Extremely Pleased with After Hours

[TxWriterMama]

Not sure if Ariel's ride was operating

Ariel was operating. We rode it three or four times. These are from the May 5 and May 8 nights. My only real complaint was the lack of dining options.

 

[NicholeC]

Question to the OP: Were these the only rides open, or were these just the ones you rode? I noticed you did not list Space Mountain or Splash Mountain.

I must have forgot to add it because we did do space! There were many more rides open and we could have done them all (we arrived about 3 hours early) as well as those only during park time. Here is the list off all that was open


Mickey Mouse @ Town Square Theater

The Barnstormer

Dumbo

It’s a Small World

Mad Tea Party

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Princess Fairytale Hall (both Frozen, Cinderella, Rapunzel)

Mickey’s PhilarMagic

Peter Pan’s Flight

Prince Charming Regal Carrousel

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Under the Sea

Haunted Mansion

Magic Carpets

Jungle Cruise

Pirates of the Caribbean

Swiss Family Treehouse

Enchanted TIki Room

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Country Bear Jamboree

Splash Mountain

Astro Orbiter

Buzz Lightyear

Space Mountain
Stitch’s Great Escape

Tomorrowland Speedway

 

[NicholeC]

Question to the OP: Were these the only rides open, or were these just the ones you rode? I noticed you did not list Space Mountain or Splash Mountain.

I am wondering if it would be worth the price if I would reduce the number of days I would spend in the MK in favor of going for one night, knowing that I could crank rides out by avoiding crowds. I would be paying the full price.

we actually reduced our time in MK significantly on day 2 because of this (and lack of sleep)

 

[NicholeC]

My only real complaint was the lack of dining options

I agree. Thats what I wrote in my survey. As much as I love ice cream, after round 2 my stomach started to churn and the only other option was hotdogs haha

 

[AngiTN]

Ariel was operating. We rode it three or four times. These are from the May 5 and May 8 nights. My only real complaint was the lack of dining options.

View attachment 168472 View attachment 168473

I guess they figure folks had eaten dinner before 10:00, or 11 in the case of the night we went
Would be good to see them add popcorn, even if it's not free. But heavens knows that is a cheap food. I'd guess cheaper than ice cream

 

[TxWriterMama]

I agree. Thats what I wrote in my survey. As much as I love ice cream, after round 2 my stomach started to churn and the only other option was hotdogs haha

YES! That was me exactly. My stomach decided that after ice cream a hot dog at midnight was a big nope.

 

[tarak]

Or they go at a time of year when EMH isn't really that great OR they don't go on a Wednesday when its even offered.

I have never been on a Disney vacation on a day that offered evening EMH and I've been 12 times in the past 5 years. We are never here on Wednesdays.

DAH and EMH had a completely different feel to me. Walk on to everything, space mountain 7 times, 5 in a row; 7DMT 5 times, everything was walk on except 7D and as we approached we would be the next load. EMH has maybe slightly lower crowds than day time as the night goes on but much more than DAH. DAH this past Thursday has just enough people to be fun and festive. I'd pay $75 to do it again even being an AP holder.

Last trip where we were able to take advantage of EMH was last August. It was a Saturday and MK was open until 2. Even well after 1a.m., the waits for the Mountains were half-an-hour. I was there last Thursday and have an AP, so I could have gotten the discounted tickets. If I'd been there with my older kids, I would have done it in a heartbeat. Being there with my 77-year-old mom and 4-year-old daughter who would't have lasted much past ten, I passed. If this were offered in another year or so when I'm back with the older kids, I would do it.

 

[Princess Steph]

We talked about how Disney should offer popcorn for those folks as an alternative to so much sugar but then you would be thirsty and drink more soda!

 

[3smithboys]

Here's the thing.... DH and I are going in June and would love it if DAH was extended, and I would even pay! I've even changed up my plans so our MK day is Thursday, so if this is extended (and if it says on the same schedule) we will be ready! I've booked all of my FP's for my other days, and going to DAH would affect going to EP the next day. We are not teenagers anymore! There is no way we are going to be up and making our morning FP's, so I would love to be able to change my FP's to later in the day (especially Soarin) that I stayed up until 1:00am to get! It would be great if Disney could finalize June hours.... and extend DAH!!

Now, I know that I don't have to have plans or FP's and that Disney doesn't owe me anything - nor do they make me plan... But, I would like to be able to....I'm a planner!

 

[georgina]

Last time we were there as a family, my DD and her boyfriend could only come for 2.5 days. It was boyfriend's first time, and we spent an entire day, rope drop to midnight, at MK. We did shorter stints at HS, AK, and Epcot, (catching both Illuminations and Fantasmic in one night). I can see how this event would have helped us, with limited time, to get more done.

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

How much do these early reports align with the things people first said when the ticketed parties began?
My arched eyebrow at these early reports is that this is Disney tempting people by starting with extremely low crowd members, party by design and partly because it looks like fewer people are willing to pay than Disney might have guessed. Word of mouth spreads, people hear about all the walk-ons, and demand grows. I recall people saying that ticketed parties used to be more exclusive, had smaller crowds, but Disney kept letting the crowds grow. The only reason people feel like they got $150 worth is because of the crazy-low crowds.
I'm still waiting for DBN (Disney Before Noon, TM by me, 2016 ) ticketed events so that young kids can enjoy some exclusive park time without anyone falling asleep in the stroller.

 

[MolonLabe]

My guess is slim to none. They can not possibly be making a much, if any money, on this event. Even if they sold them all at $149 I'd have to think it would be hard pressed to run MK and make a profit on $500,000 for the night (if there are 3000 tickets sold). Not when there is probably a ratio of 5 CM to every 1 guest in the park. If not more than that. That's not even including the food and drink given away (which I'm sure at their cost is actually quite minimal). But every item given away, even if it costs Disney just $1, is loosing the $3 or so more it would make if that item were sold.

But add in the fact that many tickets are sold at only $75 or given away for free just to put bodies in the park, take home for the night is even lower. I'd have to guess they are loosing money with all the staff and operating costs involved. But that's just my guess

Your guess would be wrong as it assumes the park would have been closed those hours anyway.

Looking at all the times for the DAH days, MK would have been open at least 2 of those 3 hours each of those nights anyway.

Disney is only keeping the parks open 1 extra hour (on average at this point). I saw the figure of 500k earlier and 3,000 tickets. At $150 a ticket x3,000 that would be $450,000. $450,000 for 1 hour of extra park time? That's not too shabby, also keep in mind that on a "normal" closing night rides like 7dmt and SM are going to have an hour wait anyway. On a DAH night, those rides will be cleared out 15 minutes after, saving some man power there too. Most of those employees are still in the park at that time of night anyway. It's sort of like when stores figured out they could add a cashier or two and leave the store open while they were stocking the shelves at 11pm. Why not?

Ice cream and bottles of water / soda? Your guess on cost is way off. Disney buys them wholesale. Pennies on the dollar. I saw someone say they had 6 of each I believe. Even at 12, we are talking maybe $4 worth of actual cost to WDW. Tops. I'd assume WDW has a huge discount not just for volume but allowing coke the privilege of being served there, but I'm going on what volume discounts (which still wouldn't even be close to WDW's) are available to other companies.

Disney found a way to trick people (like yourself) into paying $75-150 for one extra hour in the park. Yes, at a much lower crowd level but face it, if you aren't riding 7dmt or SM, all those rides are near walk on at that time of night anyway.

 

[EvilQueenT]

Sounds like how extra magic hours was the first year they had them. It gets more popular and always gets more and more crowded...sigh.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

And there isn't much demand. Which is why they are having to give away tickets

The reason EMH were popular is exactly why there is hesitation to extend hours, both regular or more EMH. Sure there are still waits but there are way fewer guests in the parks. If there are not enough to be worth opening then they won't see the need.

Although if Disneys goal is to reduce hours and be closed during slower times the RD hour of 9 to 10 would be a better target. The Mtns are 10 mins or less so there's probably fewer people there that first hour than EMH or late nights (in many cases). But reducing hours means the crowds get bunched up unless they increase their staff during the shorter operating hours to increase capacity. And what do they always get negative reviews for with the general public - too expensive and too crowded - so they have to be careful. The DAH thing seems to me to fit with the recent focus on increasing their shareholder value. Even though attendance was down this quarter, they made more money compared to last year because of increased prices and upselling. I think they just wanted to see if they could recoup additional costs for late nights.

 

[whiporee]

Disney found a way to trick people (like yourself) into paying $75-150 for one extra hour in the park. Yes, at a much lower crowd level but face it, if you aren't riding 7dmt or SM, all those rides are near walk on at that time of night anyway.

They didn't trick anybody, and nobody is foolish for doing this.

People who do this paid for Disney to kick everyone else out of the park. On regular night with late hours, people stay. Now they can't. They have to leave or they have to pay a bunch of money. [GALLERY=][/GALLERY]

 

[mlnbabies]

I bought tickets for May 19th. We only have 5 days to drive from TX to FL so the event is good for us. We can get in a 4p and stay till 2am. The appeal is to have low crowds from 11p-2a. We did EMH at MK last Dec. and it was still very crowded and waits were at least 20 mins for the big rides. My 2 dd's and I are very excited. We aren't doing any other parks since we have only a total of 5 days to be gone. We don't go during the summer due to heat and crowds. For us this is perfect. We are staying at ASMo.

 

[AngiTN]

Your guess would be wrong as it assumes the park would have been closed those hours anyway.

Looking at all the times for the DAH days, MK would have been open at least 2 of those 3 hours each of those nights anyway.

Disney is only keeping the parks open 1 extra hour (on average at this point). I saw the figure of 500k earlier and 3,000 tickets. At $150 a ticket x3,000 that would be $450,000. $450,000 for 1 hour of extra park time? That's not too shabby, also keep in mind that on a "normal" closing night rides like 7dmt and SM are going to have an hour wait anyway. On a DAH night, those rides will be cleared out 15 minutes after, saving some man power there too. Most of those employees are still in the park at that time of night anyway. It's sort of like when stores figured out they could add a cashier or two and leave the store open while they were stocking the shelves at 11pm. Why not?

Ice cream and bottles of water / soda? Your guess on cost is way off. Disney buys them wholesale. Pennies on the dollar. I saw someone say they had 6 of each I believe. Even at 12, we are talking maybe $4 worth of actual cost to WDW. Tops. I'd assume WDW has a huge discount not just for volume but allowing coke the privilege of being served there, but I'm going on what volume discounts (which still wouldn't even be close to WDW's) are available to other companies.

Disney found a way to trick people (like yourself) into paying $75-150 for one extra hour in the park. Yes, at a much lower crowd level but face it, if you aren't riding 7dmt or SM, all those rides are near walk on at that time of night anyway.

And I believe your analysis is wrong. The event is 3 hours after closing, no matter how you opt to spin it.
And yes, I rounded up from $450 to $500k. From what I was told by guest services it's not even 3000 tickets, it's 1500
I'm totally lost on the assumption that MK would have been open 2 of those 3 hours. You guess it may have been but you have no way to know that for a fact. Your guessing just like I am and you stand as equal a chance to be wrong.
And I know you are wrong on who is tricked. I am not tricked by a thing. This event is nothing like an EMH night. You shouldn't discount the fewer number of guests in the park. It's not all about rides and how long you wait on it. Far from it
You don't want to buy a ticket, fine. Don't. Not a thing forcing you to.

 

[AngiTN]

How much do these early reports align with the things people first said when the ticketed parties began?
My arched eyebrow at these early reports is that this is Disney tempting people by starting with extremely low crowd members, party by design and partly because it looks like fewer people are willing to pay than Disney might have guessed. Word of mouth spreads, people hear about all the walk-ons, and demand grows. I recall people saying that ticketed parties used to be more exclusive, had smaller crowds, but Disney kept letting the crowds grow. The only reason people feel like they got $150 worth is because of the crazy-low crowds.
I'm still waiting for DBN (Disney Before Noon, TM by me, 2016 ) ticketed events so that young kids can enjoy some exclusive park time without anyone falling asleep in the stroller.

The 7th and final one is May 19th. Sales aren't up after 6 nights. No more have been added so it's not looking likely
I don't recall seeing Disney state that Parties are low crowds or have very limited tickets. They do with this. Exact words are very limited number of tickets.
If they do opt to add more dates they will continue to keep the numbers low or it looses it's only selling point. A point that isn't selling many tickets now. Add more and it will be even harder to sell.

I would love for it to be extended. DH and I would do it again on our next trip if it was

 

[3smithboys]

Isn't it also less hot and crowded during this time of year? So isn't it possible that these DAH events might sell better in the summer? I'm not sure why testing in the spring is a test of how well they would sell in the summer? It might be a test of the price point (which I do agree is on the high side) but I think more people would be willing to pay for this event when the parks are more crowded and hot.

 

[MolonLabe]

The event is 3 hours after closing, no matter how you opt to spin it.

Close the park 2 hours early and then open it up for 3 hours for a ticketed event, it's WDW that's doing the spinning, not me.

Your guessing just like I am and you stand as equal a chance to be wrong.

You are guessing, that is about all you are correct on. We have decades of historical data on park hours to back us up.