A few years ago while in the Magic Kingdom one evening on our first family trip to Disney World, we noticed a few people entering rides after park close. They had special bracelets and walked straight onto rides as we sadly and depressingly made our way to the exit. We were newbies and didn’t know about the events that happen after dark in Disney World.
Don’t feel too sad for us though, we've been able to experience these amazing After Hours events since then. And, if I could go to Disney World and do an After Hours party or event every day and skip out on “normal” days in a park, it would be like Disney heaven. It’s less crowded, there’s almost no wait for rides, and there’s free food (well it’s included in the ticket price but it “feels” free which is a rare feeling at Disney World.)
Let's start with price. The tickets usually cost more for the 3 hour event than for a full day park ticket. The ticket price is usually about $155 to $175 per ticket (prices subject to change). Access to the park starts a little earlier for After Hours guests (7pm usually) but all the normal day visitors are still there until park close. The crowds clear out significantly around closing.
There is a plus to arriving early. If you visited another park during the day and purchased Genie+ (Update! With the new Genie+ pricing according to the park you visit, I'm not sure if this still works. I guess I'll have to plan to visit Disney and see. haha!), you can continue to use it before the After Hours event "officially" starts which could save you from waiting in those long evening lines. We did this recently, and it felt like we had somehow found a secret loophole or were tricking the system by using Genie+ for more than 1 park without a park hopper pass!
A downside to After Hour events is time. It can be difficult to power through the night until 12:30 or 1am (especially for little ones) if you already woke up at 6am and have been enjoying the parks during the day but must keep going because you don't want to waste any time during the After Hours event. I highly suggest taking it easy during the day, maybe visit the pool and have a nice long, relaxing lunch so you're well rested before trying to cram in as much as possible in 3 hours in the middle of the night. But if you're hardcore like us, you'll wake up early, enjoy a full day at a Disney World park, ride as much as possible, eat too much, and drag yourself through a long night of joyful, deliriousness.
A cool perk, that you pay for of course, is the free drinks and snacks. There are some other food places that remain open so that you can grab something other than a free Coke, popcorn, and/or Mickey Mouse ice cream bar. Although, we mostly overindulged on these "free" treats. They were delicious. The smell of popcorn now reminds me of late nights at Disney World instead of going to the movies.
However, even better than the food, the best reason to attend an After Hours event is being able to mostly walk onto rides or experience a much shorter wait time. We had the opportunity to attend 2 After Hours events at Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios during our last Disney World trip. I think I prefer them to the holiday parties. There were even less crowds so even shorter lines for rides!
After Hours events take place in Magic Kingdom, Disney Hollywood Studios, and now Epcot!!! Epcot was recently announced. *Note to self: plan next trip to Disney World to include Epcot After Hours event.
My experience with these events has been overwhelmingly positive. I highly recommend them! Have you ever been to one? What was your experience? If you haven't been to one, don't worry, I can help with that! Reach out to me for more info or a quote! Plus, I have some additional secret tips on how to maximize your time during After Hours events!
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