In what I have to say is almost Goofy enough to be an April Fool’s joke, Disney World has unveiled a new ticket option for this summer. I hope you like sleeping in! Let’s get to it…
Disney World’s Summer After 2PM Ticket
Here are the basics of the After 2PM ticket (price I provide include taxes):
Date-based ticket with start dates from May 26, 2026 through July 29, 2026 (the first part of Cool KIDS’ SUMMER)
Valid for admission after 2PM to one of the four parks (Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom) each day of the ticket. (Limit of one theme park per day.)
2-Day prices range from about $250 to $336 ($125 per day to $168 per day)
3-Day prices range from about $369 to $492 ($123 per day to $164 per day)
So, there are a few key things here. First, since these are one-park per day tickets, you’ll only visit as many parks as you have ticket days. This isn’t a huge deal (more on this below), and I typically think one-park-per-day is a good approach.
But then there’s the biggie that’s in the name of the ticket—this special ticket only grants you access After 2PM. The parks typically close around the following times:
Animal Kingdom — 6PM to 8PM
EPCOT — 9PM
Hollywood Studios — 9PM
Magic Kingdom — 9PM to 11PM
With this ticket, you’re looking at four to nine hours in the parks, with seven or eight probably about where you’ll actually wind up.
Magic Kingdom is going to be the best park for this ticket. It’s regularly open the latest of the four parks, and it’s home to the best nighttime spectacular—Happily Ever After—and the only nighttime parade—Disney Starlight.
You might think the short hours make Animal Kingdom the worst option for a ticket like this, but I think a little second thought is called for. You can probably see a lot of Animal Kingdom in 6 hours, maybe even 4 hours. The park is pretty limited these days.
If you’re set on all four parks and wondering why there’s no option, it’s because there’s already a good option for people interested in visiting all four parks—the 4-Park Magic Ticket. If you absolutely needed all four parks, at the cheapest dates you’d have three options, the first one pretty clearly best:
Buy a 4-Park Magic Ticket for $474
Buy two 2-Day After 2PM for $500
Buy a regular 4-Day ticket for $615
How Good Is This Deal?
Let’s take a closer look at the prices of this and other offers. I’m just going to use the cheapest dates (the end of July) for this analysis. Prices are from Undercover Tourist when available, or Disney World directly otherwise.
2-Day After 2PM — $250
2-Day Base Ticket — $334
3-Day After 2PM — $369
3-Day Base Ticket — $474
4-Park Magic Ticket — $474
4-Day Base Ticket — $615
For two-day tickets, the After 2PM option saves you about $84, or $42 per day. For three-day tickets, the After 2PM saves you about $105, or $35 per day. And, notably, the 4-Park Magic ticket is also only $105 more than the 3-Day After 2PM ticket.
Not surprising given its offbeat construction, the pricing really makes this ticket more of a “fine if it works for you” option rather than a “change your plans for this.” If a regular three-day ticket already made sense for you, I wouldn’t for a second think about rebuilding your plans around this ticket just to save the money.
Downsides of the After 2PM Ticket
The first, most obvious, downside of the After 2PM ticket is that you’ll have less time in the parks. You’re losing somewhere around 5 of 12 hours. Most critically, you’re going to miss out on Early Entry and rope drop, which can be a chance to get on the most popular rides with short waits.
And you actually can quantify this a bit. If the Cosmic Rewind and Rise of the Resistance Lightning Lanes cost around $23 each and you’ll be buying those Lightning Lanes because you’ll miss the rides at Early Entry, then that will cut away significantly at the savings this ticket option offers.
Who Does This Ticket Make Sense For?
I suppose the people this ticket makes most sense for are people who aren’t morning people. If you weren’t going to get to the parks until 11AM in any case, then a 2PM arrival isn’t a huge loss of time.
It’s also maybe something of an “after work” ticket for locals, but these guests should also be alert to the possibility of Florida Resident deals that might make more sense.
What Will You Do Until 2PM?
You’ll also need plans for your morning, and if those cost money then, again, you’re going to cut into your savings a bit.
Some simple ideas:
If you’re checking into a Disney World hotel early in the morning this summer, you can use the Water Park check-in perk.
Consider miniature golf at Fantasia Gardens or Winter Summerland
Disney Springs can be nice from 9AM through lunch
Or just hanging out poolside at your resort and enjoy your vacation!
Commentary and Conclusions
Overall this gets a shrug from me. I’m happy for the guests who will benefit from this offering, and I’d note that the rest of us can expect this ticket to increase afternoon crowds a bit this summer.
In the bigger picture, this does strike me as yet another instance of Disney over-engineering savings. I actually really like the idea of a one-day afternoon ticket, which has many use cases. But obviously Disney felt they couldn’t make the pricing make sense for such an offering, and we’re left with this more awkward multi-day approach.
I’ve been spending a lot of time recently looking at Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland tickets, and I’ve found the complex options and deals for those very small resorts overwhelming at times. For Walt Disney World—which is already complex enough—I don’t think more complex ticket options are the right direction.
All Your Other Disney World Planning Questions Answered
Don't be overwhelmed by Disney World planning! Take a second to check out our most important content and you'll not only be an expert, but you'll save big $$$ along the way. Just starting out? Check out our Walt Disney World planning guide!
When it comes time to book we’ll help you find discount Disney World tickets. Decide whether you need a dining plan in our Complete Guide to Disney World Dining Plans! And don't forget to book those Disney World Advance Dining Reservations!
Be sure to master your Disney World Lightning Lane Guide and Strategy a few weeks in advance. Good strategy will keep you out of long lines so you can maximize the magical time in the parks! We've got park-specific guides as well: Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, EPCOT Lightning Lane Strategy, Animal Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, and Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Strategy.
Know what to ride with our guides: Magic Kingdom rides, Hollywood Studios rides, EPCOT rides, and Animal Kingdom rides! Plus learn about the water parks with our Guide to Blizzard Beach and our Guide to Typhoon Lagoon! And for some fun prep, check out our Ranking of Every Ride at Walt Disney World.
Finally, before you head out, be sure to check out our to-the-point packing list, 10 essentials you forget to pack for every Disney trip.