Late Night Tips

[Babe the Blue Ox]

This thread has me rethinking RD at DHS (the whole stampede to TSMM to ride 1st thing, w/o FP+) During our 9 day stay in Sept DHS is open until 11 and 11:30 twice! And we are staying at BC, so it will be so easy to do the late EMH's. Do you think TSMM will be a short wait those hours? I'd love to leisurely stroll (or take boat) into DHS and have a nice breakfast at Starring Rolls around 10am rather that battling the crowds for an early ride on TSMM!!!

Absolutely. Read the first post of this thread for my personal experience with late night at Midway Mania. Remember that the posted wait times are often very overstated late at night.

 

[4Beans]

I saw the pics that Josh at EasyWdw posted from a recent rope drop. No way I'm getting in the middle of that chaos. It's late night all the way for us.

I also see that A&E will be available until a half hour before close time starting Sunday. I'll bet the line is 10 mins or less after 11 pm.

Blue Ox, where did you hear that A & E will start having extended hours? I'm so excited!!

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Blue Ox, where did you hear that A & E will start having extended hours? I'm so excited!!

WDWMagic.com

They'll be available until a half hour before regular closing time.

Snow White has been booted to the courtyard.

 

[Gramontherun]

Planning a Aug trip with dgd and dgs. Always did rope drop when they were younger, but now as teens and tweens we will go for late hours! Who hoo!

 

[Disney_Princess83]

Blue Ox, where did you hear that A & E will start having extended hours? I'm so excited!!

Kenny has reported it too

 

[PartOfYourWDWorld]

We are not rope droppers either. We sleep in and eat breakfast in our room, try to get to the parks around 9:30, then leave by 1. We then head back to the resort from about 1-4 when the parks are busiest and the sun is hottest. If the kids need a nap, they can do that, swim, or just chill in the AC for a while. This is key for us. If we don't do a midday, break, the kids won't make it for EMH.

I agree with viewing the second parade and hitting rides during the first. Same goes for Fantasmic at HS when there are two showings.

The outdoor rides are a completely different experience in the dark. My favorite is BTMRR, but try them all!

My DD5's favorite late night snack is the Mickey soft pretzel from Tomorrowland.

If you have little ones, make sure to have a stroller for everyone. Even my five year old usually passes out in a stroller on the way out of the park.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Tip #5 - this is a new one

If you show up late to MK, DHS or Epcot, the parking attendants won't be on duty. You can drive up to almost the front row and a take a spot from someone that got tired and left early.

Then you can walk to the gate and save a lot of time vs. waiting for a tram.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Tip #6 - (applies to day or night)

Stick it out during a thunderstorm. We were pulling up to the MK parking booths on a recent Saturday evening at about 7 pm. It had just finished raining and there was bumper to bumper traffic getting out of the park.

Those that stayed in the park that evening had extremenly shorter wait times during the last 5-6 hours of operation.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

I love the best of both worlds. We always RD, hang out till lunchtime doing all standby rides, head back to the resort get some snoozing by the pool, quick shower to wake back up, back to the MK where we'll have late afternoon FPs, dinner, then ride late into the evening.

I'm a little bummed on my 7 day trip the MK is only open past 9 twice, and HS isn't open past 9:30 at all.

 

[mkarizona]

My husband is not a huge Disney fan like I am but he does enjoy Disney after dark. Couple that with living 3 time zones away during most of our trips, we don't do rope drop. In fact we usually get to the parks between 11 and 1 and stay until close. Most days we also park hop. What the rope drop fanatics don't seem to realize is that once all of them leave for their naps and swimming the parks are not as crowded as they think.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

I love this thread! This year I'm going in August when the MK is open "later" (11 p.m. most nights, one EMH night until 1 a.m.) I'm so looking forward to that EMH night!

But I think whether you're a "rope dropper" or a "late nighter" (or some combination of both) may depend more on when you visit. I usually visit in October or early December, when there are party nights that result in the MK closing to us regular guests at 7 p.m. Even on other nights it's only open until 10 p.m. or so. So when I go then, I do rope drop.

But like I said, I am so looking forward to doing both rope drop, then a break, then back to the MK for late night touring! Love the lights! Love the lower crowds! And especially will love the slightly cooler temps and setting sun!

 

[Gramontherun]

Looking forward to doing the later night times. One question about meet and greets. Do any of them stay open latter. DGD (14) said she would love to meet A&E, but not enough to give up a roller coaster f[p. Any chance they will have shorter lines in the pm? thx Gram

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Looking forward to doing the later night times. One question about meet and greets. Do any of them stay open latter. DGD (14) said she would love to meet A&E, but not enough to give up a roller coaster f[p. Any chance they will have shorter lines in the pm? thx Gram

A&E now stay until a half hour before park close (11:30 or 12:30 most summer nights). The lines are much shorter than they are during the day.

We didn't visit A&E, but we did the Character Spot at Epcot with a 5 minute wait later in the evening.

 

[larie21]

We met Cind/Rapunzel at 11:30 one night with a 10 min wait. The wait for A&E was still 2 hrs at that point. Later in the night during EMHs, A&E's line was only 30 min but that was probably around 1:30 am.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Late Night Tips apply to other theme parks also. We went to a regional park known for it's coaster collection last weekend. Lines were 1 hour + during the afternoon yet dropped to 5 mins or less during the last couple hours of operation.

 

[stky6]

Late Night Tips apply to other theme parks also. We went to a regional park known for it's coaster collection last weekend. Lines were 1 hour + during the afternoon yet dropped to 5 mins or less during the last couple hours of operation.

That wouldn't be Cedar Point would it ?

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

That wouldn't be Cedar Point would it ?

That's the place. America's Roller Coast.

 

[LetsGoToo]

I've found that at most times of the year, being at Magic Kingdom after 10 PM, usually means very little wait for rides (even during summer months).

 

[BlueFairy]

This thread really has me thinking. DH seems to have given up on the parks since we've had kids, and I think it's because we converted to value season (shorter hours) with rope drop. Perhaps now that the kids are older and we must go during school breaks I can convince him that we can enjoy the parks again like we used to do.

This is our first summer visit, and MK is open until midnight. That's 11pm at home and the kids can make 9pm pretty easily. So, now I'm rethinking our MK day. We'd planned rope drop (because that's what we do?), followed by the all-important late morning FP+ for PP and A&E. But those don't start until at least 10am, so this thread gives me hope that we could sleep in and still have time to squeeze them in. I have BOG FP for lunch around 1 and then we must see FoF. With little kids (6 and 9), I'm wondering if our 3:30 to 7 (or later) break will be enough to stay until close (no one at our house is good at naps). We'd eat before we return to the park, and have MSEP FP for 8:40 (I want a guaranteed good view for the parade and CTM). Wishes is also a must-do. But if we're well rested it seems maybe we could have until midnight to do some of those things we missed. Luckily the following day is a resort day.

My biggest question is M&Gs - Tink, Mickey, Snow White, Merida, other princesses? What about ETWB? the characters at Storybook Circus? DDs really love those M&Gs and I'm wondering if we'd be able to get more of them in after Wishes. When do the characters friends (aside from A&E start to go home for the night?

Also, for snacking, does the Confectionary stay open until closing on Main St? So far I'm hearing Casey's, ice cream, and coffee.

Be careful folks. You might find yourselves with a lot of late-night converts.

 

[allymouse]

For my husband and I, there is nothing better than a late afternoon break from MK at Misner's in the GF. Listen to the band, chat with the bartenders and have a cocktail or two. Followed by dinner at California Grill. Then it's back to MK for fireworks and EMH. Space Mountain after a few adult bevvies... Wheeeee!!