2026 Disney After Hours Planning Tips and Dates for the Perfect Night
- Michele Rhubart
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
At Walt Disney World, summer nights set the stage for a particular kind of excitement. Maybe it’s the retreat of the Florida sun, the promise of another round of popcorn, or the colorful lighting on iconic rides — there’s something about being in a Disney park at night.
After Hours at Disney World are separately ticketed events that deliver the ultimate nighttime experience at your favorite parks. With lower wait times, the chance to meet characters, and plenty of free snacks to fuel your adventure, Disney After Hours is a limited-capacity party — also known as the unforgettable experience you've been looking for to add to your next vacation.
Fellow Night Owls Listen Up: Here’s everything you need to know about upcoming Disney World After Hours events and how you can make the most of your visit.
Disney After Hours Tickets
Guests staying at select Disney Resort hotels, Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels, and Shades of Green can purchase After Hours at Disney World tickets starting Oct. 9, 2025. All other guests can purchase their tickets starting Oct. 14, 2025.
2026 Magic Kingdom After Hours
After Hours events are back at Magic Kingdom in 2026. You can see the lights of Prince Charming Regal Carousel swirling just beyond the castle, go for late night popcorn runs on the way to Haunted Mansion and ride the PeopleMover through a glittering Tomorrowland.
Magic Kingdom After Hours runs from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. each event night (see all dates below). With an After Hours ticket you do not need to make a park reservation to come in before the event officially starts. As with all After Hours events, they can enter the park as early as 7:00 p.m.
Surprise Character Encounters
An evening at Magic Kingdom is always full of character, and during After Hours, where you can expect to run into some of your favorite familiar faces. Stay tuned for updates on who might be showing up.
Snacks & Refreshments
We can’t think of many things as satisfying as asking for a Mickey Ice Cream Bar and just … walking away with it. Select snacks are included with your ticket, such as ice cream novelties, popcorn, and bottled beverages. Snack carts will be scattered throughout the park, so you'll never have to go far to enjoy a tasty treat.
Rides Open at Magic Kingdom After Hours
During the night at Magic Kingdom, some of your favorite thrills and storybook adventures will be ready to take you to Neverland and enter the grid. Highlights include:
TRON Lightcycle / Run
Space Mountain
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Haunted Mansion
“it’s a small world”
Jungle Cruise
Peter Pan’s Flight
Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid
Mad Tea Party
Attractions & entertainment subject to change
2026 Magic Kingdom After Hours Dates and Tickets
Here are the 2026 dates to help plan your magical night out:
Jan 12
Jan 19
Feb 2
Feb 9
Feb 23
Mar 2
Mar 9
Apr 13
Apr 20
May 4
May 11
May 18
May 25
Jun 1
Jun 22
Jun 29
Jul 13
Jul 27
Disney’s Hollywood Studios After Hours
You should get ready for your close up: On select evenings until September 12, 2026. After Hours events at Hollywood Studios typically runs from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. (check dates for start times). To get the most out of your evening in the Hollywood spotlight, you should go to the park as early as 7:00 p.m., before the official event even begins. That’s so much extra time to wave to your adoring fans.
DHS After Hours Planning Note:
Deviating from typical hours, the May 30th event will run from 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. and the Sept. 12th event will run from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Rides Open at Hollywood Studios After Hours
The stars of Hollywood Studios are swirling, twirling, and even saving the galaxy during After Hours all with notably lower wait times.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Slinky Dog Dash
Alien Swirling Saucers
Toy Story Mania!
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Attractions & entertainment subject to change
Surprise Character Encounters
As you make your way through the park during After Hours, they never know who might be waiting for them around the corner. They should expect the unexpected, with characters roaming the streets of Hollywood, ready to say ‘hello!’ you
Lift a Glass and Grab a Bite
Around the park, outdoor bars will be ready to serve brews and select cocktails. Meanwhile, over at Oga’s Cantina, DJ R-3X will be spinning the hottest tunes this side of Coruscant as Oga serves up out-of-this-world cocktails and small bites. You can journey to Batuu for walk-up availability.
To fuel them long into the night, food and drinks will also be available at some of your favorite quick-service spots like:
KRNR The Rock Station
Milk Stand
Woody’s Lunch Box
Snacks & Refreshments
At Hollywood Studios After Hours, you will share the evening’s festivities with a few of your closest friends: We’re of course referring to the complimentary snacks. Ice cream, popcorn, and bottled drinks at various locations are included.
2026 Hollywood Studios After Hours Dates and Tickets
To help plan your night among the stars, here are the 2026 dates:
Jan 14
Jan 28
Feb 4
Feb 11
Feb 21
Feb 25
Apr 29
May 6
May 14
May 30
Jun 3
Jun 10
Jun 17
Jun 24
Jul 1
Jul 8
Jul 15
Jul 22
Jul 29
Aug 5
Aug 12
Aug 19
Aug 26
Sep 2
Sep 12
EPCOT After Hours
EPCOT is now offering another half hour into the night to celebrate! The EPCOT After Hours event runs from 9:30 PM to 12:30 AM on select evenings through September 24, 2026.
Like Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom After Hours, EPCOT After Hours tickets allow you to enter EPCOT as early as 7:00 PM. This gives you a full six and a half hours to party the night away.
Rides Open at EPCOT After Hours
At EPCOT, you will have the chance to look for Donald in Mexico and even learn about Xandarian culture with drastically reduced wait times, and in 2026, Test Track will be racing into After Hours nights. Highlights include:
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Test Track presented by General Motors (NEW)
Frozen Ever After
Soarin’
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
Living with the Land
Mission: SPACE
The Seas with Nemo & Friends
Spaceship Earth
Attractions & entertainment subject to change
Character Meet and Greets
EPCOT After Hours is also a fantastic opportunity to meet Disney characters in a more relaxed environment. During the event, guests might see:
Mickey Mouse at the Dreamer statue
Goofy at the DJ dance party in CommuniCore Plaza
Minnie Mouse at the France gazebo
Can’t-Miss Jam Sessions
The party vibes are going strong at Goofy’s DJ dance party where you can join in on a fun, interactive character meet and greet with the Goof himself. You will have plenty of room at CommuniCore Plaza to show Goofy your best dance moves and maybe even the ones you're still working on.
With plenty of room to dance (and lots of seating for those night owl legs), the Canada Mill Stage is a central hub to toast, groove, and maybe even howl under the moon with your crew.
Get Your Grub on Around the World
EPCOTerrans can fuel up as they party throughout the evening and around the World Showcase. Here are a few of our fav spots to purchase food and drink during EPCOT After Hours:
Various kiosks around the World Showcase
Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe
Rose & Crown Pub
And Snacks Included in Your Ticket
As at Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom, a night at EPCOT After Hours includes fueling your special night with complimentary snacks like ice cream, popcorn, and bottled drinks at various locations.
2026 EPCOT After Hours Dates and Tickets
For your planning notes, here are the 2026 dates:
Jan 22
Jan 29
Feb 19
Mar 5
Mar 12
Apr 2
Apr 9
Apr 15
Apr 23
Apr 30
May 21
Jun 11
Jun 18
Jul 9
Jul 23
Aug 6
Aug 13
Sep 16
Sep 24
Dream Arrival Day: Free Water Park Splash and Then After Hours Bash
For those guests like us, who are always dreaming of their next Disney vacation and all the resort play, Park Hopping, and special event combinations they can fit into our stay. And an After Hours evening is definitely easy to work into your latest itinerary masterpiece.
For those staying at a Disney Resort hotel, Disney has a splashy perk to work into your master plan: Resort guests can enjoy complimentary admission to a Disney water park on the day they check in.
Let’s set the scene: You arrive at Disney World, drop your bags at the resort (bell services will hold your stuff), and park your car. Then hop on a Disney bus to a Water Park to take a relaxing glide down a lazy river or, hey, a wild slide down the side of Mount Gushmore.
You can extend your magic into the night with a ticket to Disney After Hours to keep the excitement going well past dark. With lower wait times, complimentary snacks, surprise character encounters, and an overall more relaxed atmosphere, After Hours is perfect for both first-timers and seasoned Disney fans looking to make your Disney trip even more special.
We can help you with all these needs including purchasing your tickets by contacting us for a no obligation, FREE vacation quote by emailing us at michelerhubart@gmail.com. Our services are FREE to you and we can answer any questions you may have.
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