What to Do During Extended Evening Hours

Disney Vacation Club members are so lucky. Disney has given us a gift. Whenever we spend our DVC Points at the resorts, we qualify for a unique amenity. It’s called Extended Evening Hours, and it’s incredible. 

When you utilize Extended Evening Hours, you gain access to a Walt Disney World theme park during a time when it’s closed to virtually all other guests. The only other people in the park are the ones who stay at Deluxe Tier resorts. 

Conveniently, that’s all DVC members! So, this amenity is one of the highest-value ones at Disney. You’ll want to maximize your time, though. Here’s what to do during Extended Evening Hours.

Plan Ahead 

You’ll book your DVC trip weeks or more likely months ahead of time. So, you know when you’ll be at Walt Disney World. I presume that you’re like me and set up some sort of itinerary as well. If you don’t, that’s okay. You can let the Extended Evening Hours schedule plan a part of your visit for you!

The official Walt Disney World website lists the dates for Extended Evening Hours. While this calendar is always subject to change, the schedule has remained stable for a while. Disney will host Extended Evening Hours at one park on Monday and another on Wednesday. So, you can use this amenity twice a week. You’ll gain two hours of exclusive access at the park during this event. 

Even better, Disney typically lists the schedule about ten weeks ahead of time. You should know a couple of months before your visit which parks will offer Extended Evening Hours. That’s a huge asset when you’re planning your trip, as you’ll know which E-ticket attractions you’re sure to experience during your visit. About that…

Know the E-ticket Attractions 

Disney varies the park options during Extended Evening Hours. During the summer of 2025, Disney’s Hollywood Studios isn’t participating, presumably due to the beginning of construction for Monstropolis. Still, when this part hosts the event, you should recognize the E-ticket attractions to target. Those are:

• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Slinky Dog Dash
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• Toy Story Mania!
• Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

I’ve alphabetized those, but Runaway Railway and Toy Story Mania! provide the least bang for the buck. During Extended Evening Hours, I strongly encourage you to target attractions that possess extensive wait times during regular operating hours.  

Similarly, I’d add Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. However, that attraction may close for its Muppets makeover before Hollywood Studios hosts another event. Extended Evening Hours isn’t running the two new shows yet. You can find the list of available attractions here. 

At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you should obviously prioritize the attractions at Pandora – The World of Avatar. Sadly, everyone else will as well, which negates the advantage a bit. The one thing I’ll add is that you should remember you’re at a zoo at night, a rare opportunity to enjoy the sights. Regretfully, Kilimanjaro Safaris isn’t available, but you can still explore the gorgeous park in the dark. 

What to Do at EPCOT and Magic Kingdom 

Currently, Walt Disney World’s top theme parks in terms of attendance are EPCOT and Magic Kingdom. Statistically, you’ll get better value at Hollywood Studios than either one due to that park’s top five attractions typically requiring hourlong waits. 

Still, a savvy DVC member can do a LOT during Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT or Magic Kingdom. At EPCOT, you should target these attractions in order of time savings:

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
• Frozen Ever After
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
• Soarin’ Around the World

Virtually everything else at the park will border on being walk-on, at least until Test Track 3.0 debuts later this year. At the time of this article, Disney hadn’t announced an opening date yet. The other thing I’ll encourage you to do is visit Journey of Water | Inspired by Moana at night if you haven’t already. It’s magical.

The other thing you can do – and this is my approach – is ride Cosmic Rewind on a loop until you get the musical accompaniment you prefer. I’m all about the song September. 

Most importantly, you should just enjoy hanging out at EPCOT at a time when it’s empty. The new illuminated effects and sitting areas have made this park ethereal, especially during Extended Evening Hours. 

As for Magic Kingdom, this park’s a lot more open-ended in terms of must-do attractions. Personally, I’d suggest these rides (in the order listed) due to their typical wait times:

• Tron Lightcycle / Run
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Peter Pan’s Flight 
• Jungle Cruise
• Space Mountain
• Haunted Mansion

I’ll add that Pirates of the Caribbean and It’s a Small World are nearly walk-ons, which makes them especially appealing. You’ll notice that Magic Kingdom operates the most attractions during Extended Evening Hours. If the park hosts it during your visit, you really should attend. 

Other Things You Should Know 

The best part of Extended Evening Hours is the vibe. Walt Disney World just hits different when it’s less crowded. The real joy of these after-hours events is that you feel like you’re one of a select few allowed inside. 

With such a small number of guests at the park, you can shop for merchandise without feeling claustrophobic. You shouldn’t have to wait long for snacks or drinks, either, which is something you’ll especially appreciate at EPCOT. 

I mean it when I say that Extended Evening Hours is one of the best parts of DVC membership. You should always prioritize these events during your vacations. It’s the best way to guarantee that you experience Disney’s most popular attractions without having to stand in line for hours. 

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