Walt Disney World Extended Evening Hours dates for October at EPCOT and Magic Kingdom

Jul 30, 2021 in "Early Theme Parks Entry and Extended Evening Hours"

Posted: Friday July 30, 2021 4:08pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has today published the first four dates for the upcoming Extended Evening Hours at the Walt Disney World theme parks beginning October 2021.


  • Monday October 4 - EPCOT 10pm to midnight
  • Wednesday October 6 - Magic Kingdom 9pm to 11pm
  • Monday October 11 - EPCOT 10pm to midnight
  • Wednesday October 13 0 Magic Kingdom 9pm to 11pm

Guests staying at one of the Disney Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resort hotels will be able to take part in the extended evening hours (see list below).



Note that guests will need a valid ticket or pass and a theme park reservation for the same park on the same day to experience both the Early Theme Park Entry and the extended evening hours. Or, guests may visit with a ticket or Annual Pass with the Park Hopper option as long as they entered their first park where they made their reservation earlier in the day.

Participating Hotels

Extended evening theme park hours is a benefit for registered Guests staying at Disney Deluxe Resorts and Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts, which include:

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®

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surfsupdon7 days ago

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.

pigglewiggle31 days ago

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

wdwmagic31 days ago

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

Chip Chipperson31 days ago

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.

spectromagic0431 days ago

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.

pigglewiggle31 days ago

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

StarWarsGirl31 days ago

@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.

DCBaker31 days ago

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