Disney After Hours in Magic Kingdom Park is a special ticketed event held after park closing in the Magic Kingdom. It takes place on select nights in select months. Hours for the event vary depending on what month it is and can range from 10 p.m.-1 a.m, 9 p.m.-12 a.m., or 8 p.m.-11 p.m. On a recent trip to Disney World, I experienced Disney After Hours for the first time and loved it! The event allows you access to the park after everyone else (who doesn’t have a special ticket) leaves. It’s amazing how much you can see and ride when only a few thousand people are in the park.
Cost
- It will cost guests $129 plus tax per person if a ticket is purchased in advance.
- Price increases to $139 plus tax per person if purchased the day of the event.
- Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members can get advanced tickets for $99
- All prices are for adults and children no matter the age.
The Disney After Hours Advantage
- Limited number of tickets sold means less people in the park
- Unlimited Mickey ice cream bars, popcorn, water, and soda (who wouldn’t love that!)
- Less people means more time to experience your favorite rides over and over again! For example, during my recent trip, I rode Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin five times in a row without getting off. I also rode the Haunted Mansion, People Mover, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Peter Pan’s Flight within the span of a half hour. There were literally no lines!
- Meeting certain Princesses is a breeze during Disney After Hours. Tiana, Rapunzel, and Ariel are available to meet with a very minimal wait time. (Editor’s Note: Keep in mind, this was pre-COVID-19)
- Seeing Main Street U.S.A. and Cinderella’s Castle with empty streets is truly magical. It feels like you’re the only one there. It’s you’re own private playground.
Rides Open During Disney After Hours
Guests can experience some of the most iconic Disney rides during Disney After Hours. They include:
- Astro Orbiter
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Princess Fairytale Hall
- Haunted Mansion
- It’s a Small World
- Jungle Cruise
- Mickey’s Philhar Magic
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Space Mountain
- Splash Mountain
- People Mover
- Journey of the Little Mermaid
In short, if it’s not being refurbished at the time, the ride will be open during Disney After Hours. And that’s why it’s so much fun!
Is it Worth the Cost?
This is the biggest question, right? Is it worth it to pay extra for an additional ticket to the Magic Kingdom? I think the answer depends on each guest and their family and here’s why:
- On my recent trip to Disney I went solo – no husband, no kids. Only paying $129 for myself was something I was willing to splurge on. Also, I had never experienced Disney After Hours and wanted to see if it lived up to the awesomeness I’d heard so much about. And to me, it did!
- It’s worth it for the amount of rides you can experience. My last trip was during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, a very busy time in Disney World. We used our regular Magic Kingdom ticket (we had park hoppers) during the day to see the parades and other entertainment only found during the day and didn’t ride many rides (except our FastPass+ picks) because the crowds were so big. Instead, we used our Disney After Hours ticket to hop on every ride we wanted to multiple times once the park was closed.
- It’s worth it with older kids. I personally, wouldn’t pay the extra money for young kids (5 & younger) because of cost and the late time of the event. Again, every family is different and should plan according to how they want to experience Disney World. My two boys are 8 and 10 and we will be doing this next year when we take them again. I think they’re really going to enjoy it.
- It’s worth it if you have a short trip planned. If your trip is short and you’re trying to do as much as possible, this is a perfect way to experience the Magic Kingdom in a short time.
Disney After Hours in Magic Kingdom Park was a fun and magical experience for me. I can’t wait to go back and show my family how much fun it is to feel like you’re the only one in the Magic Kingdom. If it works for you and your family, give it a try, you won’t be disappointed!
Have you participated in Disney After Hours before? What did you think of the experience? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, or on Facebook or Twitter!
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