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Disney’s After Hours: Are They Worth the Price?

Walt Disney World recently announced that After Hours will be added to EPCOT and extended at Disney’s Hollywood Studios through June. We thought we would breakdown what these events are and see if they might be worth the price for your travel party.

Friends at After Hours Event

What Are Disney’s After Hours Events?

Disney’s After Hours are special ticketed events that currently take place at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Starting June 1, this event will also take place at EPCOT.

With a ticket purchase, Guests can stay at the Disney Parks for three additional hours after Park closing on the day of their ticket purchase..

At EPCOT, price ranges from $129 to $139 per ticket, and the event will run from 10 pm to 1 am. Disney’s Hollywood Studios tickets are $139 to $149, with the event running from 9:30 pm to 12:30 am through April and then switching from 10 pm to 1 am for the May and June dates. Magic Kingdom currently only has dates through March 27. These tickets range fron $149 to $159 and will run from 10 pm to 1 am.

DISNEY CASTLE
DISNEY CASTLE

What Does the Ticket Include?

You can access those additional three hours and other benefits when you purchase a ticket to one of these After Hour Events. Guests can enter the Parks before the event. For example, even though the event starts at 10 pm at Magic Kingdom, Guests can enter the Park at 7 pm.

Guests are also able to enjoy free snacks and drinks throughout the event. Complimentary bottled water and pop are provided throughout the evening. Along with the free drinks, popcorn and novelty ice cream treats are also offered. You can enjoy all the Mickey bars you want.

Not only do you get additional time in the Parks, but you also can enjoy some delicious treats.

summer
Credit: Disney

Worth It: Summer Months

One time that After Hours are worth the additional cost is during the summer. The summer months are so scorching during the day at Walt Disney World that having extra time at night when it is cooler can be a huge bonus.

Attending the After Hours during the summer months will give you that extra time in the Parks without the heat.

Kid Krispie Treat
KidKrispieTreat

Skip: Little Ones

If you are traveling with little ones, there might be better options than purchasing a ticket to the After Hours event. Because the event doesn’t start until after bedtime, attending After Hours with little ones might lead to meltdowns and frustration.

Consider if attending will be worth it with little ones. Will being up that late throw them off the rest of the trip? Will they be able to stay awake to enjoy the event? Think about this before you decide to purchase tickets.

Family at Animal Kingdom
Credit: Disney

Worth It: Instead of a Regular Ticket

Another way to make After Hours worth it is to purchase this ticket instead of a regular Park ticket. This option will be beneficial during the hot summer months. Instead of heading to the Parks during the day’s heat, purchase an After Hours ticket and enjoy some cooler temperatures during the evening.

Use the morning hours to sleep in, use the pool at your Walt Disney World Resort hotel, or have a great meal. Then head to the Parks to enjoy the evening hours.

Pluto and Grand Floridian
Credit: Disney

Skip it: Deluxe Resort Guests.

There might be better options for those staying at a Walt Disney World Deluxe Resort than purchasing an After Hours ticket. Guests staying at these Disney Resorts can enjoy extending evening  hours at EPCOT and Magic Kingdom on specific days.

These specific events are given extended time in the Parks during this time. Because this is similar to what is offered during After Hours, it might not be worth the extra cost.

BigThunderMountain
Credit: Disney

Worth It: Ride Focus

If you are traveling with a group that is ride focused, then the After Hours events might be a great purchase. Since the After Hours event is a limited, Guests can get much more done during this short period. After Hours are a great way to accomplish a lot quickly.

Festival of the Lion King
Credit: Disney

Skip: Shows Focused

On the other hand, if you are traveling with a group that likes to focus on shows and entertainment, After Hours might not be as beneficial. The majority of live shows are closed during the After Hours event. This means that you might not have as many experiences to do during the event if you aren’t a fan of rides. Ensure you look at what is available during the event before purchasing your ticket.

minnie ears with fireworks
minnie ears with fireworks

Worth It: Love Nighttime Shows

Because you can get into the Park before the event, you can still enjoy the evening shows. We love that you can get to the Park and enjoy the firework show before enjoying the After Hour event. For those that want to purchase an After Hours ticket instead of a regular Park ticket, this is a great bonus that comes along with purchase.  Use this extra time in the Parks to enjoy those evening shows and even some rides before the event starts.

We are thrilled that Walt Disney World is again offering After Hours to Guests. There are a lot of reasons why we would recommend purchasing a ticket to these special experiences at EPCOT, Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios during your trip. Take time to look into everything that is offered so you can be sure this event is something your family would enjoy.

 

 

 

Jennifer Retzlaff

Jennifer became a lifelong Disney fan during her first trip to Walt Disney World in 6th grade. From that moment, Disney became a big part of her life. She quickly started to introduce her love of Disney to her family with a Disney honeymoon and then family trips when her youngest was 18 months old. She loves the magic that Disney brings to people through theme parks, cruises, and adventures. As a teacher, she tries to bring Disney magic into her classroom to help kids believe that “If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It.” She is also part of the Magic Vacation Planner team as a personal travel advisor. With this team, she can now help others plan magical vacations. She loves bringing her love to Disney to readers with How to Disney.

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