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Special 50th Anniversary Perk to Continue Through 2023 at Walt Disney World

Guests visiting Walt Disney World have enjoyed special perks, entertainment, treats, merchandise, and more all in celebration of the Resort’s 50th anniversary which kicked off on October 1, 2021.

The 18-month celebration is set to conclude at the end of March 2023, and with it will go many of the special offerings introduced just for the event (but don’t worry, Disney100 will bring new unique experiences of its own next year!)

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Credit: Disney

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One of the best perks introduced during “The World’s Most Magical Celebration,” offered Guests staying at select Disney Resorts the opportunity to spend more time in the theme parks. This perk has been especially missed since Extra Magic Hours came to an end, which previously offered more time in the Parks for Guests staying at all Disney Resorts either with earlier morning openings or late evening closings.

Introduced at the start of the 50th-anniversary celebration, Extended Evening Hours apply only to Guests staying at Deluxe Resorts, allowing those Guests additional time in Disney Parks after they have closed to day-Guests. Rather than running weekly for the same Parks like Extra Magic Hours did, Disney lists dates where the Extended Evening Hours are available in each Park on its website.

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Credit: Disney

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Since the perk was introduced for the anniversary, it was originally going to end in March 2023, however, theme park reporter Scott Gustin has shared confirmation from Disney that Extended Evening Hours will continue through the end of next year:

RELATED: When Will Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic: Rewind End Its Virtual Queue System?

With this benefit only being available to Guests staying at Deluxe Resorts, you may want to consider looking into the most cost-effective Deluxe Resort for your next trip, at least if you were already considering staying at a Disney Moderate Resort. It can fluctuate based on availability but typically Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (in a standard view room) offer the most affordable Deluxe accommodations.

We should also note that during Extended Evening Hours in EPCOT, Guests have another opportunity to join the virtual queue to ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. This extra tip can come in handy if you did not have a chance to ride it earlier in the day, or if you wanted to ride a second (or third time) assuming you previously used the virtual queue or Lightning Lane.

As for extended hours in the morning, every Disney Resort Guest is entitled to early Park entry by 30-minutes each day at the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

As Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration draws to a close, we will continue to monitor which perks could be sticking around after March and will report back with more information as we have it here on Disney Tips.

About Brittany DiCologero

Brittany is a New England-based writer focused on the history of the Walt Disney World Resort. She is the author of "Red, White, and Disney: The Myths and Reality of American History at the Walt Disney World Resort," and "Brittany Earns Her Ears."