If you’d like to enjoy an extra-special visit to Disney World, the good news is that you can choose from a range of tours and events, each with a range of special perks. But if you’re going to shell out for a special Disney World experience, which should it be?
When I visited Disney World, I booked an exclusive VIP tour that included the services of an expert guide and unlimited skip-the-line access to the attractions. The resort also offers After Hours events with extended evening theme park hours on select days.
They’re both fantastic ways to experience the resort, so how do you choose the right option for you?
In this guide, I’ll outline the main benefits of Disney VIP tours and After Hours events, so you can choose the best tour for your group. There are a few other alternatives you could choose, and I’ll share those details too.
Disney VIP Tours
A private Disney VIP tour is the ultimate way to explore Walt Disney World. You’ll enjoy VIP access to the Disney parks for 7-10 hours, accompanied by your own dedicated guide and with Lightning Lane entrance to all your favorite rides and attractions. You can choose to spend the whole day in one theme park or buy a Park Hopper ticket to explore more than one park.
Your private tour guide will plan a customized itinerary for your day, ensuring you get to ride all your top attractions. They’ll entertain you with fun facts and stories, and provide complimentary snacks and bottled water throughout your day.
Access to a private vehicle makes getting around the resort easy, and your private guide will use shortcuts and backstage areas to cut down your travel time between the rides.
Want to find out more? You can read more about my experience of a Disney VIP Tour and check out my full guide to what a Disney private tour includes.
A Disney private VIP tour is an exclusive experience and carries a luxury price tag. You must book a minimum of 7 hours at a cost of $450 to $900 per hour (plus tax and tips), depending on the time of year you visit.
This price covers up to 10 guests, including infants, so the tour will be better value if you’re visiting with a large group. You’ll also need to purchase park tickets for each guest, along with a Park Hopper ticket if required, and these costs are not included in the private tour price.
Disney After Hours Events
If a private tour isn’t in your vacation budget, but you’d still like an extra-special Disney experience, why not book a Disney After Hours Event?
Disney After Hours are limited-availability events that allow you to enjoy one of the Disney theme parks at the end of the day, after the gates have closed to regular guests.
Tickets for these extended evening hours are strictly limited, which means smaller crowds and less time standing in long lines for the attractions. And that means there’s no need to pay extra for Lightning Lanes access.
You can either book After Hours tickets separately or enjoy the park during its regular hours and then stay on for the evening event. Disney After Hours events run for 3 hours, generally from 9 pm to 12 am or 10 pm to 1 am, but your tickets give you access to the park from around 7 pm. If you want to arrive before 7 pm, you’ll need to purchase park admission and park reservations separately.
The exact start times for your event will vary depending on the park and the time of year you visit. Be sure to check details on the Walt Disney World website or the My Disney Experience app before you travel.
Your After Hours ticket price includes complimentary snacks, such as ice cream, popcorn, and bottled beverages. These are available throughout the evening from carts located around the park. You can also purchase further refreshments and souvenirs from a select range of outlets that stay open into the evening.
After Hours Events are available at EPCOT, Magic Kingdom Park, and Hollywood Studios. Each offers a fun experience with a range of rides and the chance to meet some of your favorite Characters.
After Hours at EPCOT
After Hours at EPCOT includes access to a selection of your favorite attractions like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Mission: SPACE, Frozen Ever After, and more.
Your ticket also includes access to Luminous: The Symphony of Us. This daily after-dark show features fireworks, fountains, and light shows set to music from the Disney songbook.
After Hours at Magic Kingdom Park
After Hours at Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park lets you ride a range of your favorite attractions like “it’s a small world,” Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, and more.
You can also watch the amazing “Disney Enchantment” lights and fireworks show, which is only available to After Hours ticket holders. Be sure to arrive at the park before 8 pm if you want to catch the spectacular “Happily Ever After” fireworks extravaganza as well.
After Hours at Hollywood Studios
The exciting attractions available After Hours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios include Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, among others. It’s an exciting way to experience the magic of Walt Disney World after the gates have closed!
As a guide, Disney After Hours ticket prices cost between $175 and $185 (plus tax), depending on the date of your visit, and Annual Passholders and members of the Disney Vacation Club Members receive a discount. These prices don’t include daytime admission to the park before 7 pm.
Other Options
There are some other ways to maximize your time at Walt Disney World, including a fantastic free perk for guests at Disney Hotels.
Disney H2O Glow After Hours
H2O Glow After Hours at Typhoon Lagoon water park is a great opportunity to enjoy the water park with shorter wait times.
You can experience Typhoon Lagoon lit up for the evening while DJs and your favorite Disney characters entertain you with a dance party. Admission is strictly limited, so lines for the attractions will be shorter than during the day. You can access the water park up to 2 hours before the event begins.
Your entry fee includes complimentary popcorn, ice creams, and beverages. Other refreshments are also available to purchase during the 3-hour event.
A variety of Beachcomber Shacks are available to rent for an additional fee, offering a comfortable place to relax with complimentary drinks for up to 12 people. Dedicated service is also available in Premium Plus Shacks.
Disney H2O Glow After Hours is a separate-ticket event, so you only need to buy park admission if you plan to visit the theme parks during the day. After Hours tickets cost $85 for adults and $42.50 for children (plus tax).
Magic Kingdom Fireworks: Seats & Sweets
Seats & Sweets is a delicious way to end your day at Disney World with a fabulous fireworks show and tempting sweet treats.
You’ll start your experience by visiting Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant, where you’ll enjoy a tempting range of desserts and beverages. You’ll have a reserved table for 60 minutes before the show starts, giving you plenty of time to enjoy your treats.
Then you’ll move to your seat on the restaurant patio, where you’ll watch Cinderella Castle be transformed in the spectacular “Happily Ever After” fireworks extravaganza.
Confusingly, there are 2 other options you can book that get you something similar. You can book a pre-fireworks show dessert party, where you get dessert and then move to a reserved standing room only area to watch the fireworks. Or, you can book a post-fireworks show dessert party, which still gets you the prime standing room viewing area but saves your treats until the end. This is different from the Seats & Sweets only in that you don’t have a seat for the show.
Same-day reservations for Seats & Sweets may be available, but advance booking is highly recommended for this popular experience.
Depending on the date of your visit, adult tickets for the Seats & Sweets experience cost from $119 to $129, tax included. Tickets for children aged 3 to 9 years cost $75, tax included. Admission to the resort is not included in these prices, so you’ll need to purchase admission to the resort separately. A theme park reservation may also be required.
If I hadn’t done the VIP experience and we wanted to see the fireworks show, this definitely would have been the way to go. The VIP viewing area is directly in front of the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant, so Seats and Sweets visitors get great views that most visitors can’t get. This is a smart way to get one of the best perks of the VIP experience without paying for the full thing.
Early Theme Park Entry
Did you know that staying at a Disney Resort Hotel gives you complimentary early access to the Walt Disney World theme parks?
This fantastic benefit is available to guests staying in Disney Resort Hotels and a select list of “friendly neighbor” hotels, including the Four Seasons Resort Orlando and Holiday Inn Orlando, among others. The complete list of hotels that enjoy this benefit is available on the Disney World website.
You can gain access to the park 30 minutes before regular visitors, giving you a great chance to ride your top attractions with lower wait times. Not all attractions are available for early access, but you can choose from a wide selection in EPCOT, Magic Kingdom Park, or the Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
If you want to purchase refreshments or merchandise, a select range of outlets will also be open during the early access period.
Early park entry is available on each day of your stay at the hotel, but you must have a valid theme park ticket and park reservation for each day you want to visit the resort. If you don’t have Park Hoppers, you must spend the full day in the park that you choose for early entry. Park Hopper ticket holders will gain early access to their first park of the day and can move to a second park at 2 pm.
There’s no charge for early entry if you’re staying at one of the hotels included, making this option a great way to maximize your time at the resort.
Which to Choose: Disney VIP tours vs After Hours events
If you’re not sure whether to choose a VIP Disney tour or an After Hours event, here are a few tips to help you decide.
The VIP Tour gives you unlimited access to all of the rides and attractions, plus the services of a dedicated Disney tour guide who will plan the perfect itinerary for your day. It’s the most exclusive way to explore the resort across the full length of a regular park day, especially if you book Park Hopper tickets. You’ll have Lightning Lane access to the rides, but the park will be at regular capacity and the tour carries a high price tag.
The After Hours events take place at the end of the regular park day. They are only available on a select number of days throughout the year and provide access to a selection of rides and complimentary refreshments. This option is perfect if you want to visit the park when it’s less crowded, as tickets to the events are strictly limited. It’s also a more affordable option than the VIP tour, but you can only visit one theme park during your evening, and not all rides are available.
Serious Disney nerds might think about booking the VIP tour on a day when there is an After Hours event. This will give you the ultimate full day at Walt Disney World, but consider carefully whether you want to spend so long walking around the resort. Your feet could be pretty sore by the end of it!
The Wrap Up
The Disney VIP Tour and the After Hours events both offer an amazing Disney World experience, so your final decision might come down to the financial cost. Whichever option you choose, planning ahead and knowing which attractions you want to visit will help give you a fantastic time at Walt Disney World!
