After Brief Return to Magic Kingdom, Extended Evening Hours Move Back to Animal Kingdom in Late August 2025

22 days ago in "Early Theme Parks Entry and Extended Evening Hours"

Posted: Wednesday June 11, 2025 6:45am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

The latest update to Disney’s Extended Evening Hours schedule shows the after-hours benefit shifting back to Disney’s Animal Kingdom on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, just one week after its brief return to Magic Kingdom on August 13.


This suggests that the August 13 event at Magic Kingdom may have been a one-off rather than a full return to the park’s usual Wednesday evening slot.

Here’s the current lineup of Extended Evening Hours:

  • June 18: Magic Kingdom
  • June 25: Magic Kingdom
  • July 2: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
  • July 9: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
  • July 16: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
  • July 23: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
  • July 30: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
  • August 6: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
  • August 13: Magic Kingdom
  • August 20: Disney’s Animal Kingdom

The Animal Kingdom events are scheduled from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, shortly after the park’s regular closing time. These limited-capacity evenings are available to guests staying at Disney Deluxe Resorts, Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts, and other select hotels.

Disney has not provided an explanation for the ongoing shift, but the changes break from the long-standing pattern of Magic Kingdom or EPCOT hosting most Extended Evening Hours. It’s also unclear how long Animal Kingdom will continue in the rotation beyond August 20, as the official calendar does not yet show later dates.

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    DCBaker2 days ago

    It appears Extended Evening Hours shift to Hollywood Studios on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Here’s a look at upcoming Extended Evening Hours dates: July 2: Disney’s Animal Kingdom July 7: EPCOT July 9: Disney’s Animal Kingdom July 14: EPCOT July 16: Disney’s Animal Kingdom July 21: EPCOT July 23: Disney’s Animal Kingdom July 28: EPCOT July 30: Disney’s Animal Kingdom August 4: EPCOT August 6: Disney’s Animal Kingdom August 11: EPCOT August 13: Magic Kingdom August 18: EPCOT August 20: Disney’s Animal Kingdom August 25: EPCOT August 29: Disney’s Hollywood Studios September 1: EPCOT September 3: Magic Kingdom September 8: EPCOT September 10: Disney's Hollywood Studios Find upcoming park hours from @wdwmagic at this link: https://www.wdwmagic.com/calendar.htm

    Touchdown6 days ago

    Must have had some surveys tell them AK is not an appropriate or acceptable EMH.

    mattpeto6 days ago

    Well at least Mondays at Epcot are locked in, everything else is a wild guess.

    wdwmagic6 days ago

    Disney World Updates Summer 2025 Extended Evening Hours Schedule: Magic Kingdom Returns September 3 https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/extra-magic-hours/news/27jun2025-disney-world-updates-after-hours-schedule-magic-kingdom-returns-september-3.htm

    djlaosc8 days ago

    Now the WDWMagic calendar is showing Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom on 3rd September 2025.

    djlaosc9 days ago

    We are going mid-September and have the same issue - Wednesday would be fine, Friday wouldn't be, and all of these changes are making it difficult to plan, especially when these extended evening hours could help to decide whether we go to MNSSHP this year or not.

    NotCalledBob10 days ago

    Very frustrating! We planned our whole trip around it being Mondays and Wednesdays. Now it has moved to Friday that week we are missing out. It's too late to change the trip.

    Tha Realest10 days ago

    Yeah. We have a trip in January and trying to game out which park will have which EEH is frustrating. It’s likely going to be MK based on past years and a lack of after hours events around that time, but we probably won’t know until around Christmas

    TheMaxRebo10 days ago

    for August, in addition to Epcot on Mondays you have: Wed August 6: Animal Kingdom Wed August 13: Magic Kingdom Wed August 20: Animal Kingdom Friday August 29: Hollywood Studios Not the easiest to plan around especially if booking far out like with DVC

    Tuvalu10 days ago

    It was the week of June 8.

    ToTBellHop10 days ago

    Is MK still opening extra early with no rope drop during EE? The FL bridge pavement work is done and it was suggested that work caused the change.

    DCBaker11 days ago

    According to updated park hours, Extended Evening Hours is scheduled to return to Disney's Hollywood Studios on Friday, August 29, 2025.

    Touchdown21 days ago

    I love Epcot Evening hours, my trips are usually Tues-Mon I was seriously bummed out when they moved Epcot night from Tuesday to Monday. Knowing I get bonus time post Luminous to hit Guardians, TT, Frozen and if I’m lucky Remy one last time is great.

    ToTBellHop21 days ago

    And then they'll say, "gee, I guess no one wants these evening hours at DAK. So, when DHS and MK are unavailable, I guess we will just run this twice a week at Epcot for all our wealthy guests looking to get on Living with the Land again."