Moonlight Magic events are returning to Walt Disney World in 2023, with dates at EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Typhoon Lagoon! During these free after hours events, DVC members can expertise an evening filled with enjoyable: sights with quick wait instances, uncommon character sightings, unique leisure, and free meals!
Disney Vacation Club is bringing the fan-favorite membership further again to the Florida parks. This isn’t as large of a shock because the return of Moonlight Magic to Disney California Adventure, which is going on after a prolonged hiatus. By distinction, the occasions returned to Walt Disney World final 12 months and it seems 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 Beach (to my recollection, they’ve by no means carried out the occasion there…however I may very well be improper) and often have a blast. More on that within the commentary.
Here’s what Disney Vacation Club has revealed so far in regards to the 2023 Moonlight Magic events:
EPCOT Moonlight Magic Event Dates: February 8, 2023 and February 15, 2023.
Initial Registration Window – Opens January 25, 2023: The preliminary registration window for EPCOT occasions is open to eligible Members with present Resort reservations at a Disney-owned-and-operated resort at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida or at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort—with get together measurement modifications finalized previous to as we speak.
General Registration – Opens February 2, 2023 and February 9, 2023: Event registration for the February 8, 2023 occasion at EPCOT opens to all eligible Members on February 2, 2023 (pending availability). Event 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 Event Dates are May 11, 2023 and September 13, 2023.
DHS Registration Window: Please test again for details about when to register.
Animal Kingdom Moonlight Magic Event Dates are July 11, 2023 and August 2, 2023.
DAK Registration Window: Please test again for details about when to register.
Typhoon Lagoon Moonlight Magic Event Dates: May 23, 2023 and August 23, 2023.
Typhoon Lagoon Registration Window: Please test again for details about when to register.
Per Disney Vacation Club, highlights for the “privileged partiers” at Moonlight Magic embrace:
- Shorter-than-usual wait instances for choose park sights
- 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 should be a “blue card” Disney Vacation Club member, which means that you simply bought straight from Disney or purchased earlier than the resale restrictions had been carried out again in April 2016. If you could have a member card, you’re good. This additionally implies that anybody renting Disney Vacation Club factors just isn’t eligible for Moonlight Magic. Unlike different on-site perks, Moonlight Magic relies on the membership and never the keep.
Party Size Limits – A Member can register themself and as much as 4 extra Guests per Membership (for a complete of 5)—or as much as the variety of Guests on their Resort reservation, supplied it was finalized previous to relevant deadlines for every registration window. Children youthful than 3 years of age don’t must be registered for this occasion.
Members With Multiple Resort Reservations – If Members have a number of Resort reservations, extra get together measurement pointers apply relying on how the reservation was booked:
- When staying utilizing Vacation Points or Reservation Points, Members can register themselves and as much as the variety of people on their Resort reservation(s).
- When staying in your Interval International 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 by means of Member Services. If a Member needs to alter their get together measurement throughout the get together measurement limits, or the date that they’re attending Moonlight Magic, they could modify their occasion registration by means of the hyperlink discovered of their affirmation e-mail. Please notice:
- If you cancel your Resort reservation, your occasion registration shall be cancelled robotically.
- Cancelling and rebooking an occasion registration will increase the danger of dropping one’s registration.
- Modifications or cancellations of an occasion registration can’t be made the identical day as reserving.
Registering for Another 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 test in on the occasion. Valid Disney Vacation Club Digital Membership Card and photograph ID are required at check-in.
Event Date Limits – In order to permit as many Members as doable to get pleasure from Moonlight Magic, just one occasion date for every taking part park shall be accessible per Membership.
Other Important Information
- Registration is required and restricted. Unfortunately, walk-ins won’t be permitted.
- Valid Disney Vacation Club Digital Membership Card and photograph ID required at check-in. Member listed on the Digital Membership Card should be in attendance.
- Complimentary admission to the after-hours occasion is legitimate throughout the occasion. If 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 is topic to availability, change or termination with out discover.
- Attendees below 18 years of age should be accompanied by a taking part guardian or guardian.
- This is a rain-or-shine occasion; some experiences could also be cancelled resulting from inclement climate.
- We request that Members cancel not less than 48 hours prematurely.
- Disney Genie, Disney Genie+ and particular person Lightning Lanes should not accessible to be used throughout Moonlight Magic Events.
Reservations should be made by the particular person listed because the “owner” on the Membership and could be booked with factors by means of Disney Vacation Club or with money by means of the Disney Reservation Center or a journey supplier. Please notice that Members who’ve a Resort reservation booked below one other Member’s membership should 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 Party. (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 suppose again to that night fondly, remembering scarfing down a number of scorching canine from Casey’s Corner earlier than seeing the fireworks and assembly Disney fur character royalty.
In trying again at a few of our get together reviews, I see there have been downsides to every occasion. There have been situations of surprisingly lengthy strains for meals, characters, or sights because the starting. There had been additionally occasions early on when some members actually introduced coolers to fill up on ice cream and different snacks, inflicting the kiosks to expire.
However, we largely ‘smooth 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 implausible.
Perhaps its recency bias, however final 12 months did appear to have extra issues than regular. There had been nonetheless some uncommon characters, however not as many. Entertainment was lighter than regular, notably unique nighttime spectaculars or particular fireworks. The distribution of particular popcorn buckets and snacks left rather a lot to be desired.
a whole lot of that may be attributed to staffing shortages that meant fewer Cast Members for character meet & greets and to function extra meals & beverage areas. (Passing the popcorn buckets out on the entrance or one other centralized location may’ve solved a few of this–and perhaps 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. Due to there being fewer Moonlight Magic events, I additionally suspect that Disney Vacation Club elevated the attendance caps, leading to bigger crowds. (Perhaps that’s merely my notion, although. Not 100% positive on that one.)
Ultimately, Moonlight Magic remains 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 primarily a free model of After Hours for DVC Members, with a number of further enhancements that make it higher than After Hours, in our view. It’s an ideal perk for individuals who are in a position to take benefit; we’ve liked 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!
Thinking about becoming a member of DVC? First you’ll want to learn our Ultimate Guide to Disney Vacation Club. 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. If you continue to can’t determine whether or not membership is best for you, “try before you buy” and lease factors from DVC Rental Store. Planning a Walt Disney World journey? For complete recommendation, the very best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for every thing it’s essential know.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Planning on registering for one of many 2023 Moonlight Magic get together nights? Excited to see this free occasion returning as a profit for DVC members? Have you 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 get together report? Hearing your suggestions about your experiences is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas or questions under within the feedback!