There are many advantages to staying at a Disney Resort. Complimentary transportation, Early Theme Park Entry, and spectacular theming are just the beginning (and these things are available to all resort guests!). In other words, why stay anywhere else?
Level Up Your Disney Resort Guest Perks
If you’re all about the perks, there’s something you should know. Staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort grants guests even more perks. For example, most Deluxe Resorts have premium locations and additional transportation options (like monorail, boat, or Skyliner). All of them have more on-site dining choices. Finally, perhaps one of the most valuable advantages is access to Extended Evening Hours.
Extended Evening Hours
Extended Evening Hours is a perk offered exclusively to guests of Disney Deluxe Resorts, Disney Deluxe Villas, and guests of other select hotels. As a reminder, Extended Evening Hours allow guests of these resorts to stay in select parks on select nights for two additional hours after the parks close to all other guests. Consequently, reduced capacity means a decrease in crowd levels and lower wait times for attractions. This can be a big advantage, especially for those wishing to ride some of the most popular rides.
While Disney does offer other lower capacity events such as Disney After Hours and seasonal parties (Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and Disney Jollywood Nights), those options require purchasing a separate ticket. In contrast, Extended Evening Hours does not require an additional ticket purchase. As long as you’re staying at a qualifying hotel, all you need is a valid park admission for that day to attend.
Eligible 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 Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort (DVC Cabins Only)
- The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Other Select Hotels
- Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
- Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
- Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
- Shades of Green® on Walt Disney World Resort
Extended Evening Hours Schedule
MouseHouseNews.net has extensively covered Extended Evening Hours here on the blog. As a service to our readers, we periodically post the newest round of Extended Evening Hours dates as they are released. Right now, you can see the schedule for dates through September 15, 2026. Generally speaking, Extended Evening Hours are offered twice per week. Most of the year, you can expect to see Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT on Monday evenings and at Magic Kingdom on Wednesday evenings.
It’s important to realize Disney can (and does) sometimes change up the days of the week, scheduled hours, or even which parks offer the perk. It’s highly recommended that you double-check Disney’s Hours and Events Calendar closer to the week you wish to attend to confirm what will be offered during your trip.
Watch Out For This Schedule Change
We’re issuing a major heads up for a couple of dates coming soon. Instead of a magical evening basking in the gorgeous glow of Cinderella Castle, guests will instead be going wild for Extended Evening Hours over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on the following dates:
- Wednesday, August 26th (6:00pm to 8:00pm)
- Wednesday, September 2nd (6:00pm to 8:00pm)
At this time, no announcements have been made regarding the reason(s) for this temporary change. However, you can look forward to the return of Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom beginning September 9, 2026.
Extended Evening Hours Attractions at Animal Kingdom
During Extended Evening Hours at Animal Kingdom, guests can enjoy select attractions as well as some merchandise and food/beverage locations. The following attractions will be available during Extended Evening Hours at Animal Kingdom:
- Avatar Flight of Passage
- Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
- Na’vi River Journey
- Zootopia: Better Zoogether!
The Experience May Be Meh…
Normally, I would end this by telling you how Extended Evening Hours is an excellent opportunity to tackle a number of attractions in a short period of time. You will obviously get more out of your Extended Evening Hours time at an attraction-heavy park like Magic Kingdom. In fact, the MouseHouseNews.net team has a current record of riding 12 Magic Kingdom attractions (including heavy-hitters like TRON, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Space Mountain multiple times) in a two-hour span.
While Animal Kingdom is a relaxing park with vibes that the team honestly enjoys, the jury is still out on whether Extended Evening Hours is “worth it” at that park in 2026. Definitely stay tuned to MouseHouseNews.net for more trip planning information, honest reviews, and magical fun from around Disney World. We’ll see you real soon!
