24 Hour Event in May

[ericasatx]

Sorry if this has been discussed. Since the search feature is down I can't find any prior posts. I took a couple of weeks break from my Disney Planning and just realized that we will be at Disney during the 24 hour MK event. Of course that is one of our MK days. Anyone want to speculate on how this will affect us?

Our 2 MK days are Wednesday May 21st and Friday May 23rd. We are leaving May 24th and were planning to eat at Park Fare and then have a few fast passes before we catch ME.

That Wednesday we were planning to do Crystal Palace at 8 and then we have Wishes Dessert Party reservations at 9 and that is all we have reserved.

Friday we were planning to do Rope drop, at noon we have Pirate's League reservations for all 3 children (we have a 4yo son and 8 & 11yo daughters) and then we have Be Our Guest reservations at 4:45.

I know RD will be way earlier than that with the 24 hour event. The only must keep reservations are the Wishes and BOG.

I make our FP+ reservations a week from today so I am trying to get my plan together. I am thrown for a loop and my Disney Side isn't too thrilled right now. Anyone want to help?

 

[Pixie Princess]

Sorry if this has been discussed. Since the search feature is down I can't find any prior posts. I took a couple of weeks break from my Disney Planning and just realized that we will be at Disney during the 24 hour MK event. Of course that is one of our MK days. Anyone want to speculate on how this will affect us?

Our 2 MK days are Wednesday May 21st and Friday May 23rd. We are leaving May 24th and were planning to eat at Park Fare and then have a few fast passes before we catch ME.

That Wednesday we were planning to do Crystal Palace at 8 and then we have Wishes Dessert Party reservations at 9 and that is all we have reserved.

Friday we were planning to do Rope drop, at noon we have Pirate's League reservations for all 3 children (we have a 4yo son and 8 & 11yo daughters) and then we have Be Our Guest reservations at 4:45.

I know RD will be way earlier than that with the 24 hour event. The only must keep reservations are the Wishes and BOG.

I make our FP+ reservations a week from today so I am trying to get my plan together. I am thrown for a loop and my Disney Side isn't too thrilled right now. Anyone want to help?

If I were you I wouldn't worry too much about the 24 hour event. Last year is was not any more crowded than when we've been on Memorial Day weekend in the past for much of the day. We were still pretty much walking on rides up until 10:30 a.m., so not all that different from a typical 9:00 a.m. rope drop. The evening got pretty crowded, with the largest crowds IMO around 1:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. Honestly the longest line we faced up until trying to meet Mickey at 2:00 a.m. was the line for merchandise when the park opened.

If you'd like to avoid MK all together, your only choices are EP and AK. DHS will be a zoo with SWW. I would just go on as planned and book FP+ for the afternoon or evening and perhaps plan on calling it an early day after your BOG reservation.

My only caveat to all of this, is that this year's theme is heroes and villains. If they plan any sort of villain meet and greets for the event, it will probably be more crowded than last year's event. Of course last year, the special meet and greets didn't start until late in the evening...I want to say midnight, but maybe a little earlier...so you may be okay if you head out after your BOG reservation.

 

[CassieF]

If I were you I wouldn't worry too much about the 24 hour event. Last year is was not any more crowded than when we've been on Memorial Day weekend in the past for much of the day. We were still pretty much walking on rides up until 10:30 a.m., so not all that different from a typical 9:00 a.m. rope drop. The evening got pretty crowded, with the largest crowds IMO around 1:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m. Honestly the longest line we faced up until trying to meet Mickey at 2:00 a.m. was the line for merchandise when the park opened.

If you'd like to avoid MK all together, your only choices are EP and AK. DHS will be a zoo with SWW. I would just go on as planned and book FP+ for the afternoon or evening and perhaps plan on calling it an early day after your BOG reservation.

My only caveat to all of this, is that this year's theme is heroes and villains. If they plan any sort of villain meet and greets for the event, it will probably be more crowded than last year's event. Of course last year, the special meet and greets didn't start until late in the evening...I want to say midnight, but maybe a little earlier...so you may be okay if you head out after your BOG reservation.

Last year's villain event was in Sept, for Friday the 13th and they were only open until 1am, but yes, it was a packed, crazy nightmare! If they do villain m&g it will be more crowded than last years 24 hour Monsters University summer kick off event, but if you are using disney transportation and not interested in meeting the villains it should effect you too much

 

[Murron]

Last year's villain event was in Sept, for Friday the 13th and they were only open until 1am, but yes, it was a packed, crazy nightmare! If they do villain m&g it will be more crowded than last years 24 hour Monsters University summer kick off event, but if you are using disney transportation and not interested in meeting the villains it should effect you too much

Oh so true...the Villain event in DHS became a total traffic nightmare. Seriously awful. We've no experience however with the 24 MK experience.

 

[caybean]

I had a VERY different experience than Pixie Princess. I was there for the 24 Hour night last year and went into MK around 10 pm. And the crowds were so bad that you could not walk on Main Street. CMs and security had to open the backstage area on BOTH sides of Main Street in order to funnel people into Tomorrow Land. It literally took 45 minutes to get up Main Street, at which point we were funneled BACK down the backstage area of Main Street, across the City Hall square, behind the backstage area on the right side of Main Street, and into TomorrowLand. It was NUTS. Maybe you will do better in the morning?

We ended up leaving around midnight, after trying to get a photo with Mickey in his pajamas and the wait being estimated at 90 minutes. I actually regret not waiting because it would have been a fun photo to have...but the crowds really caused my friend to be anxious and honestly it just wasn't fun

I sincerely hope your experience is better. Mine was awful. If I did it again I'd go in for just the Mickey photo and then get out of there!

 

[dissupermom]

just wondering how do they charge your tickets for the 24hr event? if I left at 7pm to catch a snooze real quick and came back at 2am, is that still considered a day's ticket? how crowded is MK at 3am for the 24hr event?

 

[jrjankowski8]

Your May 23 ticket is valid from 6am on the 23rd til 6am on the 24th. Just like when the park is open til 1am the day after. When park reopen a on May 24 at 9am you'll need a new ticket to go back in

 

[dissupermom]

Your May 23 ticket is valid from 6am on the 23rd til 6am on the 24th. Just like when the park is open til 1am the day after. When park reopen a on May 24 at 9am you'll need a new ticket to go back in

cool! thanx!!

 

[HopperFan]

24 Hour not bad....until late afternoon ...then the place filled up with locals and semi-locals. It stayed crowded until around 1-2am or so. And around 3am many were sleeping on benches If you wanted the tshirts etc they were mostly gone by lunch time. Very doable and I don't think it ever came close to "full" as in closure but for about 12 hours it was a FULL.

Unleash the Villains was insane. Crowded, understaffed, out of control, poorly planned and organized. Disney was clueless on this one's popularity. Add a small park and alcohol = disaster. It gridlocked all of Disney property and the poor folks trying to get to MNSSHP (that they paid for) losing hours of party time.

I think this year's 24 hour (that I will sadly miss due to a wedding ) will be a combination of the two because:
1) They announced it early and many people are making special plans to be there
2) After the success of last years, no surprise many want to go
3) VILLAINS are used in the theme and as Unleashed proved Villains are a huge fan base
4) COSTUMES ARE ALLOWED. This is normally reserved for Halloween Parties.

So they are offering 24 Hours, Party & Costumes with no party ticket needed, Villains, Special merchandise, the new Parade (with a fire breathing dragon) and if there are special fireworks like Unleash had they will come!!!

NOTE: This is not a negative as I love costumes (even have my Dragoncon ticket) but what Unleash brought in were many Cosplay, Anime, Gothic, Steampunk etc fans who no doubt will love the chance at 24 hours of fantasy. I just wouldn't write off this party as being low key.

 

[dissupermom]

I am one of the many who, when learned of the event, changed dates. in doing so, I was able to save a few bucks, even with an upgrade to to DDP from the QS. I am meditating on which costume my DD22 and I will wear. Tiana, or should we go villain?

 

[budafam]

We'll be there. I made special plans when I found out the 24 hour party would land on my birthday this year. I'm thinking it will be more crowded than last year... a lot of people are anticipating villains out for meetngreets but nothing has been officially announced.

 

[ericasatx]

I am thinking my best bet is to get there as early as I can get the crew out of bed that morning and spend the day there. Then plan to leave after our Be Our Guest reservation at 4:45.

 

[Lorelei528]

I booked our DVC as soon as I heard the rumor back in like Sept and booked our ADR's too..

This is our plan for the 24 hour party..

Leave our room at 5:15am at BLT and walk over to MK. Enter park at 6am with all the other party animals etc.
Breakfast at CP at 8:10am
Hang out in park for a few hours, head back to BLT for a nap and lunch...
Head back into park around 4ish. Dinner at BoG at 6:20pm

Party all night until 6am the next morning!

Opinions? Thoughts? We are not going to be wearing costumes and have not done any of the previous 24 hour events before...

We have no kids...

 

[Missyrose]

I booked our DVC as soon as I heard the rumor back in like Sept and booked our ADR's too..

This is our plan for the 24 hour party..

Leave our room at 5:15am at BLT and walk over to MK. Enter park at 6am with all the other party animals etc.
Breakfast at CP at 8:10am
Hang out in park for a few hours, head back to BLT for a nap and lunch...
Head back into park around 4ish. Dinner at BoG at 6:20pm

Party all night until 6am the next morning!

Opinions? Thoughts? We are not going to be wearing costumes and have not done any of the previous 24 hour events before...

We have no kids...

We'll be at BOG at 6:55 that night!

 

[Lorelei528]

We'll be at BOG at 6:55 that night!

I will look out for you!! Just looking at your wedding pics!! Gorgeous!! DH and I will be in DC from April 30-May 5!
I see you're also DVC! Where are you staying for your May trip?

 

[Tink522]

I was at the 24 hr event last year. Morning was fine and just like pretty much any other day. We left at noon and came back at 8pm. The park was very crowded until we left just after midnight. BUT I think it will be less crowded this year since Disney placed blackout dates for this event on the Florida Resident Discover Disney tickets. As a previous poster stated it was packed with Floridians. From talking to people most had purchased the Florida Resident Discover Disney ticket. I'll be there the weekend before and am hoping to sneak back for this!!!

 

[2goofykiddos]

I booked our DVC as soon as I heard the rumor back in like Sept and booked our ADR's too..

This is our plan for the 24 hour party..

Leave our room at 5:15am at BLT and walk over to MK. Enter park at 6am with all the other party animals etc.
Breakfast at CP at 8:10am
Hang out in park for a few hours, head back to BLT for a nap and lunch...
Head back into park around 4ish. Dinner at BoG at 6:20pm

We will be at BLT too and plan on a very similar morning. Not sure whether we will return in the evening, but we are seriously contemplating waking the kids up at 2am to go back in.
Very excited we will be there during this, F & G, and SWW!!

 

[MonorailCentral]

Cast members also are limited to entry via a particular ticket instead of their regular IDs. Still, it will be quite crowded again.

I'm planning on hitting it right away the morning if the 24th, and having fun all night. Flexibility is the key. Pace yourself, take breaks, and have fun.

 

[jcemom]

If we were more interested in rides and just being in the park all night, how bad do you guys think it will be? I'm pretty sure the crowds in general, and for character meets in particular, will be insane. I've been to crowded MNSSHPs where you could barely walk from one part of the park to another, yet the ride lines were short. Do you think this will be similar? Any educated guesses based on the other 24 hour events? TIA

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Up till when will they allow admissions? I'm assuming since it isn't a special ticket a PAP will get you in correct?

I'm an early riser, so 4-6 AM would work for me.

Anyone have a link for more information?