2026 Disney After Hours Planning Tips and Dates for the Perfect Night
By Disney Destinations
Here 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 guests' favorite parks. With lower wait times, the chance to meet characters, and plenty of free snacks to fuel their adventure, Disney After Hours is a limited-capacity party — also known as the unforgettable experience they've been looking for to add to their next vacation.
Fellow Night Owls Listen Up: Here’s everything guests need to know about upcoming Disney World After Hours events and how guests can make the most of their 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. Guests 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). Guests with an After Hours ticket 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, guests can expect to run into some of their 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 in guests' tickets, such as ice cream novelties, popcorn, and bottled beverages. Snack carts will be scattered throughout the park, so they never have to go far to enjoy a tasty treat.
Rides Open at Magic Kingdom After Hours
During guests' nights at Magic Kingdom, some of their favorite thrills and storybook adventures will be ready to take them 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
Magic Kingdom After Hours nights are very popular, so it’s a good idea to secure their night of fantasy well ahead of your date. Visit the Magic Kingdom After Hours ticketing page to purchase tickets.
Here are the 2026 dates to help guests plan their 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
Guests should get ready for their 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 their evening in the Hollywood spotlight, guests can come 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 their 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 guests make their 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!’
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. Guests 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 their favorite quick-service spots like:
- KRNR The Rock Station
- Milk Stand
- Woody’s Lunch Box
Snacks & Refreshments
At Hollywood Studios After Hours, guests will share the evening’s festivities with a few of their 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 grab their night among the stars, purchase ahead of guests' stays by heading to the Hollywood Studios After Hours ticketing page. There, they'll select the number of tickets and the date of their visit. Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $30 per ticket.
To help guests plan their 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 guests to enter EPCOT as early as 7:00 PM. This gives them a full six and a half hours to party the night away.
Rides Open at EPCOT After Hours
At EPCOT, guests 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 guests can join in on a fun, interactive character meet and greet with the Goof himself. Guests will have plenty of room at CommuniCore Plaza to show Goofy their best dance moves and maybe even the ones they'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 their 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 their special night with complimentary snacks like ice cream, popcorn, and bottled drinks at various locations.
2026 EPCOT After Hours Dates and Tickets
To grab their night among the stars, purchase ahead of their stay by heading to the EPCOT After Hours ticketing page. Choose the number of tickets and their visit date. Note that Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $30 per ticket.
For guests' 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 guests like us, they 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 their latest itinerary masterpiece.
For those staying at a Disney Resort hotel, they've got a splashy perk to work into their master plan: Resort guests can enjoy complimentary admission to a Disney water park on the day they check in.
Let’s set the scene: Guests arrive at Disney World, drop their bags at the resort (bell services will hold their stuff), and park their car. They 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.
Guests can extend their 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-time guests and seasoned Disney fans looking to make their Disney trip even more special.
Ready to book your after hours tickets for 2026? Hit the link below to get started!
