If you like exclusive events that make you feel like a V.I.P., you’ll probably fall in love with Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios.
Hosted at different parks at Walt Disney World, Disney After Hours are special-ticketed events that let guests explore their favorite attractions and experience a park with very low crowds.
Not all of the After Hours events are created equal, however. And, while we don’t recommend all of them, a couple (like the one at Hollywood Studios) are definitely worth it for some people.
Here is info about the event, how much it costs, who should attend, and a suggested itinerary if you plan to go.
What is Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios?
If you are a person who would love to ride your favorite headliner attractions over and over, Disney After Hours might be just the thing for you.
You may be asking yourself why you should pay for extra time in the park? Well, Disney After Hours are much more exclusive.
This is a special-ticketed event, and not only that, Disney has said over and over that the number of tickets sold is limited and from our experience, they are 100% right.
The limited number of tickets create parks that almost feel eerily empty with hardly any lines to be found, which is perfect for anybody who loves riding lots of attractions.
Checking in
Aside from the low lines, another cool thing is that purchasing a ticket to Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios allows you to enter the park before the event begins (in this case at 7:00 p.m.), which is before the regular park closing.
That means you’ll be able to see and do a few things not included in Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios without having to buy a regular park ticket before the event starts (more on that below).
When you arrive at the front of Hollywood Studios, you’ll be asked to check in and be given your credentials (wristband) for the evening.
Starting right at the official start time for the event, you’ll be asked to show your wristband when entering lines and guests without wristbands will be asked to head to the front of the park.
Planning on arriving earlier than 7 p.m.?
If you have a regular park ticket (and now a theme park reservation) for that day, and you’ll be spending the afternoon before the check-in time at Hollywood Studios, you won’t have to go all the way back to the front to check in.
Guests already in the park can go to Ticket Central, located at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard (near The Hollywood Brown Derby) for their wristband.
When the official park closing time arrives, guests without wristbands will be directed towards the front.
People without the proper credentials won’t be allowed to enter any of the lines, and it doesn’t take long at all for the park to clear out of non-Disney After Hours participants, though you should plan on there being some overlap between day guests and the beginning of the event.
What’s available at Hollywood Studios After Hours
You should find lots to keep you busy, including:
Rides & attractions
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Toy Story Mania!
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Star Tours — The Adventures Continue
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster1
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
1 – Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster will be under refurbishment for part of early 2023.
Characters
- Select Character greetings
Entertainment
- Disney Movie Magic (11:25 pm)
- Wonderful World of Animation (11:45 pm)
What’s NOT available:
- Fantasmic! (but you can catch a show before the park closes, if you want)
- Star Wars Launch Bay (including Chewbacca, BB-8, and Darth Vader)
- Muppet*Vision 3D
- Most character meets that are found during the day
- Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
- Disney Junior Dance Party!
- For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
Snacks and Dining
One of the perks of the After Hours events are the free snacks and drinks you get.
Those include ice cream novelties, popcorn, and select bottled beverages (Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, water) – all for free. There will be carts stationed throughout the park. The lines at the carts can sometimes get long, but they move quickly. It is also a good tip to just keep walking to the next cart if you don’t want to wait!
You can also purchase other food and beverages at select dining locations.
You’ll find that most of the regular Table Service and Quick Service locations aren’t open (although there will be a couple of spots where you can purchase some select menu items).
Quick Service Locations
While most places will be closed, there are a few that will be open. Keep in mind that the entire menu may not be available:
- Walk-up availability at Oga’s Cantina
- Select outdoor bar carts
- Woody’s Lunchbox
- Milk Stand
- Anaheim Produce
- Rosie’s All-American Cafe
- KRNR The Rock Station
Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios dates
Depending on the date, the After Hours Events at Hollywood Studios have slightly different start and end times:
1February, March, and April After Hours dates start at 9:30 and end at 12:30 am
2May and June After Hours dates start at 10:00 pm and end at 1:00 am
2023 Disney After Hours dates
January
- Wednesday, January 4, 20231
- Wednesday, January 11, 20231
- Wednesday, January 18, 20231
- Wednesday, January 25, 20231
February
- Wednesday, February 15, 20231
- Wednesday, February 22, 20231
March
- Wednesday, March 8, 20231
- Wednesday, March 22, 20231
- Wednesday, March 29, 20231
April
- Sunday, April 2, 20231
- Wednesday, April 5, 20231
- Wednesday, April 19, 20231
May
- Wednesday, May 3, 20232
- Wednesday, May 17, 20232
- Wednesday, May 24, 20232
- Wednesday, May 31, 20232
June
- Wednesday, June 7, 20232
- Wednesday, June 14, 20232
- Wednesday, June 21, 20232
- Wednesday, June 28, 20232
Historical Event Dates
Oftentimes you’ll find that Disney only releases event dates a few months out, which can make it difficult if you’re trying to plan your vacation.
To help we have included some historical dates below.
Keep in mind that these dates are not guarantees of what will happen in the future; rather, use them as guides as to what you might expect to see.
These are the dates the event was offered in 2019:
January 2019
- Saturday, January 5, 2019¹
- Saturday, January 12, 2019¹
- Saturday, January 19, 2019¹
February 2019
- Saturday, February 2, 2019¹
- Saturday, February 9, 2019¹
- Saturday, February 16, 2019¹
March 2019
- Saturday, March 2, 2019¹
- Saturday, March 9, 2019¹
- Saturday, March 16, 2019²
- Saturday, March 23, 2019²
- Saturday, March 30, 2019²
April 2019
- Saturday, April 6, 2019²
- Saturday, April 13, 2019²
May 2019
- Wednesday, May 1, 2019² – 30th anniversary of Disney’s Hollywood Studios celebration (more info on what that means below)
- Saturday, May 4, 2019² – May the fourth (Star Wars!) celebration (more info on what that means below)
- Friday, May 10, 2019²
- Friday, May 17, 2019²
- Friday, May 24, 2019²
- Friday, May 31, 2019²
June 2019
- Friday, June 14, 2019²
- Friday, June 21, 2019²
- Friday, June 28, 2019²
July 2019
- Friday, July 5, 2019²
- Friday, July 12, 2019²
- Friday, July 19, 2019²
- Friday, July 26, 2019²
¹event took place from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
²event took place 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 1: Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Hollywood Studios
In honor of the big day, guests who attended the May 1, 2019 After Hours event found special character meet opportunities (with both Pixar and Disney favorites) as well as 30th Anniversary merchandise available for purchase.
Saturday, May the Fourth (Star Wars celebration)
This was a HOT ticket for all Star Wars fans! Guests were encouraged to dress up (cosplay fans unite!) for fun meet and greets with some Star Wars favorites like duos Chewbacca and Rey & Kylo Ren and Captain Phasma in Star Wars: Launch Bay. There were also other characters in the park, fun themed merchandise, and of course lots and lots of treats.
Disney After Hours cost
Current ticket prices are:
- $129-$149 plus tax per adult or child (depending on date)
Discounts
There are some discounts available, though.
Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members can purchase tickets for $99-$119 so that is a nice bit of savings if you are a member of either of those groups.
How to get tickets
When it comes time to purchase tickets, you have a couple of options:
You can purchase them from a travel professional like the agents at Small World Vacations.
Or, if you’d rather, tickets can be purchased online or by calling 407-827-7185.
Planning your time
Here’s how we think you can best use your time.
- Arrive at Hollywood Studios just before 7:00 p.m. so you can enter the park as soon as you can.
- Visit any of the attractions or characters that are not available after the event begins. That includes the Frozen Sing-Along and Voyage of the Little Mermaid.
- See one of the nighttime shows.
- After the event starts, spend most of your time visiting attractions and meeting characters, picking up snacks at kiosks throughout Hollywood Studios as you go. Since daytime guests will linger at the beginning of the event, consider starting your rides and character visits outside of Toy Story Land.
- Grab a PhotoPass picture inside a nearly empty park.
- Grab a bottle or two of beverages to take back to your hotel before you head out.
Who should attend?
Yes, this event is not cheap. You’re paying a lot of money for what is essentially 3 hours of park touring, plus the time between 7 p.m. and when the party starts.
But for people on short trips or guests staying offsite that weren’t able to snag Genie+ Lightning Lane selections for the attractions in Toy Story Land, and Galaxy’s Edge, it might make sense to think about adding this event into your plans.
Thinking about a trip where you’ll only have time to visit each park only once?
Then the Disney After Hours might be an even better idea.
Katie
Monday 22nd of July 2019
Do you know if there will be After Hours for any of the parks in 2020? I am really hoping to go in February, but as of now on Disney's site it only says Hollywood Studios has dates through July and Magic Kingdom has dates through September.
gloribel Perez
Wednesday 29th of May 2019
Does any one know if they will add dates for the end of August?
Terry
Friday 24th of May 2019
Any idea if the After Hours will be extended into the beginning of August (pre-Star Wars opening)?
Jen Kilmer
Tuesday 21st of May 2019
Hi! I’m wondering if guests with a ticket for after hours at Hollywood studios are able to book dining at Hollywood studios prior to the 7pm start time? Also any idea if this will be extended into 2020? Our trip isn’t until Jan 2020. Thanks in advance I love your site and podcast!
Shannon Albert
Tuesday 21st of May 2019
If you don't have regular park tickets for that day, you won't be able to get in before 7 for your dining reservation.