This post has been sponsored by Walt Disney World, all opinions are mine alone.
5 Ways to Visit Disney World When It’s Closed to the general public.
Disney World is one of the most magical places on earth.
Between the tasty food, thrill rides, exciting shows, and all-around happy atmosphere what’s not to love!?
However, with more and more people experiencing the magic of Disney the lines tend to get longer and longer, especially during their high season.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy Disney World without long lines!
For years Roger and I have been learning and applying some awesome Disney hacks so that we can experience Disney World with less to no wait times.
And while you may know about some of these Disney tips, my hope is that you’ll learn at least one new trick so you can get into Disney World and enjoy some extra special magic without the extra-large crowds.
1. Extra Magic Hours
If you are trying to decide whether or not to stay at a Disney resort during your next vacation to Disney World I want to highly encourage you to stay at a Disney affiliate hotel.
There are so many advantages and freebies associated with staying at a Disney World hotel.
One of the biggest bonuses is Extra Magic Hours that allows guests to visit a park while it’s closed to the general public.
We prefer to stay at a Disney hotel for this exact purpose.
The crowds are fewer, the lines are shorter, and sometimes it can even feel like you have the whole park to yourself.
We’ve even gone from ride to ride with no wait time!
Sometimes these Extra Magic Hours are before the park opens and sometimes they are scheduled for after the park closes.
During our last trip to Disney World, they had something extra special called Extra, Extra Magic Hours which meant that the park opened even earlier than their normal Extra Magic Hours for guests staying at Disney affiliated hotels.
The park that these Extra Magic Hours are in vary from day to day so you will need to check the official website as you plan your Extra Magic Hours for your Disney vacation.
You can learn more about Extra Magic Hours by clicking here.
2. An Extra Early Breakfast Reservation
This is a free hack for anyone visiting Disney World that can be used no matter what hotel you stay at during your stay.
The trick is to book the earliest breakfast reservation at a Disney World restaurant so that you are already in the park before/when it opens.
Yes, they let dining reservation guests in before the park opens!!
Note: this doesn’t mean that you can book a reservation to get into the park and then skip it to go on rides. If you miss a reservation you will be charged $20.
Roger and I used this trick while in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom a few years back. We were staying at a Disney resort, but the Extra Magic Hours were for the evening, so we were able to get into the park early by making an early morning breakfast reservation way in advance for the Be Our Guest Restaurant.
Because we were near the back of the park when the park did open (and had already finished our meal) we were able to do several rides before a line began to form because of our location in the back of the park.
Note: If you plan to use this trick, I recommend making sure that there aren’t Extra Magic Hours in the park that morning as the park will already be bustling with people visiting for Extra Magic Hours.
3. Disney After Hours
This specially ticketed event is held throughout the year on various nights at different parks.
You will need to pay for a second ticket to visit during Disney After Hours, but you’ll be able to experience most of the rides without the standard wait times.
This is also a great option for people who are passing through Orlando who want to visit Disney World but do not enough have time in their schedule to spend a whole day in one of the parks.
You can learn more about Disney After Hours on the official Disney website by clicking here.
4. Mickey’s Not So Scary Party
There are two-holiday specific parties that Disney throws every year.
The first one is Mickey’s Not So Scary Party and just like the Disney After Hours Event, you will also need to purchase a secondary ticket for this event.
At this party, you will receive a special bag that you can fill with free candy at designated areas throughout the park.
There are also special parades and shows you can watch that take place throughout the party.
Also, this is the only time that adults can dress up in costumes at Disney World!
This event begins at the end of September and runs through the beginning of November.
5. Mickey’s Christmas Party
Christmas in Disney World is beyond magical.
Disney itself is already an incredibly magical place, but add on the joy of Christmas and you get a whole new unimaginable level of Disney magic.
And just as the last two tips, this one is also a special ticketed event that you can purchase ahead of time.
During this event, there are special Christmas treats throughout the park as well as special Christmas parades and shows.
This event runs from mid-November to the beginning of January.
You can learn more about Mickey’s Christmas Party and start planning your trip by clicking here.
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I hope you enjoyed these 5 tips for an extra magical Disney World experience!
If you are planning a trip to Disney World, or just want to start dreaming of the magical experiences that await, be sure to check out all of my posts and tips about planning a trip to Disney World here!
What are your favorite Disney World tips, tricks, & hacks?
I’d love to hear from you!
Feel free to comment below, email me, or tweet me on Twitter.
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With love, Giusti
