After Hours Parties Returning to Disney World!
Disney After Hours events will return to Walt Disney World starting in January 2023! This post shares dates and details about the post-closing parties, plus our recommendations and ‘wish list’ for these hard ticket events.
Let’s start with the basics. Disney After Hours will start on January 4, 2023 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and January 9, 2023 at Magic Kingdom. According to Walt Disney World, these events “offer an incredible way to experience even more Disney magic during the last months of ‘The World’s Most Magical Celebration’ honoring the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary.”
In case you aren’t familiar with Disney After Hours, these late-night, separately ticketed events let you enjoy a Walt Disney World theme park for three additional hours after regular park hours, with treats such as ice cream, popcorn and select beverages included.
The main selling point of Disney After Hours events is that the number of tickets for these events is limited, which means lower wait times for some of your favorite attractions. Unlike Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, these After Hours evenings are advertised as low crowds events.
Let’s start by taking a look at attractions, event dates, ticket prices, and other details for After Hours at Magic Kingdom, followed by After Hours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios…
At Magic Kingdom, this means you can enjoy more than 20 popular attractions with lower wait times, including the following:
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Haunted Mansion
- “it’s a small world”
- Jungle Cruise
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Space Mountain
…And many more!
Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom takes place select nights January 9, 2023 to March 27, 2023.
Ticket prices may vary based on date:
Event Date | Price (Excludes Tax) | Price for Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members (Excludes Tax) |
---|---|---|
Monday, January 9, 2023 | $135 | $105 |
Monday, January 16, 2023 | $159 | $129 |
Monday, January 23, 2023 | $145 | $115 |
Thursday, February 16, 2023 | $159 | $129 |
Monday, February 20, 2023 | $159 | $129 |
Monday, February 27, 2023 | $155 | $125 |
Thursday, March 2, 2023 | $159 | $129 |
Monday, March 6, 2023 | $155 | $125 |
Monday, March 13, 2023 | $155 | $125 |
Thursday, March 16, 2023 | $155 | $125 |
Monday, March 20, 2023 | $155 | $125 |
Monday, March 27, 2023 | $149 | $119 |
Event Times
While this Disney After Hours event officially begins at 10:00 PM, your special-event ticket enables you to enter Magic Kingdom as early as 7:00 PM—when the park is still open to other Guests. You do not need a park reservation or additional ticket to enter the park at or after 7:00 PM.
When you arrive early, you’ll have extra time to enjoy attractions and entertainment. Plus, you can witness the wonder of Disney Enchantment, the nighttime spectacular at Magic Kingdom (for now!).
Purchase Tickets Soon
Guests of select hotels at Walt Disney World Resort can purchase tickets to Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom as early as October 4, 2022. All other Guests may purchase tickets beginning on October 7, 2022.
The advance purchase window is available to Guests of Disney Resort hotels, Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels, as well as Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Resort.
Tickets are limited and may not be available for purchase on the day of the event (or earlier).
Over at DHS, the After Hours event will be held on select nights from January 4, 2023 until April 19, 2023.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, attractions may include:
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Toy Story Mania!
…and more!
Ticket prices for After Hours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios vary based on date:
Event Date | Price (Excludes Tax) | Price for Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members (Excludes Tax) |
---|---|---|
Wednesday, January 4, 2023 | $145 | $115 |
Wednesday, January 11, 2023 | $129 | $99 |
Wednesday, January 18, 2023 | $139 | $109 |
Wednesday, January 25, 2023 | $145 | $115 |
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 | $149 | $119 |
Wednesday, February 22, 2023 | $149 | $119 |
Wednesday, March 8, 2023 | $149 | $119 |
Wednesday, March 22, 2023 | $149 | $119 |
Wednesday, March 29, 2023 | $145 | $115 |
Sunday, April 2, 2023 | $139 | $109 |
Wednesday, April 5, 2023 | $149 | $119 |
Wednesday, April 19, 2023 | $145 | $115 |
Event Times
This event takes place from 9:30 PM to 12:30 AM. You can get a head start on the fun by entering the park at 7:00 PM—a couple of hours before the event officially begins.
By January 2023, Fantasmic will certainly be back (right? RIGHT?!), so you’ll be able to enjoy that or whatever projections show is playing on Grauman’s Chinese Theater during the mix-in hours.
Purchase Tickets Soon
Guests of select hotels at Walt Disney World Resort can purchase tickets to Disney After Hours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as early as October 4, 2022. All other Guests may purchase tickets beginning on October 7, 2022.
The advance purchase window is available to Guests of Disney Resort hotels, Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels, as well as Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Resort.
Tickets are limited and may not be available for purchase on the day of the event (or earlier).
We’ve done every single After Hours event that Walt Disney World has held, from the themed ones (Villains, Halloween, Christmas) to these vanilla ones at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios (back in 2018 through early 2020). Our experiences have been positive, although colored by a bit by annoyance that what was once free now costs money.
At this point, that feels like the story of Walt Disney World.
For those who don’t follow, Magic Kingdom used to close at midnight on even moderately crowded days (if this year was any indication, January through March 2023 will qualify). On many of those same nights, Magic Kingdom had Extra Magic Hours until 3 a.m. (Evening Extra Magic Hours used to be 3 hours long).
This was even the case during the Great Recession when attendance was lower than it is now, so daytime crowds were comparatively light. Now, attendance is significantly higher (by several millions of guests per year), and regular park hours have been reduced by several hours per day. More people crammed into fewer hours, which does not compute.
Nevertheless, we’ve (begrudgingly) bought the After Hours tickets and will do so again in 2023.
Compared to other Walt Disney World upcharges, After Hours is actually one we can endorse (with the above caveat about unnecessarily shortened park hours). It’s only slightly more expensive than the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Parties (which have increased in price a ton over the years). As noted above, After Hours is comparable to the Halloween and Christmas parties, albeit with significantly lower crowds and minus the seasonal entertainment. In fact, we’re so pleased with this event that it made our Best Value Splurges at Walt Disney World List.
Essentially, the value proposition of After Hours is whether 6 hours (3 with low crowds, 3 with low to moderate crowds) is better than 10-12 hours in the parks during the day. Even if you used an efficient itinerary for Magic Kingdom or Disney’s Hollywood Studios during those normal operating hours, the answer to that used to be yes.
With that said, the equation has changed with Genie+ and Lightning Lanes, as well as Early Entry and Extended Evening Hours (at Magic Kingdom, at least). At least two of these things are controversial, but can be highly advantageous–especially at Magic Kingdom. Then there’s Early Entry at DHS, which is less divisive and offers a tremendous head start.
The other thing that it’s important not to overlook is the timing of After Hours. This is good or bad, depending upon your perspective. For many parents, it’s a total nonstarter, as the prime time for the event is post-bedtime for many kids.
For others, it’s a huge upside when considering the reality of Florida weather. Humidity can be oppressive and the midday sun can be draining. At night, the sun is down and it feels better. That’s one of the reasons why we loved After Hours in July or August. With that said, January and February are a very different story, weather-wise.
Ultimately, that’s my basis for tentatively recommending After Hours to first-timers to Walt Disney World with limited vacation time. It’s a great way to get a lot done at Magic Kingdom or Disney’s Hollywood Studios without waking up at the crack of dawn for Early Entry or criss-crossing the park (or burying your head in your phone) while using Genie+ and Lightning Lanes.
After Hours events are undoubtedly expensive, but they are also friction-less. You don’t need some grand strategy or plan-of-attack for experiencing a ton of attractions during these hard ticket events. They offer a quasi-VIP experience without having to be accompanied by a tour guide–best of both worlds! On top of that, After Hours occurs at night–meaning you’re getting the best of weather, crowds, wait times and (as a result of all three) just general pleasantness. You’re likely to enjoy After Hours a great deal, especially as compared to a normal day in the park.
If you’re an Annual Passholder, are a repeat visitor, taking a longer vacation, or fit into some category other than the above, After Hours is a much tougher sell in terms of value for money. That’s mostly because you’re looking at paying the full/discounted price (or close to it) of this ticket on top of your existing admission. I think it’s fairly undeniable that you’d likewise have a better time at this event than by trying to contort your schedule to make your time in Magic Kingdom or Disney’s Hollywood Studios this pleasant (or close to it), but the tickets aren’t cheap.
So long as Walt Disney World doesn’t get greedy and increase the attendance cap (as we’ve seen with Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party), After Hours should continue to be an excellent event when it returns in January 2023. Even then, demand for these is way lower than for the Halloween and Christmas Parties, so that’s unlikely to be a problem. With that said, we’ll keep in mind how things change with the upcoming After Hours versus the last time they were held ~3 years ago, including how the value proposition has changed in the era of Genie+ and Early Entry. Stay tuned!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Have you attended After Hours at Magic Kingdom or Disney’s Hollywood Studios? What did you think of the event? Would you attend, or is it too pricey? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Is nobody upset by the fact that Disneys prices are insane right now? After hours was a perk to staying on the property. $150 to stay after hours for 3 hours! Per person! For one day! For a family of six that’s $900 for extra easy fun. Yes, we loved extra hours. Used them every time we stayed at Disney world. Planned our days according to early hours and late hours in the parks. Now the hotel prices are astronomical and you pay extra for fast pass and extra for magic hours. What is the benefit to staying on Disney property?
Hi, What time will the tickets go on sale Oct 4 for AP holders? Thanks
I’m so glad they’re bringing these back, but seriously disappointed I am going to miss them on my November trip. If I could find ANY site at Fort Wilderness in January I would cancel the November thing entirely.
I would buy the AH hard ticket for all four parks with a smile, twice in a trip and still save $ over a single day of VIP. They are seriously the best thing ever.
I see these Monday and Wednesday night After Hour ticket events conflict with extended evening hours included at a deluxe hotel stay. Do you think the extended evening hours would be superior since they are already “included/free” with your deluxe hotel stay? Or is it wise to purchase the hard ticket?
I was wondering this too!
I contacted a cast member via chat on Disney World’s website and they said that extended evening hours for deluxe guests was coming to an end the end of 2022. Not sure how accurate that info is, but it sure would be disappointing…
now if only dining plan would come back it would b Perfect for me and Hubby to grab Late dinner than enjoy After hrs.
I’ve seen Vlogs of local APs go to After hr events and they had a Great time. Kinda Wish the Other 2 parks had events too.
Do you anticipate that they will add any dates at the January? It seems odd that a few weeks were skipped? We are going the 28th-1st of February and would love to have a date added to attend.
What’s the difference between these after hours verses parka staying open later for those in Deluxe Resorts. Last time we were there they still had the extra magic hours. Thanks
After hours is one of the best things we’ve ever done at Disney. It works for us for all the reasons you mentioned: No planning, no getting up early, everything is ACTUALLY a walk on (unlike the parties), includes snacks, no hot sun and sweating, less humidity, my kids are teens so we stay up late anyway.
The other awesome thing that AH works for is guests coming over from Universal or Seaworld or one night before/after a cruise. Pop in late, hit the evening show and all the major rides.
It’s a tougher sell to guests who already have multi day tickets, although if they have base tickets only, it could be justified as a 1 day park hopper.
As a night shift worker who usually spends about 2 hours on a park trip ( local AP) night time low crowd hours is music to my ears – ( although not to my wallet)
Hi Tom,
Thank you for the information. Where do I buy the advance tickets? Can I do this on October 4 through My Disney Experience or do I have to call?
Lisa
Do you think there will be more days added at all? Or the return of the villians party as well? I’m there for a long weekend in January and was devastated there wasn’t any Friday or Saturday dates
I like your perspective on these After Hours events. They’re costly but perhaps the best ‘bang for the buck’ when it comes to pure attraction and overall feel (literally with weather and metaphorically with vibes). I think if you compare them to what it costs to stay at a Deluxe Resort, they’re worth it for those additional hours. However, if you stay at the Swan/Dolphin/Swan Reserve, you might have the best value proposition for post-park-close hours availability.
Except the Hollywood Studios After Hours — that’s something you can’t put a price tag on for low crowds. Oh, wait, I guess Disney did. Ha.
We did Animal Kingdom after dark in December of 2019 and to anybody interested in my opinion, highly recommend. The park was uncrowded to the point we could walk from the entry point to Expedition Everest and literally were by ourselves then rode it 6 times in a row walk off walk on. we then popped over to Pandora and did that 3 in a row you do have to walk the mile que every time but for flight of passage absolutely worth it. I hope they continue these into our next trip August of 23 if so we will attend. AK was the only one we’ve done but love the idea of HS or MK
I’m torn with this. On the one hand, we go to Disney every 2-3 years so there’s no big rush to get everything done. But on the other hand I absolutely wilt in the heat (and thrive in the cold), and have physical issues which often make it hard for us to waste time in long lines during the day.
We’ve gone to WDW in mid November, early December, and early January and EVERY TIME have ended up with a week in the mid to high 80s…so the possibility of going to the park during the chilly night hours might tio the scales for me!
As a person with a mid-November trip that’s pretty sure it’ll be back, but still anxiously awaiting an announcement, this line “By January 2023, Fantasmic will certainly be back (right? RIGHT?!)” murdered me
Do we think this is Disney’s way of getting rid of Extended Evening hours for Deluxe resort guests? None of the schedules directly overlap… but keeping both would mean that there will be multiple evenings with more than one event going on at different parks (the first after hrs HS event is on Wed, Jan 4th, for example, which would typically be a MK Deluxe hr night). No dates have been loaded for the Deluxe nights after December… but not sure how much to read into that.
I am very interested to know whether the Deluxe Resort Extended Evenings will be offered in 2023. We are staying at a Deluxe in mid-February and I had hoped to take advantage of that program. Now I’m wondering if I’ll be forced to buy the After Hours event party to get that kind of limited access during our trip.
I just booked the Polynesian in March so we could take advantage of Extended Hours and given the After Hours Party dates I am also thinking we will likely have to buy the party tickets. Any thoughts on that?
So after posting above, I reached out via the MDE chat. They said that as of now, Deluxe Hours are still planned for 2023. I don’t know how long that will be true— seems like a great way to phase it out, especially since the language on the Deluxe hrs page talks about it being there for the 50th. But who knows. Would love to hear others’ comments.
It appears that they’re lining these up so that:
Mondays = Epcot extended evening hours for Deluxe guests and the Extra Hours Party at MK
Wednesday = MK extended evening hours for Deluxe guests and the Extra Hours Party for HS
That’s if they keep the same schedule for Deluxe extended hours that they have now. It kind of makes sense for them to do it this way if they’re looking at capping these paid events at lower capacity than the Halloween or Holiday parties. Not as much demand when folks already have good alternatives.
I’m surprised (but excited) that two of the MK dates fall within our spring break. That’s super convenient. With one family member who does not get very excited about visiting the parks, these events are a great alternative.
This is a better deal than buying a park ticket and you don’t have to get up early and pay for Genie+. I consider these events the highlight of our trips in the past and actually gets me thinking of going again (self imposed 3 year ban as of right now)
We loved after hours at Hollywood Studios in December 2018. Park seemed completely empty and it was the weekend before Christmas. We rode Toy Story Mania 6x, Slinky 7x , Rock Coaster, tower of terror and met Woody/Jessie. Didn’t get to eat as many Mickey Bars as would have liked (temp was in upper 30s) . Well worth the money!
Low attendance….r I g h t. They will k wr crowd as usual as they continue to milk the sheep. Shameful.