After almost 3 years, the popular Disney After Hours Events are back at Walt Disney World and new dates have been added for Winter, Spring, and Summer 2023.
In this post, we will explain everything you need to know about these awesome Disney After Hours events. We’ll tell you what they are, which parks they are located in and what you can experience when you go.
We’ll also share with you all the 2023 Disney After Hours dates and prices (hint…they have gone up quite a bit from the last time!
(UPDATE 2/21/23): New “Disney After Hours” events have just been added to the schedule for May through August 2023 at EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This is the second set of dates for the Disney After Hours events in 2023.
This news comes after many of the prior dates for Winter 2023 and Spring have sold out. The new dates that have been added are for EPCOT are from June 1 to August 24. The After Hours events at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be from May 3 through June 28, 2023.
There are no new dates currently scheduled for Disney’s Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom in 2023.
It makes sense that Disney would now add more dates for After Hours events now that theme park capacity is almost 100% once again, and there is a strong demand for these types of events. Plus as you know, Disney is always interested in increasing margins, and hard-ticket events are a gold mine.
Here are some of the details for Disney After Hours in 2023:
- Enjoy more than 20 beloved attractions—with lower wait times since the number of tickets for this event is limited
- Delight in tasty snacks, included in the cost of this ticketed event
- Get a head start on the fun by entering the park at 7:00 PM—a few hours before the event officially begins
That is pretty much the same as the last time Disney After Hours was running and we don’t see much change in the features.
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Table of Contents
What is Disney After Hours?
This is a hard-ticketed event that lets guests stay in one of the theme parks after the regular closing for 3 hours and enjoy the attractions with very few other people around.
Basically, if you have ever wanted to feel like you had the Magic Kingdom to yourself, this is the way to do it.
Guests can ride the attractions with greatly reduced wait times, and even get as many Mickey Ice Cream Bars as they can eat…FREE!
Sure there are other nighttime hard ticket events like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, but the Disney After Hours events are much more intimate.
The nice thing is that Disney limits the event to a certain amount of people at a time, so keeping the number at a reasonable amount to be able to enjoy this special time in the parks. The other parties are more focused on entertainment whereas this event is much better if your goal is to do as many attractions as possible.
For this reason, the tickets for the event usually sell out within hours of being released for booking and it’s one of the most coveted events of the year!
- REMEMBER: Again, it’s important to recognize that AfterHours events require an extra ticket and they are not included in your regular theme park admission. Because of that, it may be too expensive for many families.
A total of 3 Walt Disney World parks are participating this year including Disney’s Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In the past, the only missing park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has also participated, but it is not as of yet in 2023.
Each park has different dates, so depending on when you can go to Disney World might determine the park you can attend the event in.
It’s also possible for Disney to add more dates later in 2023. Currently, After Hours events only go through August 2023, and only at EPCOT (Magic Kingdom dates end in March, and Hollywood Studios events end in June). Who knows, maybe more could be on the way in the spring or summer.
What’s Included in Disney After Hours Events?
Attractions – The biggest draw is the attractions. Since there is a limited number of guests in the park, wait times are significantly decreased during After Hours, and even rides that usually have long waits like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train or Rise of the Resistance are usually less than 20 minutes, sometimes as few as 5 minutes.
That gives you a great advantage if you are trying to get done all the rides in one park, which at the Magic Kingdom can be very challenging otherwise.
Snacks – Besides attractions, Disney After Hours guests also get free snacks such as Ice Cream Treats, Popcorn, Select Beverages, and Water.
Often, there are also special snacks to enjoy that are only available for this event too.
Early Entry – If you have a ticket for Disney After Hours you can get into the park a few hours before the official opening begins. This gives you a big jump on getting some of the rides done.
- Magic Kingdom – You can enter the park at 7:00 pm, 3 hours before the official event time.
- EPCOT – You can enter the park at 7:00 pm, 3 hours before the official event time.
- Hollywood Studios – You can enter the park at 7:00 pm, 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours before the official event time.
I personally think the Disney After Hours events are the best ticketed special event because you don’t have to wait in lines and you can get on attractions like Slinky Dog Dash 10 times if you want, no problem.
Magic Kingdom
Here are the current 2023 Disney After Hours event dates at Disney’s Magic Kingdom:
- January 2023: 9, 16, 23
- February 2023: 16, 20, 27
- March 2023: 2, 6, 13, 16, 20, 27
Disney After Hours events in the Magic Kingdom last for 3 hours and run from 10:00 pm to 1:00 am.
There are more than 20 open attractions during After Hours at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Some of them include:
- 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
Hollywood Studios
Here are the current 2023 Disney After Hours event dates at Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
- January 2023: 4, 11, 18, 25
- February 2023: 15, 22
- March 2023: 8, 22, 29
- April 2023: 2, 5, 19
- May 2023: 3, 17, 24, 31
- June 2023: 7, 14, 21, 28
February, March, and April 2023 Disney After Hours events at Disney’s Hollywood Studios last for 3 hours and run from 9:30 pm to 12:30 am. Events in May and June start at 10:00 pm and last until 1:00 am.
Here is the full list of attractions open during After Hours at Hollywood Studios:
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Disney Movie Magic – 11:25 pm
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Star Tours
- Star Wars Launch Bay
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Toy Story Mania!
- Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
- Wonderful World of Animation – 11:45 pm
EPCOT
Here are the current 2023 Disney After Hours event dates at EPCOT:
- June 2023: 1, 15, 22, 29
- July 2023: 6, 12, 20, 27
- August 2023: 3, 10, 17, 24
2023 Disney After Hours events at EPCOT last for 3 hours and run from 9:00 pm to 12:00 am.
Here is the full list of attractions open during After Hours at Hollywood Studios:
- Frozen Ever After
- Gran Fiesta Tour
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
- Living with the Land
- Mission: SPACE
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Spaceship Earth
- Test Track
Animal Kingdom
Right now there are no Disney After Hours events scheduled at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2023.
The last time Disney After Hours was running, the event also took place at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, but for whatever reason, Disney decided to leave it out in 2023.
The last time Disney chose to run the event at the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, in 2023 they essentially have swapped out the Animal Kingdom for Hollywood Studios, so in the end, there are still only 2 parks with Disney After Hours events.
If Disney adds some dates in the future for Animal Kingdom we will update you.
How Much Does Disney After Hours Cost?
Prices for Disney After Hours events in 2023 are different depending on whether you are visiting Disney’s Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios.
In general pricing for Disney After Hours events is between $129 per person (plus tax) and $159 per person (plus tax).
Tickets have increased dramatically this time around and are as much as $30 per ticket more than the 2020 prices.
There are no child tickets for Disney After Hours, so even if you have small children, their ticket will cost the same as an adult ticket.
Magic Kingdom Disney After Hours Prices
Standard Tickets for Disney After Hours events cost from $135 per person (plus tax) to $159 (plus tax) depending on the date you choose. This is in line with Disney’s date-based pricing structure they also use for theme park tickets.
Prices for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members start at $105 per person (excluding tax) and go all the way up to $129 per person depending on the date you choose.
This is also a significant increase from 2020 when Annual Passholder and DVC Member tickets were a flat $99 plus tax no matter what date you chose.
2023 Magic Kingdom Disney After Hours Events Prices:
| Event Date | Price (Excludes Tax) | Price for Passholders and DVC 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 |
Hollywood Studios Disney After Hours Prices
Standard Tickets for Disney After Hours events cost from $129 per person (plus tax) to $149 (plus tax) depending on the date you choose. This is in line with Disney’s date-based pricing structure they also use for theme park tickets.
Prices for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members start at $99 per person (excluding tax) and go all the way up to $119 per person depending on the date you choose.
This is also a significant increase from 2020 when Annual Passholder and DVC Member tickets were a flat $99 plus tax no matter what date you chose.
2023 Hollywood Studios Disney After Hours Events Prices:
| Event Date | Price (Excludes Tax) | Price for Passholders and DVC 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 |
| Wednesday, May 3, 2023 | $149 | $119 |
| Wednesday, May 17, 2023 | $149 | $119 |
| Wednesday, May 24, 2023 | $149 | $119 |
| Wednesday, May 31, 2023 | $149 | $119 |
| Wednesday, June 7, 2023 | $149 | $119 |
| Wednesday, June 14, 2023 | $149 | $119 |
| Wednesday, June 21, 2023 | $149 | $119 |
| Wednesday, June 28, 2023 | $149 | $119 |
EPCOT Disney After Hours Prices
Standard Tickets for Disney After Hours events at EPCOT cost from $129 per person (plus tax) to $139 (plus tax) depending on the date you choose. This is in line with Disney’s date-based pricing structure they also use for theme park tickets.
Prices for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members start at $99 per person (excluding tax). This is cheaper than the other parks which go all the way up to $119 per person.
2023 EPCOT Disney After Hours Events Prices
| Event Date | Price (Excludes Tax) | Price for Passholders and DVC Members (Excludes Tax) |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, June 1, 2023 | $139 | $99 |
| Thursday, June 15, 2023 | $129 | $99 |
| Thursday, June 22, 2023 | $129 | $99 |
| Thursday, June 29, 2023 | $139 | $99 |
| Thursday, July 6, 2023 | $139 | $99 |
| Wednesday, July 12, 2023 | $139 | $99 |
| Thursday, July 20, 2023 | $139 | $99 |
| Thursday, July 27, 2023 | $129 | $99 |
| Thursday, August 3, 2023 | $139 | $99 |
| Thursday, August 10, 2023 | $129 | $99 |
| Thursday, August 17, 2023 | $129 | $99 |
| Thursday, August 24, 2023 | $129 | $99 |
How to Order Disney After Hours Event Tickets?
When you can start booking Disney After Hours events depends on if you are a Disney Resort hotel guest or not. The first round of tickets went on sale back in October 2022, but the latest round of events has different booking dates.
Disney Resort Guests – Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels can begin purchasing Disney After Hours tickets for EPCOT as early as February 28, 2023. After Hours tickets for Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios are on sale now.
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.
Non-Disney Resort Guests – All other Guests may purchase tickets for After Hours Events at EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios starting on March 3, 2023.
To place an order for Disney After Hours events, you have 2 options:
- Direct Through Disney – All tickets can be ordered directly through Disney by calling (407) 827-7185.
- Authorized Disney Travel Planner – The other way you can order Disney After Hours tickets is through an Authorized Disney Travel Planner such as Show You the World Travel.
We prefer using an Authorized Disney Travel Planner because it’s much easier than doing it yourself. They can answer any questions you have about the event, and help you plan it around whatever else you have going on during your trip.
Personally, we recommend using Rene Cittadino or one of her incredible team members at Show You the World Travel. We always use them to book our trips and the best part is that they are 100% free (meaning no additional cost over Disney’s prices). Plus if you need to reschedule anything, they will take care of it all for you!
Keep in mind, tickets are limited and may not be available for purchase on the day of the event (or earlier). So if you are interested, get your tickets as soon as they go on sale otherwise the dates you want may sell out.
- Attractions, entertainment, and experiences are subject to change without notice.
- Admission to this event does not guarantee access to any attraction or experience.
Other Disney Events
At this time, no new dates have been added for the Disney Villains After Hours event and it will not be running in 2022 and it hasn’t run since early 2020.
It is possible that we could see the Disney Villains After Hours events sometime in 2023 however. Since the regular after hours events run through the winter and early spring, if Disney wants to bring back the Villains After Hours events, summer would be a good time to do it.
Disney likes to space out its hard ticket events, and from April to July there isn’t much going on at the Magic Kingdom at night. Once August comes around, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party comes back, so summer would be a great time for the Villains After Hours.
When the 2020 dates were announced, there were some new entertainment offerings, and it would be nice to see even more villains come out for the event if they do decide to bring it back.
You can read more details about it including all, the attractions, merchandise, characters, and even a new stage show on our Disney Villains After Hours information page.
And if you are a Disney Vacation Club member you are going to want to check out our Guide to the DVC Moonlight Magic events for 2022 and beyond!
That wraps up our coverage of the Disney After Hours events in 2023. We hope we helped you to find what you were looking for and we suggest giving these events a try some time, especially if you love rides!
We’ll keep you updated with more info on Disney After Hours events right here at Ziggy Knows Disney so stay tuned!
Your Thoughts
I want to know what you think about the new Disney After Hours dates…
- Are you going to one of the events?
- What’s been your experience in the past with Disney After Hours?
Let us know in the comments section below!
If you enjoyed this article, as always I appreciate it if you’d share it with others via social media. I work hard at making this website into a useful resource for you and your family to plan your visit to the Disney Parks and I hope it can help you! Thanks 🙂
Dawn Dixon
Saturday 8th of July 2023
Can you confirm please there will be no more After Hours added at Hollywood Studios for 2023. Disney site saying that's it for this year, check back for 2024
Matthew Munro-King
Thursday 8th of June 2023
Hi. Is it likely they’ll be dates for after hours at Hollywood Studios autumn 2023, specifically September 2023 or does the Halloween events take this spot?
Warren
Friday 21st of April 2023
What are the odds Epcot After Hours will be extended beyond Aug. 24?
Alicia
Thursday 23rd of February 2023
What are the chances of After Hours events in November?
Alex Berridge
Monday 6th of February 2023
Do you know whether Dok Ondar’s den is open during the after house events. The little ones are looking to buy the legacy lightsabers. Thanks
Alex Berridge
Monday 6th of February 2023
Also, any idea when June dates would go on sale?