After Hours Events - Ask Questions and Share Experiences Here

[JJsmama]

We went to the ahs on 2/22 and I know some feel that party was an exception and it may have been, but we found it a waste of money and really even our time. I was expecting to get to ride everything with very low waits but that was not the case. We rode most things, but it was definitely a let down and we won't be doing it again. I think it's way more of an advantage to spend the day at the park with genieplus.

Can you elaborate? What went wrong? We’ve done AH twice at MK and loved it. I need to decide this week if I will buy tix for AH at DHS and Epcot.

I am REALLY hoping for MK in early June. Are there any rumors or expectations About those tickets going on sale?

 

[Pyxie]

Can you elaborate? What went wrong? We’ve done AH twice at MK and loved it. I need to decide this week if I will buy tix for AH at DHS and Epcot.

I am REALLY hoping for MK in early June. Are there any rumors or expectations About those tickets going on sale?

If you read back further, 2/22 appears to have been a one-off event with long wait times.

 

[JJsmama]

Agreed! Here and it’s nothing like reported in any writeup I saw! Waited about 40 mins for Smugglers and then 30 for SDD! ToT and Railway had no wait, but Rise is 50 mins! We were lucky to get each ride in once! Not horrible except that our expectations were much different. Don’t know what has happened here - possible that they’re selling a lot more tickets now? It seems much more comparable to just a day at the park with LLs except you can’t rest and you can’t see any of the other stuff. After doing the other 3 parks with Genie+ this week, these were the 3 longest lines we waited in during our stay. Very disappointed!

This sounds very disappointing and bot at all what we experienced at MK twice, but those were 2 and 3 years ago. I have taken a Disney break and am now back to possibly planning a trip. Are they still overselling these AH events? I don’t want to purchase if so. Thanks

 

[brockash]

Can you elaborate? What went wrong? We’ve done AH twice at MK and loved it. I need to decide this week if I will buy tix for AH at DHS and Epcot.

I am REALLY hoping for MK in early June. Are there any rumors or expectations About those tickets going on sale?

I, along with a few others with similar experiences reported back in Feb. on this thread I believe in case you want more info.

Basically it was their first party with RnR down and no buffer between closing time and party start.

For us ToT was great and basically a walkon, but everything else we rode took longer than it had taken us earlier in the week via rope drop or genie+. We rode TOT, MMRR, Slinky, MF, and waited over an hour (1/3 of the event) to ride Rise. It was just a really expensive ticket for what was for us a pretty disappointing experience.

They also weren't even ready for the party until about 20 mins. after it started (couldn't give out ice cream because the event ice cream hadn't arrived yet). The cms weren't all that great/friendly either (aside from those at ToT.)

On a bright side there was a bus waiting for us at the end of the night. IMO you're much better off going for a regular day when everything is open and just pay for genie plus or rope drop.

 

[VAtink]

Do you know if the boats will be running after DHS back to Beach/Yacht and the rest? I would assume they wouldn't make everyone walk, but I didn't think of them offering buses instead.

They do not run the boats for the After Hours event at DHS back to the Epcot resorts. You can either walk (took me about 18 mins back to the YC and there were a ton of people on the path also walking home), or take a bus.

 

[Maggie The Cat]

They do not run the boats for the After Hours event at DHS back to the Epcot resorts. You can either walk (took me about 18 mins back to the YC and there were a ton of people on the path also walking home), or take a bus.

Thanks. We will most likely walk. We will be building a BB-8 style droid that night, maybe he can "walk" with us.

 

[kat_lh]

Can you elaborate? What went wrong? We’ve done AH twice at MK and loved it. I need to decide this week if I will buy tix for AH at DHS and Epcot.

I am REALLY hoping for MK in early June. Are there any rumors or expectations About those tickets going on sale?

I think the general thought is that there won’t be an AH at MK while Tron is so new.

 

[Betsyp]

You can purchase ILL with just your AH ticket.

Oh wow, that’s awesome ! Thank you!!

 

[Betsyp]

You do not need to book HS as it is included (7PM onwards) with your AH ticket. Guests are reporting being able to purchase ILL$ with only their AH ticket.

That’s awesome - Thanks! I suppose I’ll use it for Rise - I don’t anticipate getting there earlier than 7:45 since I have an ADR at Flying Fish

 

[GoofyDad_4427]

Ok so here's my report from Monday 3/20 at MK.

I was planning to buy the ILL$ if possible for 7DMT but a drive in the night before from St. Pete's and several beers at the Millers Ale House and I completely forgot about the ILL the next morning. It ends up that it was a good thing as it wasn't needed.

We arrived at the gates at 7:10 and were through with the wristbands in 5 minutes. Would arrive exactly at this time in the future as I hate standing in big crowds.

We then spent about 20 minutes or so getting a first time button for one of our friends that was with us. Our group on this trip was me (DH44), DW44, DS13, and our friends F44 and F13. We then rode in order:

Monsters Inc Laugh Floor
People Mover
Carousel of Progress
Watch the fireworks
Buzz Lightyear
Space Mountain (got off here at about 10:05)
Dumbo
Pooh
7DMT x2 (posted 15 minutes, was 15 the first time, about 8 the second time)
Mickey's Philharmagic
Haunted Mansion
About a 10 minute snack break on the way to BTMR
BTMR x2
Pirates
Jungle Cruise
Peter Pan

Walked out of PP at 12:56 and could have jumped on something else, but everyone had enough at that point. We stopped for some pictures in front of the castle on the way out.

Value for us was 9.5/10, would highly recommend and definitely would do it again.

 

[JJsmama]

I think the general thought is that there won’t be an AH at MK while Tron is so new.

Big frowny face from me. MK AH are the best! Thanks for the info though. I guess I can put my hopes back down.

 

[Duke07]

I’m heading to the after hours event at HS this evening and noticed that Fantasmic is showing at 10 pm (after park closes to regular guests).

Is that showing only for after hour guests or for anyone?

 

[erionm]

I’m heading to the after hours event at HS this evening and noticed that Fantasmic is showing at 10 pm (after park closes to regular guests).

Is that showing only for after hour guests or for anyone?

It's for anyone. It's not unusual for Fantasmic! to start 30 minutes after park closing.

 

[Duke07]

It's for anyone. It's not unusual for Fantasmic! to start 30 minutes after park closing.

Thanks…pretty annoying that there is no buffer with the paid event and park closing.

 

[focusondisney]

Thanks…pretty annoying that there is no buffer with the paid event and park closing.

There traditionally has been no buffer with AH events. The few at HS that did start a half hour after listed park closing were the anomaly. There have been AH events for years at MK & here has never been a gap between park closing & the event starting. I think people who have expectations from those first couple of events at HS are gonna keep being disappointed.

 

[Duke07]

There traditionally has been no buffer with AH events. The few at HS that did start a half hour after listed park closing were the anomaly. There have been AH events for years at MK & here has never been a gap between park closing & the event starting. I think people who have expectations from those first couple of events at HS are gonna keep being disappointed.

Why is this the case? Is it that Disney increased the capacity for the events? I've never experienced significant wait times at any after hours event I've attended.

 

[focusondisney]

Why is this the case? Is it that Disney increased the capacity for the events? I've never experienced significant wait times at any after hours event I've attended.

I’m not sure what you’re asking me? Why is there no buffer? No idea. There just has never been. There has only been 1 report, from 2/22 of significant waits. No one seems to know exactly what happened that day, although people have theories about RNR being down or increased crowds due to spring break. My point is only about the expectation of a buffer between park closing & DAH start time.

 

[Duke07]

I’m not sure what you’re asking me? Why is there no buffer? No idea. There just has never been. There has only been 1 report, from 2/22 of significant waits. No one seems to know exactly what happened that day, although people have theories about RNR being down or increased crowds due to spring break. My point is only about the expectation of a buffer between park closing & DAH start time.

I interpreted your comment to mean that anyone going to this event would be generally disappointed. Thanks for clarifying!

 

[dez1978]

I'll be interested to hear reports from tonight and I'll be watching wait times. We are going next week so I'm curious how it is with spring break crowds

 

[Duke07]

I'll be interested to hear reports from tonight and I'll be watching wait times. We are going next week so I'm curious how it is with spring break crowds

This comment always confuses me. For a paid event, whether or not it's a peak time at the parks, shouldn't it remain a good experience due to the limitations on tickets sold (within a reasonable variance)?