Walt Disney World began implementing Extended Evening Hours for guests staying at Disney Deluxe Resorts and Villas this year, and I am a huge fan! My family, friends and clients have utilized these extended hours several times and will continue to with each deluxe resort or villa stay. In January, we stayed at Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, and in March we stayed at the Polynesian Villas so we were able to take advantage of this awesome benefit. The Extended Evening Hours typically take place on Monday evenings at EPCOT and Wednesday evenings at the Magic Kingdom. During these two hours, the lines for the attractions are shorter and it’s so much easier to navigate the parks. One of my favorite benefits is the opportunity to take Disney’s Photo Pass pictures without a lot of people around you or in the background!
When the parks close, guests staying at one of the designated resorts will be the only guests permitted on the attractions. At the entrance to each attraction, a Cast Member will scan your Magic Band, ticket or phone to confirm you are a guest staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort of Villa or a select hotel, and then you’re on your way to a shorter line and accomplishing a lot during your Extended Evening Hours! These are the attractions typically available during Extended Evening Hours:
Magic Kingdom Park
- “it’s a small world”
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Astro Orbiter
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Space Mountain
- Country Bear Jamboree
- Swiss Family Treehouse
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- The Barnstormer
- Haunted Mansion
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Mad Tea Party
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Mickey’s PhiharMagic
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
EPCOT
- Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Frozen Ever After
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starting The Three Caballeros
- Spaceship Earth
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
- Test Track
- Mission: SPACE
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
You’ll notice Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is on this list! This is a major advantage to guests utilizing the Extended Evening Hours! You will have an additional opportunity to request to join the virtual queue at 6:00pm on the select dates during Extended Evening theme park hours! Walt Disney World Resort guests with this benefit do not need to be in EPCOT to request to join the virtual queue at that time. Your FTM Travel agent will have all the best tips and tricks to share with you on how to access the virtual queue to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind! You won’t want to miss this one of a kind attraction! It’s my new favorite ride!
It is possible that not all attractions will be in operation due to long-term refurbishments and unplanned closures. It’s always best to access the most recent information via your My Disney Experience Account website or mobile app. You will also be able to access the scheduled dates and times of the Extended Evening Hours!
Be advised, not all quick service or table service restaurants will be open as late as the attractions. I recommend planning ahead and make sure you have eaten prior to the extended evening hours. Many of the shops, especially on Main Street USA, will be open, but other shops around the parks will close at their normal times. It was much more enjoyable to shop without so many people and long check-out lines!
In order to take advantage of the Extended Evening Hours, you will need to be booked at one of the following resorts:
Disney Deluxe Resorts
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort
- Disney’s Polynesian Resort
- Disney’s Boardwalk Inn
- Disney’s Wildnerness Lodge Resort
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- 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 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 Swan Reserve
- Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
- Shades of Green on Walt Disney World
Obviously the Extended Evening Hours do take place late, so it’s wise to plan a rest/pool day the following day in order to conserve your time and energy. Your FTM Travel agent will assist you with planning your itinerary to make the most of your Walt Disney World Resort vacation!
During our experiences with Extended Evening Hours, we were able to ride so many attractions, take great photos and just enjoy the parks without a lot of people, which is always a treat! One of my son’s favorite attractions is Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin. We were able to ride it five times in a row in just a little over 30 minutes! We walked right on each time with no wait, even though the posted wait time was 10 minutes! We really enjoyed the Extended Evening Hours and we can’t wait to take advantage of this benefit during our next stay! Disney Deluxe Resorts and Villas already provide additional amenities and conveniences and this is just one more benefit to upgrading your vacation to have the best possible experience!
