Disneyland After Dark is Disneyland’s series of separately ticketed nighttime events with themed entertainment, special characters, photo opportunities, select attractions and event-exclusive food and merchandise.
Disneyland After Dark 2027 dates, ticket prices and event themes have not been announced yet. Disney currently says the 2026 events have ended and to check back for future festivities. I’ll update this guide when Disneyland releases the next lineup.
If Disney follows the recent format, these will be limited-capacity events at Disneyland Park with an earlier mix-in period before the official party begins. In 2026, parties ran from 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM and event guests could enter Disneyland at 6:00 PM without a separate park reservation.
Disneyland After Dark 2027 status
| 2027 detail | Current status |
|---|---|
| 2027 event themes | Not announced |
| 2027 dates | Not announced |
| 2027 ticket prices | Not announced |
| 2027 ticket sale dates | Not announced |
| 2027 event hours | Not announced |
| 2026 format for reference | 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM with entry beginning at 6:00 PM |
Disney’s official Disneyland After Dark page is currently showing the 2026 events as concluded rather than listing a 2027 schedule.
What is Disneyland After Dark?
Disneyland After Dark is not simply Disneyland staying open late. These are special, separately ticketed parties held on select nights with their own themes and event-specific entertainment.
Recent events have included special character appearances, themed entertainment, photo backdrops, event food, merchandise and access to select Disneyland attractions after the park closes to regular daytime guests.
On the After Dark nights I’ve done, the difference in atmosphere is noticeable. More guests dress for the theme, character and photo lines become a major part of the evening, and Disneyland starts feeling less like a normal operating day and more like a party.
For the broader park-planning picture, start with my Disneyland guide.
What Disneyland After Dark tickets include
The exact 2027 benefits have not been announced, but Disney’s most recent After Dark format included much more than four hours of party time.
- Admission to the separately ticketed Disneyland After Dark event
- Entry to Disneyland Park 3 hours before the party began
- Themed entertainment and character appearances
- Special event photo locations
- Unlimited digital downloads of Disney PhotoPass photos taken during the event
- A commemorative event credential and guide map
- Access to select attractions during the party
- Event-exclusive or event-themed food and merchandise available for purchase
Disney can change what is included from year to year, so I would treat these as the recent model rather than guaranteed 2027 benefits until the next events are formally announced.
How much are Disneyland After Dark tickets?
Disneyland has not announced 2027 After Dark ticket prices yet.
For historical context, some 2026 starting prices included:
| 2026 event | Starting ticket price |
|---|---|
| 70 Years of Favorites | $159 per guest ages 3+ |
| Disney Channel Nite | $159 per guest ages 3+ |
| Star Wars Nite | $174 per guest ages 3+ |
Those are past prices, not predictions for 2027. I would expect Disney to publish date-specific pricing when tickets for the next events are announced.
Also remember that parking was not included in the event ticket price.
Does Disneyland sell night tickets?
Disneyland does not normally sell a generic discounted evening ticket that lets you enter every night for the final few hours.
Disneyland After Dark is different. It is a separately ticketed special event offered only on specific dates. Buying an After Dark ticket does not mean you’ve purchased an everyday Disneyland “night pass.”
That distinction matters if you’re searching for Disneyland night tickets or late-night admission. On ordinary operating days, you’ll generally need regular Disneyland admission. After Dark tickets only work for the specific event date printed on the ticket.
If you need normal park admission instead, see my Disneyland tickets guide.
What time is Disneyland After Dark?
The 2027 event hours have not been announced.
In 2026, Disneyland After Dark parties ran from 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM. Event admission also allowed guests to enter Disneyland Park beginning at 6:00 PM, creating a three-hour pre-party mix-in period.
That meant I treated the ticket as roughly seven hours in Disneyland rather than only thinking about the four official party hours.
The mix-in is useful because 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM gives you time to enter, eat, get your event materials and do a couple of regular attractions before the party takes over the park.
Do you need a park reservation for Disneyland After Dark?
For the 2026 events, guests using their After Dark ticket did not need a Disneyland Park reservation to enter at 6:00 PM or later on their event date.
If you wanted to enter Disneyland before the event-ticket admission window, you needed the appropriate regular park admission and whatever reservation requirements applied to that ticket.
I would verify the exact rule again when Disney announces 2027 because ticket terms can change.
Is Disneyland After Dark adults only?
No. Disneyland After Dark is not an adults-only event.
Disney’s recent After Dark events were open to guests of all ages, with children ages 2 and under not requiring an event ticket.
The late schedule is the bigger consideration for families. A party that runs until 1:00 AM can be fantastic with older kids and difficult with a toddler who normally goes to sleep hours earlier.
I think After Dark tends to work particularly well for adults, couples, repeat visitors and families with older kids who actually enjoy being in Disneyland late at night.
Disneyland After Dark 2026 events
Disney held five different Disneyland After Dark themes in 2026. All of these events have now ended, but the lineup is useful context while waiting to see what returns in 2027.
| 2026 event | Dates |
|---|---|
| Sweethearts’ Nite | January 22, 25 and 27; February 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 and 17 |
| 70 Years of Favorites | March 3 and 5 |
| Disney Channel Nite | April 12, 14 and 16 |
| Star Wars Nite | April 28 and 30; May 4 and 6 |
| Pride Nite | June 16 and 18 |
There is no guarantee that every theme will return in 2027. Disney can bring back existing parties, replace them or introduce something entirely different.
If Sweethearts’ Nite is the event you’re specifically interested in, see my dedicated Disneyland Sweethearts’ Nite guide.
When do Disneyland After Dark tickets go on sale?
Disney has not announced the 2027 Disneyland After Dark ticket-sale dates.
Recent events have used separate sales windows, often giving eligible Magic Key holders access before general public sales.
The timing has not always been identical for every event. For example, some 2026 parties went on sale in December 2025, while Star Wars Nite sales occurred in February 2026 and Pride Nite sales came later in April.
That’s why I would not rely on one universal annual ticket-sale date. When Disney announces 2027, check the individual event you actually want.
Do Disneyland After Dark tickets sell out?
They can. Disney limits the number of tickets available for each event date, and popular parties or dates can sell out.
Star Wars Nite sold out in 2026, and Sweethearts’ Nite also sold out. If a specific night is central to your trip, I would treat the ticket sale as something to handle promptly rather than assuming tickets will remain available.
I would book the event ticket itself before building a nonrefundable hotel or travel plan around one specific After Dark date.
Can you buy Disneyland After Dark tickets at the gate?
Disney’s current After Dark rules say event tickets must be purchased online and are not available on the day of the event.
Recent rules also limit purchases to eight tickets per person for each event date, with no discounts applying to the event ticket itself.
Tickets are date-specific and nonrefundable, so double-check the date before completing the purchase.
Is Lightning Lane available during Disneyland After Dark?
Lightning Lane Multi Pass was not available during the 2026 Disneyland After Dark events.
That does not mean every attraction automatically has no wait. The event is lower capacity than a normal Disneyland day, but popular rides and exclusive character experiences can still attract lines.
I would not spend an After Dark party trying to reproduce a normal daytime Disneyland Lightning Lane strategy. The event-exclusive entertainment, characters and atmosphere are what make the extra ticket different.
Is Disneyland After Dark worth it?
I think Disneyland After Dark makes the most sense when the event itself is the reason you’re buying the ticket.
If your only goal is riding as many Disneyland attractions as possible, I would usually rather put the money toward a regular park day.
Where I think the events work best is when you care about:
- Rare or unusually costumed characters
- Event-exclusive entertainment
- Themed photo opportunities
- Being in Disneyland late at night with a smaller event crowd
- The specific theme of the party
On the nights I’ve attended, I get more value by choosing one or two exclusive things I really care about rather than trying to complete every offering on the event map.
How I would plan a Disneyland After Dark night
If the 2027 format resembles 2026, I would take full advantage of the early-entry period.
My basic approach is:
- Enter when event admission begins. In 2026 that was 6:00 PM.
- Eat before the official party begins. I don’t want to spend the best event hours sitting through a normal dinner.
- Choose my number-one exclusive experience before 9:00 PM. That might be a character, show or photo opportunity.
- Do exclusive event content first. Regular Disneyland attractions are available on ordinary park days. The event-only things are not.
- Use later hours for rides. Once I’ve done the exclusive priorities, I start mixing attractions into the night.
- Keep enough energy for the final hour. Disneyland after midnight is part of what makes these parties fun for me.
If you’re combining the event with a larger trip, my Disneyland trip-planning guide helps with the regular park days around it.
Where to stay for Disneyland After Dark
A 1:00 AM finish changes how much I care about hotel location.
After several hours in Disneyland, I don’t want the end of the night to become another transportation project. If I’m booking specifically around an After Dark party, I put a higher value than usual on being able to walk back to the hotel.
My guide to the hotels closest to Disneyland focuses specifically on the shortest walks to the Harbor Boulevard entrance. For the broader hotel picture, see my Disneyland hotels guide.
Disneyland After Dark 2027: what happens next?
Right now, the key fact is simple: Disneyland After Dark 2027 has not been announced.
Disney’s official page currently says the 2026 events have ended and asks guests to check back for future festivities. Until Disney publishes the next lineup, any supposed 2027 event dates or ticket prices should be treated as unconfirmed.
When the 2027 schedule is released, the most important information to check will be the event themes, dates, ticket-sale windows, individual ticket prices and whether the 6:00 PM mix-in and 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM format returns.
For the official status, use Disneyland’s Disneyland After Dark page.
