Welcome to planDisney Jen! I'm so glad you stopped by with your question. It sounds like you’re planning a magical stay at
Disney’s Beach Club Resort! This is one of my favorite resorts! It is a great choice with its beautiful setting and easy access to EPCOT and beyond. It’s also exciting to hear you’re heading to Disney’s Animal Kingdom during your visit and looking into how to experience even more magic that day. I’d be happy to help clear up how Extended Evening Theme Park Hours work and what you’ll need to enjoy them at Magic Kingdom.
It sounds like you’re asking about
Extended Evening Theme Park Hours on August 13 at Magic Kingdom. I checked the
Walt Disney World calendar as well, and you’re absolutely right, Magic Kingdom is scheduled to offer Extended Evening Hours that night. Since you’re staying at a Deluxe Resort, your family is eligible to take advantage of those extra hours, which is a fantastic perk.
To clarify, Extended Evening Theme Park Hours and
Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom are two different offerings. Extended Evening Hours are a benefit exclusively for guests staying at Deluxe Resorts, like the Beach Club. These hours happen on select nights at select parks and allow you to enjoy the park for a few extra hours after regular closing, with much shorter wait times for many popular attractions. There’s no additional cost to use this benefit if you’re eligible.
Disney After Hours, on the other hand, is a separately ticketed event that any guest can purchase regardless of where they are staying. These events also occur after regular park closing, but they require a special ticket to enter and often include complimentary snacks and beverages.
Now, regarding your park plans on August 13, you mentioned your family has a park reservation for
Disney’s Animal Kingdom that day. In order to visit Magic Kingdom later that evening for the Extended Evening Hours, your park tickets must include the
Park Hopper Option. The reason for this is that park entry during Extended Evening Hours still requires valid admission and entry into the park itself. Without Park Hopper tickets, you would only be able to access the park you reserved for the day, which in your case is Animal Kingdom.
So, if you do have Park Hopper tickets, you’ll be able to start your day at Animal Kingdom, hop over to Magic Kingdom later in the afternoon or evening, and then enjoy those Extended Evening Hours after the park closes to regular guests. If your tickets do not include Park Hopper, you would not be able to enter Magic Kingdom that day, even for the Extended Evening Hours.
If you’re unsure whether your tickets include Park Hopper, I’d recommend checking in with Guest Services or looking in the My Disney Experience app under your ticket details.
I hope you find this information helpful as you prepare for an exciting visit to Walt Disney World Resort, Jen! Thank you again for visiting planDisney. Have a magical day!
Kay