How Much Can You Get Done During Extended Evening Hours at Epcot?

We're back! We took a nice, long trip to Anaheim for the D23 Expo and to film some videos at Disneyland, but we are finally back home in Orlando.
This week's video is all about Extended Evening Hours - a special perk for guests staying at Disney World Deluxe Resort Hotels. On most Mondays, you can get an extra two hours in the park at Epcot, but how much can you expect to get done in those two hours? Should you start your night with the amazing fireworks show Harmonious, or should you jump tight into those popular rides like Frozen Ever After, Rey's Ratatouille Adventure, Test Track and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? Let's go find out!
VIDEO FILMED ON JULY 25, 2022
LINKS FROM THIS VIDEO:
Extended Evening Hours Schedule and Info: disneyworld.disney.go.com/gue...
Our Extended Evening Hours Video in Hollywood Studios: • How Many Rides Can We ...
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[@lindakuhns7513]

Is this true: The other way to take advantage of the extended evening hours is by using a park hopper ticket. You can make a reservation in one park, where you spend your day, then after 2 PM, you can park hop over to another park. That allows you to go to the park with the extended evening hours.

[@aimeeguerrera2579]

I watch a lot of vlogs, but yours are always the most helpful by far!! Thank you!! 😊

[@EarScouts]

Thanks so much, Aimee! We really appreciate it. 😃

[@davidulrichldj6140]

I watched all your genie plus tips and last HWS, Epcot and MK - despite being unusually busy - we did EVERYTHING - and some things twice. 12:00am / 7:00am, stacked, right rides in the right order, queue, and playing slots for some better times. You should see the nerdy, laminated cards I made for each park. THANK YOU. May your channel become wildly popular, and not everyone become as savvy! Oh - and the banning of streaming at other parks. Get all the vids in your can!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤

[@EarScouts]

Nicely done! 🙌 We love hearing about people’s trips to Disney World so thank you so much for taking the time to let us know how things went! 😃

[@silviaar1585]

Great video, as always! The quality of the video you shot of Harmonious was awesome! Thank you!

[@EarScouts]

Thanks, Silvia! Erick gets the best shots of fireworks. 😃

[@nuvohomesinc.7647]

Thanks! From Trevor, Aubrey, Aurora, Willow, and Wesley.

[@EarScouts]

It was so lovely meeting you guys! And I’m so glad you found the pixie dust surprise in Epcot. 😃 Thanks for making Ear Scouts part of your family vacation. 😊

[@brianbrown7879]

Thank you for all the info you provide in your videos, it made for a great Disney vacation!!! Especially “playing the Disney Slots”!!

[@EarScouts]

Hi Brian! So glad to hear you had a great vacation. Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to let us know how your trip went - we really appreciate it! 😊

[@gaurirastogi6810]

I went to Disney World two days back and did all 4 parks in one day. Your videos to make good use of Genie plus was super helpful! Keep up the good work. Thanks a lot for making these videos, they are of great help. :)

[@EarScouts]

Wow! All four parks in one day?! Which rides did you pick? Thanks for watching! 😃

[@marycatlasko3713]

Hi Rob! Thanks for posting this. We'll be there in December and staying at the Beach Club, so this is very helpful. Also, you did the best job explaining how to use Genie+. Keep making great content. I love watching your videos and seeing what ears you are wearing.

[@EarScouts]

Thanks so much, Mary Cat! I’ve gotten to the point where I feel weird NOT wearing ears. 😂 Thanks for watching!

[@traceyhill7784]

Thanks Rob - great tips as ever, have added evening entry to our next trip :)

[@EarScouts]

Hi Tracey! It’s a fun extra that we always take advantage of when we can. Thanks - as always - for watching! 😀

[@XCsoccerTRACKmom]

Love your videos, so informative.

[@EarScouts]

Thank you, Tammy - and thanks for watching! 😃

[@k4hdr5]

We rode finding Nemo during extra evening. We stopped at the eel and fish tanks on the way out-the area is open albeit the lights are out. The eels and other creatures where going crazy with the lights out and people gone-not just hiding in rocks. Worth stopping by if you do Nemo.

[@EarScouts]

Wow - that sounds so cool! Now I want to do Extended Evening Hours again to check it out. Thanks for the tip! 😃

[@kimmy2168]

Another GREAT video!!! My countdown to Disney is sooo long. 360 days 🤦‍♀️....but watching all your videos. Learning all the tricks of the Disney trade...my hubby and I will be the 2 most well informed 55 y/o's ever! Thank you Ear Scouts, hope I get to bump into you when we're there. 😁

[@EarScouts]

Hi Kim - I LOVE that you are already getting ready for your trip. THAT is the way to do Disney World! 🙌😃 Thanks so much for watching. Hopefully our paths will cross while you’re here and be sure to let us know if you have any questions in the comments.

[@GoldenMan641]

thanks for another great video!

[@EarScouts]

Thank YOU so much for watching. 😃

[@jilllovejoy9703]

Very helpful! We’ll have extended hours when we visit. I didn’t think there would be lines honestly. This will help us prioritize a few rides. Thank you!

[@EarScouts]

Hi Jill! I thought the same the first time I went. You know what was fascinating when we did Moonlight Magic, though? Rise of the Resistance was a walk on - and we did it twice. That’s not to say everything was a walk on (Slinky was over an hour all night). This felt like a surprisingly busy night at Epcot. I think part of the reason the lines get longer at Epcot is because there are fewer top-tier rides that everyone wants to do. If you watch our Hollywood Studios video, we were able to do 6 rides (though we did a mix of big ticket and mid-tier rides). Thanks for watching! 😃

[@sherryhill2327]

That was such an amazing view of Harmonious. We’ll be there next week and was wondering where the view was from. I absolutely love your videos. Always informative

[@EarScouts]

Hey Sherry! There is an even better view if you can get it (most nights it is blocked off for special events/VIP guests/etc) and it is at the wooden picnic tables behind Disney Traders. Ask a custodial Cast Member in that area if they are being blocked off for the night and if they are not, grab one of those. If they are blocked, the table we show in the video is your best bet. Thanks for watching! 😃

[@sherryhill2327]

@@EarScouts Thank you! Hopefully we can get one of those spots. Keep up the good and informative videos and you will be to 100,000 in no time! 😊

[@scottsilverman]

On September 12 we were at Hollywood Studios and was able to join the virtual queue at 6 pm. All the official emails we received from Disney describing joining the virtual queue claim we did not have to be in Epcot to do this. Not sure it makes a difference but we were staying at the Boardwalk.

[@EarScouts]

Interesting. We thought we were going to be able to do it without entering Epcot, as well. Maybe it was because we were staying at The Swan, which is not an official Disney-owned hotel? I guess we'll have to book another hotel stay at BoardWalk to find out. 😂 Thanks for watching!

[@scottsilverman]

Rob, So you know, we used your tips and tricks all last week with fantastic success. We even stacked on Monday and arrived at the park for our first day at 2 pm and crushed it. Between Hollywood and and Epcot we did 9 rides. My only regret all week was to not ride Guardians even more than the two times we did during the week. MUCH thanks to you and Eric. Keep up the great work and I wish you all the success you deserve.

[@jasminehenderson2243]

Shades Of Green also qualifies for extended evening hours. 😊

[@EarScouts]

Hi Jasmine! Thanks so much for letting me know - I will start adding this to the lists in future videos. And thanks for watching! 😃

[@israeldixon5179]

Shades of Green should also be included on the list.

[@karencolglazier8427]

Thank you this was helpful! Was trying to decide between rope dropping Epcot with lighting lane and paying for guardians (staying at swan) or doing extended hours. I think we can do a lot more rope drop/lighting lane. Thanks for helping me decide!

[@EarScouts]

Hi Karen! Yes, I would say you could certainly get more done more quickly by using Genie Plus and even more if you arrive for Early Entry. You would also be free to enjoy Harmonious, which would eat about a quarter of your extended evening hours. Thanks for watching! 😃

[@LilStarChar]

Does anyone know when the festival food spots are closed for the night? I was wondering if those are still open during the extended evening hours.

[@jjhi2760]

Great Information.

[@EarScouts]

Thanks! And thanks for watching. 😃

[@charliedurham4248]

Another fantastic video! We will be doing extended evening hours at both EP and MK in a few weeks. Do you have to get a wristband or something or do they scan you at each attraction?

[@EarScouts]

Hi Charlie! You can use a MagicBand, MagicMobile on your phone, a physical park ticket or a hotel key card to scan into each ride. Thanks so much for watching! 😃

[@sylviamortimer2589]

This was a great video! Can you do a similar one for magic Kingdom extended evening hours please?

[@EarScouts]

Hi Sylvia! Thank you. We definitely plan on doing one for Magic Kingdom. We’ve actually filmed it a couple of times but we are still perfecting our strategy. 😂 Magic Kingdom is definitely the trickiest because there are so many more rides/variables. Thanks for watching! 😃

[@ashclark6366]

Does anyone happen to know if any of the beverage places are open in world showcase during extended hours?

[@chloewildner167]

Epcot is such a huge park you spend so much of Extended Hours just walking. Before Guardians opened a few months back, we managed to watch Harmonious, ride Frozen twice, ride Soarin once and then ride Remy before exiting out International Gateway.

[@EarScouts]

That sounds like a pretty good night. Ending the night with Remy was smart. And yes - the walking eats up the most time. 😂 Thanks for watching! 😃

[@anabelemc]

Hi rob!! An amazing video as always… I got a question. Do you think monday october 10th (columbus day) will be really crowded???? I didnt realize it was a national holiday and I have a reservation for HS, now im really worried 😢

[@EarScouts]

Hi Ana! It will definitely be a bit more crowded than a non-holiday Monday, but not terribly so. Columbus Day is not a day that everyone gets a day off for. Some do, but it’s not as ubiquitous as July 4 or Memorial Day, so you should be fine. Magic Kingdom will likely be the most crowded that day. Thanks for watching! 😃

[@Jules_WWJD]

Hello Rob, do they have Disney Genie Plus during extended hours? LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!!!

[@EarScouts]

Hi Fernanda! Genie Plus is only available during regular park hours - not early entry, extended evening hours or during special events like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Thanks for watching! 😃

[@CreepyClassics1]

Another great video Rob and Eric! How about testing the limits on grace periods for Lightning Lanes in a video? Would interesting to see how much time you can get after your scheduled time. Stretching to the limit. Would be helpful info. We'll be there on December. Hope to see Ear Scouts and thank you in person.

[@EarScouts]

Hello! I have actually talked to Cast Members about this and they said that the official rule is 15 minutes late, but you are always fine to be 20-25 minutes late. That said, it is completely up to the discretion of the Cast Member. I have seen it scan “green” when I was very late to enter (more than 25 minutes), but it also shows the CM what the return window is, so they could choose to not honor it if they wished. For this reason, I wouldn’t suggest showing up more than 25 minutes after your window ends because I would hate for anyone to be disappointed if the CM chose to enforce the official policy. If you happen to be more than 25 minutes late, it can’t hurt to try and use it, but I wouldn’t plan to be that late. Thanks for watching! 😃

[@EarScouts]

Hopefully our paths will cross while you are here! We’d love to say hi. 🙂

[@LauraB.335]

We went to Remy’s and waited in line the whole two hours, as it broke down just before the extended hours and came back up right before extended hours ended. By the time we got off the ride, the park was officially closed. This was before Guardians opened.

[@americandiscountfence8913]

Hey Rob quick question I’m going to Epcot extended hours in two weeks. Prior to to that we are having a pool day at our hotel, contemporary, and I’m going to grab a quick lunch at magic kingdom. Can I get us lightning lanes for Epcot through out the day even if I’m in magic kingdom while doing it? I’m planning to stack a few rides for Epcot for when we arrive in early evening

[@dawnbeinlich2390]

I love that Donald Duck shirt!!

[@EarScouts]

Thanks - it's one of my favorites. And thanks for watching! 😃

[@janineh5988]

We had the same issue with the virtual boarding group when we were staying at the Swan a couple of weeks ago. It said we weren't eligible. We went to guest services on our way into EPCOT about 7pm and they apologised, said we'd done nothing wrong and that we should've been able to join without tapping into EPCOT, and slotted us into a boarding group. We were very grateful, but definitely seems to be some mixed messages going around.

[@EarScouts]

This is such a mystery. Maybe it is exclusively a problem for guests of the Swan? Hmmm… 🕵️‍♂️🔎 I feel like this might be my excuse to book a night at BoardWalk or Yacht & Beach Club to find out. 😂 Thanks for watching and sharing this info - we really appreciate it!

[@jordynlee1333]

I’m going to extended evening hours in studios December 22nd, please try to go the 15th and make a video 😂😂😂your videos are SO helpful but I’m wondering how low I need to set my expectations for the week of Christmas

[@EarScouts]

It’s probably going to be somewhat busier than what you see in this video, but not crazy busy. Things are kind of limited in Extended Evening Hours because there are a finite number of deluxe hotel rooms. My guess is that you would tack on an extra 10-15 minute wait per ride. Good luck! 😃

[@TheTyree901]

Our boarding group was called right at 9pm and we were watching Harmonious from Japan. It was quite the hike to Guardians. Spent about 60 minutes in queue for Cosmic Rewind. We asked the boys if they wanted Test Track or Remy, they chose Remy. Went all the way back to France and of course the ride went down for the night around 1030pm. They were bummed. My feet were blown out and ready for bed though. I'd definitely recommending catching fireworks on the side closest to GotG, no doubt.

[@EarScouts]

Oh no! That was awful luck. 😕 I’ve never spent that long in the queue for Cosmic Rewind. It must have been a very busy day (or the ride may have been having issues). Thanks for watching our video and taking the time to share your experience with us. 😃

[@TheTyree901]

@@EarScouts We put your tips to use at Hollywood Studios! Accomplished everything including RotR with time to spare for our Oga's reservation! Thanks again!!!

[@csclaude00]

hope you and your family weathered the storm ok!

[@EarScouts]

Thank you, Samuel. We were very lucky that our neighborhood was spared the worst of the flooding and damage.

[@tiannam117]

So I’m here at Magic Kingdom (9/24) and saw you in front of the castle around 8pm 😂 ok- can you help me understand the crowd levels today?? It feels like New Year’s Day. Insanity!

[@EarScouts]

Hello! It was surprisingly busy, wasn’t it? To be fair, it felt like a normal Saturday in the middle of summer, but I definitely would have expected a smaller crowd this late into September. 🤷‍♂️ Who knows? It helped with my video, though, because I think it have a realistic expectation for wait times on busier days. Hope you had a great day in spite of the crowds. 😃

[@SpencersVentures]

I have a question about the boarding group for Guardians. We plan on going to EPCOT on a Monday during our upcoming trip and also plan to hang around for the extra evening hours. So can we get a boarding group at 7 am or 1 pm and then one at 6 pm too? I know you normally can only get 1 per day, but is the extra hours different in this case? Just trying to figure stuff out before we go. Enjoy the videos! Thank you! - Jen Spencer

[@EarScouts]

Hello! Yes - you can get two boarding groups on days when you participate in Extended Evening Hours - one at 7am or 1pm and the other at 6. You can technically get 3 if you pay for an Individual Attraction Lightning Lane. Thanks for watching! 😃

[@josephthompto144]

Hey Rob. I was at WDW last week and I was able to use my LLs well after they expired. We’re talking hours. Have you experienced this as well?

[@EarScouts]

Hi Joseph! I have experienced this and spoken with Cast Members about it. Technically, the rule is that you have a 5 minute grace period before the window opens and a 20-25 minute grace period after the window closes. That said, one Cast Member told me that the grace period you get after the window closes is not enforced and most of the time you can enter without issue until the park closes for the day. This is not to say that you can always do that - any Cast Member could choose to enforce the shorter grace period window at their discretion (but most don’t in my experience). Thanks for watching and sharing this info! 😃

[@philippaelliott8939]

I wonder if you can join a boarding group for guardians at 6pm from anywhere on property, so long as you have scanned into a park earlier in the day? Just a theory?

[@EarScouts]

Hi Philippa! We had scanned into our first park of the day, we just hadn't scanned into Epcot. I think if we had scanned into Epcot at least once, we would not have had an issue. That is how it works with the 1PM drop. I just thought the 6PM was different (and for some people, it seems that it is). 🤷‍♂️ Thanks for watching!

[@theegg-freebaker8249]

Can you still use Genie+ and get lightning lanes during extended evening hours?

[@EarScouts]

Hello! There is no Genie or Individual Attraction Lightning Lanes during any of the after hours events. The goal is to keep the lines moving fast and those tend to slow things down a lot. Luckily, the lines move fast enough that you don’t really need them. Thanks for watching! 😃

[@theegg-freebaker8249]

@@EarScouts Thank you!! Your videos are great!

[@HelloWorld-gb8eb]

Are the food vendors available. Drinks etc

[@EarScouts]

Some, but not all. Festival booths will be closed, for example. I’ll try to pay more attention to which options are open next time I go for extended evening hours. Thanks for watching! 😃

[@christinacoop7763]

How can you check if there are extended hours. There October 3rd

[@EarScouts]

Hi Christina! Sorry - I forgot to add the link: disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/extended-evening/ Yes - there are extended hours at Epcot on Oct 3. 😃

[@Heatherofscots]

We are planning to start at EPCOT and then hopping to Hollywood studios on one of these days. I have a later reservation at Oga's Cantina. Do we have to be inside EPCOT by 9PM or will they still let us in after 9PM? Thank you for all the info ❣

[@EarScouts]

Hi Heather - you can certainly come later. I’m not sure when they stop allowing entry, but it’s likely just a few minutes before the event ends. I’ll try to remember to ask a Cast Member and let you know the official answer.

[@Heatherofscots]

@@EarScouts thank you for the reply 🙂

[@christiebartram7677]

Can I grab a virtual queue at 7am/1pm AND another at 6pm as a deluxe resort guest for extended evening hours??

[@EarScouts]

Hi Christie - the answer is yes! You can get one at either 7 or 1 and another for extended evening hours. You could even ride a third time by purchasing the Individual Attraction Lightning Lane. Thanks for watching! 😃

[@SuBee-mg4wh]

I will be at Disney next month. How should we approach Magic Kingdom extra hours from 11 p - 1a. We will be heading over after Epcot Fireworks. Can we use Genie Plus? Thank You. .

[@EarScouts]

Hi Susan! You cannot use Genie Plus during Extended Evening Hours, unfortunately. I would recommend starting with mid-tier rides like Pirates of the Caribbean, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin or It’s a Small World. As the night goes on, lines for the biggest attractions will go down typically, so keep an eye on return times in the app and look for opportunities to ride the bigger ticket attractions with shorter waits. You should expect to ride 4-6 rides, depending on what you choose. Of course, if you stick to rides with the lowest waits, you could probably ride even more. Good luck! 🍀

[@SuBee-mg4wh]

@@EarScouts Thank You so much for taking time out of your day to get back to me. Look forward to your future videos .. they are really so helpful .

[@brookehorton9753]

We stayed at the Swan last week and were able to join from the monorail before tapping into Epcot. We had already tapped into MK where we had a reservation that day so maybe that made a difference? Or maybe they fixed the glitch. We were able to watch Harmonious, ride guardians, and ride Frozen before time was up - I wasn’t expecting the time to go by so fast 😂

[@EarScouts]

Interesting. We had tapped into our first park that day (which was Animal Kingdom). Curious to see what happens next time we try this. Also - I completely agree. Those 2 hours are gone before you know it at Epcot. 😂 Thanks for watching!

[@Thomas-Chophouse]

Are you able to do Guardians during extended hours if your reservation was for Magic Kingdom on that day? We would utilize park hopper to get there before 6pm? Or do you have to start at Epcot regardless?

[@EarScouts]

Hi Thomas - I would recommend badging in at Epcot before 6pm. Some people are able to get the 6pm without entering, but I was not able to. I had to physically enter the park. Hope you have a great time at the parks! 😃

[@Thomas-Chophouse]

@@EarScouts part of the fun is definitely playing the slots. Really looking forward to the change where you can modify

[@dianabadger2493]

Does that you could ride guardians of the galaxy more than 2 times with extended evening hour?

[@EarScouts]

Hi Diana - yes, exactly! And if you bought the Individual Attraction Lightning Lane, you could potentially ride three times in one day with extended hours.

[@dianabadger2493]

@@EarScouts Oh my!! You just blew my mind!! That would be so exciting!! I'll definitely have to try doing that. I've heard wonderful reviews about the ride!! 😀

[@jenniferdarragh264]

I have a question- if I had my park pass reservation for say AK on the day of Epcot extended evening, I would still be able to go to Epcot that evening, correct? And I’m assuming my ticket would also need to be a hopper to go?

[@EarScouts]

Hi Jennifer! Yes - you can hop to Epcot for extended evening hours, but you do have to have an annual pass or ticket with the park hopper option added in order to enter Epcot on an Animal Kingdom day. Sadly, they don’t let everyone staying at a Deluxe resort hop in for extended evening hours if they don’t have a ticket or pass that allows hopping. Thanks for watching! 😃

[@jenniferdarragh264]

@@EarScouts That is what I thought, thank you for confirming. 😃

[@slagz13]

Think you missed shades of green on your list of EEH hotels like swan and dolphin

[@EarScouts]

Hi Jeff! I did. I think it was missing from the list I copied and pasted from. Thank you for letting me know and I’ll be sure it is included in the future. 👍😃

[@cheesequest]

So you don’t need a virtual queue for GotG in extended evening hours? 😮

[@EarScouts]

You do, but you can book it at 6pm and it is typically easier to grab. Just make sure you have a park pass for Epcot or you have tapped in at Epcot at least once after hopping from another park. Thanks for watching! 😃

[@cheesequest]

@@EarScouts Thanks for the info!

[@paulsolenick4624]

The park tips from Ear Scouts and the plain speaking by their host have been invaluable to me in planning our upcoming 4/16 stay at Walty Disney World. This guy knows his stuff, and we'll see if his tips pay off for our visit.

[@EdwardNygma1980]

If you are able to ride everything multiple times, on multiple days, I guess seeing attractions (or some of it's animatronics) in B-Mode is cool. But if you can only come over once every couple of years or maybe even once in a lifetime and have some knowledge about the attractions about how they're supposed to look/act, I don't know if that qualifies as a good experience. I still love Everest, but it would be better if they would fix the animatronic (which is never going to happen I guess). And, without trying to spoil anything, at ROTR they've pretty much decided to let some effects have the same faith as Everest. I know it's still beter than having more downtime and not being able to ride it at all. And most guests won't even know what they're missing, but to me it just seems cheap.

[@EarScouts]

Hi Erwin. I 100% agree with you on some attractions. I am very sad that we’ll likely never see the yeti running in A-Mode and it’s disappointing when you get video Kylo instead of animatronic Kylo. But there are others like Ratatouille and Smuggler’s Run where you actually get something extra. It’s like a secret deleted scene when you see Remy struggle with the cork. In Smugglers Run, you get a whole extra experience of navigating a meteor shower, which is very fun.

[@adamsmith-xk1sh]

Only didn3 rides in 2hrs. You can do better my man

[@EarScouts]

I definitely expected we would do at least 4, but Test Track threw a wrench in our plans. 😒 The biggest complication is that you can’t schedule Guardians, so that kind of has to fall where it falls. Also, just missing the pre show for Guardians cost us about 7-8 minutes. Definitely not our best night. 😂 I felt like it was good to show how things can and so sometimes do shake out, though. Lines are still sometimes pretty long - especially if you want to stick to the most popular rides. Thanks for watching! 😃