Free After Hours Event for DVC members

[ain0004]

Give me an invite to may 19th please!!

 

[Doug7856]

If it's free, that doesn't bode well for the concept to continue. Obviously they couldn't find enough people to give up $149 per person.

 

[Pardo714]

I'm here now it's pretty quiet no wait for the rides. We are getting off and back on most of the rides including 7 dwarfs and space mountain. They have the traditional ice cream carts set up all over the park giving out water, soda, Mickey bars and the other types of ice cream you usually buy at the cart. I spoke to several cast members and the general thought is they let in between 1500 and 2000 people. One told me that the max for a private event is three thousand. They had a special line to check in when we arrived and gave us all lanyards. I'll try and post a picture of them.

 

[Pardo714]

I can't post a photo of the lanyard keeps telling me the file is too large. The lanyard has Disney After Hours on the front with today's date and tells you what rides are open on the back which is basically most of the ones people would want. Including Buzz, 7 Dwarfs, thunder mountain, space mountain, pirates, haunted, splash and the speedway. I left a lot out but you get the idea.

 

[Pardo714]

Well after going to the After Hours event I have to say that I think it was a nice time and a nice perk but I'm not sure I see the value if I had to pay for it. I will say that we did not have to wait in line for anything, not even the ice cream. Every time someone wanted something we just walked to a cart. I had two Mickey bars in case you were wondering.
I can see the value for someone who is short on time since it includes park admission ( I think it does) which is usually $105.00 then you are paying $50 a piece for some ice cream and no wait times for the rides. I believe it said you could get in as early as 7pm so for some that might be worth the extra money. I am interested in seeing what everyone else thinks.

 

[kda]

Sounds great! Glad you had a good time. I registered for 4 people and the computer screen indicated I'd successfully registered, but we never got a confirmatory e-mail and member services had no information about the event and whether I was registered or not...... except that I should have received confirmation. I didn't want to make the trip to MK and find out we couldn't get it, especially later at night (mobility issues make it more difficult). Too bad. It was a nice offer, but lacked communication about who to contact for questions.

 

[tjkraz]

If it's free, that doesn't bode well for the concept to continue. Obviously they couldn't find enough people to give up $149 per person.

It was a tough sell with potential attendees not knowing what to expect. Disney was asking people to fork-over $150 per person on faith alone.

Now that the first event has been held and reviews will start popping-up, it will be interesting to see how people respond to the other nights which are scheduled.

Well after going to the After Hours event I have to say that I think it was a nice time and a nice perk but I'm not sure I see the value if I had to pay for it. I will say that we did not have to wait in line for anything, not even the ice cream. Every time someone wanted something we just walked to a cart. I had two Mickey bars in case you were wondering.

Were all attractions open or did they have a lot of things closed?

Obviously it's a tough sell to people with APs or multi-day tickets. But being able to ride every major attraction in the park in a couple hours' time with no waits is pretty appealing to me. But the circumstances would have to be almost perfect.

 

[rwcmath]

So, they had more opened than the few attractions listed. That makes it more worthwhile. Still, it seems overpriced.

 

[Pardo714]

Here is the photo of the back of the lanyard telling us what was open

 

[Pardo714]

Here is the front in case you were wondering

 

[Whilykit]

It was amazing! The park was DEAD! We went for drinks at TOW first... so that helped make it magical We went in at 10:30 and got the fun lanyard. We met our friends, there were 10 of us in all. All the rides were open.. so it wasn't just the rides listed, not sure why, but NOT complaining! Cast members let us stay on the rides and ride 2nd and 3rd times! SO much fun! The free ice cream and drinks was a nice touch. Taking pictures with no one around was super fun, all 10 of us did some awesome jumping pics in front of the castle and had a lot of fun with the photopass photographers.
Overall, it was a magical night to do all our favorites, be with such a large group - have the run of the place, have such fun pictures to remember it by - and yes, my husband had 4, yes 4 ice cream bars! This was one for the books

 

[ScubaCat]

It sounds really fun. I still think $149 is a bit exorbitant. But then again if it includes park admission, it'd have to be higher than a single day ticket. I wish they'd go back to an add-on fee instead but that's not likely to happen.

 

[Whilykit]

Right, back to that point... no we wouldn't have paid for it either. It was great, because it was free. If you have that kind of money? Then great, the value is clearly there... we def don't have that kind of money - but in terms of it being a free event for us - it was amazing!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Good for you! It sounds special.

I will be with friends for a week that includes one of these nights. I hope we get invited.

 

[Pardo714]

Right, back to that point... no we wouldn't have paid for it either. It was great, because it was free. If you have that kind of money? Then great, the value is clearly there... we def don't have that kind of money - but in terms of it being a free event for us - it was amazing!

I have to completely agree. It was great for us!! We have decided, based on the access we got to our favorite rides last night, we are pretty much done with MK this trip. This is not a negative thing but we were lucky enough to get to do everything we wanted multiple times so now we can focus more on the other parks for our last three days. Although, we still have to go to MK to order our traditional large Mickey head rice Krispy treat unless we can get one at Springs

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

So the $150 you don't also need a park ticket? That reduces the cost a bit actually as with the morning Fantasy Land one with breakfast you do need a day ticket but that one is cheaper.

Sorry to start the subject but I wonder if it is offered to direct or resale dvc members!

 

[suebeelin]

If I was flying in from the west coast, then the time wouldn't be as big an issue for my kids. Is it worth $150pp? Maybe. No lines.

 

[momx2]

This is interesting.... I used to own 2 contracts. Had to sell them due to divorce. I'm in WDW now at Boardwalk Inn and got an offer under my door for $100 gift card to tour again. I really want to buy again in the near future and wanted to see the Poly studios. It was a great incentive so I did the tour. My guide was rather pushy and wanted to focus on all the member benefits I would lose if I bought resale, which is understandable, but he kept mentioning the DVC exclusive perk of closing parks to only DVC members that I would be shut out of if I bought a resale. I said, aside from maybe a watermark. I had never heard of this. I thought wow how did I miss this all these years? Now I know what he's talking about!!

 

[MJ6987]

Will this now become a regular benefit for DVC members? A nice addition for the 25th Anniversay if so.

 

[DebbieB]

Will this now become a regular benefit for DVC members? A nice addition for the 25th Anniversay if so.

Problem is you don't know if they will be held when you plan to go. I'm going May 8 to 15, as far as I know nothing is scheduled. Rivers of Light is delayed, Frozen delayed, Star Wars fireworks end 4/30 and will not restart until summer.