Did you know that when you stay at a Walt Disney World® Resort property, you get extra park time, for free? It’s true! Extra Magic Hours (EMH) are a complimentary benefit to all Walt Disney World® Resort guests. It gives guests who stay on property a unique opportunity to spend additional time in the parks outside of the normal operating schedule.
Every day, one of the four parks opens an hour early or stays open up to two hours later. These special hours are the Extra Magic Hours. To get in early, you must have a valid park ticket and you must be staying at a Walt Disney World® resort. You’ll be asked to scan your Magic Band or Ticket to the World card at the entrance as proof that you meet both requirements for early entrance. If you’re staying late for the evening Extra Magic Hours, Cast Members will verify your park admission and resort guest status every time you scan your Magic Band or park ticket at the entrance to an attraction.
Extra Magic Hours do not give you access to multiple parks unless you have Park Hopper tickets. If you have Park Hopper tickets, you can take advantage of Extra Magic Hours both in the morning and the evening. This is one way my family was able to spend time in three parks each day on our last visit!
We take advantage of the morning Extra Magic Hours whenever they are available during our Walt Disney World® vacation. Not all attractions are open during that early hour, but it gives us a chance to get in to the park, grab some breakfast, and get in line for an attraction or character greeting before the real crowds begin.
The evening Extra Magic Hours are also helpful for our family. There is a five year age gap between our kids, so when the younger one is tired out and wants to go to bed, either my husband or I will go back to the resort room with him and the other will take our older son out to the park that is staying open late that night for some extra fun.
Disneyland® offers an Extra Magic Hour. Like Walt Disney World®, this is a complimentary benefit for Disneyland® Resort Hotel guests, but it is limited to one hour prior to park opening in the morning. Disneyland® Park opens one hour early on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Disney California Adventure® Park opens one hour early on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
You can find the Extra Magic Hours for each day on the My Disney Experience app, on the Disneyland app, or by tuning in to the park times guide on the resort room televisions. Your MousePros agent can also provide you with more information on Extra Magic Hours and help you use them as a tool to plan your park time. This is a great perk for staying on property and MousePros will help you make sure you are prepared to take full advantage of it!