DVC Moonlight Magic Guide & Review- FREE Event for DVC Members

I am a Disney World annual passholder, Disney Vacation Club (DVC) member, and visit Disney World several times each month. In this article, I will give details on one of the best perks of being a DVC member: the Moonlight Magic After Hours event at Animal Kingdom. 

Moonlight Magic is an exclusive After Hours event for Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members and their guests. This complimentary event occurs at both Disneyland and Disney World several times each year. We attended the most recent Moonlight Magic event at Animal Kingdom, and we are going to break down the registration process and a review of the event itself.

What is Moonlight Magic?

Moonlight Magic is arguably one of the best perks of being a DVC member. Think of it as an After Hours party, but at no cost! Moonlight Magic occurs at Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, and Disney California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort at least once per year.

Guests of this event enjoy shorter than usual wait times for the park’s most popular attractions, rare Disney character greetings, exceptional entertainment, and complimentary snacks. The events occur after the parks close and typically last three hours. Guests of the event can enter the park up to two hours before the event starts even without a theme park ticket or reservation.

Moonlight Magic Registration Requirements

Registration occurs approximately 3-4 weeks before the event. There are two registration dates: the first date is for DVC members with a Disney resort reservation on the night of the Moonlight Magic event. This includes any Disney property resort, not just DVC resorts. If the event does not sell out, general registration occurs about a week later for DVC members without a resort reservation. Openings for general registration are rare, so we highly recommend snagging a resort reservation on the night of the event.

There are several very important requirements to register for Moonlight Magic:

1. The DVC member’s contract must be purchased directly through Disney, and not through a resale market. Additionally, the contract must have the minimum point requirement to receive DVC membership extras including Moonlight Magic.
2. Only one event date for each participating park will be available per DVC membership per calendar year. This allows as many members as possible to enjoy Moonlight Magic.
3. If booking with a resort reservation, the DVC members and guests attending must all be on the reservation at least two days before the registration date.
4. DVC members can register themselves and up to four additional guests per membership – or up to the number of guests on their resort reservation. Children under the age of three do not need to be registered and will not count towards the number of guests.

If you meet all of the above requirements, the DVC member should receive an invitation e-mail at least one day before the registration with a website link to join.

Moonlight Magic Registration Process

Even if you meet the minimum registration requirements, it is still not a guaranteed entry to Moonlight Magic. Since this is such a popular event and is capped at a certain number of guests, it can fill up quickly. Since DVC members can only attend Moonlight Magic once at each park per year, it’s usually easier to register for the second or third date for that park. The most recent Animal Kingdom event was the third date for 2023, making it a bit easier to get in.

On the date of registration, the DVC member will click the link e-mailed to them to enter a virtual waiting room. We recommend doing this on several devices such as your phone, laptop, tablet, etc. for better odds. The page will refresh, and you will receive a random number in line which will dictate when you will be able to register.

Once the DVC member makes it through the virtual queue, they will simply provide their membership ID number as well as the total number of guests in their party. Then you’re in! The DVC member will receive a confirmation e-mail with all the important details of the event.

Moonlight Magic Animal Kingdom Review

Now for the fun part – the event review! While I wasn’t able to do everything this event had to offer, it was an amazing experience that I hope I get to enjoy again soon. There were mostly positive experiences and very little complaints, but I’ll get more into that later on.

Entering the Park

The process for checking in and entering the park was very simple and straightforward. Disney very clearly stated the DVC member who made the registration along with all guests in the party must be together when checking in. They do not allow the DVC Member to exit the park or come back to bring in additional guests if they are late. 

Once we were checked in, we each received a wristband, similar to the other Disney World after-hours parties and events. 

Upon entering, we also received a map of the events and sightings that would be available throughout the evening. Additionally, each guest received three snack coupons and two Fossil Fun Games Certificates to play carnival games at Dinoland. Unfortunately, we never got to use our game tickets, but I'll get into that more soon. 

What Rides Are Open for Moonlight Magic?

With the exception of Kilimanjaro Safaris, all of the rides at Animal Kingdom were open for Moonlight Magic. This included:

• It’s Tough to Be a Bug
• Na’vi River Journey
• Avatar Flight of Passage
• Kali River Rapids
• Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
• TriceraTop Spin
• DINOSAUR

One of the first things we did was check the wait time for the park’s most popular ride, Avatar Flight of Passage – and it was only 15 minutes! We definitely had to take advantage of this abnormally short wait time. Throughout the night we did not see any ride go above 15 minutes, and most rides were a walk on. We also took advantage of riding Expedition Everest during the event. We were able to walk on this roller coaster twice, and there’s nothing like riding Everest at night!

Moonlight Magic Character Greetings

One of the best parts of Moonlight Magic is the special and rare character meets that are offered. The following characters were advertised as being available for interactions and pictures:

•  DiVine
• Moana
• Friends from “A Bug’s Life”
• Terk
• Friends from “Tarzan”
• Chip ‘n’ Dale as Rescue Rangers
•  Goofy and Friends from “DuckTales”

As expected, some of the lines for these characters were 20 or more minutes, and so it wasn’t possible to do all of them. We got to meet Terk and Darkwing Duck, which were two I had never seen in the parks before; however, I was hoping to have more time to meet other characters.

Moonlight Magic Entertainment

In addition to the special character greetings, there was entertainment for everyone to enjoy throughout the park. In Dinoland, there was a DJ dance party with even more characters to interact with including Goofy and Launchpad McQuack.

Guests could also experience the Magical Menagerie which is typically seen at Animal Kingdom during the holiday season.

The Tree of Life Awakenings: Holiday Edition show continuously played on the Tree of Life throughout the night.

Lastly, probably the biggest letdown of the night was the Dinoland carnival games. Each guest was given two free game coupons which we were very excited to use. However, the lines were by far the longest for the games. Each game had a line wrapped around the Dinoland area, and we immediately knew this wasn’t something that was worth the wait. These coupons went to waste, and I wish I would have gone to this area earlier in the night.

FREE Moonlight Magic Snacks

The snacks were one of the best parts of the Moonlight Magic event. Each guest was given three snack coupons to use at the many quick service locations and kiosks throughout the park. There were also several locations throughout the park with QR codes to view the menus of each quick service location.

These mainly included dessert snacks such as DOLE Whip floats, churros, cupcakes, the Yeti sundae, and more. The snack coupons could also be used for Mickey pretzels, fries, lumpia, popcorn, roasted almonds or pecans, and other savory snacks.

The following quick service locations had snacks available:

• Restaurantosaurus hosted by Impossible Foods
• Flame Tree Barbecue
• Mr. Kamal’s
• Thirsty River Bar
• Satu’li Canteen
• Pongu Pongu
• ACE Mobile Treats
• Isle of Java
• The Feeding Ground
• Mahindi
• Tamu Tamu Refreshments
• Harambe Fruit Market
• Warung Outpost
• Drinkwallah Hosted by Coca-Cold
• Anandapur Ice Cream Truck
• Trek Snacks
• Corn-ivores
• Trilo-Bites
• Ice cream carts throughout the park

Additionally, there were two locations at Creature Comforts and in Dinoland which offered unlimited Mickey ice cream bars, Mickey ice cream sandwiches, and fruit bars without the need for a coupon.

Overall Thoughts

Overall, this Moonlight Magic event was a great experience that made me feel proud and valued as a DVC member. It was also a nice perk to be able to bring several non-DVC members to the event and share one of the best DVC perks with friends. We didn't spend any money during the event which felt very strange given the amount of food and special experiences we enjoyed. 

My favorite parts of the evening were the snacks, character greetings, and overall lack of crowds throughout the park. The snacks were such a great perk that would normally cost us at least $20 per person on a normal park day. For those coming for the first time, definitely take advantage of the free snacks and come hungry!

The rare character greetings were also great, and although the lines were longer, it was worth the wait. We recommend grabbing one of the free snacks offered and enjoying them while you wait in line.

The biggest letdown was the crowds and long lines for the Dinoland games, however, it definitely did not ruin the night. Next time, I would focus more on meeting the characters than going on the rides. As a Disney World local and annual passholder, I wish I had gotten to the park earlier and gotten in lines for the characters. If you have the chance to enjoy this event in the future, I recommend skipping most of the rides and grabbing a free snack to enjoy while waiting in as many character greet lines. 

How To Become a DVC Member

If you or your family are interested in buying into the Disney Vacation Club, we recommend checking out our DVC Buying Guide. Besides Moonlight Magic, there are many perks associated with DVC memberships including discounts on merchandise and food, special events, access to lounges at Disneyland and Walt Disney World parks, and much more! 

Additionally, if you’re interested in becoming a DVC member but aren’t quite ready to take the leap, consider renting DVC points to use during your next Disney World vacation. Our partner David’s Rentals offers the lowest possible rates for staying at DVC deluxe resorts without the cost and commitment of a DVC membership. 

You can also purchase less expensive DVC contracts through our partner DVC Resale Market. DVC Resale Market offers the largest selection of DVC resale listings and offers a significantly lower cost than buying direct with Disney.

Plan your Next Disney World Vacation

To learn more about special events at Disney World, sign up for our FREE newsletter. We provide helpful vacation planning information, tips and trips, and access to the lowest Disney ticket prices. Check out our other guides related to the Disney Vacation Club and resorts here:

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• Buying DVC Direct vs Resale: Member Benefits and more!
• DVC Resort Rankings: Best Disney Vacation Club Resorts at Disney World
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