Hello Kimberly! So glad to have you visit us at the Disney Parks Moms Panel! Good for you for looking into the after-hours events offered at the Disney Parks! I love being in the Disney Parks late at night! Low heat and low crowds equal a great park experience! Let's take a look at the opportunities available for after-hours in the Disney Parks.
You specifically mentioned
Disney Villains After Hours at Magic Kingdom Park. This is a spook-tacular way to spend your night. This event does require a special event admission ticket. The Magic Kingdom will close to other Guests during these events and you will get to spend your evening being hosted by the Disney Villains! This event typically runs from 10:00PM until 1:00AM, with a few select nights offering 9:00PM to 12:00AM. Even though the after-hours fun doesn't officially begin until later, Guests holding a ticket to this event can usually enter the park as early as 7:00PM. I strongly recommend taking advantage of this great perk! In addition to a frightfully fun night, you will also experience very low crowds making it much easier to access many of your favorite Magic Kingdom attractions!
Other after-hours events are offered at both
Magic Kingdom Park and
Disney's Animal Kingdom! These events also require a special event admission ticket and they are well worth it! The timing of the events are similar to that of the Villains After Hours event. You can also expect to experience the same low crowds for these events. I also like that the admission price covers the cost of snacks such as popcorn, ice cream, and select beverages throughout the evening. Similar to the Villains After Hours event, admission typically begins at 7:00PM even though the event won't begin until later! A great deal to take advantage of during your vacation!
Kimberly, don't forget that Guests staying at Disney Resort Hotels are also able to take advantage of
Extra Magic Hours at the Disney Parks. This free perk allows Guests to spend time in the parks before or after official operating hours. These hours are sometimes offered late into the night. Crowds are a little bit higher than you will find at the specially ticketed after-hours events, but we often find these crowds tolerable. You can always find the parks offering Extra Magic Hours by visiting the
Disney Parks Calendar.
Feel free to come back and visit us at the Disney Parks Moms Panel as you continue to plan for late nights at the Disney Parks!
Hakuna Matata! Jonathan G.