Moonlight Magic is back and the first DVC party at Walt Disney World in 2023 was at EPCOT on February 8th. There were a lot of fun additions like food coupons, different character meet and greets, and entertainment. However, there were also some hiccups. If you’re attending a party, these Moonlight Magic party tips and details will help you have a magical time.
Moonlight Magic Tips: What You Need to Know
Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about Moonlight Magic like what attractions are open, where can you eat, and what characters can you find? Well first of all, can you attend a Moonlight Magic Event?
Moonlight Magic events are free for Disney Vacation Members and their guests. You can bring up to 4 additional guests with you, but you must register for Moonlight Magic first. You can’t just show up to the party.
These Moonlight Magic Events are after hours parties and include complimentary food and drink as well as access to the parks and rides with minimal waits, plus special character meet and greets and fireworks!
What are the Hours for Moonlight Magic?
Moonlight Magic party hours are 10 PM – 1 AM. However, you can enter the park as early as 7 PM without a park ticket. Also, you do not need a park reservation to attend Moonlight Magic.
You’ll see event signs at the entrance of EPCOT and Hollywood Studios to check-in and to receive your wristbands and snack certificates.
They’ll even be showing a special Fantasmic! at 11 pm during Moonlight Magic at Hollywood Studios.
Food and Beverage Options at Moonlight Magic
When you check in, you and your guests will receive snack certificates at Hollywood Studios. Prior to the event, you can use them at more locations like Backlot Express, ABC Commissary, Catalina Eddie’s, and Docking Bay 7. I suggest using them prior to the event, because at EPCOT, lines got long and food ran out.
They are not really meant to be meals, but more snack-like options. At Hollywood Studios from 7 PM – 1 AM, you can redeem your Moonlight Magic coupons at:
- PizzeRizzo
- Kat Saka’s Kettle
- Milk Stand
- Woody’s Lunch Box
- Market
- Anaheim Produce
- Rosie’s All-American Cafe
- Hollywood Scoops
- Hollywood Hills Amphitheater Refreshments
- Various Snack Carts
During the EPCOT Moonlight Magic, each guest received 3 snack certificates. You were able to redeem them at participating food & beverage locations for items with the dining plan symbol on them. They are meant to be snacks and not meals. You could use them beginning at 6:30 p.m. and they are even valid at some of the Festival of the Arts Food Studios.
You can use Moonlight Magic snack certificates at these Festival Food Studios until 9 PM:
- Pop Eats!
- The Deconstructed Dish
- Deco Delights
- Refreshment Port
- Gourmet Landscapes
- Vibrante & Vivido: Encanto Cocina
- Tangierine Cafe: Flavors of the Medina
- The Artist’s Table
- Pastoral Palate
- Refreshment Outpost
- The Craftsman’s Courtyard
- Figment’s Inspiration Station at the Odyssey
- Moderne
You can use the snack certificates at Connections Eatery and Sunshine Seasons until 10:00 p.m. Some of the items available at Connections Eatery are french fries, sides, fountain beverages, and milkshakes. At Sunshine Seasons they had chips, beverages, a few desserts, cheese and fruit plate, and some pastries.
You can use the snack certificates until 1:00 a.m. at various snack carts with pretzels and popcorn, Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe, and the Norway Beverage Cart.
You also receive complimentary ice cream at various carts like Mickey Bars, Mickey Ice Cream Sandwiches, and Popsicles. You don’t need to use a certificate for these.
Tip: If you arrive early, use your certificates at the food booths if you want real food. Once 10 pm hits and there are only a few options open, the snack lines get super long. Some food would run out, especially at the pretzel stands (I only saw two open). At 12:45 a.m., people were trying to use the last of their certificates and the line for the pretzel cart by Cosmic Rewind and Test Track wrapped around past Club Cool.
What Attractions are Open at Moonlight Magic 2023?
One of the best benefits of Moonlight Magic is being able to ride attractions with low wait times. Lines were pretty short, with Cosmic Rewind averaging about 20 minutes.
At Epcot, these attractions are open during Moonlight Magic:
- Spaceship Earth
- Journey into Imagination With Figment
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
- Test Track
- Mission: SPACE
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Living with the Land
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
- Frozen Ever After
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along
The Seas with Nemo and Friends was also listed, but it was not open during the event.
Character Experiences at Moonlight Magic
Special characters will be out from 10 PM – 12:30 AM at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for Moonlight Magic. Characters will be near Star Tours, Commissary Lane, Toy Story Land, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. If there’s a character you really want to see, I suggest going earlier rather than later. Lines get long.
At EPCOT’s party, you could find some of your favorite Disney Characters in Imagination! in World Celebration and in World Showcase in Canada, United Kingdom, France, Norway, and Mexico.
At the Moonlight Magic on February 8th in Epcot these were the characters I saw:
- Miguel from Coco in Mexico
- Duffy towards the entrance to World Showcase
- Koda from Brother Bear in Canada
- Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum in United Kingdom
- Kristoff in Norway
- Remy in France
Character lines were pretty long, so make sure you make some time for them if you really want to meet them and take photos. I waited about 20 minutes for Miguel.
Characters are subject to change.
Is Moonlight Magic Worth It?
Is Moonlight Magic worth the trip and your time? Disney time is precious, and if you’re already in the area, then I think it’s definitely worth it! After all, it’s a free event and one of your Disney Vacation Club membership. I love that they offer these kinds of experiences for DVC members, because sometimes it does feel like benefits are dwindling.
The crowds are manageable, you can ride a lot of your favorites with short wait times, and the fireworks were very impressive! It’s a fun environment, and plus free ice cream.
There’s not enough time to do everything, so make sure you make a list of your must-dos. Come early and eat some snacks ahead of time with your certificates. We came at 8:30, and I wished we would have shown up an hour earlier. Then we could have used all our party time meeting characters and riding Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind over and over.
Would I make a special trip revolved around Moonlight Magic? Probably not. Just think of it as extra magic.
Have fun and Welcome Home!
For more Disney tips, find inexpensive park souvenirs at the Character Warehouse outlets, try these best fanny packs for Disney World or read about whether Tron Lightcycle Run is kid friendly!