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

[bocaj1431]

I hear this but we were there from 6pm on and we were not wasting time on snacks. We'd get them and move on. And watching Maleficent literally took 5 minutes, we got there right as it started and she passed us right away and then we moved on. The only thing we did "wrong" was leaving at 12:30 but you can try taking my autistic ADHD 5 year old with you sometime and walk a few Disney miles in my shoes and then let me know what time you need to leave at. Also, have fun waiting in those "only 20-30" minute lines with him and then let me know what you think of them then. While you CAN request DAS even during events our own experience is when you do most of the cast members are not prepared for it and they will give you a super hard time so it's just better not to (even though I've spoken to guest services multiple times and they have assured me I can, my experiences have taught me not to during after hours, EMM, Halloween/Christmas parties because the cast members do not seem to be on the same page as guest services).

I know you didn't mean it disrespectful but it's easy to tell people about their "mistakes". I didn't make "mistakes", I'm an experienced Mother of a special needs child and I do all my planning around him and his needs and I booked this event based on what Disney was selling as a "low wait" event. I didn't find that here on the night we went. It sounds like others who were there the same night had a similar experience to us and they didn't even have a special needs child with them so *maybe* Disney just messed up on this one.

I sympathize with you! I also have a son with Autism and trying to manage all the challenges a parent faces that go along with a trip to DW can be daunting no matter how much you plan ahead. There have been times I have left a park trying so hard to hold back the tears over the difficulty of dealing with the challenging behaviors due to his Autism.

When I saw another thread discussing DAH experiences with hardly any waits, I thought that’s perfect, we can finally go back to MK. Although my son has always desired going to MK, he just could not handle the crowds and the pushing, which is weird because he does not have that problem with any other parks. So over the years We simply avoid MK. But seeing the videos and the positive reviews a while back and reading on the DW site that there are “little wait times and limited number of guests,” I decided to buy tickets. We booked Aug 22.

Now there is this thread with MANY people, who have unfortunately had similar experiences to your own. When spending the amount of time and money most do on a trip to DW and things fall apart it can be so frustrating. Especially when some of that can be attributed to DWs handling of aspects of the event.

I am thankful for your sharing the experiences you had with this event. Now I won’t go into the event expecting low wait times and extremely low crowds as advertised and previously experienced by others in the past. I have made some changes to our plan based on what has been shared which will hopefully help. I hope the rest of your trip was more enjoyable for you and your family.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I sympathize with you! I also have a son with Autism and trying to manage all the challenges a parent faces that go along with a trip to DW can be daunting no matter how much you plan ahead. There have been times I have left a park trying so hard to hold back the tears over the difficulty of dealing with the challenging behaviors due to his Autism.

When I saw another thread discussing DAH experiences with hardly any waits, I thought that’s perfect, we can finally go back to MK. Although my son has always desired going to MK, he just could not handle the crowds and the pushing, which is weird because he does not have that problem with any other parks. So over the years We simply avoid MK. But seeing the videos and the positive reviews a while back and reading on the DW site that there are “little wait times and limited number of guests,” I decided to buy tickets. We booked Aug 22.

Now there is this thread with MANY people, who have unfortunately had similar experiences to your own. When spending the amount of time and money most do on a trip to DW and things fall apart it can be so frustrating. Especially when some of that can be attributed to DWs handling of aspects of the event.

I am thankful for your sharing the experiences you had with this event. Now I won’t go into the event expecting low wait times and extremely low crowds as advertised and previously experienced by others in the past. I have made some changes to our plan based on what has been shared which will hopefully help. I hope the rest of your trip was more enjoyable for you and your family.

You may know this but I just want to be sure, the poster your quoted was posting about their experience at Villains After Hours. Your 8/22 date is regular Disney After Hours. By most accounts the Villains After Hours events have “felt” and operated differently than regular DAH - lumpier crowds around the park, some rides have more of a wait, etc.

Not that every person who attends a regular DAH comes back with glowing reviews either, but in my mind from the ebbs and flows of posts around here, while they are relatives, they aren’t the same event.

Again, you may already know that and your post had other intent, just making sure.

 

[bocaj1431]

You may know this but I just want to be sure, the poster your quoted was posting about their experience at Villains After Hours. Your 8/22 date is regular Disney After Hours. By most accounts the Villains After Hours events have “felt” and operated differently than regular DAH - lumpier crowds around the park, some rides have more of a wait, etc.

Not that every person who attends a regular DAH comes back with glowing reviews either, but in my mind from the ebbs and flows of posts around here, while they are relatives, they aren’t the same event.

Again, you may already know that and your post had other intent, just making sure.

Thank you for letting me know. I haven’t been exactly sure with many of the reviews which are Villains or not. Hopefully we will be lucky! For us it’s mainly being able to walk through the park without the pushing, major congestion and bottlenecking. I’m not sure why but at MK it is so bad. My son just doesn’t know where to step when it’s like that and he gets so anxious.

 

[preemiemama]

Thank you for letting me know. I haven’t been exactly sure with many of the reviews which are Villains or not. Hopefully we will be lucky! For us it’s mainly being able to walk through the park without the pushing, major congestion and bottlenecking. I’m not sure why but at MK it is so bad. My son just doesn’t know where to step when it’s like that and he gets so anxious.

Even with the Villains event, there was not the same issue with crowding as you are describing. It was "crowded" for an after hours event where many of us expected a near-empty park, but it was not crowded like MK can get on a daily basis. ( I say this while comparing it to the "free" EMH the night before where the crowding was so bad we decided to leave within an hour of them starting.) Villains was not as crowded, and based on what @GADisneyDad14 and others have said, the regular DAH you are going to attend should be even less so. I hope you have a great time, and that your son enjoys his return to the MK!

 

[Mrjoshua]

Did you get to bypass the regular line then?

I did it on July 1, and here's how it worked. We walked into the Pirates entrance at 9:50pm, and asked to wait for the VAH version. A castmember escorted us over to a separate line, to the left of the normal entrance. We were 5th and 6th in line. At 10pm, another castmember let us proceed. We got into the first boat with the other folks at the front of our line. We didn't come across any non event guests. According to the timestamp on one of my pictures, we were across the way, eating Hades nachos at Tortuga Tavern by 10:15pm.

 

[TheFloatingBear]

That's great information regarding the Pirates entrances - thanks, folks! Does anyone know if there is a similar set-up for Space? We're not sure which side of the park we're going to start yet...

 

[HopperFan]

I believe what they did was load the opposite side with just VAH guests. I might be wrong but I think that’s what happened. So they used one side for day guests and loaded the other side with VAH guests

I did it on July 1, and here's how it worked. We walked into the Pirates entrance at 9:50pm, and asked to wait for the VAH version. A castmember escorted us over to a separate line, to the left of the normal entrance. We were 5th and 6th in line. At 10pm, another castmember let us proceed. We got into the first boat with the other folks at the front of our line. We didn't come across any non event guests. According to the timestamp on one of my pictures, we were across the way, eating Hades nachos at Tortuga Tavern by 10:15pm.

So if they were still loading all those who jumped in SB by 10 pm on one side and VAH on other side ............ that would mean that either those who didn't pay got to experience the live pirates OR those who did pay, didn't?

 

[TheFloatingBear]

So if they were still loading all those who jumped in SB by 10 pm on one side and VAH on other side ............ that would mean that either those who didn't pay got to experience the live pirates OR those who did pay, didn't?

I was wondering the same thing!

 

[Haley R]

So if they were still loading all those who jumped in SB by 10 pm on one side and VAH on other side ............ that would mean that either those who didn't pay got to experience the live pirates OR those who did pay, didn't?

If the guests were still in line after 10 pm then yes they were able to watch the live pirates. They started us going through the line right at 10 and the live pirates were there.

 

[123SA]

If the guests were still in line after 10 pm then yes they were able to watch the live pirates. They started us going through the line right at 10 and the live pirates were there.

Honestly this sucks. I wish they had the buffer. This event costs $700 plus tax for my family. Seems wrong that others get some of it for free

 

[Chickinvic]

Honestly this sucks. I wish they had the buffer. This event costs $700 plus tax for my family. Seems wrong that others get some of it for free

Why? They paid for a full day at the park. You are allowed to get in line before park closing. Would you rather they wait until 11PM to start the "special" stuff just to make sure that nobody who didn't pay for the party gets to see anything?

 

[123SA]

Why? They paid for a full day at the park. You are allowed to get in line before park closing. Would you rather they wait until 11PM to start the "special" stuff just to make sure that nobody who didn't pay for the party gets to see anything?

Yes. I’d rather there be a buffer of half hour to clear the parks

Yes I don’t think people who didn’t pay should have access to the special event.

No I don’t think the day guests time should be cut short. Hence the buffer to allow day guests to have a full day.

 

[Mrjoshua]

That's great information regarding the Pirates entrances - thanks, folks! Does anyone know if there is a similar set-up for Space? We're not sure which side of the park we're going to start yet...

We started at Space Mountain for the June 27 VAH. That night, similar to a regular MK AH that I attended, they opened up the fastpass line for VAH guests at 10pm sharp. This is worth waiting for, as there are usually a large number of day guests still in line for the ride. Using the fastpass line will allow you to breeze past the majority of them. There may still be a wait, but nothing horrific (depending on your definition). We finally merged in with the day guests at the snake line portion where you can see people boarding the ride. Probably a 10 minute wait? I can confirm that many guests, who did not purchase VAH tickets, were able to ride the Villains Space Trip version of Space Mountain.

 

[Aurora2017]

Can you use snack credits on the DDP for the special snacks at the VAH? TIA!

 

[Mrjoshua]

Can you use snack credits on the DDP for the special snacks at the VAH? TIA!

I think the little boxes in this photo are indicating dining plan snack credit.

 

[AngiTN]

Honestly this sucks. I wish they had the buffer. This event costs $700 plus tax for my family. Seems wrong that others get some of it for free

Honestly, having 2 live pirates is not giving them access to the event. The event starts late enough as it is, it doesn't need to start later anymore than the guests should have to leave any earlier. The cross over on the rides is of no consequence and doesn't diminish from my enjoyment of the paid event in any way shape or form. If they gave them free ice cream or soda that would be very different.

 

[bocaj1431]

Yes. I’d rather there be a buffer of half hour to clear the parks

Yes I don’t think people who didn’t pay should have access to the special event.

No I don’t think the day guests time should be cut short. Hence the buffer to allow day guests to have a full day.

I agree!

 

[123SA]

Here for Villains. It is crazy crowded. Fast pass line for Space at 730 took 20 minutes. No more FP available for any rides. Is this a glitch? I’ve never seen that happen. It is raining really hard right now.

 

[AngiTN]

The cross over time between park closing and the party is the heaviest part of the night. FP go quickly too, since you have both day guests and party guests who can book them. It can only get better, if you feel like sticking it out.

 

[123SA]

The cross over time between park closing and the party is the heaviest part of the night. FP go quickly too, since you have both day guests and party guests who can book them. It can only get better, if you feel like sticking it out.

I was able to get Small world as a 4th

We are at Pirates now , 945, but they said it’s not starting until 1015. I can’t decide whether or not to wait