New MK Paid Disney After Hours Event Announced

[Ladyfish77]

Well as someone who will be at WDW during the time of this event, I'm not happy. My arrival day is a Thursday so event night. If you look at Josh's crowd calendars, Thursdays are the best days for MK. So I had planned to arrive, get settled in and spend the evening/night at MK. I have FP for that night at MK. Now I also have thousands of extra people in the parks starting soon after I planned to arrive for the evening.

Now my recommended park day turns into a really busy one starting at 7pm with all the additional guests on top of the regular guests. Oh, and it's my birthday, sigh. Now I need to re-look my plans for that day. I'm probably going to switch my FP to a different park. So, thanks Disney for making me plan out my trip months in advance, then add these events all under 60 days for on-site guests who have already made their plans. Total Fail!

 

[dsdeleon]

All of us who actually know how to get value out of MK will do the math and see this has a HORRID return on investment in money, time, and 'extras' (anything decent is announced already, a dance party is about all extra that is coming)

 

[KateP85]

I think this is just one of those things that holds value for some people and not others. This holds zero interest or value for my family, but I feel the same way about the dessert parties. There are other things Disney offers that I'm willing to pay for that other people would think was ridiculous.

Having said that, I do think prices for other parties might increase after this - how could they not?

 

[Livvie]

What less are you getting? You don't have fewer hours in the park, nothing is taken away from your park day.
You don't even know the recommendations will change. Even if they do it's not taking anything away from what you have paid for

You have to contend with thousands of extra people that wouldn't be there otherwise. That is taking away from what guests have paid for.

 

[VillainFavs]

Which actually increases the cost of CV to what, over $200

Well, actually, if you want to include the price of your park admission ticket and say Club Villain costs over $200, then technically, you have access to the whole park for the whole day AS WELL AS the Club Villain party for that price. You're really comparing apples and oranges here.

 

[bemccar1]

I think the 'non-refundable' speaks volumes. Since when has there been an event that you can't get your money back before hand? To me, this says that there will most likely be longer lines than people are hoping and nothing extra open or available, but by the time the first few parties reviews come out you'll be trapped.

I was thinking the same thing. There is no official word on crowd numbers. Disney could just call it "limited" and offer it to whoever they wanted--if there are only limited rides open, how expensive will it be to run? People would pay for than a full day park admission for 3 hours of reduced rides--they could make an ENORMOUS amount of money if enough people were willing to do this and they didn't limit the number who signed up.

There is absolutely no guarantee at this point that crowds will be very low...so, the only thing of value for this event (excuse me, and the ice cream!) could vary drastically night-to-night. And if Disney is planning on this, it makes sense they refuse to allow anyone to cancel once word on crowd numbers started coming out...

 

[AngiTN]

Well, actually, if you want to include the price of your park admission ticket and say Club Villain costs over $200, then technically, you have access to the whole park for the whole day AS WELL AS the Club Villain party for that price. You're really comparing apples and oranges here.

I'll just agree to disagree. I believe it is a spot on comparison. You don't. You don't want to go. I do. No big deal. We are all very different in what we like to do.
I still don't see the sky is falling that so many others seem to see

 

[FeralCatRogue]

I've never been on a party night, so have no frame of reference. If you're there as a day guest, how crowded does it get in those last few "overlap" hours? So if I'm there on a night when they're letting people in at 7:00 for this new thing, and they haven't yet started kicking day people out, is it going to get really busy? Those night time hours can be nice when people are watching the last fireworks and heading out and ride lines are getting shorter. I'm guessing that won't happen on these nights now???

It really all depends on when you go, on Halloween 2 years ago I felt no diff in crowds between day (Got there at 4 even with ap since I was in costume) or when park closed. When I went last year in early octoboer we had to walk thru shops it was so busy in the in between hours cause people were ALREADY grabbing parade sports. On my first party 3 years ago in early october it was very nicely quiet during the party compared to the day.

 

[bemccar1]

Well, actually, if you want to include the price of your park admission ticket and say Club Villain costs over $200, then technically, you have access to the whole park for the whole day AS WELL AS the Club Villain party for that price. You're really comparing apples and oranges here.

I don't understand why people are comparing the two at all--you're paying for an exclusive event with food, alcohol, special character M&Gs (as well as HS during the day)...with "Disney After Dark", you are paying for 3 hours of limited rides and some ice cream. You could have another day in MK for less.

And, considering guests who stay for multiple days --it is $20 total to add another park "day" to both our tickets to go to Club Villian. The comparison between the two events does not make any sense to me.

 

[horse11]

This really p's me off!!! Just got off the phone with Disney and people purchasing this event will be allowed in the park starting at 7:00 pm!!! That means even more people cramed in to see the fireworks and parades!!! Ok I am officially done!!! This will be our last trip to Disney!!!

 

[Pinkos]

I'm annoyed that they announced this so close to the dates. My MK day in May is one of these dates, it was rated an average crowd level day and my plan was to take a break midday and go back early evening to enjoy less crowds ... With this new event crowds will be higher in the evening now. And too late to change anything ... Oh well. Annoying and frustrating but no other choice but to suck it up. Next Florida vacay we will be testing out universal. Time to see what other parks are about I think.

 

[Lehuaann]

I think the 'non-refundable' speaks volumes. Since when has there been an event that you can't get your money back before hand? To me, this says that there will most likely be longer lines than people are hoping and nothing extra open or available, but by the time the first few parties reviews come out you'll be trapped.

Perhaps I'm missing something...but hard ticketed events usually are non-refundable, non-transferable, etc.

I know dessert party events, which are booked with time slots like adrs, usually have refundable cancellation policies.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I think the 'non-refundable' speaks volumes. Since when has there been an event that you can't get your money back before hand? To me, this says that there will most likely be longer lines than people are hoping and nothing extra open or available, but by the time the first few parties reviews come out you'll be trapped.

Actually all ticketing for park entries to parties is listed as that way. However, they will generally do refunds. Even regular ticketing is listed as such.

 

[hsmamato2]

I just don't get this at all... who is this aimed at? Who wants to pay 150.00 for 3 hours in a park, when that same 150.00 will get you a full day of hopping (which could=12-16 hours park time?) I mean if we're comparing a one day ticket to a one night ticket.... it's not even 'disguised' as a party of some sort,and the parties aren't that expensive!

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I'll be darned. Sorry for poking fun at the alarmists. They were right. Crazy.

 

[hauntedcity]

I assume someone has already pointed out they used to have this. It was called "E-Ticket Nights" and it cost $10.

If it hasn't already been pointed out... Disney already had this. It was called "E-Ticket Nights" and it cost $10.

 

[dsdeleon]

Club Villian is so not relevant. I compared it to the Parties but specifically meaning MNSSHP and MVMCP. That's the only time where we were able to come trample the MK day guests, fill up their potential 4th, 5th FP+, and sip crappy drinks for extra park time of a few choice rides. BUT it includes special characters and parades and is half the price! This is a scary indication of what's to come. (ETA: This is why those party prices haven't been announced yet!)

 

[Jennasis]

Where is poster who claimed to have oh so much inside information about this whole thing and was sworn to secrecy? Is there more or is this it? Cuz if there isn't more than what's been announced then color me unimpressed with the event. All the Mickey bars and itzakadoozies in the world ain't worth 149 plus tax.

 

[beesly]

Well as someone who will be at WDW during the time of this event, I'm not happy. My arrival day is a Thursday so event night. If you look at Josh's crowd calendars, Thursdays are the best days for MK. So I had planned to arrive, get settled in and spend the evening/night at MK. I have FP for that night at MK. Now I also have thousands of extra people in the parks starting soon after I planned to arrive for the evening.

Now my recommended park day turns into a really busy one starting at 7pm with all the additional guests on top of the regular guests. Oh, and it's my birthday, sigh. Now I need to re-look my plans for that day. I'm probably going to switch my FP to a different park. So, thanks Disney for making me plan out my trip months in advance, then add these events all under 60 days for on-site guests who have already made their plans. Total Fail!

I'm annoyed that they announced this so close to the dates. My MK day in May is one of these dates, it was rated an average crowd level day and my plan was to take a break midday and go back early evening to enjoy less crowds ... With this new event crowds will be higher in the evening now. And too late to change anything ... Oh well. Annoying and frustrating but no other choice but to suck it up. Next Florida vacay we will be testing out universal. Time to see what other parks are about I think.

I completely agree with these sentiments. We planned our MK day for 4/28 based on the low projected crowds - it was supposed to be the best day for MK that week! We planned to start at rope drop, take an afternoon break, and return in the evening. Now it will have extra people there in the evening who wouldn't have come to MK that day otherwise. I was also hoping I would get to stay for the kiss goodnight on this day with the 10:00pm closing. Most other nights of our trip, MK closes at 12:00 or 1:00am and there's no way DD6 would make it (and I had enough of carrying her sleeping self out of the park on our last trip!).

 

[hsmamato2]

And what's with the massive time overlap? What are they going to do? get all those 'security guards' to drag people who didn't pay the extra $$$ out of the park at 10 p.m.? Sounds..... fun. Not to mention the extra crowding between 7-11 on those nights..... so the park effectively closes to day guests at 7 p.m. on those nights,(if they want to avoid overcrowding) and they're calling it this to hide what the true motive is?