After Hours Events - Ask Questions and Share Experiences Here

[wind79rain]

I stacked a bunch of LLs for that window with our party’s APs/park hopper tickets. I grabbed our must-dos earlier in the day and then modified everything to fit the timeline we’d be there up until the event actually started/park closed.

Yeah with the AP/hoppers you have the flexibility to book those LLs for anytime or at least anytime after 2 pm. Without a hopper, I’m trying to stack for that small 2.5 hour window. A bit trickier.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Correct - and I don't think any of the prior conversation contradicted that.

With only an AH ticket I was able to:

Book my ILL exactly at 7am for my choice of time.

Book (regular) LLs when their booking windows reached 7pm.

Sorry, my misunderstanding. You are the first reported case of a guest purchasing Genie+ with only an AH ticket.

We have had many guests purchase ILL$ with only an AH ticket but no prior cases of purchasing G+ with only an AH ticket. Many had asked if it was possible but nobody before you had tried it and published the information here.

 

[ChrisM]

Sorry, my misunderstanding. You are the first reported case of a guest purchasing Genie+ with only an AH ticket.

We have had many guests purchase ILL$ with only an AH ticket but no prior cases of purchasing G+ with only an AH ticket. Many had asked if it was possible but nobody before you had tried it and published the information here.

Yep, understood - it is possible and I have the receipt to prove it (lol)!

Also of note: I was not a resort guest for that date (3/22) as my resort stay didn't begin until 3/24.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Yep, understood - it is possible and I have the receipt to prove it (lol)!

Also of note: I was not a resort guest for that date (3/22) as my resort stay didn't begin until 3/24.

Thanks for understanding and sharing your experience. Happy to finally be able to answer this frequently asked question.

 

[Betsyp]

From what I’m hearing you can purchase and use ILL$ (for Rise) with just an After Hours ticket while the park is still open to day guests — typically from 7-9:30. Once the park closes and the After Hours event begins the Lightning Lanes are not in use except for folks with DAS.

Ah, got it...thanks! My dinner at Flying Fish is at 7:15....I wonder I’d if I should make it earlier so as to get to HS earlier

 

[Betsyp]

ILL access starts at 7pm usually when the park is still open to all ticketed customers. Let's say the event start is at 9:30pm - there are no ILLs after the event starts. After Hours event hours are all normal queue access.

Thanks! Well, I guess I’ll have to take my best shot and hope for a some luck, lol

 

[Auntof2]

I have to admit - this thread is giving me anxiety about our upcoming trip this Sunday - we're flying down only to go to the HS after hours even that night based on the super awesome early reviews, eek!

I used to have the Disney system down to where I could plan in 10 minute increments and things would go smoothly...but that was all before covid and the current system.

We're staying at the Swan and will be at Disney Springs beforehand for the Cirque matinee followed by late/lunch early dinner. The plan is to be at HS right at 7pm - if our main goal is Star Wars (haven't been for that yet) - is our safest bet to maximize time booking ILL at 7am for both ROTR and Falcon for a 7pm or after arrival for the two of us? And since I assume our magic bands from 2018 no longer work, would we need to both have the app and be logged in to use the lightning lane, or can I just scan my phone twice (there are two of us). I'm pretty much fine with paying any amount of money to optimize this night for us (aside from a private tour), so it looks like buying Genie+ may be an option as well to open up more capabilities?

 

[scrappinginontario]

I have to admit - this thread is giving me anxiety about our upcoming trip this Sunday - we're flying down only to go to the HS after hours even that night based on the super awesome early reviews, eek!

I used to have the Disney system down to where I could plan in 10 minute increments and things would go smoothly...but that was all before covid and the current system.

We're staying at the Swan and will be at Disney Springs beforehand for the Cirque matinee followed by late/lunch early dinner. The plan is to be at HS right at 7pm - if our main goal is Star Wars (haven't been for that yet) - is our safest bet to maximize time booking ILL at 7am for both ROTR and Falcon for a 7pm or after arrival for the two of us? And since I assume our magic bands from 2018 no longer work, would we need to both have the app and be logged in to use the lightning lane, or can I just scan my phone twice (there are two of us). I'm pretty much fine with paying any amount of money to optimize this night for us (aside from a private tour), so it looks like buying Genie+ may be an option as well to open up more capabilities?

Just to clarify, if I’m reading your post correctly and you want Millennium Falco, it is a Genie+ LL attraction. To book a LL for that you would need to purchase Genie+. You could book it 2 ways:

- at 7AM for whatever time you can get and then try to modify later for a 7PM or later return time or,
- wait until return times are 7PM or later and book then.

Personally I would choose the first option as it will start your 2 hour click to book another attraction.

 

[loves to dive]

And since I assume our magic bands from 2018 no longer work,

Your MBs will still work. They will work for getting into the park and tapping into LLs. Some have reported that on ride photos might not work if the battery is dead but I'm still using my original "test" ones from way back when they hadn't even come out for everyone yet and they still work for everything.

 

[CyndiLooWho]

Anyone else currently stalking the AH page to see when they will offer more nights at MK for 2023?

 

[xpanmanx]

We’ll be at HS AH on 4/19, and I’m considering buying ILLs to ride ROR after 7PM.

We’re on a plane from 8AM CDT to 11:30AM EDT that morning, then heading to Swolfin.

Will I be able to score the ILL return times I want in this circumstance?

Thanks --

 

[Juventus]

U should be able to book at 7:00am because you're staying on site. U can book the $ILL for anytime before u want to use it. They have yet to turn people away for no shows.

I did this for a January AH.

Make sure u check that your hotel booking is linked to the app. I had to re link mine twice leading up to my Dolphin stay.

 

[GoofyDad_4427]

Anyone else currently stalking the AH page to see when they will offer more nights at MK for 2023?

Highly unlikely for 2023. With Tron opening, they don't need to do anything extra for MK park attendance. I think its much more likely to have later regular park hours.

 

[Track10]

So we are planning a trip for the first week in June. Currently we have reservations at Carribbean Beach. I am trying to decide between 2 different options. The first option would be to do the After Hours event at Hollywood Studios on the 7th. The other option would be to upgrade to a deluxe resort in order to do the Extended Evening Hours, which would presumably be at Epcot on the 5th and Magic Kingdom on the 7th. For those of you who have done both After Hours and Extended Evening Hours, is there 1 that you would recommend over the other?

 

[WxKristin]

For those asking about Epcot -- not exactly an AH paid event, but I went to the RunDisney after party for the Wine&Dine Half at Epcot last Nov (which was a sold out ticketed event). It technically started at 10 pm and ended at 1 am and you could enter as early as 5pm.

They did have Guardians open in a normal queue instead of virtual during the event... We got in line outside the ride during the fireworks and were warned by cast members that they wouldn't start the ride until 10 pm. They actually started letting people into the building around 9:20 pm and opened the ride around 9:30 pm. We were through the line and pre-shows by about 9:45 and off before 10 pm. Heard that from 10 pm -1 am it was basically a 15-20 min wait all night long and people were able to go on 4+ times. TT was about 20 min, Frozen 30-45 min, and Remy's around 30 min all night (soarin' and mission space were walk on). Guessing it would be similar for an AH. To be fair, the runners may have been more interested in drinking and characters than the rides so this could skew things a bit.

The biggest challenge with Epcot and a short event is the amount of walking it takes to get from one ride to another as it can take 30+ min just to walk from TT to Remy.

 

[MommaKetch]

I have to admit - this thread is giving me anxiety about our upcoming trip this Sunday - we're flying down only to go to the HS after hours even that night based on the super awesome early reviews, eek!

I feel your pain!! We will also be there this Sunday, 4/2, for the HS AA event. The early reviews hooked me too, but I’m now realizing it will be more of a strategy than a leisurely few hours in the park hopping on rides. Time to pivot.

Since others have thankfully reported about the ability to buy Genie+ and ILL’s with just an AA reservation, I plan to do the same. I’ll report back on my experience. It’s the only day we don’t have a regular park reservation, so won’t be hopping over. I’d planned to spend the day at the pool with the kids, or maybe typhoon lagoon, so will be keeping an eye on return times and my booking windows. We planned on being at the gates right at 7.

For 4/2 they have an 8:30 and 10 PM Fantasmic show scheduled. This past Sunday I checked MDE around 8:45 PM and wait times at HS were low, likely due to the 8:30 Fantasmic. I forgot to check back and see how they jumped when the show let out, but, will try and maximize that time during the show.

Best of luck with stacking rides! The whole Star Wars experience is great. Looking forward to seeing it at night!

 

[brockash]

So we are planning a trip for the first week in June. Currently we have reservations at Carribbean Beach. I am trying to decide between 2 different options. The first option would be to do the After Hours event at Hollywood Studios on the 7th. The other option would be to upgrade to a deluxe resort in order to do the Extended Evening Hours, which would presumably be at Epcot on the 5th and Magic Kingdom on the 7th. For those of you who have done both After Hours and Extended Evening Hours, is there 1 that you would recommend over the other?

I would 100% upgrade to a deluxe abd do. their hrs. We did the emhs at deluxe a few times...MK was awesome- basically walk ons for all other the 7dmt and space. Epcot wasn't as good, but decent. We did dhs after hrs in Feb. and were totally disappointed and would not do again. Plus you get to stay at deluxe over moderate.

 

[Boardwalk III]

So we are planning a trip for the first week in June. Currently we have reservations at Carribbean Beach. I am trying to decide between 2 different options. The first option would be to do the After Hours event at Hollywood Studios on the 7th. The other option would be to upgrade to a deluxe resort in order to do the Extended Evening Hours, which would presumably be at Epcot on the 5th and Magic Kingdom on the 7th. For those of you who have done both After Hours and Extended Evening Hours, is there 1 that you would recommend over the other?

Extended evening hours at MK (which I have done twice) is much better than AH @ DHS (which I did on March 8th) in my opinion.

 

[MrsTski]

Anyone else watching wait times right now at HS AH? I feel like the wait times are much more doable. Anxious to hear from someone who is there!

 

[Maggie The Cat]

Anyone go to last nights After Hours at DHS?