12 wickedly cool things to do at Walt Disney World’s new Villains After Hours

On select nights this summer, villains take over Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park for an evil-but-fun event that villain fans will love.

If you have “friends on the other side,” or sometimes feel you are “surrounded by idiots,” Walt Disney World (WDW) has your more sinister side covered this summer with a special evening event: Villains After Hours.

2019 is the first year for the evil event, which is scheduled at Magic Kingdom Park on 10 select nights this summer from June 6 through August 8. Villains After Hours is not included in regular park admission. Tickets can be purchased for $139 (adult and child tickets are the same price) in advance online, or can be bought on the night of the event at Magic Kingdom for $144. Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members get a discounted rate, with advance tickets priced at $109.

Culturess attended the inaugural night of Villains After Hours and took in all the wickedly fun experiences to come up with a list of everything you need to know before you step into a villain-run Magic Kingdom. So grab the Diablo to your Maleficent or the Pain and Panic to your Hades and study up, because villain school is in session.

Scar photo opp a Villains After Hours. Photo Credit: Terri Peters

1. Get there early.

Villains After Hours technically runs from 10 p.m. through 1 a.m., but guests who’ve purchased the special event ticket can enter Magic Kingdom as early as 7 p.m. on the day of the event. Plan to get the most bang for your buck by arriving early and enjoying the park before it’s overrun with villainous souls.

2. Hit all the special photo ops.

In addition to exclusive photo backdrops with the Villains After Hours logo, guests can grab four special photos in the park with the help of a Disney Photo Pass photographer and a bit of Disney magic. These “Magic Shots” are digitally enhanced scenes where you and your party can pose with villains like Scar and Maleficent for a spooky keepsake from the evening.

Pro tip: Unlike most WDW events, villains are not available for character meet-and-greets during Villains After Hours. We did, however, stumble upon Cruella de Vil, Gaston and a few other characters waving goodbye from a balcony on the way out of the event.

Hades’ Nachos, a hit during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, have returned to Magic Kingdom for Villains After Hours. Photo Credit: Walt Disney World

3. Try the treats.

From the Headless Horseman Browkie, a half-cookie, half-brownie treat topped with a Headless Horseman chocolate piece, to Yzma’s Llama Potion, a chilled strawberry drink that gives off spooky smoke (thanks to dry ice,) there are tons of villain-themed treats available exclusively at the event, so bring your appetite.

4. Soak in the evil ambiance.

Throughout Magic Kingdom, guests will find dark-and-spooky lighting, creepy music and other special touches that truly make the park feel like it’s been overtaken by an evil force. Be sure to stop and appreciate these unique touches, as there’s no other time Magic Kingdom will feel quite so sinister.

Photo Credit: Terri Peters

5. Dress the part.

Disney encourages Villains After Hours guests to dress up like their favorite evil characters. I dressed as Cruella de Vil while my friend channeled Lotso from the “Toy Story” franchise. We saw tons of creative and fun villain-inspired outfits, from Hades to the Evil Queen, and seeing our fellow attendees’ interpretations of the Disney villains was a fun addition to the event.

Pro tip: Be sure to review WDW’s costume policy before planning your outfit, as full character costumes are prohibited.

6. Experience the evil overlays.

Special, spooky additions appear at to two attractions at Magic Kingdom only during Villains After Hours. We won’t give away any spoilers, but watch out for villainous pirates on the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and get ready for the ride of your life aboard a villain-controlled Space Mountain.

Tickets to Villains After Hours include popcorn, ice cream treats and select bottled beverages, all served at these carts throughout the park. Photo Credit: Terri Peters

7. Keep an eye out for snack carts.

Included with ticket price are snacks like popcorn and frozen treats (including Mickey ice cream bars!) and select bottled drinks. Keep an eye out for treat carts throughout the park and let us know how many Mickey bars you can eat in one night.

8. Take a moment to shop.

Throughout Magic Kingdom, merchandise locations are selling exclusive Villains After Hours merchandise. We spotted shirts and tanks (including a cute “Hades’ Ladies” tank I regret not buying,) a tumbler and a Maleficent “Minnie Mouse ears” headband, to name a few. If you’re a fan of WDW merchandise themed to a specific event, you’ll want to check it all out.

“Villains Unite the Night” is a new stage show at Magic Kingdom Park, part of the new, limited-access Disney Villains After Hours event held on select nights this summer at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The show features appearances by Disney Villains as they set the castle stage ablaze. (Steven Diaz, photographer)

9. Take in the “Villains Unite the Night” show.

Hades and Meg from “Hercules” are the lead roles in this new nighttime spectacular you can only see during Villains After Hours. In addition to songs, dancers and spooky projections on Cinderella Castle, Jafar, the Evil Queen, Dr. Facilier and Maleficent take the stage to frighten and delight guests.

10. Dance in the streets.

On the stage of Cinderella Castle, a DJ plays dance music while flashing lights transform the Central Plaza area of Magic Kingdom into a wildly wicked dance party. Be sure to stop for a few moments and let loose, dancing the night away with other guests.

Maleficent, the Steampunk-inspired dragon, breathes fire as she moves through Magic Kingdom Park during the Disney Villains After Hours event at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. This separately ticketed, wickedly fun event occurs on select nights this summer. Photo Credit: Preston Mack

11. Keep an eye out for Maleficent.

The “mistress of evil” isn’t only present on the castle stage: Maleficent appears throughout Magic Kingdom during Villains After Hours in dragon form, breathing fire and prowling the night with her Steampunk style.

Pro tip: If you’ve experienced WDW’s Festival of Fantasy parade, you’ll recognize Maleficent: This is the same fire-breathing dragon who appears on the streets of Magic Kingdom during that event.

12. Take advantage of short attraction wait times.

More than 20 attractions are open throughout Magic Kingdom during the event with little-to-no wait times. WDW’s FastPass+ system is not in play during the event, and since limited tickets are sold for each night, rides like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Space Mountain are much easier to ride than on a normal day.

Villains After Hours runs on specific Mondays and Thursdays throughout the summer. For more information, or to buy tickets, visit Walt Disney World’s website.