What is the difference between after hours and extended hours at Disney World?

The Magic Kingdom hours generally run from 10PM to midnight, and the event in EPCOT is usually 9PM to 11PM. That means you'll only get 2 hours of extra time with Extended Hours, whereas the After Hours events give you 3 hours of park time after the parks close.



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The Magic Kingdom hours generally run from 10PM to midnight, and the event in EPCOT is usually 9PM to 11PM. That means you'll only get 2 hours of extra time with Extended Hours, whereas the After Hours events give you 3 hours of park time after the parks close.

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Disney After Hours is a specially ticketed event (meaning it's a ticket that is purchased separate from regular park tickets) that allows people to enter Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom at 7 p.m. and stay until midnight or 1 a.m. (ending time varies by date).

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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.

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The missed rides were Mad Tea Party, Under the Sea, “it's a small world,” and the Carrousel, all of which are easy to fit into a regular day at Magic Kingdom. I skipped the shows intentionally because they're also easy to fit into a regular day at Magic Kingdom, and they're time-consuming.

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One of the most popular events at Walt Disney World has been the Disney After Hours events that are held in select theme parks on certain nights. The event requires the purchase of a separate ticket, and while they are not inexpensive, the events are popular and often sell out.

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However, that has changed. You now can only park hop AFTER 2PM. So you'll have to wait until well after lunchtime if you're planning on visiting another park. However, this rule is different for Annual Passholders.

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Early Theme Park Entry is available to guests staying at any Walt Disney World Resort, allowing them to enter the parks 30 minutes prior to opening. Extended Evening Hours allow guests to stay in the parks after they close — but they are only available for those staying at select resorts.

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The Disney After Hours at EPCOT event takes place from 10.00pm to 1.00am. You can get a head start on the fun by entering EPCOT at 7.00pm. You do not need a Disney park reservation or additional ticket to enter EPCOT after 7.00pm.

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Evening Extra Magic Hours are offered at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney's Hollywood Studios, but not (yet) at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Evening sessions are usually more crowded at the Magic Kingdom and the Studios than at Epcot. Those evening EMH crowds can be just as large as those throughout the day.

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Splurge on after-hours events In 2023, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom are selling tickets for dates early in the year at prices that rival a full day's admission. “That is an enormous time saver,” said Jeffrey Merola, a Walt Disney World guidebook author and owner of Mouse Vacation Planning.

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If you want to avoid long lines there's no simpler way than to wake up early and get to the park before it opens. Whether you have access to early entry or not, being at the park entrance before it opens will save you lots of time. Usually, you can get in 2-3 rides during the first hour of park operation.

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You don't need a parks pass reservation for any parks you visit after 2PM after you visit your first park, however you do need to start your day at that first park with a parks pass reservation.

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Early Theme Park Entry is a perk offered to guests of Walt Disney World Resort hotels (and select partner hotels) that allows guests access to the park 30 minutes before its scheduled open, every day.

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Before we get to advance reservations, I want to quickly cover an option you'll want to keep in mind during your trip—walk up lists. Like basically all restaurants in the world, you can always walk up to a Disney restaurant and see if they're taking walk ups and what a wait might look like.

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Visiting multiple theme parks in one day is A LOT, but it is oh-so rewarding to meet all of your favorite characters and experience your must-do attractions. The short answer is: As long as you have a valid theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option or an annual pass, you can park hop as many times as you'd like!

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I'm happy to share that you are able to visit a park more than once a day. A valid theme park ticket with a theme park ticket reservation does allow in and out privileges as long as the park has not reached capacity.

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For those with short trips, Disney After Hours is an excellent way to make the most of your time in the park, since you'll be able to get so much done in a short amount of time. So, if you're looking for a truly special and unforgettable Disney experience, we highly recommend giving Disney After Hours a try.

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So, how much does it cost to rent out Disney World for the day? The cost to do this will run in the $2,000,000 to $5,000,000 range to rent out a Disney World park, depending on the park as well as the time of the year. Disney is all about price discrimination.

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Starting over in Magic Kingdom, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train had the longest average wait time with 66 minutes. Last week the average wait time was 68 minutes, so the time stayed pretty steady since then.

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Tip #2 – Don't Try To Do Everything at Magic Kingdom Unless you're visiting Magic Kingdom on a rare slow day or you pay for a V.I.P. tour, it is very unlikely that you'll be able to do every attraction at the park. Focus on hitting the best attractions and not stressing about the wait times.

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