Disney Vacation Club added three Moonlight Magic after-hours nights: EPCOT on Oct. 15 and Animal Kingdom on Nov. 30 and Dec. 22, 2026. Early registration opens Sept. 24 for members with a qualifying stay.
Disney Vacation Club members just got three more free nights in the parks after everyone else goes home.
DVC added Moonlight Magic events at EPCOT on Thursday, Oct. 15, and at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on Monday, Nov. 30 and Tuesday, Dec. 22.
Registration starts Thursday, Sept. 24, for members who already have a qualifying Disney World reservation.
Everyone else can try Oct. 1. By then, the good dates may be spoken for.
What is DVC Moonlight Magic?
It’s a free after-hours party for Disney Vacation Club members. The park closes to regular guests, and members get it for a few extra hours.
The event features character appearances, free treats, and extra entertainment.
There’s no ticket price. The cost is owning DVC, which is not a small cost, but members don’t pay extra for the night.
When does Moonlight Magic registration open?
In two waves, per Chip and Company.
Sept. 24: early registration for members with a qualifying Walt Disney World Resort reservation. That reservation had to be booked by Sept. 20, so anyone who booked this week missed the cutoff for the early wave.
Oct. 1: general registration for other eligible members. Disney says space will be limited by then.
Members can register for just one of the three dates. Pick carefully.
What do you need to get into Moonlight Magic?
A valid Disney Vacation Club digital membership card and a photo ID at check-in.
Every person on the registration has to check in together. If half the family is running late from the resort, the other half waits at the gate.
Which Moonlight Magic night is the best pick?
It depends on what you want out of the park.
The EPCOT night on Oct. 15 lands in the middle of the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, which typically runs into November. Whether festival booths stay open for the party hasn’t been announced, and that’s the question most members will ask first.
The Animal Kingdom nights are the more unusual pick. Animal Kingdom closes early by Disney standards, so after-hours access there is rare. Flight of Passage with a short line is the big draw.
The Dec. 22 date also falls three days before Christmas, deep in peak season, when Animal Kingdom’s regular crowds are at their heaviest. A few hours without them is worth a lot that week.
How is Moonlight Magic different from Disney After Hours?
Price, mostly. Disney After Hours is a separate ticket anyone can buy, and Disney just raised prices for its 2027 dates. Moonlight Magic is free, but only for DVC members.
The format is close. Both are after-close parties with short lines and snacks.
One costs extra. The other costs a timeshare.
Can resale DVC members go to Moonlight Magic?
Not on resale points alone.
Moonlight Magic is one of the perks Disney keeps for members who bought directly from Disney. Members who bought all their points on the resale market don’t get it, per DVC Resale Experts, a resale broker.
The common workaround is buying a small direct contract from Disney to unlock the perks, then buying the rest resale. Check your membership status in the DVC app before counting on a spot.
The three new dates were posted Sept. 21. Early registration is tomorrow.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
Chip and Company (Sept. 21, 2026), the three dates, the two registration waves, the Sept. 20 cutoff, the one-date limit and check-in rules
wdwmagic (Sept. 21, 2026), the new dates
WDW News Today (Sept. 2026), the new dates
Disney Tourist Blog (Sept. 21, 2026), the bonus dates
DVC Resale Experts (2026), resale eligibility for Moonlight Magic
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