Disney World’s After Hours experience
Three of the Disney World Parks offer After Hours: Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT. Typhoon Lagoon also offers After Hours. I experienced Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios and I have to say it was totally worth it!
What are After Hours?
After Hours are a special event offered on specific dates for different parks. After Hours tickets give the park guest an additional 3 hours in the park after it closes. During this time most of the rides (but not all!) are still running, there are free drinks and snacks, and special character meet and greets! It is a limited quantity ticketed event. This means that once the park closes the crowds are gone and you can stroll through the park without feeling overwhelmed by crowds and long lines. You do not have to have a regular ticket for the park and if you have a regular ticket for that particular day you still need to purchase the special event ticket if you want to stay for after hours.
What you get with After Hours TIckets:
3 extra hours after park close
You can get into the park starting at 7pm.
Short wait times for rides that are open
Special character Meet and Greets
Snacks and Drinks (that are included in the cost of the ticket price)
Magic Kingdom
After Hours for Magic Kingdom are running on select dates January - July 2026. The ticket gets you park access from 10pm-1am but you can get into the park at 7pm. There is a special fireworks show that happens only during after hours. Ride options vary but it seems like most things run (as long as they are working).
Hollywood Studios
After Hours for Hollywood Studios are running on select dates from January - September 2026. The hours at Hollywood studios vary a little (as a park it closes earlier than you would think!) but generally speaking you will have access from 9:30-12:30 or 10:00pm -1:00am depending on park hours on that day. You still get 7pm entry. And if you use your ticket to get in earlier, you can see everyone’s favorite show - Fantasmic! Then you stay while the crowds make their way out of the park for closing.
The attractions that run during HS After Hours (according to the Disney website):
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Slinky Dog Dash
Toy Story Mania!
Alien Swirling Saucers
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
EPCOT
After Hours at EPCOT run from January - September 2026 and get you access to the park from 9:30am-12:30pm. If you decide to go in earlier then you can see the EPCOT Nighttime spectacular, Luminous The Symphony of Us.
The attractions that run during EPCOT After Hours (according to the website):
Things to Consider:
Restaurants and Carts might not be open
If you want to go to the park before 7:00pm you need a regular admission ticket
Not all rides/attractions will be open/running
Regular character meet and greets probably won’t be open
Tickets usually cost about the same as a full day admission ticket
Reasons to Purchase After Hours Tickets
You want to go to a park but don’t want to deal with the crowds
You want extra time in a park
Low wait times
Special fireworks (MK only)
Want to go to a park but don’t want to buy a park hopper or add a day to your trip
My Experience with After Hours
I took a short 3 day trip to Disney for my 40th birthday. Because the trip was short I wanted to pack in as much as I could. During the days I was there Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios both had After Hours. Using the After Hours admission we were able to go to Hollywood Studios at 7:00pm the day we arrived. When you get to the park entrance there are signs that direct you to a gate for After Hours admission. They give you a wristband so they know you can stay after park close. We got a drink at Oga’s Cantina and watched Fantasmic (it is just SO GOOD). When the crowds left, walking around the park was glorious. Special characters (Stitch, Jiminy Cricket, and Mary Poppins) came out to take pictures and we got on Minnie and Mickey’s runaway Railway in under 5 minutes. The park was so empty it felt a little like being in the Twilight Zone. We were able to get popcorn, bottles of water (they had other drinks), and ice cream.
Disney After hours Check-in Sign
Magic Kingdom After Hours did not offer as much with special characters while we were there. Cinderella was walking around during the regular fireworks (we entered the Park at 7:00pm). We did a Meet and Greet with Mickey sometime after midnight which was fun. We also got on Winnie the Pooh, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Haunted Mansion, and other rides with no wait more than 10 minutes. We ate Mickey ice cream (included in the ticket price). The special fireworks were perfection.
Is It Worth It?
I think if you can spend the money, After hours are worth it. It is a special experience to be in a nearly empty park walking around. You walk up to an open cart and get popcorn, get on to rides with no wait times, and see characters that aren’t normally out. It can be a nice addition to a short trip. I hope I get to try EPCOT after hours at some point!
Have questions or want to book After Hours tickets? Reach out!