Great news (maybe?) if you’re going to be a Disney World hotel guest after Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens on August 29th!
Disney is extending park hours AND adding more Extra Magic Hour options to alleviate the Galaxy’s Edge crowds that will be flooding the Orlando parks this fall. So…yeah…it’s gonna be CROWDED in Disney World, but at least you can plan to get up really early and maybe not get as lost in the sea of humanity as you would have otherwise.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
FYI, Extra Magic Hours are times when the parks are open exclusively for guests staying at resort hotels that offer the Extra Magic Hour benefit — those include the Disney World-owned resort hotels and several good neighbor hotels in the area.
They’re usually only offered at one or two parks per day, but this year, from September 1-November 2, those guests will be able to experience Extra Magic Hours at three Disney World theme parks…EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Extra Extra Magic Hours at Disney World
Yep, Hollywood Studios — Galaxy’s Edge’s home park — will be open for Extra Magic Hours every day until November 2nd from 6-9AM. So if your goal is to ride Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ten times with low waits, be sure to be at the gates no later than 5:30AM! During these Extra Magic Hours, Galaxy’s Edge, Toy Story Land, and other “select attractions” will be open.
Extra Extra Magic Hours at Disney World
AND, if Star Wars isn’t your thing (or you’ve already been there), you’ll be able to experience Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom for an extra hour every morning this fall. NOTE, however, that not ALL attractions will be open during Extra Magic Hours in the parks. For example, in Magic Kingdom, you’ll only have access to Fantasyland and Tomorrowland — no Big Thunder Mountain for you.
Mine Train will be open for Extra Magic Hours
And the best part is that there are some days showing two sets of Extra Magic Hours for some parks like Magic Kingdom. On this date, you’ll be able to do EMH in Magic Kingdom in the morning and the evening! (Who needs sleep?!?!)
TWO sets of Extra Magic Hours for Magic Kingdom on some dates
It’s also important to note that from August 29-31, Hollywood Studios will open at 6AM for ALL guests — you don’t need to be an Extra Magic Hours-eligible hotel guest to take advantage of the early opening on those first days after Galaxy’s Edge opens.
So, super exciting, right? And yes — this IS a measure to disperse crowds…because there WILL be crowds. Are you staying at a Disney resort hotel this fall? Let us know with a comment!
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I was planning on buying the Toy Story Land breakfast event to avoid crowds. With the park opening t 6am for everyone, how will this event be affected ?
We will be there the week of September 9th! We were trying to avoid the crowds…that didn’t work out well. Maybe we will shoot for the 5:30am to get into Galaxy’s Edge. Might as well.
If Isa going to be this crowded, I’m considering not going this fall ???
Such a shame there are no extra magic hours at night. Don’t really fancy rides at 6am ??
Aww, man! They are ending this the day before I arrive at Disney! Super disappointing. Any chance they could extend this if crowds are still big after November 2?
Already paid for a family vacation in September, 16 of us going. If I knew Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge was opening I NEVER would have booked it. I am dreading our vacation before it even starts!
Any idea if some of these hours will be the same through December?
Booked our trip for September so we’d have the lowest crowds. Not sure how it’ll pan out now. I just wanted the runaway railway
We LOVE your YouTube videos!!! Also how do they police they extra magic hours at night?
Going in October. This has totally messed with some of my early dining reservation plans.
My question is will the buses be ready to take people to MGM/Hollywood Studio’s that early? We don’t usually rent a car so…
Same here, not arriving until early December (hoping to avoid some crowds) and staying at Art of Animation. Hoping the Skyliner will be up and running and that Galaxys edge will be fully open with Rise of the Resistance!
Yeah that’s not gonna help us any, we are arriving on November 2 for our vacation and I guarantee you they’re still going to be crowded the month of November. Maybe they’ll extend it when they figure that out. I understand why they’re doing it through September and October because they also have Mickey’s not so scary Halloween party going on during October and they need to make sure they have enough time for everybody to do with they want to do and get into what they want to get into. No worries we’re going to enjoy our vacation no matter what!
We are going October 6th to 12th.. so very excited for this option
Yes but it does mean seeing if I can redo most of my dining reservations though.
Not a morning person. Too bad they can’t extend the hours at night.
How will this affect things like 8am park reservations – bookedfor the pre opening advantage when the park will now open at 7am at MK
And will Early Morning Magic still be happening – I notice in MK its still available to purchase until the end of Sept yet MK opens Fantasyland at 7am for free for onsite guests
So if I am a resort guest on opening day of Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, I will not get in before everyone else who is not a resort guest? Just making sure because this happened to me for Pandora. All resort guests got in before me even though I was there at 4:30 am.
Yup my little guy is a night owl and he ain’t even able to start a day before 10:30am and he’s 7 lol maybe they will toss in more after hours party’s along with Mickeys not so scary halloween party . I booked my trip after they announced the original dates for Star Wars I thought I wasn’t safe with my date then I payed off my trip and 2 days later they posted it opening earlier then they thought ERG . Won’t stop me still going lol
We booked the Bounce Back offer last year for the last week in August, thinking the Galaxys Edge would be opening later. I disappointed that there is no reservation system and early opening for EVERYONE, we are at a real disadvantage compared to those who booked later.
Coming from Canada, we have flights booked and paid for, holidays booked as well so no changing dates for us. Very disappointed.
Any chance these EMH will be offered Christmas week? It will be SUPER BUSY then as well!
This is so disappointing. As someone who always paid extra for the Early Morning Magic this is ridiculous. Now all 36,000 guests who stay on property get early access for free every day in September?!!?!?
I wish I could just pay my $80 a person and get in 2 hours before everyone else like I’ve done the last 2 years.
Such a shame. Early morning Magic for Toy Story & Fantasyland were the best thing DIsney had done in ages.
Aylor, we’ll have to wait and see what Disney does for the Christmas season this year. If/when we see Extra Magic Hours posted, we’ll update!
Connie, that’s accurate. Everyone — on-site guests and off-site guests — will be able to get into Galaxy’s Edge at 6AM on August 29-31.
Elaine, we wouldn’t expect the Extra Magic Hour to affect your ADRs, except that now you won’t be getting in before the opening crowds. As for Early Morning Magic, we’ll need to look into that.
Marilyn, on some dates they have! There are some days on the current park calendars that show evening Extra Magic Hours — even on days when there’s also a morning hour or two.
J, buses generally start running 45 minutes before a park’s opening, so we would expect the same to apply for these Extra Magic Hour mornings.
Erin, typically guests are required to scan their Magic Bands to assure that they’re resort guests and therefore eligible for Extra Magic Hours.
Nikki, sadly that’s been moved to spring 2020!
Kaitlee, no idea. We’ll update when/if we see them extended!
Melly, always a chance!
Helen, some nights have Extra Magic Hours, too!
Steph, we’ll look into this.
Sarah, do you think they may open the in park restaurants earlier or am I clutching at straws?
NOT super excited because they all in the morning. And Magic kingdom loses lol of it’s Evening EMHs because of hard ticketed Speacial events.
EPCOT seems to be the only park with consistent evening hours.
They need to spread those Hard Ticket speacial events out to other parks and return the perk of staying on property.
This idea of everybody’s arriving at the parks early and making a mad dash into Hollywood studios for Galaxies edge is madness! I don’t know what Disney Corp. is thinking! There is going to be a mad stampede of people pushing past other people, knocking over strollers and children , all to get to Galaxies Edge during the 6 AM early morning hours. Someone is definitely going to get hurt! This can all be avoided by Disney simply opening up fast pass or having a reservation system as they are going to have in Disneyland. I don’t get it? Why are they making their guest hassle to get up at 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning, rush to the park and wait outside, rush in and probably not even be able to get into Galaxies Edge after all of that? Another question – how are they going to handle crowd control? Are they going to try to count the people going in Galaxies edge one by one? I really don’t get this. Disney has the money and the means to make this a very easy and smooth process. Instead, this is going to be a nightmare! It doesn’t matter how many extra hours they add at Hollywood studios – there are only so many people that can get into Galaxies edge at one time. And what about the people who want to stay there all day and won’t leave so somebody else can get in? This is really mismanagement at Disney and as usual, we the guest will have to pay the price!
Hi
Do you know what time the resort transport will be for the Hollywood studios early hours 6-9am. Through Sept ?
Thanks juls
Julie, typically buses start running 45 minutes before park opening, so we would expect at least that. It’s possible Disney will start running transportation even earlier than that to help manage crowds. To be sure, you’ll want to check with your resort’s front desk or concierge when you arrive.
Elaine, that’s a great question and one we probably won’t know the answer to for some time. I think I’d keep an eye on reservations to see if ADRs at table service do get earlier hours, but I don’t think I’d count on it happening.
Not a fan of all of this!! Planned a special trip in mid October before the change in opening dates were announced hoping it would be the lull before the storm. now we are planning to cancel. way too crowded!!
Wow! What a lot of whining and kvetching on here! Disney takes away EMH and people complain. Disney gives back, IMO, a very nice EEMH perk and people still complain. I’m far from a Disney apologist but they just can’t win. Why would some folks on here have a problem with Disney resort guests getting into the parks early with EMH? It’s always been that way. Whether it’s EMH in AM or PM, it’s going to be same…CROWDED! If you don’t want to get up in the morning, just don’t do it! This interests me because I was considering not doing DHS at all but now if it’s extended into late October, I will definitely reconsider and do SWGE this year instead of waiting until 2020.
I’m going September 16th to 26th, staying at Beach Club – I booked it for the Epcot location and will be spending a lot of time there. I booked it in April last year, hoping that I’d miss GE as I can’t stand Star Wars. It is what it is though so I’ll see what happens. I will go to HS but not to GE and the thrill rides and I’ll also go to MK and AK. I’ve booked ADRs in all the parks except HS and won’t be altering any of them.
Another thing is if I really want to see SWGE, I would be more likely to take my chances at a 6AM entry into DHS as opposed to trying to get in a 9AM. I believe it will make a bit of a difference. They obviously have to try something.
I think Disney is doing us a wonderful favor. For the people paying to stay on property we should have some perks. Also many people myself one of them made vacation plans long ago with no knowledge that Star Wars would be open then and we would have to deal with crazy crowds. Disney certainly is making it up to us.
Not going to lie. I am a little bummed. We leave Sept 1. So we will be there for opening day and don’t get the advantage of extra magic hours. While Disneyland hotels guests get reservations for opening day. WDW resort guests kinda get hosed. I know I can get up early and get there when everyone else does. But one of the perks of staying on grounds is extra magic hours.
My wife and I will be back in October for our 5th visit. This will be the first without the kids, we are officially empty nesters. This will be a short 3 1/2 day visit after a 6 day cruise. (my first cruise) We typically visit in September to take advantage of the low crowds and great meal plan deals. I am expecting heavy crowds but I have found that if you go in expecting the heavy crowds and really doing your research it usually works out well. On our last visit my oldest son made a comment that has stuck with me and nails it. WDW is not a vacation, it’s an experience. If you are looking for relaxed vibes and low crowds then the parks are NOT going to be a good thing. My only advise is do the leg work up front, study the parks monthly and daily crowd history and be prepared to be flexible and ready to change to “plan B” at a moments notice.
Thank you for the hard work you do to help all of us have a better WDW experience.
Les
D. Les Rampy, that’s such great advice! Thank you for sharing, and enjoy your “empty nester” trip!
I’d like you to do some features on visiting Disney World mid November- perhaps between Nov 10-20
I would prefer extra ours in the night time who wants to get up at 5 AM to go to a park.
We went to Disney World in March and fell in love with the After Hours events .We went to all 3 ! We’re going back in November and nothing has been posted about if they’ll have any After Hours events in the fall .Do you think they’ll be offering more of them in when we’ll be there ? I know they have more dates for them this year than they did last year .