Let’s be honest, Disney World can be straight-up creepy sometimes.
Haunted Mansion
From scary villains to haunted mansions, there are some things about the parks that are surprisingly spooky. (Have you ever BEEN on DINOSAUR in Animal Kingdom?!) But besides that, the parks at night are a completely different vibe than they are during the daytime. If you find yourself out and about at night, there are some places in Disney World that you may not want to walk alone!
Pathways from the Parks to the Hotels
Sure they’re convenient, but sometimes the pathways from the parks to the hotels (like the one from the Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom or the one from Hollywood Studios to the EPCOT resort area) can be downright creepy at night! Even with the lights, they can get pretty dark, and then add to that the fact that they’ll be eerily quiet because they’re (quite literally!) the paths less traveled. Plus, you have to consider that you’re pretty far away from other guests while you’re making this trek. (TBH, we probably listen to too much true crime. 😂)
Walk to the Magic Kingdom from the Grand Floridian!
Of course, these paths are usually quite safe, we just let the dark and quiet get to our heads. However, if you’d feel better staying with the crowds, there are usually more popular ways to get back to your hotel. Leaving Hollywood Studios, you can take the Friendship Boats to the EPCOT resort area. And if you’re exiting Magic Kingdom, just hop on the monorail or the boat as well. (The boat is usually not too busy, and it might actually be closer to walk to the dock than to the hotel lobby to catch the monorail, depending on where you’re staying.)
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Fantasyland
This may seem like an odd choice, but allow us to explain! We sometimes avoid walking through Fantasyland at night simply because it often feels a little precarious. Parts of this land are SO DARK at night that it’s hard to see the ground where you’re walking. Pair that with the noise from the fireworks, the crowds, and the fact that everything is smushed close together and you’ve just got a recipe for bumping into other people (or getting run over by strollers and ECVs).
Fantasyland
However, we realize it’s pretty unrealistic to expect that you’ll never walk through Fantasyland at night. If you’re heading this way, just take extra care to be aware of your surroundings. Fantasyland will be particularly dark around the time of the fireworks shows, so if you can plan your nighttime visits earlier or later, that may help with visibility.
30 Hidden Secrets in Magic Kingdom — Click Here!
Value Resorts
Disney World’s value hotels are known for their larger-than-life theming, and it’s really cute and whimsical during the day, but at night…it can get a little unsettling. Have you ever walked by the giant Woody at All-Star Movies at night? His eyes portray an aura of foreboding, if you ask us. The same goes for the gigantic Jack-in-the-Box — we’re instantly uncomfortable there.
SCREAMS!!!!
If the enormous set pieces creep you out (or your kiddos, for that matter), make sure to explore your resort for the first time during the day. That’ll give you some level of comfort before visiting at night. And if that doesn’t help, try walking around the backside of the hotel instead…there’s usually less theming on the back of the building!
Ranking Disney World’s Value Hotels — Click Here!
Fort Wilderness Trails
If you’ve ever been to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, you know that this resort is a bit more rustic than the others on Disney property. And what comes along with rustic charm? Yep, wildlife. We’ve encountered our fair share of wild animals while out and about on walks at Fort Wilderness, and let us just tell you, those wild turkeys won’t move for ANYTHING. The odds are not in your favor if you’re going solo up against a pack of wild turkeys after dark.
Fort Wilderness
For those staying at Fort Wilderness, we recommend doing your walks early in the morning or around sunset. (We know that walking in the middle of the day in Florida heat is a recipe for disaster.) And if you decide to mosey around the campground at night, maybe take someone with you…ya know, for backup in the battle with the turkeys. 😉
Click Here for 9 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do in Disney World Right Now!
World Showcase
Finally, let’s talk about World Showcase. This is an area that you want to avoid at night for a completely different reason. Why? Well, because in the evening, locals come to eat dinner, guests hop from other parks, and there are usually quite a few inebriated adults mulling about after a day of “drinking around the world.” In general, it be CROWDED. After dark, it’s often a challenge to maneuver through the pavilions due to the hoards of guests, and it doesn’t help that there are typically people lined up for concerts in the American Adventure pavilion or staking out their fireworks spots around the lagoon.
World Showcase
So when you visit EPCOT, it might be a good idea to hit up the World Showcase midday. Try and avoid it during the dinner rush, and then come back a little while before fireworks and claim your spot in the front center viewing area. (Trust us, it’s the best spot to watch Harmonious!)
Click Here for the Best Spots to Watch Harmonious!
Basically, just pay attention to your surroundings when you’re out and about at night, even in Disney World. It’s best to travel in groups, especially when there are oversized jacks-in-the-box lurking around the corner!
Keep following DFB for all the tips on how to best conquer the parks during your next vacation. We’ve got the latest updates on changes in Disney World, special offerings coming soon, and tips on how to have the most delicious trip possible. (In case you haven’t noticed, we love sharing our thoughts on Disney food!)
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This article made my day! Woody is definitely on the terrifying side at night!!
One night at Pop Century I had indigestion. Usually…to remedy this I take some Tums and go for a walk. So it is about 2am and I am walking around the resort. It is absolutely beautiful, quiet, and peaceful and I am loving every minute of it…until I start walking around Hourglass Lake (going towards Art of Animation). For some reason, alligators pop into my head. I try to ignore the eerie feeling that an alligator is on the shoreline staring at me…waiting for me…waiting for me to get juuussst close enough. That was it. I completely freaked myself out and I was outta there.
That was the only time that I was scared at Disney.
Speaking from experience, it’s easy to get lost walking around Polynesian, especially if you’re in the back. Also do not walk Fort Wilderness Cabins or Treehouse Villas at night UNLESS you bring a lantern! It’s very easy to get lost and not remember your’s, especially since they all look alike.
I saw a snake on the path at All Star Movies once. Big ol’ nope! Oh and the turkeys at The Fort do NOT mess around.
What about the cobblestones in Liberty Square/Frontierland and also in England? Tripping on those isn’t fun.
Man, trying to make a dining reservation on time in the World Showcase right now is pretty frustrating. There’s lso many people in front of you just casually strolling from food booth to booth, frequently just stopping in the middle of the path with their 6 person group. Give yourself a Lot of time.
I worry about gators around the waterways at night. And at night in the campgrounds too.
To me, the worst is in Magic Kingdom between Frontierland and Adventureland. It is so dark you can’t see where you are going.
Disney at night is my favorite time to go solo. It’s magical. I feel like I own the place, and it’s the best time to get great pictures of things that are too crowded during the day. I’m usually almost last out of the parks at night and travel back to my resort by myself. I have never felt threatened or scared. Of course I stay vigilant there can still be creepy people out there.
What areas would I avoid? None!
The parks in general are under lit at night. Scooters need their lights on to stay on path.
My biggest concern would be the gators. There’s so much foliage in a lot of these resorts which looks absolutely beautiful but is also great for hiding places. I don’t know what I would do if I came across a gator.
My sister and I recently set off on the path from the Magic Kingdom to the Grand Floridian in the evening and found ourselves alone with a huge raccoon in our path foraging for food in the grass just beside the pathway. It was probably over 80lbs! We stopped in our tracks and waited several minutes for him to go farther from the pathway, and when he did we zipped quickly past him.
ALSO: They do need to kick up the lighting some inside the parks for safety if not for guests’ comfort.
World Showcase was so dark on my last visit that I’m considering bringing light up necklaces next time just so I can locate everyone in my family.
We hate the fact that people. Sometimes drink too much we heard Walt disney never wanted that to b served at Disney and we wished they did t do that
The paths to the farther-out rooms at Port Orleans Riverside are creepy at night!
Disney has the money to install better and more lighting . Just look at their profits. Sadly there is no concern for the guests experience anymore only how much money they can accumulate off the guests. The last trip I took was in 2018. No plans to ever go back.
What about the pathway from Saratoga springs to Disney springs? At night that is down right scary like a horse is gonna get ya… this would be a great idea for a video!!!
FantasyLand between Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Mad Tea Party is so dark I can barely see where I am going.
The walk between Hollywood Studios and the Boardwalk is serene late at night, but we walk in the middle of the sidewalk and keep look out for alligators.
We carry a flashlight at night depending on where we are. Gators eyes light up like headlights when a flashlight shines on them!
Now I’m scared about all the dark paths and all the wild animals and scary people. What to do about that?
When we went to after hours at Magic Kingdom last year, everyone was using their phone flashlight in Fantasyland as that was the only way you could see where you were going. VERY dark near Ariel’s Grotto.
Anyone with little kids may want to be careful at the Little Mermaid section of the Art of Animation hotel. Ursula can scare the neck out of kids, day or night!