Moonlight Magic events are again once more at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort in 2024, with dates at EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Storm Lagoon, and California Journey! Throughout these free after hours events, DVC members can expertise an evening stuffed with enjoyable: sights with brief wait occasions, uncommon character sightings, unique leisure, and free meals!
We can’t wait–we completely love Moonlight Magic, having performed this many occasions previously, together with each this yr at Disneyland Resort and final yr at Walt Disney World. We’ve attended Moonlight Magic at each WDW park besides Blizzard Seaside (I don’t assume they’ve ever performed the occasion there…however I may very well be incorrect) and often have a blast. Extra on that within the commentary.
Throughout a Moonlight Magic occasion, eligible Disney Trip Membership Members can go to a choose theme park at Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort for a particular celebration after the park has closed to the general public! Take pleasure in a night of enchantment, leisure and a lot extra because the park turns into your playground.
Highlights for DVC’s privileged partiers embrace:
- Shorter-than-usual wait occasions for well-liked park sights
- Disney Characters greetings
- Distinctive leisure
- Complimentary particular treats and delectable delights
Be aware: Actions and choices are topic to alter with out discover.
Listed below are the occasion dates for the 2024 Moonlight Magic events at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort:
Animal Kingdom Moonlight Magic Dates:
- December 13, 2023 (this yr, not subsequent)
- February 27, 2024
- April 23, 2024
EPCOT Moonlight Magic Dates:
- January 25, 2024
- March 1, 2024
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Moonlight Magic Date:
Storm Lagoon Water Park Moonlight Magic Dates:
- June 4, 2024
- July 11, 2024
Disney California Journey Moonlight Magic Date:
Just one occasion date for every collaborating park shall be out there per Disney Trip Membership Membership, per calendar yr. Which means that, in concept, you possibly can do each the December 13 and February 27 Moonlight Magic events at Animal Kingdom since one is that this yr and the following is in 2024.
Moonlight Magic Eligibility – To be eligible for Moonlight Magic, you should be a “blue card” Disney Trip Membership member, that means that you just bought instantly from Disney or purchased earlier than the resale restrictions had been applied again in April 2016. If in case you have a member card, you’re good. This additionally implies that anybody renting Disney Trip Membership factors will not be eligible for Moonlight Magic. In contrast to different on-site perks, Moonlight Magic relies on the membership and never the keep.
Social gathering Dimension Limits – A Member can register themselves and as much as 4 further company per Membership (for a complete of 5) —or as much as the variety of Friends on their Resort reservation. Kids youthful than 3 years of age don’t have to be registered for this occasion.
Modifications and Cancellations – This occasion can’t be booked or modified via Member Companies. If a Member needs to alter their occasion dimension or the date that they’re attending Moonlight Magic, they could modify their occasion registration via the hyperlink discovered of their affirmation electronic mail.
Please Be aware:
- When you cancel your Resort reservation, your occasion registration shall be cancelled routinely.
- Cancelling and rebooking an occasion registration will increase the chance of dropping one’s registration.
- Modifications or cancellations of an occasion registration can’t be made the identical day as reserving.
- We request that Members cancel not less than 48 hours prematurely.
Different Necessary Data
- Complimentary admission to the after-hours occasion is legitimate in the course of the occasion. When you want to enter a park earlier than the occasion, legitimate theme park admission and reservation are required.
- This supply is complimentary, nontransferable and can’t be bought. It’s topic to availability, change or termination with out discover.
- Attendees underneath 18 years of age should be accompanied by a collaborating mum or dad or guardian.
- This can be a rain-or-shine occasion; some experiences could also be cancelled as a consequence of inclement climate.
- Disney Genie+ service and Lightning Lane will not be out there to be used throughout Moonlight Magic Occasions.
- Resort reservations should be made by the individual listed because the “proprietor” on the Membership.
Occasion registration is required to attend the 2024 Moonlight Magic occasions. Register on-line when your registration window opens. Registration durations for company with and with out resort reservations will fluctuate, as will the window for varied parks.
(Until we missed one thing, DVC hasn’t launched any registration home windows for the 2024 Moonlight Magic occasions but. We’ll replace this as soon as registration dates are launched for these upcoming events.
All the beneath data is boilerplate primarily based on how issues labored this yr. One factor we’d observe is that registration may be very aggressive, so that you wish to be on-line and able to be a part of the digital queue ASAP when your window opens. Even then, you danger being shut out!
Register for Moonlight Magic:
- Go to this web page and choose “RSVP On-line”. Make sure to have your Member quantity prepared.
- You’ll enter a digital ready room, which secures your home in line. Don’t refresh the web page.
- When it’s your flip, you’ll be despatched to the registration kind to enroll in an evening of Moonlight Magic!
Necessary Registration Data
- Registration is required and restricted. Sadly, walk-ins is not going to be permitted.
- The Member who registers should be in attendance and be the one that checks of their full occasion.
Checking In
When checking in, please remember:
- Your legitimate Disney Trip Membership Digital Membership Card and picture ID are required at check-in.
- The Member who was chosen throughout the occasion registration course of should be in attendance to test of their full occasion.
- All the occasion should test in collectively to realize entry to the occasion.
- Entry previous to the occasion mix-in time requires a separate paid theme park admission and park reservation.
As famous on the high, we’ve attended many Moonlight Magic events for the reason that occasion started a number of years in the past. We’ve had many highlights, from stumbling upon uncommon characters from “a bug’s life” with zero traces to enjoying mini-golf with Disney Afternoon characters at DCA to being provided a whole field of cookies from Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Social gathering.
Most just lately, we did Moonlight Magic this winter at Disney California Journey. One spotlight of that evening, for me not less than, was utilizing all of my meal credit score vouchers for a wonderful feast at Award Wieners. (For just like the tenth time, Award Wieners is definitely good!) A mutual spotlight was lastly getting to fulfill circa-2001 Disney’s (possessive) California Journey Minnie & Mickey Mouse.
It was additionally extremely memorable for us as being our final evening as a carefree couple. The next morning, we “found” Megatron. Simply take a look at these faces above: completely freed from stress and well-rested; one stomach stuffed with sizzling canine, one other with child. Right here’s hoping that the primary 2024 Moonlight Magic occasion is a full circle second, and is her first hard-ticket occasion!
In trying again at a few of our occasion studies, I see there have been downsides to every occasion. There have been situations of surprisingly lengthy traces for meals, characters, or sights for the reason that starting. There have been additionally occasions early on when some members actually introduced coolers to refill on ice cream and different snacks, inflicting the kiosks to expire.
Nonetheless, we largely ‘clean over’ the negatives in our minds, fondly recollecting the positives–particular fireworks, uncommon characters, free meals, and different distinctive moments having fun with (principally) empty parks. Even with points right here and there, the Moonlight Magic occasions are completely implausible.
Maybe its recency bias, however the final couple years appear to have had extra issues than regular. There have been nonetheless some uncommon characters, however not as many. Leisure was lighter than regular, notably unique nighttime spectaculars or particular fireworks. The distribution of particular popcorn buckets and snacks at occasions left one thing to be desired.
plenty of that may be attributed to staffing shortages that meant fewer Forged Members for character meet & greets and to function extra meals & beverage places. (To DVC’s credit score, we didn’t discover any of those points–besides the lengthy traces at eating places later within the evening–throughout the DCA Moonlight Magic this yr. They appear to be getting higher.)
There’s additionally the truth that there have been fewer Moonlight Magic occasions than pre-closure, which is a pattern that continues in 2024. Resulting from there being fewer Moonlight Magic events, I additionally suspect that Disney Trip Membership elevated the attendance caps, leading to bigger crowds. (Maybe that’s merely my notion, although. Not 100% positive on that one.)
That is additionally notably occurring as Disney Trip Membership continues to open new properties and sells extra factors. Disney’s Riviera Resort, Villas at Disneyland Resort, and Villas at Grand Floridian all are new or newly-expanded. By the point a few of these 2024 events roll round, there additionally could also be new additions on the market on the Polynesian and/or Fort Wilderness, too! All of this implies extra members consolidated into fewer nights.
In the end, Moonlight Magic continues to be nice, and the professionals of the free occasion far outweigh the cons–even final yr. I’m hoping that Moonlight Magic goes smoother in 2024, with improved staffing remedying a few of these points and classes realized from final yr fixing others.
Even with the hiccups, Moonlight Magic is a superb occasion that’s basically a free model of After Hours for DVC Members, with just a few additional enhancements that make it higher than After Hours, in our view. It’s a fantastic perk for many who are in a position to take benefit; we’ve cherished attending over time, and hope the 2024 Moonlight Magic events have just a few surprises in retailer!
When you’re excited about becoming a member of DVC, make sure you learn our Final Information to Disney Trip Membership. This covers the professionals & cons, resale v. direct, how a lot cash you’ll save, and different vital issues to know earlier than taking the plunge. When you nonetheless can’t determine whether or not membership is best for you, “strive before you purchase” with the suggestions in The way to Save BIG on Deluxe Disney Lodging Renting DVC Factors.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Planning on registering for one of many 2024 Moonlight Magic occasion nights? Excited to see this free occasion returning as a profit for DVC members? Have you ever attended one of many Moonlight Magic occasions at Walt Disney World and Disneyland? Did you meet any uncommon characters or get pleasure from particular leisure? What did you consider the expertise? Any questions or ideas about something on this occasion report? Listening to your suggestions about your experiences is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas or questions beneath within the feedback!