AK, can you get into Pandora after official park close?

AngieInOH

DIS Veteran
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Mar 24, 2005
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1,356
We're eating at Yak and Yeti and the park will be closed when we're done. Will they let us go back to Pandora to walk around?
 

You may be escorted to the gate when finished with your meal.

Whether you are or aren't, please consider that CMs are wanting to go home. Help them by leaving the park speedily.
If it's to shop people can do that, Disney leaves the shops open 1 hour after park close. For instance today the park closes at 8:30 for AK but Discovery Trading Company is open til 9:30pm. CMs are scheduled to work with operating hours in mind.
 
Back in 2017 just after Rivers of Light show the park technically wasn't closed but would be in like 15-20mins but they were doing a 1-way kind of traffic pattern out of the show so there was no opportunity to go back to Pandora. I don't think people were escorted when they were just milling about but after a show or after eating (when the park is closed at that point) you won't likely be able to move about to explore.

Only areas that are technically open for guests after park closing is shops (check individual shops for closing time).
 
Isn't one of the selling points of the Pandora area the way it lights up at night? Currently posted hours for our June trip have the park closing well before sunset. :(
 
If it's to shop people can do that, Disney leaves the shops open 1 hour after park close. For instance today the park closes at 8:30 for AK but Discovery Trading Company is open til 9:30pm. CMs are scheduled to work with operating hours in mind.
Yep, shops sometimes stay open longer, especially ones closer to the hub or the front. Employees generally close section farthest away from the entrance and work their way forward.
 
We've ridden FoP multiple times at park closing. We then walk out very slowly enjoying the lighting.
Sometimes the store is open, most times not. There usually are CMs to make sure you are headed toward the exit.
 
We've ridden FoP at park closing and found the gift store at the bottom of the stairs closed when we exited.
That can happen, sometimes it's before their listed close time.

Windtraders is that the store you're thinking of? That one closes 30mins after park closing today rather than 1 hour past closing (not sure if that's always the case). It's not a main store of AK (like Discovery Trading Company) so I can understand it closing earlier (that's why in another comment I mentioned check individual stores). Depending on what time you got off the ride I could see it being closed either right at it's official close time or a smidgen before.
 
Anytime I've dined and finished after park is closed we have been herded to the exit. We have never been allowed to wander deeper in to the park. Yes you can stop in the store at the entrance to the park to shop but that's pretty much it. I would not count on being able to head towards Pandora.
 
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Thanks everyone for the replies. Since seeing Pamdora at night is a priority sounds like I'll be trying to change ADR
 
Isn't one of the selling points of the Pandora area the way it lights up at night? Currently posted hours for our June trip have the park closing well before sunset. :(
Don't worry, your hours will get extended. April had close at 7:00, got extended to 8:30.
 
We saw the last Lion King not long ago and the park was closed when it ended. CM's were standing along the route out and you didn't have the option to go anywhere but the front.
 








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