Extra Magic Hours – When to Use & When to Avoid
Updated: April 2013
If you think Extra Magic Hours strictly apply to Disney Resort guests, you are only partially correct. They are only available to Disney Resort guests, but Extra Magic Hours affect everyone.
Here’s a helpful guide to understanding what they are, their impact on crowd levels and when you should avoid the park that has them.
What are Extra Magic Hours?
Extra Magic Hours (EMH) are extended theme park hours available to Disney Resort guests*. On certain days of the week, guests can enter a park one hour earlier or stay in a park up to two hours later than normal park operating hours.
See if a park has Extra Magic Hours by scrolling over that park on Leap’s Crowd Calendar.
How Extra Magic Hours Affect Crowds
Quite simply, Extra Magic Hours strongly affect crowd levels. Think of it this way…there are nearly 25,000 Disney Resort hotel rooms. 
That total doesn’t even include non-Disney owned hotels like Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin and Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, which also offer the EMH benefit. Since most people don’t travel alone, that’s A LOT of people headed to the same park. What’s more, many of those resort guests going to the park with extra magic hours don’t actually take advantage of the extra hours, making the park more congested during regular park hours.
Therefore, we recommend you note which park has Extra Magic Hours and factor that into your planning. You can find expected crowd levels, park operating hours and Extra Magic Hours schedules on Leap’s Crowd Calendar.
When Resort Guests Should Use Extra Magic Hours
• Go to the park with Extra Magic Hours ONLY if you intend to visit during the Extra Magic Hours. You gain no benefit for showing up to a park with Extra Magic Hours if you don’t go during either the extra morning hour or the extra evening hours.
• If the overall crowd level is high and you have a Park Hopper ticket.
In this situation, you can go to the park with EMH during those hours and spend the other part of the day at a less crowded park. Example: Epcot has evening EMH from 9 p.m. until 11 p.m. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a recommended park that day. Go to Disney’s Hollywood Studios during normal park hours, then hop to Epcot that evening during the EMH.
• If you have a Magic Your Way ticket and the overall crowd level is low.
Example: The overall resort crowd level is a 3. Disney’s Animal Kingdom has morning EMH from 8 – 9 a.m. You can take advantage of the extra hour that morning for popular rides like Kilimanjaro Safaris and Expedition Everest. Then spend the rest of the day at Animal Kingdom watching great shows like Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo – The Musical and using FASTPASSes to go back and ride your favorites again.
When to Avoid the Park with Extra Magic Hours
While having a few extra hours to spend at a Disney park sounds great, there are certain circumstances when you should avoid the park with Extra Magic Hours.
Here are those times…
• If you are not staying at a Disney Resort. Since you won’t be able to go on any rides during Extra Magic Hours, we recommend avoiding the park that has them.
• If you are staying at a Disney Resort, you have a Magic Your Way ticket and the overall crowd level is high. In our opinion, the extra hour isn’t worth dealing with the bigger crowds brought on by Extra Magic Hours. 
Unless you have Advanced Dining Reservations at the park with Extra Magic Hours, we recommend choosing another park to visit that day.
What Rides Are Open
During Extra Magic Hours?
Jump to: Magic Kingdom | Epcot | Disney’s Hollywood Studios | Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Morning EMH:
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid
Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
Evening EMH:
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
Morning EMH:
Evening EMH:
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballero
Captain EO starring Michael Jackson
Journey Into Imagination With Figment
Morning EMH:
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Evening EMH:
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Morning EMH:
Pangani Forest Exploration Trail
* Guests must present a valid Resort ID to board the rides during Extra Magic Hours. Non-Resort guests can remain in the park during EMH, but will not be able to go on any rides. Regular theme park admission is required.
Let us know what you think. Do you take advantage of Extra Magic Hours or avoid the park that has them?
Happy Planning!
Mommy Frog
to Orlando, Florida-area attractions, including Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando, SeaWorld, Richard Petty Driving Experience, Medieval Times and more.
We are about to put this to the test in July. With crowds and heat very high, (and adults only this time around) we plan to hit the AM EMHs most mornings then take a break during the day and head back to whichever park has PM EMH. We have Hopper passes so this will be doable. Just need the energy to stay up late and get up early
Suzi, Your plan is almost exactly how we schedule our Disney vacation days. And yes, Park Hoppers are a must! Hope you have a great time on your trip! Tell us all about it when you get back. -Mommy Frog
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Was wondering if the colors are adjusted on your calendar? Like if the whole week is green, and the day is green but a park is red….is it really red? Or is that just in comparison to the total expected visitors to WDW? Can we expect the spring break wait times when a park is highlighted in red in September? Or is it just going to be more crowded than the other parks in a relatively uncrowded time?
Thanks!!!!
Hey MC,
The park colors are independent of the daily crowd recommendations. Thus, Magic Kingdom may be red (not recommended in comparison to the other parks that day), but the overall daily rating may be green.
The better predictor of crowd levels is the number given on a particular day (between 1 and 10).
Here is more information:
http://blog.undercovertourist.com/2011/12/leaps-crowd-calendar-helpful-tips-by-leap/
– Leap