Disney World Cinderella Castle at night, when Extended Evening Hours take place at Magic Kingdom
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Have you ever wanted to stay extra long at Disney World at night? If so, there’s one way you can do that for free. And that’s by staying at a Disney deluxe resort! You’ll get the chance to spend a couple of extra hours in a Disney park. Today, we’ll explore that special perk for deluxe Disney resort guests.

When are Disney Extended Hours?

With Disney World’s Extended Evening Hours, guests at Disney deluxe resorts (and a few other hotels) can stay in a park a couple of hours later than everyone else.

Extended Evening Hours are only available on select days and at select parks. For example, next week (at the time of writing this), the Extended Evening Hours are on Monday at EPCOT from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM and on Wednesday at Magic Kingdom from 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM.

But the days and times do change, depending on when you visit Walt Disney World. If you’re planning a trip to Disney World, you’ll want to check the official calendar to see when the Extended Evening Hours will be during your vacation.

How do Disney’s Extended Evening Hours work?

If you’re staying at a qualifying Disney hotel (more about that next!), you’ll need the following so that you can stay late for Extended Hours:

  • Valid park admission
  • One of the following:
    • MagicBand
    • Disney MagicMobile pass
    • Key to the World Card

That second requirement is how Disney cast members (aka employees) will know if you have a reservation at a hotel that has the Extended Hours benefit.

Now, you may be staying at a Disney hotel eligible for Extended Evening Hours that doesn’t use MagicBands, such as the Swan Reserve. If that’s the case, you can still use your MagicBand to show that you’re staying at Swan Reserve. You’ll just need to make sure your reservation is linked to your My Disney Experience account and that everyone in your family is linked to the reservation.

What Disney hotels get extra hours at night?

If you’re staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort, you’re in luck! Whether you’re staying in a regular hotel room or a DVC villa, you qualify for Extended Evening Hours.

Four other hotels are also included in this special Disney perk. While not official Disney World resort hotels, they are all located at Walt Disney World: the Swan Hotel, Dolphin Hotel, Swan Reserve, and Shades of Green.

Here is the full list of hotels whose guests can take advantage of Disney extended hours:

What stays open during Extended Hours at Magic Kingdom?

The following rides are open at Magic Kingdom during Extended Hours:

  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Tomorrowland Speedway
  • Haunted Mansion
  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
  • Mad Tea Party
  • Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
  • Dumbo the Flying Elephant
  • Swiss Family Treehouse
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
  • The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
  • Country Bear Jamboree
  • Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
  • Mickey’s PhilharMagic
  • Peter Pan’s Flight
  • Space Mountain
  • Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
  • The Barnstormer
  • Astro Orbiter
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
  • “it’s a small world”
  • TRON Lightcycle / Run*

Please note that this list is subject to change.

*If you would like to ride the TRON Lightcycle attraction, you’ll need to join the virtual queue that night at 6:00 PM.

As for restaurants, they may not be open during Extended Evening Hours. You can check online or in the My Disney Experience app for when the table service restaurants in the park will stop taking reservations. But your safest bet is to make sure you have dinner before the Extended Evening Hours begin.

What stays open during Extended Hours at Epcot Center?

At Epcot during Extended Hours, you can ride the following attractions:

  • Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
  • Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana – New!
  • The Seas with Nemo & Friends
  • Soarin’ Around the World
  • Test Track
  • Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
  • Spaceship Earth
  • Frozen Ever After
  • Mission: SPACE
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind*

Like with Magic Kingdom, this list is subject to change.

*Want to ride Guardians of the Galaxy during Extended Hours? You’ll need to join a virtual queue at 6:00 PM that night.

The restaurants, stores and World Showcase pavilions at Epcot may not be open during Extended Evening Hours. You can check online or in the My Disney Experience app for restaurant hours and available reservation times. And if there is a specific experience you want to enjoy at Epcot that’s not on the list of attractions, you’ll want to make sure to do it before the Extended Hours begin.

What is the difference between Disney After Hours and Extended Hours?

Disney After Hours cost extra, while Extended Hours are free for guests at certain Disney hotels. Also, Disney After Hours are longer (3 hours long instead of 2 hours) and include complimentary ice cream, popcorn, and non-alcoholic beverages at carts in the theme park.

If you’re interested in Disney After Hours, you’ll want to purchase your ticket beforehand, as these are limited ticket events. We recommend getting your Disney After Hours ticket here so you can save up to $8 a ticket.

What is the difference between Early Entry and Extended Hours at Disney World?

With Early Theme Park Entry, guests at all of the Disney hotels can enter any of the four theme parks (Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Epcot & Magic Kingdom) half an hour early. And this perk is available each day. You can find out more about Disney World Early Entry here.

As we discussed earlier, Extended Hours are only for guests at select hotels. It only includes one theme park a day, on certain days (not daily), and lasts for two hours.

What is the difference between Extended Hours and Extra Magic Hours?

Extra Magic Hours is what Disney World used to call the special benefit of extra time in the parks. It’s now been re-branded as two different perks, Early Entry and Extended Evening Theme Park Hours.

How can I save money on Disney resort hotel stays?

If you’d like to save money on a deluxe Disney World hotel, we recommend booking your hotel stay here. This is a great way to save a significant amount of money (potentially hundreds of dollars or more) and something our family has done multiple times.

And if you’d like discounted Disney World tickets, use one of these ways to save money on your Disney park admission.