Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT is an on-site perk for choose Walt Disney World resort company, and our favourite technique to do the park. This post-closing picture report presents step-by-step technique for doing each headliner in World Showcase plus Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Test Track, with ideas & tips, and recommendation for how you can method (or ignore) posted wait instances.
As background, Extended Evening Theme Park Hours has a smaller pool of eligibility than its morning counterpart and likewise happens much less ceaselessly. This profit is completely for company staying at Deluxe Resorts, Deluxe Villas (Disney Vacation Club items), or different choose lodges. See our Guide to Extended Evening Hours at Walt Disney World for profiting from this perk, eligibility, and extra.
Extended Evening Theme Park Hours happen two nights per week in whole. Most Mondays at EPCOT from 9:00 pm till 11 pm and most Wednesdays at Magic Kingdom. We beforehand shared an Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom Photo Report (and have one other new one coming quickly!), so thought we’d now flip our consideration to EPCOT…
At each Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, the 2-hour perk is massively advantageous and gratifying, effectively value “splurge status.” For those that get pleasure from empty parks, low crowds, or nighttime ambiance, Extended Evening Hours is about pretty much as good because it will get. This perk makes a couple of nights at a Deluxe Resort top-of-the-line splurges at Walt Disney World. We’d suggest that over dessert events and different upcharges.
To that finish, potential choices for profiting from Extended Evening Hours with out breaking the financial institution embrace doing Disney Vacation Club Point Rentals or reserving the Swan & Dolphin Resorts, that are normally roughly the price of a Moderate Resort. Doing a Split Stay at Walt Disney World Hotels is one other nice possibility, with a two night-stay at a Deluxe Resort–checking in on a Monday and out on a Wednesday–with a purpose to reap the benefits of each Extended Evening Hours nights.
With that out of the way in which, right here’s how you can benefit from Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT…
On a standard night time, the EPCOT fireworks are introduced at 9 pm nightly over World Showcase Lagoon. This makes for a difficult begin to Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT, as sights within the park are closed to day company and open for the additional hours, however the nighttime spectacular can also be taking place on the similar time.
The finest method relies upon upon how a lot you need to see the fireworks out of your most popular viewing location and watch by way of to the finale. If you seek the advice of our EPCOT Fireworks Viewing Guide: Best & Worst Locations, you’ll see that our tackle EPCOT Forever is that it doesn’t a lot matter. If you’ll be able to see the sky, you’re good. (With that mentioned, this recommendation will nearly definitely change in Late 2023 when the brand new nighttime spectacular debuts.)
That was my method this explicit night, opting to observe EPCOT Forever from France. I’d strongly suggest you do the identical. I’ve examined a variety of totally different methods for Extended Evening Hours, and that is persistently the one which outperforms the remaining.
As quickly as the ultimate burst of the finale exploded overhead, I made a beeline to Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. At this level, there was hardly anybody again right here.
Starting at 9 pm, there are Cast Members stationed outdoors every attraction entrance, scanning MagicBands, resort room keys, and many others. Unlike Early Entry, this occurs at each single attraction in EPCOT all through the night time–not simply as soon as upon arrival. (The distinction is that different company are already within the park, in order that’s the one possible technique to decide eligibility.)
In the beneath picture, you’ll be able to vaguely see some individuals in line for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure behind the fountain. However, there’s actually nobody within the outside overflow queue. This was regardless of the posted wait time being 70 minutes and the Lightning Lane return not being in use. In this state of affairs, an precise wait time of 70 minutes is nearly unattainable. (“Almost” used as a hedge solely as a result of breakdowns are attainable.)
In actuality, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure was fairly near a walk-on. The line continually moved, and my precise wait time was round 10 minutes. Again, as in comparison with the 70 minute posted wait time.
By the time I exited Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, overflow queue was in use and the road to verify MagicBands prolonged out of this courtyard and across the nook. The posted wait time had fallen to 50 minutes.
On that be aware, one factor I need to warn about is inaccurate wait instances and induced demand. Take a have a look at the above posted wait instances, that are sadly in reverse-chronological order (sorry about that).
Based on the above, that 70 minute wait time for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure was clearly improper. The “issue” is that the typical visitor will pull up these wait instances after EPCOT Forever initially of Extended Evening Hours, and make the apparent conclusion that Frozen Ever After is their finest guess.
The center screenshot is the results of that: surging crowds at Frozen Ever After, and falling numbers for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. And because of that, later arriving company make the logical choice to do Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure as an alternative of Frozen Ever After, which is mirrored within the ultimate screenshot.
This shouldn’t be distinctive to Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT. We see oscillating, reactionary wait instances play out like this on a regular basis within the parks. This providing is a extra pronounced instance due to its restricted lineup and attendance; due to that, one attraction has the flexibility to affect wait instances for others.
When this occurs on a standard day, the affect is extra localized. The technique to take benefit is leaping in a line that has had an atypically excessive posted wait time for some time; or higher but, not making a diversion for an abnormally low posted wait time except you truly see it drop and could be one of many first individuals to take benefit. Otherwise, you’re behind the pack, and will find yourself ready in line longer than what’s posted. (A uncommon prevalence, but it surely does occur!)
More than the rest, it amazes me that Disney’s posted wait instances are sometimes so reactionary. With the entire knowledge they ought to have the ability to leverage, they ought to have the ability to anticipate wait instances all through the day and set them accordingly–even accounting for downtime and disproportionate Lightning Lane returns at sure instances. And but, they largely don’t. But I digress.
Anyway, the subsequent cease was Frozen Ever After after meandering a bit to snag some photographs of topiaries in Italy, Germany, and Japan. (I transfer quick, so I slowed all the way down to make this in line with a standard particular person’s pace. If something, the typical visitor might’ve gotten to Norway far quicker than I did.)
Another factor to notice right here is that generally, or after a sure time, the World Showcase walkway between France and Norway will probably be blocked off. That normally doesn’t occur till after the fireworks viewing areas have cleared, which takes a superb 20-Half-hour. I beat that clearing time, however in case you don’t, it doesn’t a lot matter. The stroll is about the identical time/distance whether or not you go the again route or entrance path to Norway.
I like strolling by way of World Showcase after the crowds have cleared out. My “ideal” EPCOT Extended Evening Hours merely includes wandering round, and doing Cosmic Rewind on the very finish of the night time. Can’t think about many individuals need or want technique for that, although.
The level is that it’s as a lot concerning the journey because the vacation spot. There’s an comprehensible need to “accomplish” as many rides as attainable, however don’t make that the only real measure of success for Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT (or your trip usually). There’s a superb likelihood rides will break down or issues will go improper. Roll with the punches, and easily savor being there.
Anyway, I arrived at Frozen Ever After round 9:50 pm.
As famous above, the posted wait time had spiked to 60 minutes by this level and had been at that elevated stage for round quarter-hour. Almost the right period of time to discourage new arrivals from lining up (and as an alternative head to France), but it surely nonetheless meant a decently lengthy line in entrance of me.
My whole wait ended up being about 25 minutes. While I used to be in line, the posted wait time additionally dropped, falling beneath Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure once more. Predictably, this was the scene once I exited the attraction:
This is just a little deceiving, as a part of the massive crowd is as a result of checkpoint to scan MagicBands (and many others.), but it surely’s nonetheless an extended line than once I queued up earlier. Normally, the road for Frozen Ever After would get shorter over the course of Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT.
Again, that is posted wait instances inducing demand or redirecting crowds. This ought to underscore the purpose above about not working round chasing the bottom wait instances–it’s a recipe for truly being caught within the longest strains.
The subsequent cease was Test Track, which was posting a 30 minute wait time.
My dilemma right here was whether or not to do Test Track by way of standby to “prove” it’s attainable, danger being improper, and lacking Cosmic Rewind; or taking the straightforward approach out with the Single Rider line. Given that I used to be doing this sans Sarah and Cosmic Rewind was the one attraction that I actually wished to do this night, I opted for the latter. I’m fairly positive it will’ve been attainable by way of standby, however that wasn’t a danger I used to be prepared to take.
I used to be on and off Test Track in about quarter-hour whole, as there was (actually) nobody else within the Single Rider line.
I nonetheless had roughly quarter-hour left on the clock with all the things I got down to accomplish knocked out; for these questioning, this might not have been sufficient time to perform Soarin’ Around the World and Cosmic Rewind. It shouldn’t be attainable to do all 5 sights throughout Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT except you skip the fireworks. Even then, I believe the strolling instances would stop it.
Since Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind makes use of a digital queue, you’ll want to hitch that at 6 pm. We’ve by no means had any points with this, however the digital queue has at all times stuffed up once we’ve executed Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT, so clearly, some individuals are being shut out.
A return time on the very starting or very finish of Extended Evening Hours is good. On this night, my callback time was 9:50 pm, giving me till 10:50 pm (formally) to return. I sometimes don’t take a look at my luck with the unofficial coverage, as Cosmic Rewind is a must-do for me. YMMV.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind doesn’t put up wait instances, however I’d hazard a guess that the road is shorter later within the night time (which is why the unofficial coverage is an asset, not an issue, right here). That’s sometimes the case throughout daytime operations–most individuals return ASAP when their Cosmic Rewind digital queue is named, because it’s their high precedence.
That’s objectively unhealthy technique throughout Extended Evening Hours. Setting apart the unknown/unpredictable wait time, Cosmic Rewind has the longest minimal attraction time of something at EPCOT because of its multi-room pre-show. This implies that, ideally, you’d do Cosmic Rewind as near the tip of Extended Evening Hours as attainable, pushing your anticipate all of that till after the occasion has technically ended. Same thought behind getting in line for the preferred rides 1 minute earlier than park closing.
I didn’t time how lengthy Cosmic Rewind took, however Extended Evening Hours had lengthy ended and EPCOT had just about cleared out by the point I used to be executed.
Even following Extended Evening Hours, I’ve discovered that EPCOT is the slowest park to clear. I took my time, taking extra images and finally made my technique to the entrance entrance for images of the Encanto topiary show.
In the tip, my step-by-step technique for Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT is as follows:
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure – Arriving earlier than the post-fireworks wave is important. Ignore the posted wait time.
- Frozen Ever After – By the time you’re executed with the Rat Ride, strains needs to be beginning to subside–however that basically will depend on posted wait instances. I’ve been each fortunate and unfortunate with this one. It’s far and away the largest wildcard, in my expertise.
- Test Track – Single Rider right here is at all times ultimate, however won’t be vital. Lines backside out on the very finish of the night time, but it surely’s nearer to Norway than Soarin’ is, and the general cycle time of the latter means it’ll take almost so long as Test Track from begin to end.
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – Doing this as near the tip of the night time is good, each because of line size and the upper minimal attraction length. This will apply as soon as the digital queue goes away, too.
- Alternate: Soarin’ Around the World – If you’ll be able to’t rating a spot within the digital queue for Cosmic Rewind, or don’t need to do it, Soarin’ is an efficient ultimate cease for a similar purpose: lengthy minimal length. (Even as a walk-on, it might probably take some time in case you’re caught between cycles.)
I’ve executed Extended Evening Hours a couple of half-dozen instances, and have but to discover a higher method than this. The just one that comes shut is skipping the fireworks and doing these within the actual reverse order–however that requires an early return time for Cosmic Rewind.
Ultimately, we love doing Extended Evening Theme Park Hours at EPCOT, and would suggest those that are eligible reap the benefits of the perk. As with Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom, is Deluxe Resort visitor profit is advantageous and extremely gratifying for anybody who likes nighttime ambiance.
The huge distinction is that EPCOT has far fewer standard sights than Magic Kingdom, and longer strolling distances between them. This implies that you gained’t “accomplish” almost as many sights or save as a lot time, as different company may even be flocking to the very same headliners, elevating their wait instances over what we’ve noticed throughout Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom (outdoors of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train).
Accordingly, this perk at EPCOT shouldn’t be as objectively “valuable” as it’s in Magic Kingdom. So in case you’re solely in a position to do it at one of many two parks, undoubtedly make it Magic Kingdom. With that mentioned, goal worth is a poor approach of measuring a Walt Disney World trip. There’s one thing to be mentioned for being there, savoring the serenity and having fun with the ambiance. As with Magic Kingdom, EPCOT Extended Evening Hours actually ship on that entrance.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Thoughts on Extended Evening Theme Park Hours at Walt Disney World? Have you skilled this 2-hour alternative for night Extra Magic Hours at EPCOT? What’s your ultimate technique for Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT? How would you have got executed issues in a different way? Any different suggestions on doing evenings on the Walt Disney World theme parks? Agree or disagree with our recommendation or method? Any questions we may also help you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!