New MK Paid Disney After Hours Event Announced

[VillainFavs]

I think what I have a hard time wrapping my head around is the fact that it's not $150. For my family it's $600!!! For one evening! Yes, I know ticket prices are crazy anyway, but we go for a bunch of days at a time, so then the per-day price goes down and seems more acceptable. And that's for many more hours each day. When I think of what my family could do with $600, it boggles my mind to think I'd spend that on just a few rides and a Mickey bar.

But people will do it. And I don't blame Disney one bit for charging it. If I was in business, I would too. It's not Disney's fault. If people are willing to pay it, there's absolutely no reason they shouldn't charge it.

Now, I totally agree it's not fair to those who have made plans that are now being impacted due to the late announcement on Disney's part. I think that's totally unfair in a system that Disney creates by encouraging planning 60 days and 6 months in advance.

But until people draw a line and stick to it by not paying crazy prices, Disney's going to keep crossing that line and seeing just how much we'll pay!

 

[ktlm]

I'm still shocked that this was not some sort of April Fools' Joke. So, a party usually lasts 5 hours plus the 3 hours before with entry allowed at 4, for a total of 8 hours. This if the park closes at 10, then with the 7 o'clock entry you still only get 6 hours for twice the price and no special parades or shows...but hey you can have ice cream and a soda? For the few PP who said that you don't care about the shows or parades at the parties which are half this price, have you thought about the fact that the shows and parades take big numbers of people away from the rides? Without those and if there are no special event very rare characters, then everyone who has a ticket will be focused on the rides. Their PR release seems to be focused on it being about rides too. I wonder how many people will buy that ticket just because they think 7DMT will have a short line? As has been mentioned a few times that line was a consistent 45 minutes at the recent special event night. To me, that isn't a short line. I would want an exact number on how many tickets they were selling before buying into this thing. I wouldn't be tempted by this, but if I was as some others are, I would really be concerned that the value of this is extremely dependent on the number of tickets they sell.

As far as its impact on the parks during the evening regular park hours, we have been to a ton of parties and many times we have started in that park at rope drop and stayed until the end of the party-- and we have also done party days in the park when we were not actually going to the party. I would expect it to be similar to that- BUT if they sell as many tickets as they do to the parties it sure wouldn't be worth that $149 hours because without the parades and shows and a ton of the special characters, all those people will be in the ride lines. So, if they sell a lot fewer tickets, then the impact over the last 3 hours should not be that much. If it is more like a party crowd, what we experience on party days is that it is great until 4:00 when the party guests are let in. From 4-5 it starts to build but isn't bad and from 5-7 it feels significantly more crowded than the rest of the day. In recent years, you also deal with the FP+ competition from 4-7, but we haven't really felt much of an impact by that. Your 4th FP+ and so on will be limited from 4-7 through that extra competition, but we still have seen FP+ available during that time. What I do think is going to be impacted is the evening entertainment- fireworks and parades-- which there is none for non-party goers on MVMCP or MNSSHP days. It is interesting that a CM advised that you would be able to shop after hours, but just not get in line for the rides. I would have expected them to do it more like the parties and keep people who did not have wristbands out of the stores, but I think they are banking on the fact that the people who spend that $149 are not planning on shopping- they want ride time- so those people will be focused on rides and they can still make more money from shoppers without the late night tickets. As others have stated, I am worried about whether this indicates they are going to really jack up the party prices this year. We went to 3 MNSSHP last year. We always go to at least 2 parties- either MVMCP or MNSSHP during our trips. IF they really jack the prices up (especially after last year they cut entertainment and characters which we felt), I'm really going to rethink our trip this year. It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next month or two.

 

[AngiTN]

I got your meaning! Along the same lines, anyone bought tickets to a major sporting event recently? We share seasons tickets for the Buffalo Sabres. Season ticket holders do get a discounted price, but many people buy tickets for individual games. Prices for each seat can be $150 or more. For a hockey game that lasts about 2.5 hours. What people think is "worth it" or has value is very subjective.

Yes! We have season tickets to college football games. They take not only the ticket price but also a monthly donation to even be able to buy the tickets. So yeah, Disney is way cheaper than our 3 hours of football on Saturday. Just a month ago we had to pay for our tickets to the game at Bristol raceway, over $300 for the one game.

 

[Pemeberly]

The reason this ticks me off is because they're charging a CRAZY price for something that's been relatively ~free~ for about a decade now. Yes, I 100% know that I'm paying a premium on staying on-site to get EMH, so it's not actually free, but in terms of vacation planning, it's not a line-budget item, either.

An extra $10-$30 a person? Whatever. But $150 dollars for essentially an evening EMH, plus the shortening of evening EMH from 3 hours to 2 hours and the general slashing of scheduled EMHs grinds my gears.

God bless you to the people who want to pay for such an obvious price gouging. I am not one of you!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

There will still be evening EMH hours during this time but they are on Wednesdays. And the park isn't closing early to accommodate this. So, I think my reaction is, shrug. I won't be going, don't need to, but if the rumors are true that admission will be limited to 12k then anyone who wants to dish out the cash will be able to experience MK practically free of lines. I can't call this "pricing the middle class family out" because there are no early closures and EMH has not been eliminated. It's a boutique offering, but one does not HAVE to purchase it to have a good time.

 

[larissawbb]

OMG... I just figured it out. This is how Disney is going to convince everybody to go along quietly and happily with the $15 Resort fee. After this kind of gouging for extra magic hours, nobody is going to say boo about a paltry $15 Resort fee that would then include extra magic hours.

I totally see this as their endgame. It was make a $15 dollar a night resort fee more tolerable.

 

[goofy Jr. 88]

So my question is if E Ticket Nights back in the day were around $10. why did they stop doing them?

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

Where are you hearing 12k?

 

[ajfd]

When I went during Christmas, the most crowded time of the year, they were nearly nonexistent. Magic Kingdom, which normally does two or three during that week hosted one - on December 30th when it's imperative to host them.

          End of December MK Hours
       2013             2014           2015
23  (7a)8a - 1a     (7a)8a - 1a     (7a)8a - 1a(3a)
24  (7a)8a - 1a     (7a)8a - 1a     (7a)8a - 1a
25  (7a)8a - 1a     (7a)8a - 1a     (7a)8a - 1a
26  (7a)8a - 1a     (7a)8a - 1a(3a) (7a)8a - 1a
27  (7a)8a - 1a(3a) (7a)8a - 1a     (7a)8a - 1a
28  (7a)8a - 1a     (7a)8a - 1a     (7a)8a - 1a
29  (7a)8a - 1a     (7a)8a - 1a     (7a)8a - 1a
30  (7a)8a - 1a(3a) (7a)8a - 1a(3a) (7a)8a - 1a(3a)
31  (7a)8a - 2a     (7a)8a - 2a     (7a)8a - 2a

I agree with the averages and on paper it may seem like it's no that bad, but trust me it was noticeable.

"Noticeable" doesn't mean "factual" .... EMHs really haven't changed in three years.

 

[HopperFan]

@HopperFan i know you can't share details (and I am not asking you to) but did you hear more specifics than is mentioned in the official release? Because last night I read posts you made that there is a lot more to this but it seems pretty much like what was already leaked (just some Icecrrsm and water/soda thrown in). Just curious if there may be additional features warranting the $150 price tag hat haven't been released yet. Otherwise this sounds just like the free DVC parties they had in Feb/Mar except those had special fireworks too.

I did not have specifics on THIS event because it was being kept behind closed doors, once leaked THEN there was much being said because the Mouse was not in his happy place. This was to be part of a bigger announcement and having this part leaked screwed that all up. So now they obviously had to just announce this event on it's own ... rest later ....

 

[dachsie]

It's was removed from the site and I did a search for it and the page was there with no info on it. Did IT jump the gun in adding it?

 

[CandiceF]

The Halloween and Christmas parties have parades, fireworks, and special shows. This will not. Much easier to not allow someone on a ride. I doubt Main Street will be the chaotic mess it usually is during the transition. Most After Hours guests will be in the lands enjoying rides. Party crashers will have the shops and Starbucks.

I think it will be a much easier process. It is hard to kick out the crashers when they are making a scene on the parade route, but it will be easy to not let them enter a queue without a wristband.

There is still the Main Street Electrical Parade at 9:00pm and 11:00pm, as well as fireworks at 10:00pm. Theses are the shows my littles ones rest and watch before leaving the park. In fact I usually see a lot of small children watching these before going home. The rides may be less crowded but I bet the park will not be quieter until these events are over.

 

[ajfd]

EMH are definitely on their way out.

Quite possibly. If they do, I will re-evaluate. No reason to waste time hemming and and hawing on the theoretical.

 

[HopperFan]

It is interesting that a CM advised that you would be able to shop after hours, but just not get in line for the rides. I would have expected them to do it more like the parties and keep people who did not have wristbands out of the stores, but I think they are banking on the fact that the people who spend that $149 are not planning on shopping- they want ride time- so those people will be focused on rides and they can still make more money from shoppers without the late night tickets. As others have stated, I am worried about whether this indicates they are going to really jack up the party prices this year. We went to 3 MNSSHP last year. We always go to at least 2 parties- either MVMCP or MNSSHP during our trips. IF they really jack the prices up (especially after last year they cut entertainment and characters which we felt), I'm really going to rethink our trip this year. It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next month or two.

It reads to me that it will be just like the parties, no "wristband" obtained, you must leave.

• Please note that Magic Kingdom park will officially close to Guests who haven’t purchased Disney After Hours tickets at 10:00 PM on April 28 and May 5, 2016; and at 11:00 PM on April 14 and 21, and May 8, 12 and 19, 2016.

 

[focusondisney]

So my question is if E Ticket Nights back in the day were around $10. why did they stop doing them?

They turned them into Early Entry, then Extra Magic Hours & a perk for all onsite guests.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

There is still the Main Street Electrical Parade at 9:00pm and 11:00pm, as well as fireworks at 10:00pm. Theses are the shows my littles ones rest and watch before leaving the park. In fact I usually see a lot of small children watching these before going home. The rides may be less crowded but I bet the park will not be quieter until these events are over.

Absolutely correct -- at least in our experience. The experience you're paying for here is really 11P-1A. Totally different experience 7-11P.

 

[gwynne]

I did not have specifics on THIS event because it was being kept behind closed doors, once leaked THEN there was much being said because the Mouse was not in his happy place. This was to be part of a bigger announcement and having this part leaked screwed that all up. So now they obviously had to just announce this event on it's own ... rest later ....

Now I'm really curious! Wonder what the rest of the announcement is?

 

[ArielRae]

The reason this ticks me off is because they're charging a CRAZY price for something that's been relatively ~free~ for about a decade now. Yes, I 100% know that I'm paying a premium on staying on-site to get EMH, so it's not actually free, but in terms of vacation planning, it's not a line-budget item, either.

Just like they plan to charge $15 for magicbands wifi, magical express, Etc. All which was previously free also. They are in the market to nickel and dime you for everything they can get away with now.

 

[Jennasis]

I did not have specifics on THIS event because it was being kept behind closed doors, once leaked THEN there was much being said because the Mouse was not in his happy place. This was to be part of a bigger announcement and having this part leaked screwed that all up. So now they obviously had to just announce this event on it's own ... rest later ....

"Later"? Lol The first event is in like 3 weeks!

 

[FeralCatRogue]

I did not have specifics on THIS event because it was being kept behind closed doors, once leaked THEN there was much being said because the Mouse was not in his happy place. This was to be part of a bigger announcement and having this part leaked screwed that all up. So now they obviously had to just announce this event on it's own ... rest later ....

I have to say when you comment on the mouse being mad or not in his happy place the images it brings up are hilarious. Sorry for derail I just had to say it to inject some humor into this all.