Disney in a Minute: What are Extended Evening Theme Park Hours?

Extended Evening Theme Park Hours (EETPH) is a Disney World perk for guests staying at the top tier of Disney World resorts. Guests can take advantage of two extra hours after the park closes to the general public. Here’s what you need to know!

⭐ There’s no extra charge to participate in Extended Theme Park Evening Hours. But you will have to scan your MagicBand (or card, phone, etc.) to enter any queue for an attraction.

⭐ No surprise, this leads to lower crowds and shorter waits during EETPH. Select shops and food and beverage locations are also open.

⭐ You do use your regular park admission for Extended Theme Park Evening Hours. If you don’t have Park Hoppers or an Annual Pass, you’ll need to spend your day at the park where you plan to attend EETPH.

⭐ Eligible resorts include any Disney Deluxe Resort or Disney Deluxe Villa Resort. Guests of the Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve, and Shades of Green are also eligible.

⭐ EETPH are not held every day. But you can attend Extended Evening Theme Park Hours that happen any day of your stay in an eligible hotel. That includes the day you check in and the day you check out.

⭐ Guests attending Extended Evening Theme Park Hours at EPCOT have an extra chance to join the Virtual Queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. See details here: Step-by-Step: How to Ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

Extended Evening Theme Park Hours are generally offered at the Magic Kingdom on Wednesdays and EPCOT on Mondays. Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom may participate occasionally. Check details on the My Disney Experience app to find when EETPH is being held during your stay.

Extended Evening Theme Park Hours are a bit similar to the hard-ticket After Hours events offered to the general public. But EETPH doesn’t cost extra money, unless you’re counting what you spend to stay in an eligible hotel. They’re shorter than the After Hours events, which are usually at least 3 hours long. And EETPH may be more crowded than After Hours events, which are kept to very low attendance by a limit on the number of tickets sold.

If you’re a night owl, Extended Evening Theme Park Hours can be a great way to enjoy the parks. You’ll have access to some of your favorite attractions with much lower waits. And without the crush of larger crowds!

Disney in a Minute is a series of short posts designed to help you better understand a Disney term or planning topic. Do you have a Disney term that you think needs a bit more explanation? Let us know in the comments.