Late Night Tips

[Zippa D Doodah]

We love late nights, especially at MK. We have learned to enjoy Wishes from Tomorrowland while having a sundae from Auntie Gravity's. This may not be for everyone, but there is no one else around, and the Wishes music is really excellent there. From there we can ride pretty much anything and everything with no lines until closing. MK closes at 11 each night of our upcoming trip. I only wish it were later!

 

[Disney_Princess83]

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.

Characters that are inside usually meet until 30 minutes before closing. This includes Mickey, Tink, the Princesses in Fairy Tale Hall (which now is usually Cinderella, Rapunzel, Anna and Elsa) Ariel should all be there for Evening Extra Magic Hours and Regular Park hours.

Merida meets outside so usually her last set ends at approximately 6:30pm.

Snow White and Aurora meet in Main Street now and their last sets usually end at approximately 2pm

Enchanted Tales runs until park close usually. We have done it at 1am when the park closed at 2am and walked straight in.

Casey's remains open usually until park close. Main St Bakery/Starbucks remains open until park close. Keep in mind during EMH and very late closes, these are "hard" closes. They don't stay open until an hour after the park closes. Last trip we had a 3am close and walked into Main St Bakery at 2:55am. Just after 3am, several people came by but they had closed and locked the doors.

 

[madthemouse]

Like most people, we enjoy the parks in the evening. The lights, sounds and smells all seem better. The one park that is absolutely beautiful in the evening, Animal Kingdom. I am looking forward to when they have EMH again, or when the Avatar land opens. In any case, if you have the opportunity to visit the Animal Kingdom Park in the evening, you will not be disappointed.

 

[BlueFairy]

Characters that are inside usually meet until 30 minutes before closing. This includes Mickey, Tink, the Princesses in Fairy Tale Hall (which now is usually Cinderella, Rapunzel, Anna and Elsa) Ariel should all be there for Evening Extra Magic Hours and Regular Park hours. Merida meets outside so usually her last set ends at approximately 6:30pm. Snow White and Aurora meet in Main Street now and their last sets usually end at approximately 2pm Enchanted Tales runs until park close usually. We have done it at 1am when the park closed at 2am and walked straight in. Casey's remains open usually until park close. Main St Bakery/Starbucks remains open until park close. Keep in mind during EMH and very late closes, these are "hard" closes. They don't stay open until an hour after the park closes. Last trip we had a 3am close and walked into Main St Bakery at 2:55am. Just after 3am, several people came by but they had closed and locked the doors.

So helpful! Thanks!

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Oh no, the word is getting out. Here's a quote from Josh at EasyWDW:

"It’s impossible to overemphasize how great nights are at Magic Kingdom in the summer. If you can stay through 11pm, 12am, 1am, or later with evening EMH, then you can have a tremendous amount of success in the late night hours."

 

[RubySue]

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.

I agree. And the resort restaurants, pools, and buses can be quite crowded in the afternoon since many people use the afternoon rest strategy.

Took my son, my grandsons (then 16 and 12) to WDW in 2012. We did the RD the first two days. It was hot, crowded, and crazy. We're all night owls and not morning people. We were cranky and miserable. After two days of forcing everyone to be up early, wasting time going back to the resort in the afternoon only to find the pool packed, I realized that we needed to be true to our natures. We spent the rest of the trip sleeping in, leisurely breakfast, doing resort things,get to the parks whenever, and then going full tilt until closing. Much happier!

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I agree. And the resort restaurants, pools, and buses can be quite crowded in the afternoon since many people use the afternoon rest strategy.

I have noticed over the last couple years that it does seem more of an aggravation to take a bus back to a resort for an afternoon break due to a large number of people in the bus queues. Of course this may be completely anecdotal and random, or it may be a function of Disney running buses less often, or it just may be that more of the rope droppers are heading out at similar times.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

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.

Shhhh. Don't give the "rope drop fanatics" any ideas. Their plans make our strategy work that much better.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I agree. And the resort restaurants, pools, and buses can be quite crowded in the afternoon since many people use the afternoon rest strategy.

Took my son, my grandsons (then 16 and 12) to WDW in 2012. We did the RD the first two days. It was hot, crowded, and crazy. We're all night owls and not morning people. We were cranky and miserable. After two days of forcing everyone to be up early, wasting time going back to the resort in the afternoon only to find the pool packed, I realized that we needed to be true to our natures. We spent the rest of the trip sleeping in, leisurely breakfast, doing resort things,get to the parks whenever, and then going full tilt until closing. Much happier!

You sound just like us. My kids are about the same ages and would feel that they were being punished if they were forced to get up early on vacation. They like to hit the headliners over and over and over again and the most efficient time to do that is late night. We would much rather be in the park at 3am over 8 am. No thanks.

 

[wendybeth75]

I ADORE late nights at the MK, especially on days that we had a long midday break! There is just something about it at night that makes it more magical. I love the cooler temps, the shorter lines and the twinkle of the lights. Nothing makes me happier than hearing the MSEP announced. I have always said it sounds like he is talking into a fan when he starts the announcement. I guess my tip is Just Do It!

 

[cattywampus]

DLR vets coming to the World for our first time, from the west coast and all the rope drop talk was stressing me out! We don't even do rope drop at DL! I don't understand waiting in line outside the gates for 45 minutes, so you don't wait inside. Huh?

There is no way we are going to be at the parks at rope drop with the time difference. We will close the parks every night, wake up whenever we wake up, have a leisurely breakfast and head out mid-day. Even sprang for two MVMCP's for extra park hours. Hopefully it's true that most partygoers want the special activities leaving the rides with low waits!

You always remember nights you close down the parks because you end on a magical note instead of going until you drop from heat and crowds!

 

[mitchwebb]

Also west coasters and we were moved to late night this last trip by having three teenage girls.

So much fun and love the parks at night. We were at WDW last NYE for seven days and there was a park open late every night. No need to get up early.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

The decision comes down to do we make them get up early or do we let them stay up late. For us, it's a pretty easy choice.

Cooler temps, smaller crowds, more rides & happy kids. Late night wins every time.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

The decision comes down to do we make them get up early or do we let them stay up late. For us, it's a pretty easy choice.

Cooler temps, smaller crowds, more rides & happy kids. Late night wins every time.

It is the same with my kids (17 and 14)... Once upon a time DW and I had to decide whether to be rope droppers or park closers. Now they decide whether they are going to get us up early or keep us out late. They know their parents turns into big kids after dark so the decision is easy. Hey, it's the circle -the circle of life.

 

[Elevationist]

I LOVE late nights in the parks. It's my absolutely favorite time to be out and about... I love it so much that I even run a tumblr account dedicated to it... http://disneyparksafterdark.tumblr.com/

BUT! That love is at direct odds with my appreciation of the low crowds by being there first thing in the morning. As such, I lose a lot of sleep during my trip! Opening the parks up AND shutting them down every day.

I have learned to schedule one day in the middle to just sleep all day and get caught up, then I'm back at it for the rest of the week!

 

[grkmbee]

This is a very dangerous thread! My DH and I are only at WDW for one night - staying at AKL. We'd planned to hang at the resort - DH doesn't like heat or crowds, plus with not arriving until the late morning it felt like a waste of a ticket. However upon reading this thread, the wheels of my mind started turning...checked MK hours that night and it's open until 2AM! I am now thinking that after we land, get to AKL, and have lunch, we should rest and relax until late afternoon and then head to the parks. I have some old (OLD!!!) park hoppers with one day left that we can use. I think this might be that perfect opportunity!

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

Thanks to the changes in EMH hours for Labor Day weekend the MK is open till 2am Saturday and Sunday. Plan to RD with the lil' guy let him ride his favorites, go back to the hotel for rest (Mostly for my wife and I) then return to MK for dinner rides and after Wishes my folks will take him back to tuck in while my wife and I ride all the ones his height kept him off. Something about saying I rode BTMRR at 1:59am sounds awesome.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Late Night Tips worked well at 6 Flags on a recent visit. 30 minute waits in the morning, 10 minute waits on the same attractions during the last couple of hours. 10 pm closing time.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

Something about saying I rode BTMRR at 1:59am sounds awesome.

S We rode BTMRR at 2:30am and it was amazing! POark was closing at 3am and they let us just stay on. We rode it about 7 times back to back. Heaven.

 

[SuperTink]

Nevermind. I realize January doesn't really have many EMH.