There is no getting around it: Disney Deluxe Resorts are expensive. For many Walt Disney World guests, the price difference between a Value or Moderate Resort and a Deluxe Resort can be substantial. That naturally raises the question of whether the upgraded accommodations are actually worth paying for. There is one Disney Resort benefit, however, that can change the math.
Extended Evening Hours can make the premium for a Deluxe Resort feel a lot more worthwhile.
For Disney Adults especially, the ability to spend additional time inside select theme parks after regular operating hours can be a valuable part of the Deluxe Resort experience. It isn’t simply about getting a nicer hotel room. It is about getting more out of your entire Disney World vacation.
The Deluxe Resort Price Comes With More Than a Room
When you compare Disney Resort prices, it is easy to focus on the physical differences between hotels.
A Value Resort gives you a place to sleep.
A Moderate Resort gives you additional theming, amenities and a different resort atmosphere.
A Deluxe Resort takes that experience another step further with higher-end accommodations, additional dining options and proximity to certain theme parks.
Extended Evening Hours add another important piece to that equation. Eligible guests receive additional time in select theme parks after regular operating hours. The benefit is similar to the Early Theme Park Entry, but this perk is only available to guests staying at Disney Deluxe Resorts, Deluxe Villa Resorts, and select other participating hotels. Thankfully, Disney will continue offering Extended Evening Hours in 2027.
That means the value of a Deluxe Resort isn’t limited to what happens when you walk through the hotel doors. Part of the value can come from what your hotel unlocks after dark.
Enjoy The Resort And Your Park Time
I am the first to point out that if you are paying extra for an expensive resort, you should actually be there to enjoy it. Naturally, people who plan to rope-drop the theme parks and stay until they get kicked out at night will not understand the value of staying at a deluxe resort. This is where you strategize!
Since Extended Evening Hours is not open to everyone, the events are less crowded. That means you spend less time waiting in those standby lines to ride your favorite attractions. This also means that you get to ride more rides in a smaller amount of time than you would during the peak of the day. You are then afforded the opportunity to not spend all day in the parks fighting crowds. While everyone else is in the parks midday, you can enjoy the resort you are paying for. Your time in the parks will be later after many have left (and certainly during Extended Evening Hours when only Deluxe Resort guests are present).
That means you don’t have to wake up at the crack of dawn the morning of your Extended Evening Hours visit. Sleep in a little bit and enjoy that comfy bed… then take some time and do some recreational activities at your resort. Maybe you’ll even want to resort hop to some nearby resorts as well before grabbing an early dinner at a resort table service restaurant. Then, just before the sun goes down, it’s time to make that magical journey into the theme parks for an extended night of fun. You really can have it all!
The Hotels That Provide the Extended Evening Hours Perk
As a reminder, these are the Disney Resorts and other select hotels that qualify for this huge advantage:
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
Currently Scheduled Extended Evening Hours Dates
Here are the participating parks and dates we know as of the date of publication. Please note that information is subject to change. Disney tends to release calendars approximately 60 days in advance. Check the official Disney park calendar for the most up-to-date information.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Tuesday, October 20
- Monday, October 26
- Wednesday, November 4
- Wednesday, November 11
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Wednesday, September 16
- Wednesday, September 23
- Wednesday, September 30
- Wednesday, October 7
- Wednesday, October 14
- Wednesday, October 28
EPCOT
- Monday, September 14
- Monday, September 21
- Monday, September 28
- Monday, October 5
- Monday, October 12
- Monday, October 19
- Monday, November 2
- Monday, November 9
Magic Kingdom
- (Magic Kingdom does not typically have dates from August – December due to holiday parties)
The MouseHouseNews.net Take on Extended Evening Hours
I think this is where Disney Adults should look at the Deluxe Resort premium differently. Don’t ask whether the room itself is worth hundreds of dollars more per night. Ask whether the entire Deluxe Resort experience is worth the additional cost to you.
If you’ll take advantage of Extended Evening Hours, enjoy the resort during the day and use the hotel’s location to make getting around easier, the premium can start to make much more sense. Even if you are vacationing for a longer period and can’t justify paying for a deluxe resort the entire time, you might consider a split-stay and stay at a deluxe the night you plan to attend Extended Evening Hours. Alternatively, you could get a similar result at a Disney After Hours event. Those events are similar to Extended Evening Hours, but they have a per person admission fee and are open to anyone no matter where you choose to stay for the night.
For Disney Adults who love being in the parks after dark, Extended Evening Hours may be one of the strongest arguments for spending more on a Deluxe Resort.
The perk doesn’t magically make a Deluxe Resort inexpensive. It can, however, make the higher price feel a whole lot easier to understand. When you’re spending thousands of dollars on a Walt Disney World vacation, getting meaningful value from the benefits included with your resort stay matters.
Stay tuned to MouseHouseNews.net for more strategies to enhance your Disney vacation!
