Moonlight Magic events are returning to Walt Disney World in 2023, with dates at EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Storm Lagoon! Throughout these free after hours events, DVC members can expertise an evening filled with enjoyable: points of interest with brief wait instances, uncommon character sightings, unique leisure, and free meals!
Disney Trip Membership is bringing the fan-favorite membership additional again to the Florida parks. This isn’t as huge of a shock because the return of Moonlight Magic to Disney California Journey, which is going on after a prolonged hiatus. Against this, the occasions returned to Walt Disney World final 12 months and it feels like extra of the identical this 12 months.
We can not wait–we completely love Moonlight Magic, having carried out this many instances previously, together with final 12 months. We’ve attended Moonlight Magic at each single Walt Disney World park besides Blizzard Seaside (to my recollection, they’ve by no means carried out the occasion there…however I might be fallacious) and often have a blast. Extra on that within the commentary.
Right here’s what Disney Trip Membership has revealed so far concerning the 2023 Moonlight Magic events:
EPCOT Moonlight Magic Occasion Dates: February 8, 2023 and February 15, 2023.
Preliminary Registration Window – Opens January 25, 2023: The preliminary registration window for EPCOT occasions is open to eligible Members with current Resort reservations at a Disney-owned-and-operated lodge at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida or at Disney’s Vero Seaside Resort—with occasion measurement modifications finalized previous to at present.
Basic Registration – Opens February 2, 2023 and February 9, 2023: Occasion registration for the February 8, 2023 occasion at EPCOT opens to all eligible Members on February 2, 2023 (pending availability). Occasion registration for the February 15, 2023 occasion at EPCOT opens to all eligible Members on February 9, 2023 (pending availability).
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Moonlight Magic Occasion Dates are Might 11, 2023 and September 13, 2023.
DHS Registration Window: Please examine again for details about when to register.
Animal Kingdom Moonlight Magic Occasion Dates are July 11, 2023 and August 2, 2023.
DAK Registration Window: Please examine again for details about when to register.
Storm Lagoon Moonlight Magic Occasion Dates: Might 23, 2023 and August 23, 2023.
Storm Lagoon Registration Window: Please examine again for details about when to register.
Per Disney Trip Membership, highlights for the “privileged partiers” at Moonlight Magic embody:
- Shorter-than-usual wait instances for choose park points of interest
- Disney Characters sightings (this presumably means meet & greets and simply hasn’t been up to date from final 12 months’s “sightings” language)
- Reimagined leisure
- Complimentary particular treats and delectable delights
Moonlight Magic Eligibility – To be eligible for Moonlight Magic, you have to be a “blue card” Disney Trip Membership member, which means that you just bought immediately from Disney or purchased earlier than the resale restrictions have been carried out again in April 2016. When you’ve got a member card, you’re good. This additionally implies that anybody renting Disney Trip Membership factors just isn’t eligible for Moonlight Magic. Not like different on-site perks, Moonlight Magic is predicated on the membership and never the keep.
Get together Measurement Limits – A Member can register themself and as much as 4 extra Company per Membership (for a complete of 5)—or as much as the variety of Company on their Resort reservation, supplied it was finalized previous to relevant deadlines for every registration window. Kids youthful than 3 years of age don’t must be registered for this occasion.
Members With A number of Resort Reservations – If Members have a number of Resort reservations, extra occasion measurement pointers apply relying on how the reservation was booked:
- When staying utilizing Trip Factors or Reservation Factors, Members can register themselves and as much as the variety of people on their Resort reservation(s).
- When staying in your Interval Worldwide Membership utilizing money or factors, Members can register themselves and as much as the variety of people staying in the identical room because the Member, per Membership.
- When staying in your RCI Membership utilizing money or factors, Members can register themselves and as much as the variety of people staying in the identical room because the Member, per Membership.
Modifications & Cancellations – This occasion can’t be booked or modified via Member Companies. If a Member needs to alter their occasion measurement throughout the occasion measurement limits, or the date that they’re attending Moonlight Magic, they could modify their occasion registration via the hyperlink discovered of their affirmation e mail. Please notice:
- When you cancel your Resort reservation, your occasion registration will probably be cancelled routinely.
- Cancelling and rebooking an occasion registration will increase the chance of shedding one’s registration.
- Modifications or cancellations of an occasion registration can’t be made the identical day as reserving.
Registering for One other Member on Your Membership – If the first Member just isn’t registering for the occasion, one other Member with the identical Member ID quantity could also be added as an alternate to examine in on the occasion. Legitimate Disney Trip Membership Digital Membership Card and photograph ID are required at check-in.
Occasion Date Limits – With a purpose to enable as many Members as doable to get pleasure from Moonlight Magic, just one occasion date for every collaborating park will probably be out there per Membership.
Different Essential Data
- Registration is required and restricted. Sadly, walk-ins won’t be permitted.
- Legitimate Disney Trip Membership Digital Membership Card and photograph ID required at check-in. Member listed on the Digital Membership Card have to be in attendance.
- Complimentary admission to the after-hours occasion is legitimate at some point of the occasion. When you want to enter a park earlier than the occasion, legitimate theme park admission and reservation are required.
- This provide is complimentary, nontransferable and can’t be offered. It’s topic to availability, change or termination with out discover.
- Attendees below 18 years of age have to be accompanied by a collaborating dad or mum or guardian.
- This can be a rain-or-shine occasion; some experiences could also be cancelled as a consequence of inclement climate.
- We request that Members cancel at the very least 48 hours prematurely.
- Disney Genie, Disney Genie+ and particular person Lightning Lanes usually are not out there to be used throughout Moonlight Magic Occasions.
Reservations have to be made by the individual listed because the “proprietor” on the Membership and may be booked with factors via Disney Trip Membership or with money via the Disney Reservation Middle or a journey supplier. Please notice that Members who’ve a Resort reservation booked below one other Member’s membership usually are not eligible for early reserving.
As famous on the high, we’ve attended many Moonlight Magic events because the occasion started a number of years in the past. Many highlights exist, from stumbling upon uncommon characters from “a bug’s life” with zero strains to taking part in mini-golf with Disney Afternoon characters at DCA to being provided a whole field of cookies from Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together. (A wholesale sized field that needed to have contained 200-500 cookies. I “settled” for filling my digicam bag and a purchasing bag.)
We even attended the final Moonlight Magic that was held in Magic Kingdom, again in March 2020. That additionally ended up being our final night within the park earlier than the multi-month closure. I nonetheless assume again to that night fondly, remembering scarfing down a number of scorching canines from Casey’s Nook earlier than seeing the fireworks and assembly Disney fur character royalty.
In trying again at a few of our occasion stories, I see there have been downsides to every occasion. There have been situations of surprisingly lengthy strains for meals, characters, or points of interest because the starting. There have been additionally occasions early on when some members actually introduced coolers to replenish 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 (largely) empty parks. Even with points right here and there, the Moonlight Magic occasions are completely incredible.
Maybe its recency bias, however final 12 months did appear to have extra issues than regular. There have been nonetheless some uncommon characters, however not as many. Leisure was lighter than regular, significantly unique nighttime spectaculars or particular fireworks. The distribution of particular popcorn buckets and snacks left quite a bit to be desired.
numerous that may be attributed to staffing shortages that meant fewer Solid Members for character meet & greets and to function extra meals & beverage places. (Passing the popcorn buckets out on the entrance or one other centralized location may’ve solved a few of this–and possibly they did that at later occasions; I’m undecided.)
There’s additionally the fact that there have been fewer Moonlight Magic occasions than pre-closure, which is a pattern that continues in 2023. On account of 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.)
Finally, Moonlight Magic continues to be nice, and the professionals of the free occasion far outweigh the cons–even final 12 months. I’m hoping that Moonlight Magic goes smoother in 2023, with improved staffing remedying a few of these points and classes realized from final 12 months fixing others.
Even with the hiccups, Moonlight Magic is a good occasion that’s basically a free model of After Hours for DVC Members, with a couple of additional enhancements that make it higher than After Hours, in our view. It’s a fantastic perk for many who are capable of take benefit; we’ve cherished attending over time, and hope the 2023 Moonlight Magic events mark extra of a return to regular. We’ll be experiencing the primary Moonlight Magic of the 12 months subsequent week, and can report again on the way it goes!
Enthusiastic about becoming a member of DVC? First you’ll want to 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 essential 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” and lease factors from DVC Rental Retailer. Planning a Walt Disney World journey? For complete recommendation, one of the best place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every thing that you must know.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Planning on registering for one of many 2023 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? 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 attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas or questions under within the feedback!