AK DAH - not attending the event, can we stay?

[Mollygirl21]

If we are at AK on a day there is a DAH event, are we able to stay in the park after regular closing to just explore without visiting the actual attractions?

 

[Bjkandma]

No. It is considered a "hard ticket" event requiring an additional entrance fee. Cast members will clear park of day guests prior.

 

[VAfamily1998]

If the park closes at 9, what time do they officially clear guests out? If someone gets in line at 8:58, are they allowed to remain in line?
I was also curious how crowded it gets in the "middle time" where it's still open for the day guests, but they have started to allow the party people in--so a few hours before closing?

I have two teen sons going in August and their fast pass reservation day was today. We didn't notice before we scheduled that their AK day was a party day
I'm trying to convince them to switch to MK that day and do AK on what was their MK day.

 

[FCDub]

If the park closes at 9, what time do they officially clear guests out? If someone gets in line at 8:58, are they allowed to remain in line?
I was also curious how crowded it gets in the "middle time" where it's still open for the day guests, but they have started to allow the party people in--so a few hours before closing?

I have two teen sons going in August and their fast pass reservation day was today. We didn't notice before we scheduled that their AK day was a party day
I'm trying to convince them to switch to MK that day and do AK on what was their MK day.

Yes, you are allowed to stay until closing, and get in line until closing time.

 

[winnieofpooh]

If the park closes at 9, what time do they officially clear guests out? If someone gets in line at 8:58, are they allowed to remain in line?
I was also curious how crowded it gets in the "middle time" where it's still open for the day guests, but they have started to allow the party people in--so a few hours before closing?

I have two teen sons going in August and their fast pass reservation day was today. We didn't notice before we scheduled that their AK day was a party day
I'm trying to convince them to switch to MK that day and do AK on what was their MK day.

They'll stop letting regular day guests in line at official close. If the party starts at 9 and regular park close is at 9, they'll still be allowed to ride as long as they're in line before 9.

 

[tbholc81]

Do they actually clear the park?

When we did DAH at MK last August no CM told others to leave, they simply stopped letting them get in lines or buy food and merchandise. With nothing to do people eventually just left but it took a good hour or so for the crowd to thin out. I've seen parties where there were checkpoints which is what we expected, but they didn't do that for DAH.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Unlike the new MK Villains After Hours, AK doesn’t have specific entertainment for their DAH and CMs haven’t cleared the park of regular day guests.

@GADisneyDad14 may have more current info.

 

[Farro]

Do they actually clear the park?

When we did DAH at MK last August no CM told others to leave, they simply stopped letting them get in lines or buy food and merchandise. With nothing to do people eventually just left but it took a good hour or so for the crowd to thin out. I've seen parties where there were checkpoints which is what we expected, but they didn't do that for DAH.

oh my god, not that I would do this, but I would totally love to wander around AK after dark - I wouldn't need to do rides or buy food to keep happy!

 

[jefngeo01]

No. It is considered a "hard ticket" event requiring an additional entrance fee. Cast members will clear park of day guests prior.

Not completely accurate at AK

 

[jefngeo01]

We were at AK on Tue June 4 park close at 9pm and there was a DAH that evening. We got in line for FOP right at close. The line was good and we were out of the gift shop at 9:45. Then we walked around Pandora and took some pics - then we walked over to the Tree of Life -and sat and waited for the next "Awakenings" to happen. We left around 10:15 to 10:30. Now different story at MK on Villains after Hours night -- while we did ride people mover right at close - as we walked from Tomorrow land toward the Castle there were several cast members waving us toward the exit away from the castle - as Villains has a show at the Castle.

 

[ShadeDK]

Not sure if it's a regular thing, but earlier this spring, CMs were checking wristbands at the bridges into Pandora and DinoLand right after the start of AH (non-AH guests who were already in those lands may have been fine, but new ones weren't getting in). Although the event doesn't have unique entertainment, they do run RoL for the AH guests - and CMs were checking wristbands in that area as well before the show started.

AK during AH is mostly a dead park - the shops, restaurants and kiosks are closed. The entirety of Africa is locked down and those paths are inaccessible. There is very little to do other than the rides and walking the front of the park.

Some guests couldn't care less if non-AH guests take in the scenery after the event starts as long as they're not trying to get on the rides or lining up for free snacks. Other guests, however, are very sensitive to having others in the park at all if they didn't pay for an AH ticket - I've read enough of these threads to know that those guests are all too happy to send the nearest CM someone's way if they don't spot a wristband.

 

[gharter]

Not sure about AK, but generally once the hard ticket event starts, CMs look for wrist bands and encourage those without a wrist band to exit the park.

 

[kniquy]

If we are at AK on a day there is a DAH event, are we able to stay in the park after regular closing to just explore without visiting the actual attractions?

With an after hours event once the park is officially closed they will start directing patrons without wrist bands towards the exit, meaning they might have CM's stationed in locations to turn you around. So you couldn't wander into Pandora after close without the party wrist band. You could linger a bit in the shops but they will direct you out of the lands.