect limited capacity, complimentary snacks, and low wait times. 

Disney World After Hours Details

Not to be confused with Extended Evening Hours at Disney World, the Disney After Hours Events take place after the park closes, and requires a special ticket. Party guests get late-night access to the parks, with the chance to ride any of the 20+ open rides, without the line waits.

Disney After Hours Parties are 3 hours long but allow guests to enter the park early at 7 p.m., giving partygoers between 5.5 to 6 hours in the park on an After Hours Ticket. 

The biggest perk of a Walt Disney World After Hours event is the extremely low wait times. Think 5-10 minutes for all your favorite rides. While not every ride or area in the park is open, all the main attractions are part of this event. The park is close to empty, in a fun and eerie sort of way.

Disney World After Hours Tickets

When offered, you can grab After Hours tickets on Disney’s Special Events page. Disney After Hours Tickets range between $155- $185 depending on your selected park and date.

• Magic Kingdom from $175 to $185 (plus tax)
• Hollywood Studios from $155 to $185 (plus tax)
• EPCOT from $155 to $175 (plus tax)

On par with prices for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. But, there does tend to be fewer crowds.  It’s also meant for adults and gives a level of exclusivity you do not get at the parties. So what you’re really paying for here is a close-to-empty park with the opportunity to enjoy all the attractions you like without the wait.

Are There Discounts Available for Disney After Hours?

Yes. For both Disney Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Members, there is a $30 Discount offered for select nights in 2025.

What’s Included with your Disney After Hours Ticket?

• 3 hours After Hours access to the park
• Limited capacity offers lower crowds and less wait time
• Special character greetings
• Specialty Snacks 
• Specialty Merchandise
• Special Entertainment- sometimes
• Complimentary Snacks include unlimited popcorn, ice cream treats, and bottled beverages.

Disney World After Hours Food 

As part of your Disney After Hours Ticket, you can enjoy Complimentary snacks, available throughout the park. Ice cream novelties, popcorn, and select bottled beverages are all included in the cost of this ticketed event, available at carts stationed throughout the park. As such you won’t typically find Table-Service or Quick-Service Restaurants open.

That said, be sure to grab dinner prior to the party or at a quick service location in the park when you arrive at 7 p.m. While you may find a couple of places open after 9 pm, most food places are usually closed.

Magic Kingdom After Hours

Magic Kingdom After Hours Times are 10 PM- 1 AM. And guests are able to enter the parks as early as 7 PM the day of the event.

• January 6, 13, 20 and 27
• February 3, 10, 17 and 24
• March 3, 17, 24 and 31
• April 7 and 28
• May 5, 12 and 19

Rides Open at Magic Kingdom After Hours

• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• Jungle Cruise
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Swiss Family Treehouse
• Enchanted Tiki Room
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Splash Mountain
• Country Bear Jamboree
• Haunted Mansion
• The Barnstormer
• Dumbo
• “it’s a small world”
• Mad Tea Party
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid
• Astro Orbiter
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Space Mountain
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

Hollywood Studios After Hours

Hollywood Studios After Hours Times are 9:30 PM- 12:30 AM. Although, on March 26 and April 1, Disney After Hours will run from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m. Guests can enter the park as early as 7 PM.

• January 22 and 29
• February 12 and 19
• March 5 and 26*
• April 1* and 30
• May 14 and 28
• June 4,11 and 25
• July 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30
• August 6, 20 and 27
• September 3

Rides Open at Hollywood Studios After Hours

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

EPCOT After Hours

EPCOT After Hours Times are 10 PM- 1 AM. Note that many of the World Showcase gift shop locations and restaurants are closed during the event.

• February 27
• May 8 and 29
• June 19 and 26
• July 10, 24 and 31
• August 7, 14, 21 and 28
• September 11 and 25

Rides Open for After Hours at EPCOT

• Frozen Ever After
• Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
• Living with the Land
• Mission: SPACE
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
• The Seas with Nemo & Friends
• Soarin’ Around the World
• Spaceship Earth
• Test Track

Animal Kingdom After Hours

Animal Kingdom Park is not offering a Disney After Hours in 2025.

Disney World After Hours Tips

Just like making the most of Disney World Events, half the work is in the planning. In order to make the most of your After Hours Party time we recommend reviewing these tips, so that you can get prepared and enjoy the evening. 

Maximize Your Time

Arrive at the Park just before 7 pm. This way you can enter the park ASAP and start having fun right away and stretch a 3-hour long event to 5 hours. 

Before the Party Starts

Since you’ll be arriving in the park before the event you’ll have the option to take advantage of ALL the in-park entertainment, attractions, and food options. We recommend getting in all the things that won’t be available during the party; character meet and greets, fireworks, etc. 

Focus on the Rides and Entertainment

While the lure of “Free Food” is always exciting, keep in mind that the Complimentary Snacks at this event are basic. Popcorn, ice cream treats, and bottled beverages are relatively low-cost, so don’t spend the night waiting in lines for free snacks. Focus on grabbing these snacks in between the rides and entertainment. 

Grab Extra Free Snacks at the End of the Night

While we don’t recommend focusing on the free snacks, we do recommend grabbing some to take back to your resort before you leave. Heck, free is free! Right? Grab some extra treats for later.

Take Advantage of PhotoPass

Night photos are fun to take but they do take practice to get the right lighting, contrast, composition, and everything else! Plus, if a PhotoPass photographer snaps your picture, you are guaranteed a halfway decent picture. We recommend being sure to get a picture in front of the castle on the way out. Your chances of a picture without the people in the background are pretty good as it gets later in the evening. 

Disney World After Hours Review

From a budget standpoint, a Disney After Hours ticket is equivalent to a full-day ticket in some cases. It’s also more than a party ticket for either of Magic Kingdom’s main parties; Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. However, if you look at Disney’s After Hours event through the lens of how many rides you can get in during a certain period of time, we can guarantee you’re better off staying up late for this event.

A daytime trip to Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios will be crowded and will require waits whether it be for characters, rides, or experiences. Additionally, certain rides may be completely unattainable! Snow White’s Mine Ride and Rise of the Resistance routinely have high waits and you may not get to them during your trip. 

Is Disney After Hours Good for Kids?

While the Disney After Hours Events are one of our top things to do at Disney World for Adults, we feel differently about it for families. Disney After Hours isn’t great for kids under 10 years old. But this is a decision only you can make for yourself and your family. There are a few reasons that a Disney After Hours Event may not be great for little ones. The late hours alone require a lot from children who may have already had a very mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting day.

The pace of an After Hours event is all about fitting in EVERYTHING you want to do in a short period of time. While the lines are low, covering the ground of the park in a few hours, means potentially walking fast and racing around to get it all in. Only you know what your kids may, or may not be, up for.

Who Should Attend Disney After Hours?

This After Hours event at Walt Disney World is perfect for people who may be taking shorter vacations and won’t be able to take 2 days in the park. Mainly because you can tackle more rides in a few hours, in an uncrowded park, than during daytime hours. It’s also wonderful for Disney Adults who want to maximize their time in the parks, so they can spend their vacation enjoying other things like restaurants, resorts, and Disney Springs. 

Hopefully, this gives you a good idea as to whether or not a Disney After Hours event is worth it for you and your family. Let us know your thoughts!