Disney puts Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom on hold

Aug 17, 2023 in "Early Theme Parks Entry and Extended Evening Hours"

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Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom

Posted: Thursday August 17, 2023 10:11am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom are on hold from late September 2023 as the popular resort guest benefit shifts from Magic Kingdom to Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom

During September, Magic Kingdom will host Extended Evening Hours on Sep. 6, 13, and 20. September 20 is the last date scheduled for Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom.

Beginning September 30, Extended Evening hours will only be available at EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios.

During October, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party takes place four nights per week, which may be the reason for halting the Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom. However, in 2022, the Extended Evening Hours continued throughout the Magic Kingdom party season.

This is October's latest Extended Evening Hours line-up:

Disney's Hollywood Studios (9pm to 11pm):

Saturday, September 30
Thursday, October 5
Wednesday, October 11
Thursday, October 19
Wednesday, October 25

EPCOT (9pm to 11pm):

Monday, October 2
Monday, October 9
Monday, October 16
Monday, October 23

It remains to be seen what will happen beyond October 25, which is currently the furthest date available on the operating hours calendar.

Extended Evening Hours at Disney's Hollywood Studios begin September 30 2023

The Extended Evening Hours attraction line-up for October 2023 at Disney's Hollywood Studios features several headline attractions, but does not currently include Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Here is the full Extended Evening Hours attraction line-up for Disney's Hollywood Studios:

Alien Swirling Saucers
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Slinky Dog Dash
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
Toy Story Mania!
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Extended Evening Hours are available only to guests staying at the deluxe Walt Disney World Resort hotels, and provide two hours of additional park time after regular park close.

The new Walt Disney World Swan Reserve is included in Extended Evening Hours at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Walt Disney World Extended Evening Hours Participating Hotels

Disney Deluxe Resorts

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Disney's Beach Club Resort
Disney's BoardWalk Inn
Disney's Contemporary Resort
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort
Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Disney's Yacht Club Resort

Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts

Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
Disney's Beach Club Villas
Disney's BoardWalk Villas
Disney's Old Key West Resort
Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
Disney’s Riviera Resort
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Other Select Hotels

Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
Shades of Green on Walt Disney World

Discuss on the Forums

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surfsupdonMar 21, 2024

The Cabins used to be lumped in as a Moderate, so it's nice to see a change with the higher price point. I would love Evening Hours to come back for other Resorts. Now with the parks opening so very early, and closing relatively early, I imagine a lot of the early rope droppers, especially with kids, wouldn't make it to late night. Just last week, the parks were opening at 7 and 730am (except for Epcot) which sure is early when you do it day after day.

wdwmagicMar 21, 2024

Extended Evening Hours at Disney World now available for guests at The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/extra-magic-hours/news/21mar2024-extended-evening-hours-at-disney-world-now-available-for-guests-at-the-cabins-at-disneys-fort-wilderness-resort.htm

pigglewiggleFeb 26, 2024

This was informative, thank you. I realize it may not be the same this year, but gives me an idea.

wdwmagicFeb 26, 2024

This will help give you an idea of the changes https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/extra-magic-hours/news.htm

Chip ChippersonFeb 26, 2024

There were some nights during Christmas season in 2023 where the deluxe resort Extended Evening Hours benefit was at Animal Kingdom instead of Magic Kingdom and I think there were some weeks where they just doubled up on the extended hours at Epcot instead.

spectromagic04Feb 26, 2024

Last year it was Epcot and DAK with evening hours. Hollywood got a couple during the that time but was heavily Epcot and some weeks DAK.

pigglewiggleFeb 26, 2024

What schedule happens during the party season - MK for Halloween and potentially MK and DHS for holidays? Does MK still have the benefit?

StarWarsGirlFeb 26, 2024

@wdwmagic On the main page article for this announcement, Tron is missing from the list of available MK attractions for Extended Evening Hours; it is definitely available.

DCBakerFeb 26, 2024

Disney has confirmed Early Theme Park Entry and Extended Evening Hours will be available through 2025. https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2024/02/walt-disney-world-adds-water-park-perk-for-2025-resort-guests/

UNCgolfJan 29, 2024

The company that built EPCOT claimed that part of the agreement gave them exclusive rights to operate convention hotels on Disney property, and Eisner wanted to build a convention hotel. They could have fought it out in court, but Disney must have decided that either they would probably lose or that it wouldn't be worth the costs and time involved even if they eventually won -- it could have delayed adding a hotel for years and years. Plus Disney gets a share of the revenue and they have a say in the exterior and interior design.

Dad 2 M & MJan 29, 2024

Was curious as to why Disney would enter in to an agreement as such

MisterPenguinJan 29, 2024

The Dolphin opened on June 4, 1990, as part of a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company, Tishman Hotel Corporation, MetLife and Starwood Hotels and Resorts, which was merged into Marriott International in 2019. The land the resort occupies is owned by the Walt Disney Company, while the buildings themselves are leased by Disney to the Tishman Hotel Corporation and MetLife but operated by Marriott International under the Sheraton Hotels and Resorts brand. The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin are a part of the Walt Disney Collection of resorts; because of this they are Disney branded and guests of the resort have access to special Disney benefits available to Disney Resort Hotel guests only. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_World_Dolphin

nickysJan 29, 2024

Because it wasn’t built by Disney and isn’t operated by them. It was an agreement reached wirh the owners at the time.

Dad 2 M & MJan 29, 2024

Would be curious as well.... Would also like to know details on how exactly it was able to NOT be a Disney Hotel being geographically in the middle of the crescent