What Are Extra Magic Hours at Walt Disney World?

Extra Magic Hours are just one of the many perks when staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel.

Only guests that are staying on property may utilize the Extra Magic Hours from the day they check in through the day they check out.

Extra Magic Hours are reminiscent of the old Disney E-Ticket nights and offer low to no crowds for non-stop fun on the rides and attractions.

Extra Magic Hours are only available for guests who are staying at:

• All Levels of Disney Resorts
• The Walt Disney World Swan
• The Walt Disney World Dolphin
• Shades of Green
• Downtown Disney Hilton Resort.

Each park has either a morning or evening EMH and rotate on a regular schedule.

All you need to utilize EMH are your hotel card and your energy.

All adults in the party will need to show their room key/hotel card at the entrance to each ride.

Cast members will check the dates and information to verify that you are a current, hotel guest.

Buses will typically run and hour to thirty minutes before EMH park openings. The hotel concierge or front desk cast member can verify bus schedules

Buses will also run for an hour after the evening EMH hours.

Your park ticket or pass will get you into the park during EMH. However, remember that if you have a park ticket that does not have a park hopper option, you may not be able to get into the park without using an extra full day.

If you plan to use EMH, you will want to choose that park to go to during the day as well.

Many guests wonder if it is worth it to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours.

The answer is a resounding YES!

The parks are frequently less crowded than even the ticketed special events such as Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.

If the park is open extra late or extra early, you can expect very little crowd.

My family has found that the evening hours give you the most time and options. One memorable evening we were the only ones on Pirates of the Caribbean at close to 3 in the morning. It was an eerie and super fun memory for us.

The extra magic hours really makes staying at the already fun resorts even more rewarding.

That all depends on what you are looking to do.

As you can see from the chart, Magic Kingdom offers the most options for both mornings and evenings.

If you are going for the EMH Morning hours, however, you will not likely have time to complete all the options listed any way.

For the evening hours, the other parks tend to run out of rides and attractions if you are planning on staying the whole time.

Rest assured that Walt Disney World won't let their guest go hungry.

There are typically many restaurant options open during the EMH evening hours but you will often need reservations for breakfast places. It is suggested that you eat breakfast before going to the park.

Magic Kingdom

• Casey's Corner
• Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe
• Pecos Bill Cafe

EPCOT

• Bistro de Paris
• Boulangerie Patisserie
• Cantina de San Angel
• Chefs de France
• Electric Umbrella
• Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe
• Lotus Blossom Cafe
• Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room
• San Angel Inn
• Sommerfest
• Sunshine Seasons
• Tangierine Cafe
• Yakitori House

**Note that many EPCOT restaurants may need reservations.

Hollywood Studios

• Catalina Eddie's
• 50's Prime Time Cafe
• Sci-Fi Dine In Theater
• Rosie's All-American Cafe

**Sci-Fi and Prime Time need reservations.

One option is to make reservations for a table service restaurant close to the park closing time. You can finish up dinner and then enjoy EMH after the other guests have cleared out of the park.

Disney sets the EMH months in advance. To make the most of your trip, you can double check the EMH on their official park calendar.

You can verify exact times for EMH and make your dining and ride plans.

Extra Magic Hours are a great way to get a bit of extra fun out of your Walt Disney World trip. Extra Magic Hours are typically set months in advance so that you can plan your itinerary and know where to spend your time.

With a small amount of planning, any Walt Disney World Resort hotel guest can enjoy the extra magic.