What to do after-hours when visiting Walt Disney World

Last weekend, as we were walking out of the Magic Kingdom, we passed a family stopping to talk to a cast member. The mom asked if there were any fireworks that night. As the cast member gently broke the news that there aren’t any fireworks just now, the mom replied, “What is there to do at night?”

It’s actually a great question, and it’s about to get even more relevant.

Soon, the longer holiday hours will be a thing of the past, and the parks will begin to close earlier. Looking into January and February, there are plenty of weeknights with no park open later than 7 p.m. What’s a family on vacation to do?

The obvious answer is Disney Springs for dining and shopping, but it can get quite crowded when it’s the only option for nighttime entertainment.

What else is there to do? Your options really depend on your risk tolerance. If you feel safe eating at a sit-down restaurant, going to a movie or being around crowds, you have more choices. If you’re more risk-averse, you have to get a bit more creative.

Our ideal resort evening in this new world involves taking dinner (or dessert) back to the room, putting our feet up and taking in the view from the balcony (pro tip: splurge for a room with a view). We might bring along a puzzle and watch the Happily Ever After fireworks on resort TV. It’s almost like a chill beach vacation without the beach. But if you like more action, there are some great options:

Park hop

As of Jan. 1, Disney World guests can park hop again! You need a park reservation for your first park of the day, but after 2 p.m. you’re free to visit another park. Of course, this only gets you so far, as even Epcot will be closing by 7 or 8 most nights.

Stay late with a dinner reservation

There are lots of options for dining after you leave the parks, but the best idea is not to leave the park at all. You can make a reservation at many theme park restaurants even after closing time. You don’t miss any valuable park time, you get to enjoy a nice meal — and you make your way out of the park after closing time, when crowds are sparse and photo ops are plentiful. Consider Animal Kingdom, which closes at 5 p.m. on weeknights in January and February: At Tiffins, dinner is on the menu until 7 p.m., and Yak & Yeti is taking reservations until 6:35. Over at Epcot, the last seating seems to be 7 p.m., at park closing.

Take in a movie

There are a couple of options for movies, depending on your risk tolerance. AMC’s Disney Springs theater is open again. They’ve taken all kinds of precautions, including operating at 50% capacity. If you aren’t keen on sitting in an indoor theater for two hours, check out your resort’s Movies Under the Stars schedule. You can sit by the pool or on the lawn and watch a Disney movie with all the social distance you want — and enjoy a beautiful evening.

Go bowling

Right next door to the AMC Theaters at Disney Springs is Splitsville, which promises to “reinvent America’s game.” Open until 9 p.m., Splitsville is part bowling alley, part bar, and part restaurant — and you can even hear some live music on the patio. Reserving a lane for bowling gives you plenty of space for social distancing, plus Splitsville happens to have terrific food, including sushi.

Explore a different resort

Disney’s resorts are delightful, and for the most part they are not as crowded right now as they normally are. That makes this a good time to go exploring. Spending the day at Magic Kingdom? Head over to the Wilderness Lodge and grab dinner or a drink at Geyser Point, a lovely outdoor lounge on the shores of Bay Lake. Or take a ride to one (or two or three) of the Monorail resorts. Hanging out at Epcot or Hollywood Studios? The Epcot resort area is a great place to take a walk or grab dinner or a drink. Or take the Skyliner to explore the new Riviera Resort. Also worth exploring: The new Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs, which is home to the Three Bridges Bar and Grill and the rooftop Dahlia Lounge, two more great place to eat outdoors.

Go to the pool

Here in Florida swimming season almost never ends (although, as I write this, we’re expecting a couple of nights in the 30s!). This means long nights spent swimming in the (gently heated) resort pools, which are typically open until 9. On a hot day, an evening swim might be your best chance of having the pool mostly to yourself, and you can always grab a bite at the pool bar while you’re there. What better way to wind down after a long day at the parks?