A very warm welcome to planDisney, Steven!
I’m thrilled to see that you have a trip to The Most Magical Place on Earth planned! I’m also happy to see that you’re hoping to maximize every moment of your vacation. The evening hours at Disney are some of my favorites! My husband took me on a date last night to see Disney Movie Magic and
Wonderful World of Animation at Hollywood Studios. These shows are both projected on the Chinese Theater, and are so cool to experience! Disney Movie Magic celebrates Disney’s live-action films and starts at about 8:40pm. Wonderful World of Animation explores (you guessed it) Disney’s animated films and immediately follows Disney Movie Magic at 9:00pm. I would highly recommend both of these shows for a great way to enjoy that nighttime feeling!
Extended Evening Hours are an awesome way for Guests staying at select hotels to enjoy lower crowds and cooler weather at the theme parks! Typically shopping and dining are available for a time (usually around 1 hour after official park closing) for all Guests. During
Extended Evening Hours, Cast Members will be scanning Guest’s tickets at the front of all attractions to ensure that only Guests qualifying for Extended Evening Hours will be participating in these reserved experiences; however, shopping and some food locations will typically serve Guests beyond the official park closing. Now, the length of extra time you’ll be able to spend at shops will depend on the discretion of Cast Members and the policies of each theme park, so if you are being gently guided toward the park exit be sure to make your final purchases as soon as you can! I would recommend checking in with Guest Services at the beginning of your day at the particular theme park that you’ll be wanting to enjoy before Extended Evening Hours are offered — the Cast Members there will be able to give you further information regarding any policies you need to be aware of! But, from my personal experience, I would say that you can expect to be able to enjoy about an hour or so shopping!
If you decide that you want some more nighttime hours, I recommend spending some time at Disney Springs! Disney Springs is usually open until about 11pm. You know what is open until 11pm at Disney Springs?!
Gideon’s Bakehouse. That means you can get MY favorite cookie, the Pistachio Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookie, before you end your day! That is a perfect evening treat, and Gideon’s Bakehouse’s ambiance is greatly enhanced by the evening hours!
Steven, if you have additional questions before your arrival… or if you need additional cookie recommendations… please visit us again at planDisney!
See ya real soon!
Allyn