Updated April 2026. A complete guide to all Disneyland After Dark events in 2026 — what they are, every event and date, what is included with your ticket, ticket prices, and tips for getting the most out of the evening.
Disneyland After Dark is a series of separately ticketed after-hours events held at Disneyland Park on select nights throughout the year. Each event has a specific theme — Star Wars, Valentine’s Day, Disney Channel nostalgia, Pride, and more — and offers a combination of rare character meet and greets, themed entertainment, exclusive food and merchandise, and access to park attractions with significantly shorter wait times than during regular park hours.
They are not cheap. But for the right guest and the right theme, they deliver an experience that regular park admission simply cannot replicate.
What Is Included with Every Disneyland After Dark Ticket
Every Disneyland After Dark event includes the same core set of benefits regardless of theme:
- Access to Disneyland Park for a 3-hour mix-in starting at 6pm, before the official event begins at 9pm
- After-hours access from 9pm to 1am — four hours after regular park close
- Access to select park attractions with significantly reduced wait times
- Exclusive themed entertainment specific to that event’s theme
- Rare and exclusive character meet and greets not available during regular hours
- Themed photo backdrops and special PhotoPass opportunities
- Unlimited downloads of Disney PhotoPass digital photos taken during the event
- Exclusive themed food and beverage available only at the event
- Exclusive themed merchandise collection
- Commemorative event guide map and keepsake
- No separate park reservation required
Each event ticket covers one night only. A standard Disneyland park ticket is not required in addition to the After Dark ticket — the After Dark ticket is your park admission for the evening, including the 6pm mix-in period.
All 2026 Disneyland After Dark Events
Sweethearts’ Nite — January and February 2026
A Valentine’s Day celebration open to anyone — couples, best friends, families. Nine dates across January and February: January 22, 25, 27 and February 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, and 17. New for 2026: the Celebrate Love Cavalcade, a new procession down Main Street featuring Mickey, Minnie, and friends. Specialty romantic food and themed merchandise available throughout the evening.
70 Years of Favorites — March 3 and 5, 2026
An all-new event created specifically for Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary celebration running through 2026. Two nights only. The event commemorates seven decades of Disneyland Park history with classic entertainment, nostalgia-focused character experiences, and throwbacks to iconic moments from the park’s history. Given only two nights, tickets for this event likely sell out faster than any other After Dark event in 2026.
Disney Channel Nite — April 12, 14, and 16, 2026
A celebration of Disney Channel history across three decades of beloved shows and characters. New for 2026: Penny Proud from The Proud Family makes her Disneyland debut at this event. Past Disney Channel Nite events have featured characters from Kim Possible, Lizzie McGuire, That’s So Raven, Phineas and Ferb, and more. Dance parties, themed food, and show-specific entertainment throughout the evening. A strong nostalgia play for guests who grew up in the 1990s and 2000s.
Star Wars Nite — April 28, 30 and May 4, 6, 2026
The most popular Disneyland After Dark event and the one that sells out fastest. Four nights including May 4 — Star Wars Day. Guests are encouraged to dress in costume. Entertainment includes the March of the First Order with Captain Phasma and Stormtroopers through Tomorrowland, a Lightsaber Instructional experience, and a special performance by Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes (the Cantina Band) at the Rivers of America. Character appearances include Darth Maul, an Ewok, a Jawa, Queen Amidala, and others from across the Star Wars timeline.
Star Wars Nite 2026 has added significance because April 28 is the night before the expanded Galaxy’s Edge timeline officially launches to all guests. Attendees on April 28 will be among the first to experience Leia Organa, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Darth Vader appearing in Batuu — a day before the general public. If you are a Star Wars fan, this is the most compelling After Dark event of the year.
Pride Nite — June 16 and 18, 2026
A celebration for LGBTQIA+ community members and allies. Two nights in June. Past Pride Nite events have featured Pride-specific fireworks, a Welcome Pride Cavalcade, dance parties in Tomorrowland and along the Rivers of America, and country line dancing at the Golden Horseshoe. Full details for 2026 will be announced closer to the event date.
Ticket Prices and How to Buy
Disneyland After Dark tickets range from approximately $159 to $185 per person depending on the event and the specific date. Busier dates within the same event tend to cost more. Tickets are sold exclusively through the Disneyland website and app — they are not available at the gate.
Magic Key holders get pre-sale access before tickets go on sale to the general public. Inspire Key holders typically get first access, followed by all other Magic Key tiers. General public sale follows within a day or two. Dates sell out — sometimes within hours for the most popular events — so buying during the pre-sale window is advisable if you hold a Magic Key pass.
Tickets are non-refundable. Buy only when you are certain of your dates.
How the Evening Works
Your After Dark ticket allows you to enter Disneyland Park starting at 6pm for the mix-in period. This is three hours of regular park access with your After Dark ticket, during which you can ride attractions and explore the park alongside regular day guests. Wait times during the mix-in period are normal daytime wait times — the reduced waits come later.
At 9pm the official event begins. Regular day guests are gradually cleared from the park over the following hour or so. By 9:30 to 10pm the park feels significantly emptier and wait times on most attractions drop substantially. This is when the event-specific entertainment, character meets, and exclusive food options are at their most accessible.
The event runs until 1am. Most guests find the window from about 10pm to midnight is the sweet spot — short lines, exclusive character meets available, entertainment in full swing, and the park at its most atmospheric after dark.
Is Disneyland After Dark Worth It
It depends entirely on the specific event and how much the theme resonates with your group.
For Star Wars fans, Star Wars Nite is one of the best Disney event experiences available anywhere. The combination of exclusive characters, the immersive Galaxy’s Edge setting at night with shorter lines, the parade, and the Cantina Band performance is genuinely excellent — and in 2026 the April 28 date has the added appeal of being the first night the new timeline characters appear in the land. Worth it without reservation if Star Wars is your thing.
For Disney Channel Nite, the value depends almost entirely on how much nostalgia the theme holds for you. The characters and entertainment are specifically targeted at guests who grew up with 90s and 2000s Disney Channel. If that is your era, it is a surprisingly emotional and fun event. If it is not, the base experience of shorter lines and after-hours access still delivers value but may not justify the ticket price alone.
For Sweethearts’ Nite, the event is lovely but thematically the most generic of the lineup. The shorter lines and romantic atmosphere are genuine perks. For couples who want a special Disneyland evening it works well. For guests primarily interested in ride access, a regular park day with Lightning Lane achieves similar results at lower cost.
The 70 Years of Favorites event is the most intriguing unknown of 2026. With only two nights and a theme tied to Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary — which runs through August — this has the highest potential to be the most memorable event of the year for longtime Disney fans.
Tips for Disneyland After Dark
Use the 6pm mix-in time for rides, not exclusive content. The exclusive characters, themed entertainment, and event-specific food do not start until 9pm. Use the 6pm to 9pm window to ride popular attractions while you still have full park access. Save the event-specific content for after 9pm when it is actually available.
Prioritize character meets early in the event. The rarest character appearances draw the longest lines and close earliest. Identify the one or two characters you most want to meet and head there within the first hour of the official event.
Eat before you arrive or during the mix-in period. Event-exclusive food is fun but the lines for specialty items can be long, especially in the first hour of the event. Eat a proper meal before you arrive or use mobile order during the mix-in period for regular dining, then grab event-exclusive treats when lines thin out later in the evening.
Buy tickets during the Magic Key pre-sale if you have a pass. Popular dates sell out before the general public sale opens. If you hold any tier of Magic Key pass, buy during the pre-sale window.
Check costume guidelines before you go. Costumes are encouraged at most After Dark events but Disney has specific rules about what is and is not permitted. Adult costumes must not include full face masks and cannot trail on the ground. Check the current guidelines on the Disneyland website before your visit.
Planning your full Disneyland visit around an After Dark event? Download the Enchanted Insider Disneyland Itinerary Guide — updated for 2026 with day-by-day plans for both parks and strategy for special event nights. For ticket bundles that include hotel and park access, check Get Away Today.