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

[igrsod]

I think the best thing about these events is what an awesome mood everyone is in! Lots of singing, dancing, skipping through the park. Love it!

That will make me happy. One of my favourite memories is skipping through a mostly empty mainstreet with my teen son during really late EMH. We were just so happy.

 

[SafariFan1984]

That will make me happy. One of my favourite memories is skipping through a mostly empty mainstreet with my teen son during really late EMH. We were just so happy.

Then you are going to love it!! When we got to to Main Street around 11:15 it was mostly empty. Walking from ride to ride you didn’t see many people in certain parts, but everyone looked so happy and like they were having an amazing time. It really is worth the money just for the happiness factor alone.

 

[julezdisney]

Then you are going to love it!! When we got to to Main Street around 11:15 it was mostly empty. Walking from ride to ride you didn’t see many people in certain parts, but everyone looked so happy and like they were having an amazing time. It really is worth the money just for the happiness factor alone.

SOOOO EXCITED

 

[DBWDW]

SO WORTH IT! Just be sure to get in the gates at 7, so you can get your lanyard and get behind the HEA crowds. Doing this, the question becomes not "what are we going to ride?", but "how many times?" That goes for any ride.

We did it opening night. Sold out. The longest wait was the first hour for 7DMT at a whopping 10 minutes. After the first hour, even it become walk off walk on walk off walk on. We did it 5 times in a row.

Having done many of the ticketed events/gimmicks to avoid crowds. I'd say DAH is the winner.

And they comp mickey bars and beverages. It only takes a few for the ticket to pay for itself!


For an extra memorable moment, do HH in the last 15 minutes or so. You'll be the ONLY family in the stretching room and with the way the cast members host, it will become the one HH ride that -- dare I say -- haunts you.

 

[April P]

I'm trying to plan our trip on 2/8. Those that have been, if we ride right up to 11, will there still be time with photopass photogs after 11? I really want pics of my family, but trying to not "waste" time! My hope is to get some pics before then, but we may lose track of time!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I'm trying to plan our trip on 2/8. Those that have been, if we ride right up to 11, will there still be time with photopass photogs after 11? I really want pics of my family, but trying to not "waste" time! My hope is to get some pics before then, but we may lose track of time!

Someone who knows for sure will probably chime in, but I've seen reports of PhotoPass photographers on Main Street out past 11PM to serve the folks leaving. Might want to watch out for lines though, as many others might have the same idea.

But it is probably one of your best chances at a relatively empty castle/Main Street shot.

Curious to see what others have to say.

Your day is coming soon!

 

[focusondisney]

Then you are going to love it!! When we got to to Main Street around 11:15 it was mostly empty. Walking from ride to ride you didn’t see many people in certain parts, but everyone looked so happy and like they were having an amazing time. It really is worth the money just for the happiness factor alone.

I have to agree. I was just about giggling I was so happy! Even the cast members seemed to all be having a great time.

 

[Arubaflower]

Just got some bad news. My friend's friend since kindergarten has cancer and had some kind of relapse and was just rushed to the ER this evening. Depending on the severity of his condition, we may have to postpone our trip.

I know we can't get a refund on the After Hours tickets but does anyone know if we can transfer them to a different date? For some reason I could swear somebody said they were able to do it.

 

[Haley R]

Just got some bad news. My friend's friend since kindergarten has cancer and had some kind of relapse and was just rushed to the ER this evening. Depending on the severity of his condition, we may have to postpone our trip.

I know we can't get a refund on the After Hours tickets but does anyone know if we can transfer them to a different date? For some reason I could swear somebody said they were able to do it.

I would just call and see what they can do for you.

 

[poodledogs55]

Just got some bad news. My friend's friend since kindergarten has cancer and had some kind of relapse and was just rushed to the ER this evening. Depending on the severity of his condition, we may have to postpone our trip.

I know we can't get a refund on the After Hours tickets but does anyone know if we can transfer them to a different date? For some reason I could swear somebody said they were able to do it.

I was able to do it! I had no problem when I called. They did mention that they could do it because I wasn’t canceling altogether. However, if that’s something you need to do, it won’t hurt to ask. But, just switching dates shouldn’t be a problem as long as tickets are available on your new date.

 

[cruisecrasher]

We booked our after hours tickets for March 1 and I chose to print ours out as paper tickets. Our tickets have numbers on them that say ticket number (and mid range double digit numbers) in the bottom right-hand corner. Do you think that’s how many they sold already for March 1?

 

[sbprincess]

I apologize if this has been answered already. Does anyone know when they will begin giving out the beverages and ice cream? Is it at 7pm or when the park officially closes to those without a ticket?

 

[mcurrence]

I apologize if this has been answered already. Does anyone know when they will begin giving out the beverages and ice cream? Is it at 7pm or when the park officially closes to those without a ticket?

Not until 8:00 or 9:00 depending when the party starts. They were pretty rigid with that.

 

[The_Big_Goof]

Don't mean to bog down the thread with personal questions about my trip, but I wanted to know if anyone had experience with dining at Jiko. I have an ADR at Jiko at 530 pm on the night of my DAH on 3/8. I did this because it is the only night Jiko fit in our plans and I have been dying to try it. I plan on getting to AKL around 5 so that I make sure I am seated promptly at 530 or earlier. I don't want to "rush" dinner, but I have no interest in making it a 2 hour experience either. Do I have enough time to go to Jiko for dinner and still make it to DAH around 7 pm for a FP to PP 615-715? Not the end of the world if I miss the PP FP, but I would be disappointed if I showed up to the park later than 730. Any information is greatly appreciated.

Also, I was considering visiting Sam's for happy hour before dinner and to get souvenir glasses. I am staying at the Contemporary, so I might have to stop there after dinner to drop off the glasses, or possibly use a locker at MK if time is tight. Anyone have any luck storing souvenir glasses from Sam's in a locker at MK? There will be 4 of us, so most likely 4 glasses. I read what GADisneydad said about the size of the box, but was curious if anyone tried to store them yet.

Thanks for all the info!

 

[IceQueen182]

Long overdue report back of DAH on Friday January 26. Our party was me, DH 6, my sister, and my mom. We had already had a fairly long day before the event (BBB and a few things in MK in the morning, afternoon at AK, then back to the GF before heading over to DAH - short trip so we packed too much in). We got a later start from AK than I had hoped, and didn't get into MK until HEA was ending. (We went to the event entrance line, and were given lanyards after they scanned our magic bands.) Arriving after 8 p.m. was a big mistake- getting into the park while everyone else was exiting was pure chaos! After that little snafu, though, the event was absolutely wonderful. Key takeaway- get there early!

We grabbed popcorn and ice cream at the popcorn cart near the hub, and went straight to space mountain. There was literally no one in line (I'll post a picture below). After that, it was great to tell DD that she could pick anything she wanted to ride. We hit pretty much every ride in Fantasyland other than 7DMT wait-free, grabbed more ice cream and popcorn, and rode Peter Pan (which had about a 10 minute wait) before walking over to Frontierland. We rode BTMRR with almost no wait 3 times in a row, and then rode Pirates with no wait.

DD had a GREAT time being able to ride pretty much everything as much as she wanted, and I was surprised she made it as late as she did. (My mom and sister were exhausted by 10.) But I was stressed about getting back to the GF after the monorail stopped running and having to deal with buses or walking with a cranky 6 year old. So we ran from Pirates around 10:20 and managed to catch what I believe was the last resort monorail at 10:30. (Someone can correct me if that's wrong, but that's what I was told at the time.) We were back to the GF and getting into bed by 11.

Overall, this was a great event and well worth it - even despite arriving late and leaving before it ended. We rode tons of rides and enjoyed the ease of a less crowded park, particularly because we were stunned by how crowded the parks had been all week. (Far worse than our November trip this year.) The popcorn and ice cream were fun late night snacks. I'd recommend bringing something you can put your Mickey bar in while riding rides like a ziploc bag, because I was bummed to have to throw them out partly eaten. Have fun if you go!

 

[IceQueen182]

Empty line for Space Mountain. Time stamp: 8:44 p.m., 1/26/18. The wait earlier in the day had reached 110 minutes.

 

[IceQueen182]

There are probably lots of these posted, but here is the back of the paper we were given when we entered the park.

 

[Arubaflower]

Now good news. My friend's friend has stabilized. Trip is back on. He said "We're going. My friend wouldn't have it any other way." Back to packing.

My flight is at 8:30 Monday morning. I am staying at an airport hotel tomorrow (we might have a little bad weather coming in and I didn't want to risk driving on icy roads in the wee hours). Can't wait.

 

[The_Big_Goof]

Just got some bad news. My friend's friend since kindergarten has cancer and had some kind of relapse and was just rushed to the ER this evening. Depending on the severity of his condition, we may have to postpone our trip.

I know we can't get a refund on the After Hours tickets but does anyone know if we can transfer them to a different date? For some reason I could swear somebody said they were able to do it.

Sorry to hear about your friend.

I purchased my DAH tickets the day after they went on sale at regular price. My parents (who will be visiting the parks with us) recently bought AP. The CM I spoke to over the phone had no problem cancelling the tickets I purchased a few months back so that my parents could buy our party's tickets at the AP discount about a week after I had cancelled my original tickets and received a refund. You should have no problem cancelling them or rescheduling if necessary.

 

[Haley R]

Now good news. My friend's friend has stabilized. Trip is back on. He said "We're going. My friend wouldn't have it any other way." Back to packing.

My flight is at 8:30 Monday morning. I am staying at an airport hotel tomorrow (we might have a little bad weather coming in and I didn't want to risk driving on icy roads in the wee hours). Can't wait.

That’s a good idea to stay over night! Our trip is at the end of February but it’s very possible we might have to do the same thing.