Your trip to Walt Disney World can get even more magical with the perks of staying at a Walt Disney World Resort for your vacation. Between the transportation to and from the parks to earlier Fastpass+ planning time, Disney makes the extra effort to add as much magic as possible to your family’s stay.

One perk of staying at a Disney resort that I have always loved is Extra Magic Hours! Imagine having VIP status and getting into the park early or being able to stay later — all with shorter lines for your favorite attractions! It’s no surprise that this service has the word magic right in the name.

I still remember attending some of my first few Extra Magic Hour days as a kid. Anyone else remember E-Nights?! In the early 2000’s my dad would take my sister and I back to Magic Kingdom after the park was closed to the public. In those days all we wanted to do was ride Splash Mountain again and again, so lucky for us this was the perfect time of day to do it!

To this day I still enjoy taking advantage of at least one Extra Magic Hour day per trip because why not?! Lower crowds equals more time for attractions and we all know we can never save enough time waiting in lines.

Curious to know more about this awesome Disney Resorts perk? Here’s everything you need to know about Extra Magic Hours!

What Are Extra Magic Hours?

Extra Magic Hours are a special opportunity exclusively available to Disney Resort guests. These guests of select hotels can enjoy some extra bonus time in one of the four Walt Disney World theme parks each day! These Extra Magic Hours take place before or after regular operating hours which means shorter waiting times for these guests.

When Are Extra Magic Hours for the parks?

Extra Magic Hours are offered everyday, but the participating theme park and Extra Magic Hour times are different depending on which day it is! Here’s a breakdown of Extra Magic Hours options:

Magic Kingdom

Morning Extra Magic Hours take place an hour before the park opens for the day. Park hours for Magic Kingdom vary throughout the year, but currently their Morning Extra Magic Hours are from 8AM – 9AM!

Evening Extra Magic Hours take place two hours after the park closes for the day. (Nighttime Magic Kingdom is my favorite so these are probably my favorite hours to take advantage of!) Currently Magic Kingdom’s Evening Extra Magic Hours are taking place from 10PM – 12AM on select nights!

Epcot

Morning Extra Magic Hours at Epcot are very similar to Magic Kingdom because they also take place an hour before the park opens for the day. Park hours for Epcot vary throughout the year, but currently their Morning Extra Magic Hours are from 8AM – 9AM as well!

Evening Extra Magic Hours at Epcot also take place two hours after the park closes for the day. (I can never get enough of Epcot, so these days are always a fun perk for me!) Epcot’s Evening Extra Magic Hours are taking place from 9PM – 11PM on select nights!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Morning Extra Magic Hours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios take place an hour before the park opens for the day. Due to the construction and changes currently taking place in this parks, the Extra Magic Hours are extremely set in stone compared to the other three theme parks! For example, it appears that Disney’s Hollywood Studios Extra Magic Hours take place on Sundays consistently. This is a great tip to know when planning out dining reservations and Fastpass+ reservations in advance! Guests can enjoy Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ Extra Magic Hours from 8AM-9AM on Sundays.

Animal Kingdom

Morning Extra Magic Hours for Animal Kingdom are just like the other three parks. They take place the hour before the park opens to the public! Animal Kingdom’s daily park hours tend to vary, but for the most part your Extra Magic Hours for this park will be from 8AM – 9AM.

Looking to plan a trip in the next six months? Check out Disney’s Park Hours calendar here to see what will be going on during your vacation! You can be in the know of special events, your Extra Magic Hour days for each park, and lots more! Don’t forget to take advantage of this helpful vacation planning tool.

Who is included in this perk?

Extra Magic Hours are available to guests staying at Disney Resorts! Walt Disney World has more than 25 resorts for guests to choose from, and this perk is actually extended to more resorts than you may realize.

In addition to Disney Resort hotels (You can check out the full list of Disney Resort hotels here!), Disney also includes the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, and the Shades of Green Resort! While these resorts are on Disney property, they aren’t operated by Disney so this is a great perk to know about if you’re planning to stay in these resorts.

Pro Tip: Disney Spring Resort Area Hotels are also included for this perk! With the recent renovation of the Disney Springs area, the Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels have become a convenient and cost effective option for those looking to still be close to the parks. I’ve stayed in the area recently and definitely plan to again so hearing that I can benefit from one of my favorite on property perks is music to my ears! You can check out the full list of Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels here.

Which Attractions Are Available During Extra Magic Hours?

Select attractions are open in the parks during their Extra Magic Hours. According to Disney these are the attractions that are open for each park, but the availability of these attractions may vary due to an unplanned closure or long refurbishment!

These attractions are available during Magic Kingdom Morning Extra Magic Hours:

• Astro Orbiter
• The Barnstormer
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Enchanted Tales with Belle
• “it’s a small world”
• Mad Tea Party
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Space Mountain
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
• Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid
• Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress

These attractions are available during Magic Kingdom Evening Extra Magic Hours:

• Astro Orbiter
• The Barnstormer
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Country Bear Jamboree
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Haunted Mansion
• “it’s a small world”
• Mad Tea Party
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Space Mountain
• Swiss Family Treehouse
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid
• Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

These attractions are available during Epcot Morning Extra Magic Hours:

• The Seas with Nemo & Friends
• Frozen Ever After
• Living with the Land
• Project Tomorrow: Inventing the World of Tomorrow
• Soarin’
• Spaceship Earth
• Test Track Presented by Chevrolet®

These attractions are available during Epcot Evening Extra Magic Hours:

• Advanced Training Lab
• The American Adventure
• American Heritage Gallery
• Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
• Epcot Character Spot
• Frozen Ever After
• Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
• Journey Into Imagination With Figment
• Living with the Land
• Mission: SPACE
• O Canada!
• Project Tomorrow: Inventing the World of Tomorrow
• The Seas with Nemo & Friends
• Soarin’
• Spaceship Earth
• Test Track Presented by Chevrolet®
• Turtle Talk With Crush

These attractions are available during Disney’s Hollywood Studios Morning Extra Magic Hours:

• Muppet*Vision 3D
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
• Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
• Toy Story Mania!
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™

These attractions are available during Animal Kingdom Morning Extra Magic Hours:

• Avatar Flight of Passage
• DINOSAUR
• Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
• Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail  (subject to availability)
• Kilimanjaro Safaris  (subject to availability)
• Na’vi River Journey
• Primeval Whirl
• TriceraTop Spin

Walt Disney World loves to find ways to add a little something special to your vacation at the Most Magical Place on Earth, and I’d say with a perk like Extra Magic Hours they’re doing something right! I don’t always get to stay on grounds when I visit Disney these days, so when I do I definitely appreciate this extra time and shorter wait times in the parks.

So next time you’re planning a vacation to my happy place, don’t forget to use this guide to help make the most of your Extra Magic Hours while visiting! Experience more attractions, more magic, and more memories — talk about BEST DAY EVER.

Have you ever had a chance to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours in the parks?