**Disney After Hours - Animal Kingdom** FAQ & Discussion Thread



Has anyone here attended the most recent events that can give a review? Our AK day on our upcoming trip is a AH night 🙄 and I've been back and forth on buying tickets. Honestly I don't want to buy tickets on principal because I'm still miffed that they have cut EMH and are closing parks earlier in favor of more paid events, but on the other hand I want to have as much time as possible in the park...
 
Has anyone here attended the most recent events that can give a review? Our AK day on our upcoming trip is a AH night 🙄 and I've been back and forth on buying tickets. Honestly I don't want to buy tickets on principal because I'm still miffed that they have cut EMH and are closing parks earlier in favor of more paid events, but on the other hand I want to have as much time as possible in the park...
For me it would be hard to justify the price for an extra 3 hours. I like to use After Hours on a day that you aren't planning on hitting the parks because you get 5 hours and can cram some fast passes into the hours before the park closes to really boost the value. If you've already paid for those 2 hours and have used your fast passes up earlier in the day then it really decreases the value of the evening.
 


For me it would be hard to justify the price for an extra 3 hours. I like to use After Hours on a day that you aren't planning on hitting the parks because you get 5 hours and can cram some fast passes into the hours before the park closes to really boost the value. If you've already paid for those 2 hours and have used your fast passes up earlier in the day then it really decreases the value of the evening.

Ugh. Now I'm second guessing all my plans and trying to decide if I should try to rearrange park days this late in the game. I know that once we are there that day and the park starts to close I'm going to wish we could stay longer, but I see your point about already being there that day. Can I not get more fastpasses for the AH event after using my 3 regular ones?
 
Ugh. Now I'm second guessing all my plans and trying to decide if I should try to rearrange park days this late in the game. I know that once we are there that day and the park starts to close I'm going to wish we could stay longer, but I see your point about already being there that day. Can I not get more fastpasses for the AH event after using my 3 regular ones?
You can not get any additional fast passes. After Hours doesn't technically entitle you to fast passes but people have been able to book up to 3 IF they don't already have them earlier in the day.
 
Ugh. Now I'm second guessing all my plans and trying to decide if I should try to rearrange park days this late in the game. I know that once we are there that day and the park starts to close I'm going to wish we could stay longer, but I see your point about already being there that day. Can I not get more fastpasses for the AH event after using my 3 regular ones?

You can not get any additional fast passes. After Hours doesn't technically entitle you to fast passes but people have been able to book up to 3 IF they don't already have them earlier in the day.

Just to clarify...there are no FPs during the DAH events, all the rides are standby. However my understanding is that you could still book additional FPs (4th, 5th, etc.) after you use your first three (depending upon availability) during regular park hours. So, if you're going into the park during the day with a regular ticket and they were scheduled for 9, 10, and 11am, you could schedule additional FPs during the afternoon until the event begins. I suppose I could be wrong about that but I seem to recall doing that...
 
Just to clarify...there are no FPs during the DAH events, all the rides are standby. However my understanding is that you could still book additional FPs (4th, 5th, etc.) after you use your first three (depending upon availability) during regular park hours. So, if you're going into the park during the day with a regular ticket and they were scheduled for 9, 10, and 11am, you could schedule additional FPs during the afternoon until the event begins. I suppose I could be wrong about that but I seem to recall doing that...
That is correct. The fast passes are only needed prior to the event actually starting. Some people look at the event as a 3 hour event, I see it as a 5 hour event with Fast Passes for the first 2 hours and no lines for the last 3. If you add After Hours onto a day that you are already in the park you can't pre-book any additional fast passes and you are only getting 3 hours of benefit from the event.
 
I'm also wondering if there are any recent reviews? We are going next week and already have tickets for DAH, but I want to adjust my expectations in case the crowds at AK DAH are getting as big as what people have been reporting for Villians After Hours at MK.
 
Has anyone here attended the most recent events that can give a review? Our AK day on our upcoming trip is a AH night 🙄 and I've been back and forth on buying tickets. Honestly I don't want to buy tickets on principal because I'm still miffed that they have cut EMH and are closing parks earlier in favor of more paid events, but on the other hand I want to have as much time as possible in the park...

Personally if I was doing an AH event (and I would love to do one if I get the chance), I wouldn't bother using an admission for the day. I'd just go the few hours before the party starts since they let you in early anyways. I'd use the morning/afternoon to rest up.
 
Personally if I was doing an AH event (and I would love to do one if I get the chance), I wouldn't bother using an admission for the day. I'd just go the few hours before the party starts since they let you in early anyways. I'd use the morning/afternoon to rest up.

I do see the point here and that is what we did back when we went to MNSSHP, but if we don't go to AK this day then the only time we will have there is the AH event and MAYBE a few hours on our last day. I just don't know if that is enough time for us :( I was considering switching MK and AK days but it depends on if I'm able to switch all the fastpasses and ADRs I already have. Wish I would have realized earlier on about the AH event 😕
 
That is correct. The fast passes are only needed prior to the event actually starting. Some people look at the event as a 3 hour event, I see it as a 5 hour event with Fast Passes for the first 2 hours and no lines for the last 3. If you add After Hours onto a day that you are already in the park you can't pre-book any additional fast passes and you are only getting 3 hours of benefit from the event.

Correct - can't pre-book 3 additional FPs with your DAH ticket. Me too about looking at it as a 5 hour event! We're doing it on our arrival day...We get in mid-morning and we're just going to pool and nap it for the afternoon and such. It's a short trip so we figured we'd skip the park hoppers and do this for our AK day and avoid the heat!
 
Just did the AK after hours on Monday night and a few observations:

  • We got to AK around 7:30pm, did Tough to be a Bug as my girls love it (no wait) and then ate at Tiffin's out on the porch without a reservation.
  • At 9pm, we headed to FOP and the wait was about 40 minutes because of all the regular hour standby people. Annoying but expected.
  • When we got off FOP, we got right back on and were on the ride within 10 minutes.
  • Then did Navi River, which we'd never done before - everyone enjoyed but all agreed we would NEVER use a FP for that or wait in line. It's a one and done ride for sure.
  • Headed to Everest and rode 5 times in a row by walking right back onto the ride (well. the rest of my crew did. I learned I do, in fact, have a rollercoaster limit and after 3 times almost barfed.)
  • By then, it was approaching midnight and we left to take a Lyft back to Wilderness Lodge, arriving at 12:30 and collapsing.
Would I spend the money again? Yes, but only if we hadn't been able to get FOP or Everest FP tickets - this was a last minute trip for us and I knew the only way we'd get to ride those, realistically. If you're able to get those FP, I honestly would skip this. Riding Everest again and again was a blast for my daughters who are at the height of rollercoaster enthusiasm right now, but it's a LOT of money for just that.

(P.S. I will never, ever get over FOP and how amazing it is. Ever.)
 
I attended the AK DAH on Monday, July 22nd...and I had a fantastic evening!

Using my AP, I was in the park by 5:00 pm - and it was very easy to swing over across from the “Bug” ride to pick up my wristband.

I rode the Safari using the SB line around 7:00 pm - with little wait - and had a fantastic ride; most all of the animals were out and very active - including the lion & his mates. :)

Around 9 pm, I was near EE, where I rode it 5-6 times in a row. At one time, I was the only one on the ride - and the CM was generous enough to take my photo to “prove” that I rode an entire train by myself.

Around 10:00 pm, I headed over to Pandora - where I was able to ride FOP four times in a row, and then walked over to Navi to ride it, as well.

I actually left this event slightly early, as I was tired (had gotten up at 6:00 am that morning, and had not taken a break) Would I do it again? Most definitely. It was no where NEAR as crowded as the Villains event that I participated in that Thursday evening.
 
I attended the AK DAH on Monday, July 22nd...and I had a fantastic evening!

Using my AP, I was in the park by 5:00 pm - and it was very easy to swing over across from the “Bug” ride to pick up my wristband.

I rode the Safari using the SB line around 7:00 pm - with little wait - and had a fantastic ride; most all of the animals were out and very active - including the lion & his mates. :)

Around 9 pm, I was near EE, where I rode it 5-6 times in a row. At one time, I was the only one on the ride - and the CM was generous enough to take my photo to “prove” that I rode an entire train by myself.

Around 10:00 pm, I headed over to Pandora - where I was able to ride FOP four times in a row, and then walked over to Navi to ride it, as well.

I actually left this event slightly early, as I was tired (had gotten up at 6:00 am that morning, and had not taken a break) Would I do it again? Most definitely. It was no where NEAR as crowded as the Villains event that I participated in that Thursday evening.
^^^This is exactly how I'd do it if I had to do it over again - ride Everest first and then hit FOP later on.
 
Thanks for the recent reports! My boys will be thrilled to hear that they might be able to ride EE over and over and over again :)
And I'm thrilled to hear that FOP lines (after day guests clear out) are short.
 
We attended AK DAH last Monday, 7/22.

We watched ROL at 9:00. We then rode EE twice just walking on both times - we could have done more, but I've developed some motion sickness now that I'm in my 30s (super fun :rolleyes: ) and can't handle more than twice. We then did Dinosaur. We ended up doing FOP around 10:15 I think, though I think we went a little too early, because the line got shorter later. We had to wait around 20 minutes. It was our first time, and we were blown away! Once again, my stomach did not allow twice in a row on that ride, so we sat and had Mo'ara bars (YUM - love that there's a different option in AK!) and sipped on Sprite for a bit. Then rode Navi, which was beautiful, but I definitely wouldn't wait more than 15 min for it. After that we rode FOP again because my stomach had settled and it took less than 10 min to get on. We ended the night by riding Navi again, and then grabbing more snacks on the way out, both in Pandora and near the entrance.

Overall, amazing experience! We loved that we were able to ride FOP 3 times on this trip (we also had a FP a couple days later). It also allowed us to focus on the safari (rode twice, close to opening and another with FP) on our day visit to AK. I just wish my stomach allowed me to ride EE more than twice, because it was a walk on and I love that ride!
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!






Top