Just curious, how much can you really get done in the extra 2 hours for the deluxe hotel guests? My family and I are going for just five short days and they are staying at a Deluxe. They will have the opportunity to be at Epcot and magic Kingdom for two extra hours the nights we are there. I am just staying at the CBR but also have AKL booked. Trying to decide if it's worth it for those two extra hours or not. I'm a huge Guardians of the Galaxy ride fan and would probably just ride that over and over during those 2 hours. How is MK during that time? Should I pay the extra to stay at AKL or stay at Caribbean and buy the 3 hour nights instead? The 3 hour night things would be for EPCOT and HS, MK doesn't have any when we are going..
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How are the extra 2 hours for deluxe resorts really?
- Thread starter Skellinton
- Start date
SteveAZee
Premium Member
On my recent trip (early Dec 2025) EEH at EPCOT felt like a fail. I think a LOT of people get on lines just as the park closes, and some of those lines take an hour or more to clear. It felt marginal for its benefits if the goal is to get in a lot of attractions in those two hours.
nickys
Premium Member
I’ve had the opposite experience, during Christmas week.
People did jump in line but we sailed through the LL line straight onto the rides. With the exception being Guardians because of the preshow rooms.
I would first hit some high capacity rides and save the big one for near the end. It’s been a few years for me but I found them helpful. Typically at Epcot I would do:
-Luminous (technically eats into EMH)
-Soarin
-Test Track SRL
-Guardians
-Frozen
Then depending on time left reride Frozen or hoof it to Ratatouille (usually the former)
MK:
-HEA
-PotC
-BTMRR x2
-HM
-Peter Pan
-SDMT x2
Never been the biggest TL fan, and prefer ending my day elsewhere.
-Luminous (technically eats into EMH)
-Soarin
-Test Track SRL
-Guardians
-Frozen
Then depending on time left reride Frozen or hoof it to Ratatouille (usually the former)
MK:
-HEA
-PotC
-BTMRR x2
-HM
-Peter Pan
-SDMT x2
Never been the biggest TL fan, and prefer ending my day elsewhere.
JIMINYCR
Well-Known Member
You will be surprised how much difference those extra times can make. Don't think the lines will be walk on or empty, because the other Deluxe guests are taking advantage also, but you will get to do enough that you can enjoy more ride time. Any extra hours Disney is "giving" you is worth having.
easyrowrdw
Well-Known Member
Oh, so they run Deluxe guests in the lightning lane during the extra time? I wondered how the people getting in line at 8:59 would impact this, but if Deluxe guests get the lightning lane they'd just skip ahead of most of the them.
nickys
Premium Member
Unless they’ve changed it, they scanned our bands at the LL line and we went through that. Obviously they have to get the regular line through, but we really weren’t held up much.
Ayla
Well-Known Member
Years ago, ALL resort guests got the same theme park benefits.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
At 9 pm…they’re the only ones that are allowed to enter the queues…
I don’t recall ever being “lightning laned” past other people? But grain of salt…I’m not gonna run from ride to ride as most of these “insider” tips require you to do. So maybe I never noticed
Pounding rides isn’t the speed to go at this with much joy
easyrowrdw
Well-Known Member
For sure. One of my kids wants to do Guardians repeatedly lol. What nickys was saying would help that, at least for the first ride.
JIMINYCR
Well-Known Member
Never stayed at any of the value resorts so I only mentoined the 2 levels I stayed at.
The OP was interested in the Deluxe resort.
MaidMarian
Member
At Epcot deluxe hours, we were able to do Test Track, Soarin' and Guardians twice. It was amazing.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Ummm…you want to know why?
meggo819
Well-Known Member
We used the extra hours at MK the week before Easter last year. We entered the park after fireworks, rode People Mover and Space Mountain before the park actually closed, then got in line for Tron right after park close. Overall wait was about 35 minutes. After that, the park felt very empty! We walked on Haunted Mansion and Pirates with almost no one around us. It was actually kinda creepy lol
We could have done several more rides but we were tired!
We could have done several more rides but we were tired!
zurgandfriend
Well-Known Member
Our family has been to WDW numerous times.
We have stayed at every Magic Kingdom area resort multiple times.
We are well into double digits staying at the Contemporary.
DW and I have even stayed at Dixie Landing.
DS and I are going back in 166 days.
I am 3 quarters of a century old, and I just read this thread and learned about Deluxe guest and the 2 extra hours.
How long has this” bonus been in place?
I feel like that guy who went into a coma in 1959. He woke up in 1970 and asked how President Eisenhower was. He was informed that President Eisenhower had died, and he said, that means that Nixon is president.
We have stayed at every Magic Kingdom area resort multiple times.
We are well into double digits staying at the Contemporary.
DW and I have even stayed at Dixie Landing.
DS and I are going back in 166 days.
I am 3 quarters of a century old, and I just read this thread and learned about Deluxe guest and the 2 extra hours.
How long has this” bonus been in place?
I feel like that guy who went into a coma in 1959. He woke up in 1970 and asked how President Eisenhower was. He was informed that President Eisenhower had died, and he said, that means that Nixon is president.
MickeyLuv'r
Well-Known Member
I didn't keep track of when they started, but it is less than 5 years old.
Ayla
Well-Known Member
Extra Magic Hours for ALL resort guests started around 2005ish (?) and went until covid. I hope you took advantage of them on your multiple trips.
This deluxe-only "perk" has been happening for about 5 years.
MickeyLuv'r
Well-Known Member
I've now been to quite a few. They can be very hit or miss. When they are great, then they can be great fun. Much depends on the weather, and how tired you are.
The MK ones are or more value than the Epcot ones, IMO.
When the weather doesn't cooperate, then Test Track goes down. For Epcot, the main draws are Remy, GoG, Test Track, and maybe FEA. Many top MK attractions also go down in bad weather, like all the outdoor coasters.
If you get in line for any of those at the start of the extra hours, the wait is often still fairly long. Some people don't mind crossing Epcot in the pouring rain, but it is less appealing than when the weather is nice, just for Remy. If you want to go from FEA to Remy, you have to go through Mexico-Canada route. Much of the world Showcase is closed (edge of Norway all the way around to the edge of France.)
Periodically, we have also run into logistical problems if we go to dinner, and try to get back to the parks near closing time or dinner in Epcot runs late. Conversely, there is very little food available during the extra hours. The fish and Chips places sometimes stays open for a bit,and the main gift shop sells some packaged snacks. If you have a car, Miller's Ale House is open late, and they do carry out.
But then, much of what I just posted can also be said of the after hours. At least with the deluxe extra hours, even if they are a bust, you are getting the hotel.
Even when GoG is very empty, it still takes about 30min to get through the whole ride.
These days, WDW rides often go down. On my last visit, TT, GoG, Space Mtn were all down part of the extra hours. On the other hand, 7D was walk-on.
The extra hours are often a good time to hit the ILL rides. We've been able to ride TRON, 7D during the extra hours with minimal waits.
Much depends on how generally crowded the parks are during your week. If it is a slow week and a cold night, nearly everything will be walk-on, esp the last 90 minutes.
Much depends on your late-night endurance level.
When they are good, they can be a great deal of fun! Personally, I LOVE the parks late at night. I tis especially fun to ride Haunted Mansion after midnight!
The MK ones are or more value than the Epcot ones, IMO.
When the weather doesn't cooperate, then Test Track goes down. For Epcot, the main draws are Remy, GoG, Test Track, and maybe FEA. Many top MK attractions also go down in bad weather, like all the outdoor coasters.
If you get in line for any of those at the start of the extra hours, the wait is often still fairly long. Some people don't mind crossing Epcot in the pouring rain, but it is less appealing than when the weather is nice, just for Remy. If you want to go from FEA to Remy, you have to go through Mexico-Canada route. Much of the world Showcase is closed (edge of Norway all the way around to the edge of France.)
Periodically, we have also run into logistical problems if we go to dinner, and try to get back to the parks near closing time or dinner in Epcot runs late. Conversely, there is very little food available during the extra hours. The fish and Chips places sometimes stays open for a bit,and the main gift shop sells some packaged snacks. If you have a car, Miller's Ale House is open late, and they do carry out.
But then, much of what I just posted can also be said of the after hours. At least with the deluxe extra hours, even if they are a bust, you are getting the hotel.
Even when GoG is very empty, it still takes about 30min to get through the whole ride.
These days, WDW rides often go down. On my last visit, TT, GoG, Space Mtn were all down part of the extra hours. On the other hand, 7D was walk-on.
The extra hours are often a good time to hit the ILL rides. We've been able to ride TRON, 7D during the extra hours with minimal waits.
Much depends on how generally crowded the parks are during your week. If it is a slow week and a cold night, nearly everything will be walk-on, esp the last 90 minutes.
Much depends on your late-night endurance level.
When they are good, they can be a great deal of fun! Personally, I LOVE the parks late at night. I tis especially fun to ride Haunted Mansion after midnight!