Magic Kingdom After Hours Crowd Level

[canofdice05]

Hey,
Does an after hour event help make the crowds lighter during regular park hours? Just planning on what day to go to Magic Kingdom and wanted to experience lower crowds if possible. Thanks!

 

[sponica]

The Halloween parties and Christmas parties have an impact on daytime attendance because the park closes to regular ticketed guests earlier, but I don't think the After Hours events result in an earlier park closing.

 

[scrappinginontario]

No, with the exception of the parties as @sponica shared, the AH events do not really affect daytime crowds

 

[DisneyFive]

We didn't notice much of a change at MK or Epcot.

If anything I would think crowds may be slightly higher on days that Extra hours are offered because people that are able to attend Extra Hours are choosing that park for that day because it has EMH. (not everyone has park hoppers and can choose alternate parks earlier in the day). This is just my speculation though.

 

[Tom_E_D]

We didn't notice much of a change at MK or Epcot.

If anything I would think crowds may be slightly higher on days that Extra hours are offered because people that are able to attend Extra Hours are choosing that park for that day because it has EMH. (not everyone has park hoppers and can choose alternate parks earlier in the day). This is just my speculation though.

I think you are confusing Extended Evening hours with After Hours events. They are not the same and neither is the same as Extra Magic Hours (EMH) was. OP asked about After Hours. After Hours events are separately ticketed, and entering the park before it closes to day guests does not allow you to stay for the After Hours event. So, the only benefit I see for someone attending the After Hours event to go to the same park that day (before the event ticket would let them in) is that they will not have to travel from park to park to attend the event. I don't think that is an important enough consideration to affect crowd levels.

 

[DisneyFive]

I think you are confusing Extended Evening hours with After Hours events. They are not the same and neither is the same as Extra Magic Hours (EMH) was. OP asked about After Hours. After Hours events are separately ticketed, and entering the park before it closes to day guests does not allow you to stay for the After Hours event. So, the only benefit I see for someone attending the After Hours event to go to the same park that day (before the event ticket would let them in) is that they will not have to travel from park to park to attend the event. I don't think that is an important enough consideration to affect crowd levels.

You're totally correct, LOL. Thanks for the clarification. I need to stay on my "A game". Haven't been on these boards quite as much lately and confused the after hours stuff.