"Official" 2018 Disney After Hours (DAH) Thread (Now Closed, see New 2019 Thread)

[Dentam]

Yes, that makes total sense I wasn't aware that they are allowed in the parks that early!

Yeah, if I were to do an After Hours event again, I would probably plan to arrive around 4pm and just not go to a park that day. That way I'd save the money from what a park ticket would cost for the day. Although when you get into multiple day tickets it won't be too much cheaper to shave off a day, but still - I'd use the day to relax by a pool at the resort instead or go to DTD to shop - or both!

 

[anneboleyn]

Yeah, if I were to do an After Hours event again, I would probably plan to arrive around 4pm and just not go to a park that day. That way I'd save the money from what a park ticket would cost for the day. Although when you get into multiple day tickets it won't be too much cheaper to shave off a day, but still - I'd use the day to relax by a pool at the resort instead or go to DTD to shop - or both!

Yup, that is what I would do too. That is what we do for the Halloween parties as well! We sleep in, maybe swim a bit, and then get over to Magic Kingdom by 4:00

 

[Dentam]

Hmm... my memory might be fuzzy on the 4pm entry time now that I think about it. We were in the MK anyway that day, but went back up to the front to get our After Hours badges early. Maybe they weren't letting folks in that early. Will double check on that!

Plus we just did a Halloween Party during Labor Day week, so that might be what is confusing me too!

ETA: Just double checked and yes, they were letting people in around 4pm earlier this year!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

One caveat on the discussion above is that Disney’s published entry time for DAH is 7PM (this applies to both an 8PM and 9PM DAH event). In practice people were able to enter starting after 4:30PMish in 2017 per many reports, similar to a party. There is always a chance Disney may run things differently in 2018 and not have pre-7PM entry... so it’s something to keep an eye on in January ‘just in case’.....

 

[Haley R]

Yeah, if I were to do an After Hours event again, I would probably plan to arrive around 4pm and just not go to a park that day. That way I'd save the money from what a park ticket would cost for the day. Although when you get into multiple day tickets it won't be too much cheaper to shave off a day, but still - I'd use the day to relax by a pool at the resort instead or go to DTD to shop - or both!

This is exactly what I have planned. We don't have the budget for a long trip so we have 2 days for MK and 1 day for AK. So my plan is to sleep in, go swimming and hang out at POP or walk over to AOA, then go to the park. I have dinner planned at Wilderness lodge because I heard DAH didn't start until 7pm so I'll have to wait and see how early they let people in. It makes more sense to me to relax all day and ride more things at night.

I really hope they let people in at 4pm again!

 

[Dentam]

One caveat on the discussion above is that Disney’s published entry time for DAH is 7PM (this applies to both an 8PM and 9PM DAH event). In practice people were able to enter starting after 4PM in 2017 per many resort, similar to a party. There is always a chance Disney may run things differently in 2018 and not have pre-7PM entry... so it’s something to keep an eye on in January ‘just in case’.....

I just double checked our thread from earlier this year and I posted then that we picked up our lanyards at 4:20pm. Others posted that they arrived at the park and got in at 4:30pm using their After Hours tickets. Hopefully they will continue to let people do this next year!

 

[TheFloatingBear]

They don't close the parks early, but they let After Hours guests in at about 4pm on the evening we attended. I could just see people getting riled up about every evening being used for separately ticketed events - so basically having to pay extra to enjoy the parks later into the evening. Hope that makes sense.

I was going to ask about this...I didn't see anything on the Disney Website, but was curious what time they let people in - so 4pm? If I do a January trip, I'm not sure if we'll have hoppers, so not sure how we'd plan the day. The website didn't say you needed separate admission, so I wasn't sure if you just go at 8pm or could enter earlier to see the fireworks...

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I just double checked our thread from earlier this year and I posted then that we picked up our lanyards at 4:20pm. Others posted that they arrived at the park and got in at 4:30pm using their After Hours tickets. Hopefully they will continue to let people do this next year!

Thanks for that info, I’ll edit my post. Yeah, for ours this year we flew in that day... I was still in the air at 4PM! I may or may not have added that day just to go to DAH.

 

[TheFloatingBear]

One caveat on the discussion above is that Disney’s published entry time for DAH is 7PM (this applies to both an 8PM and 9PM DAH event). In practice people were able to enter starting after 4PM in 2017 per many resort, similar to a party. There is always a chance Disney may run things differently in 2018 and not have pre-7PM entry... so it’s something to keep an eye on in January ‘just in case’.....

Just saw this after I posted my question!

So, my daughter's Nov dance company trip just got moved to the Jan 26th weekend, so this may be in play for us...it is an 8pm closing so DAH is 8-11 - so on the early side. I'm wondering how long it takes for day guests to start to clear, especially given the early closing time. The plus side to the early closing/early event time, is that my early birds - DH and DD - might make the whole event!

 

[Dentam]

Just saw this after I posted my question!

So, my daughter's Nov dance company trip just got moved to the Jan 26th weekend, so this may be in play for us...it is an 8pm closing so DAH is 8-11 - so on the early side. I'm wondering how long it takes for day guests to start to clear, especially given the early closing time. The plus side to the early closing/early event time, is that my early birds - DH and DD - might make the whole event!

They will still have the evening fireworks, and the crowds will clear out after that. We watched the fireworks and then did Mickey's Philharmagic while the crowds were leaving. It was pretty cleared out by the time we exited that attraction!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Is that a @TheFloatingBear sighting???

Obviously anecdotal but I felt the park cleared pretty quickly on my night. It didn’t feel all that crowded to begin with, and people quickly bailed after the fireworks.

I can’t remember if DAH was 8PM or 9PM on my date this past Feb but I really liked how it was early enough for DS to still get a lot out of it. Obvously still past his bedtime, but a special splurge was fun!

Looks like a DAH ticket purchase is in your near future....

 

[TheFloatingBear]

They will still have the evening fireworks, and the crowds will clear out after that. We watched the fireworks and then did Mickey's Philharmagic while the crowds were leaving. It was pretty cleared out by the time we exited that attraction!

Good to know! It sounds like it helps to have a plan like yours and the ones others have shared!

 

[TheFloatingBear]

Is that a @TheFloatingBear sighting???

Obviously anecdotal but I felt the park cleared pretty quickly on my night. It didn’t feel all that crowded to begin with, and people quickly bailed after the fireworks.

I can’t remember if DAH was 8PM or 9PM on my date this past Feb but I really liked how it was early enough for DS to still get a lot out of it. Obvously still past his bedtime, but a special splurge was fun!

Looks like a DAH ticket purchase is in your near future....

Yes, I'm back from my "DIS summer hiatus!" Good to see you!

Good to know that it seems to clear fairly quickly! For us, the early time would work well - my daughter will be 11, but seriously she and my husband turned to pumpkins rather early, but I think they could make it until 11pm!

Yes, this Nov to Jan change is really throwing me off, but this could change my feelings about it a bit, lol! But more on that later...need to catch my son's cross country meet! Thanks for the tips!

 

[MIAMouseketeer]

I already biugh

They don't close the parks early, but they let After Hours guests in at about 4pm on the evening we attended. I could just see people getting riled up about every evening being used for separately ticketed events - so basically having to pay extra to enjoy the parks later into the evening. Hope that makes sense.

I already bought my ticket and it clearly states that entry is at 7pm no matter which day. I called Disney to confirm and they said that it is 7pm this year and that changed from 4pm last year. They will hold you at the gate until 7p unless you have a regular day ticket. She couldn't tell me if the number of tickets increased

 

[Dentam]

I already biugh

I already bought my ticket and it clearly states that entry is at 7pm no matter which day. I called Disney to confirm and they said that it is 7pm this year and that changed from 4pm last year. They will hold you at the gate until 7p unless you have a regular day ticket. She couldn't tell me if the number of tickets increased

Yeah, they said 7pm officially this spring as well but they let people in around 4pm. I'd just keep an eye out for reports from people who attend the early dates. I would not be at all surprised if they let people in earlier than 7pm.

Here is the thread for the spring dates: https://www.disboards.com/threads/magic-kingdom-after-hours-coming-back-dah-reviews-page-18.3564675/

Note that the earliest entry time is noted as 7pm but that was not the case and guests on all dates that I read about were allowed to enter much earlier with an average time of about 4-4:30pm.

 

[Haley R]

Yeah, they said 7pm officially this spring as well but they let people in around 4pm. I'd just keep an eye out for reports from people who attend the early dates. I would not be at all surprised if they let people in earlier than 7pm.

Here is the thread for the spring dates: https://www.disboards.com/threads/magic-kingdom-after-hours-coming-back-dah-reviews-page-18.3564675/

Note that the earliest entry time is noted as 7pm but that was not the case and guests on all dates that I read about were allowed to enter much earlier with an average time of about 4-4:30pm.

Huh, I didn't know that it was supposed to be 7 pm this year, too. I thought they just changed it for next year. That makes me hopeful! I hope they keep letting people in at 4 pm.

 

[anomamatt]

I already bought my ticket and it clearly states that entry is at 7pm no matter which day. I called Disney to confirm and they said that it is 7pm this year and that changed from 4pm last year. They will hold you at the gate until 7p unless you have a regular day ticket. She couldn't tell me if the number of tickets increased

They said the exact same thing this year. You can check out the 2017 thread. But I (and many of others) got in at 4pm. They had a special entrance at 4pm with the lanyards.

And it’s the same thing with parties. If you ask, they say that the party entry starts at 7. But that isn’t true.

From what “those in the know” have, they system is set for two entry times. Morning and 4pm. And all party tickets are set for 4pm entry.

I’m going Jan 19 and my brothers only ticket that day is the dah ticket. We’re goingnnat 4 and I’ll report back. I’m comfident they will be out with the lanyards at 4. Phone CMs rarely know what they are talking about.

 

[Haley R]

I have dinner reservations at Wilderness Lodge (5 ish) that I was kind of excited for so if they let us in at 4 pm I may need to change my plan. I'm not sure what we should switch to if that happens

We will be on the dining plan and that was going to be our table service meal. I guess we could always go somewhere in MK or somewhere for brunch. I just don't want to do lunch so we have time to swim! (we're staying at POP so our TS would have to be somewhere else)

 

[TJA]

@GADisneyDad14 Nice thread!! That is quite a substantial AP discount. Wish they offered that kind of deal on the MVMCP tickets!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I have dinner reservations at Wilderness Lodge (5 ish) that I was kind of excited for so if they let us in at 4 pm I may need to change my plan. I'm not sure what we should switch to if that happens

We will be on the dining plan and that was going to be our table service meal. I guess we could always go somewhere in MK or somewhere for brunch. I just don't want to do lunch so we have time to swim! (we're staying at POP so our TS would have to be somewhere else)

Unless you just really want to use those extra hours in the MK, I’d keep your dinner. One thing I didn’t do properly this year was eat a good dinner before our event. We were traveling and just snacked. Was starving our whole night, even with free pop corn and ice cream!

Where are you eating at WL? A nice dinner before a fun late night sounds like a good plan to me.