Since the start of the phased reopening of Walt Disney World, Extra Magic Hours has been suspended due to restricted hours during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now it looks like this benefit for resort guests will not be returning – at least not in its former form. Resort Guest Early Entry will soon replace Extra Magic Hours at Walt Disney World.
As part of the celebration of Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary, guests at Disney Resort hotels and other select hotels will be able to enjoy a 30-minute early check-in any Theme park, everyday.
According to Disney, the new early park theme benefit helps them spread visitation across all four theme parks better, while providing additional flexibility by giving guests extra early time each day of their vacation and in the park of your choice. Please note that guests need valid admission and a reservation made through the Disney Park Pass system to enter a theme park.
Extra Magic Hours was first introduced in the early 2000s as a free benefit for Disney Resort hotel guests. The hours were released as part of the park’s calendar of operations, with a specific park or time (either morning or evening) and time period (one to several hours) indicated. Guests then plan their visits around Extra Magic Hours to maximize their time at the parks. This new option, which has no official start date on the publication, will allow guests additional flexibility in choosing which park they would like to start, however, this comes with the cost of early entry time reduced to just 30 minutes from at least an hour.