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

[HoneyHoneyPot]

Omg that’s great to hear! We have our cards so I think I’ll plan on getting there at 5 now! I wonder if they would let us get in at 4 with the cards?

It’s worth trying! I thought the same thing when we walked in at 5pm. We had a Jungle Cruise FP that ended at 5:15 and we hustled and got it in!

 

[MommaBerd]

Yes! Walked up and handed the cards to a CM who scanned them and told us several locations where we could get lanyards. None of them were correct but we used our FP and finally got the lanyards around 7pm.

Was this at the regular ticket entrances?

 

[HoneyHoneyPot]

Was this at the regular ticket entrances?

Yes!

 

[sequoia 14]

Had a great time last night! My awesome DH watched our girls so that I could ride "all the big kid rides" as we call them now.

Due to bedtimes i wasnt able to enter the park until 730, but getting the lanyard at the gate was super quick and easy. Tried to ride 7dwarfs but was turned away at 735. Rode peter pan instead. Hoofed it over to BTMR and rode 3x during the fireworks. Walked right by two very long lines for popcorn and got a frozen banana. Rest of the night looked like this:

HM (enjoyed seeing the tombstomes in the extended queue without anyone around)

Olaf bar

Swiss family treehouse (nice to walk at my own pace with no one in front)

Got popcorn/water at a deserted cart in adventureland. Realized i needed to sit and eat popcorn so I watched the tiki birds. This was a highlight! Only one other couple in there and the CM was hilarious as he clapped and danced along with the show.

Pirates

Jungle cruise (actually prefer a boat load of people on this one as i felt bad not laughing with the driver)

Sprite/strawberry bar food break

Aladdin carpets

Mickeys Philharmagic

SDMT x2 (4 min wait/6 min wait)

Tea party

Mickey sandwich ice cream bar break

Buzz

And then had to leave at 1030 to get back to my nursing 10 month old.

Had soooooo much fun just exploring on my own doing whatever i felt like doing on a whim. I came in with a sorta plan but wanted to experience the good ole days at disney where you just wandered and picked rides on the fly. Mission accomplished!

Also everyone from the park guests to the CMs were all in a great mood. Its amazing what a little less hecticness (is that a word?) does to add to everyone's enjoyment.

I was worried that not having the full time both before and after the event would dampen it but it didnt at all. We stayed at the contemporary to save time on the commute. Well worth the money and would absolutely do it again!

 

[April P]

Is anyone else not an AP and only going to DAH? We are staying on property but don't have AP or regular park tickets. We have Magic Bands and got cards in the mail. We got the cards before getting DAH tickets (we changed our regular tickets). What are the hard tickets I've read about? Since we aren't doing a regular Disney day, we want as much time as possible! Thanks! Going 2/8

 

[1st*toright]

Had a great time last night! My awesome DH watched our girls so that I could ride "all the big kid rides" as we call them now.

Due to bedtimes i wasnt able to enter the park until 730, but getting the lanyard at the gate was super quick and easy............

And then had to leave at 1030 to get back to my nursing 10 month old.

Had soooooo much fun just exploring on my own doing whatever i felt like doing on a whim. I came in with a sorta plan but wanted to experience the good ole days at disney where you just wandered and picked rides on the fly. Mission accomplished!

So awesome that you got some time to just enjoy by yourself. The baby phase is so intensive - I remember a few times when I made my escape and just did something I wanted to do without being encumbered by kids - felt so good and I came back refreshed and ready to mommy again. DAH would be the perfect activity for that! My kids are older, but I still love solo time in the parks, just doing the stuff I feel like doing without having to think about anybody else's needs for a few hours.

 

[sdomino11]

Last night was a blast! The last 45 minutes of the night were frigid, though! Here’s what we did:

Got in at 6. Rode HM and Pirates, then had dinner. At 7:40 we arrived to a pretty empty BTMR and rode six times in a row (once they let us stay on, the rest of the time we got off) including three times during fireworks.

We headed towards fantasyland and we DID see the Tangled photo opp. This was about 8:30.

Wait time for 7DMT was posted 30 min but it looked shorter so we got in line. It was a five minute wait. Got immediately back on and it was a six minute wait.

We headed to Pooh but it was down. So we went to space. Rode three times in a row. They wouldn’t allow us to stay on, despite the lack of people waiting to board, but they did tell us we could use the shortcut to board again.

Rode Buzz three times without getting off. It was totally empty. No one in the cars in front of or behind us.

The rest of my family headed back to space and I grabbed popcorn. Only two parties ahead of me in line.

Hopped on the speedway at 10:05 and rode twice. Pretty much no wait. (Which is the only way I’ll consider riding this!)

10:30 Little Mermaid, no wait.
10:43 7DMT, 7 min wait.
Hustled to PP, no wait. We got off the ride at 11 exactly.

They were already doing the kiss goodnight as we walked under the castle. We waited about ten minutes aboard the ferry for it to take off. Waited five minutes for the tram to head out. Were back at AKL by midnight. It was a wonderful night that my kids will remember for a long time, I’m sure! 18 rides in 3 hours!

 

[sequoia 14]

So awesome that you got some time to just enjoy by yourself. The baby phase is so intensive - I remember a few times when I made my escape and just did something I wanted to do without being encumbered by kids - felt so good and I came back refreshed and ready to mommy again. DAH would be the perfect activity for that! My kids are older, but I still love solo time in the parks, just doing the stuff I feel like doing without having to think about anybody else's needs for a few hours.

Agreed!!! I feel so refreshed this morning as we head back out to the parks again. Youngest DD hates the stroller so i usually have her strapped to me all day so i felt lightening quick last night.

 

[igrsod]

Just got walked off. Giving us ONE fastpass for tomorrow. Can’t use on PP or 7 dwarfs!!

That's not even worth it. Seriously

 

[OhhBother]

Well, we’re sitting at the airport about to head home after an amazing trip that included DVC Moonlight Magic, Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire, visits to all four parks and, of course, Disney After Hours!

We entered the park at 6 last night through the special event turnstiles. Got our lanyards and headed to Jungle Cruise, where we used a FP. Got a FP for Magic Carpets after scanning at Jungle Cruise, so we immediately went there. Cut through into Frontierland just in time for a showing of Country Bears, which was a hoot.

We then made our way over toward Big Thunder but were a little early for the fireworks. So we stopped in a little gift shop, and my husband and niece played a game of Checkers on a barrel. We then hurried over to Big Thunder and rode during the fireworks —magical.

After the ride, we made our way along the pathway by the water to Liberty Square. Stopped and watched the fireworks finale with a beautiful view and no one around.

Skipped Haunted Mansion, as we rode it during Moonlight Magic. We did notice the Tangled photo op was operational,but we didn’t want to wait in line. Jumped onto Peter Pan with no wait and then hit the carousel, Under the Sea, Dumbo twice and Barnstormer. Grabbed popcorn and drinks along the way.

Next up was tea cups, then ice cream, Astro Orbiter and then five consecutive rides on Buzz without getting off. We had fun being creative with the ride photo poses!

Headed back to Fantasyland and hit up Pooh, SDMT twice and the carousel again. By this time, it was 10:45. I wanted to end at Small World, but my 10-year-old niece hit a wall. So we headed to Main Street and got some beautiful photos during the Kiss Goodnight. Hopped on a nearly empty ferry back to our car and were in our villa at OKW by midnight.

So we hit right at 20 rides in five hours — taking plenty of time to stop for photos, snacks and just enjoying the ambience of a mostly empty park.

Disney After Hours is, by far, my favorite event at Disney. We loved it last year and loved it again last night. Looking forward to doing it again in 2019!

 

[hereforthechurros]

Great reports! Seems that each event has run smoother than the one before it. Rides breaking down throw such a wrench in the night; wish they had a way to get people off quickly when it happens.

We have hard tickets and will plan to head over at 5:00 pm next Thursday. If that’s a no go we will come back at 6:00 pm. Still a full two hours before event time so that’s wonderful IMO.

Couple of transportation questions:
-can you walk from TTC to WL after the event?
-does the monorail run from the Poly to MK or does it stop at TTC?

 

[Arubaflower]

Is anyone else not an AP and only going to DAH? We are staying on property but don't have AP or regular park tickets. We have Magic Bands and got cards in the mail. We got the cards before getting DAH tickets (we changed our regular tickets). What are the hard tickets I've read about? Since we aren't doing a regular Disney day, we want as much time as possible! Thanks! Going 2/8

Hard tickets refer to the actual tickets we received for DAH either via printing them or the cards in the mail. Instead of gaining entry using your magic band.

 

[Haley R]

Is anyone else not an AP and only going to DAH? We are staying on property but don't have AP or regular park tickets. We have Magic Bands and got cards in the mail. We got the cards before getting DAH tickets (we changed our regular tickets). What are the hard tickets I've read about? Since we aren't doing a regular Disney day, we want as much time as possible! Thanks! Going 2/8

We’re not an AP and are going to DAH on 3/1. We were sent DAH tickets in the mail. I think you had to click ship to home in order to get them. I’ve only used magic bands before but I think these look like normal park tickets but on the back say Disney after hours and the age that we bought the ticket for (even though they are the same price).

 

[MommaBerd]

to everyone who went last night and has given such fabulous reports!

 

[Haley R]

Is anyone brave enough to try using their dah card at 4? Just wondering how early we really could get in with those cards.

 

[hitchRALB]

@sdomino11 and @OhhBother - Glad to hear about the Tangled lanterns! Thanks!

 

[TropicalDIS]

Glad everyone else seems to have had fun too.

Brutal about peoplemover. Totally would be requesting more than one fastpass. That's precious after hours time.

One thing i noticed, my girlfriend had her lanyard hidden away under her sweater the entire night, not once was she asked to show it. Assume they were keeping an eye on things.

 

[MommaBerd]

Is anyone else not an AP and only going to DAH? We are staying on property but don't have AP or regular park tickets. We have Magic Bands and got cards in the mail. We got the cards before getting DAH tickets (we changed our regular tickets). What are the hard tickets I've read about? Since we aren't doing a regular Disney day, we want as much time as possible! Thanks! Going 2/8

I’m not sure what you mean by “we changed our tickets”. Did Disney exchange your one-day ticket to a DAH ticket? The hard tickets are credit card size plastic. I did receive mine in the mail, but I think others posted that they did not. Either way, is the ticket showing up in your MDE account?

 

[April P]

I’m not sure what you mean by “we changed our tickets”. Did Disney exchange your one-day ticket to a DAH ticket? The hard tickets are credit card size plastic. I did receive mine in the mail, but I think others posted that they did not. Either way, is the ticket showing up in your MDE account?

Yes, they changed my one day tickets to AH tickets. I figured it didn't hurt to ask. Of course it was more money It's on MDE Account, so I'm not worried about getting in. I was just hoping I had a way to get in before 6. I'm greedy with my Disney time, as most of us are Thanks for the responses!

 

[MommaBerd]

Yes, they changed my one day tickets to AH tickets. I figured it didn't hurt to ask. Of course it was more money It's on MDE Account, so I'm not worried about getting in. I was just hoping I had a way to get in before 6. I'm greedy with my Disney time, as most of us are Thanks for the responses!

Wow! I guess if it was more money, they were happy to do it! I wonder if the plastic tickets you received are void or if your DAH tix were assigned to them...It wouldn’t hurt to call and ask, if you have the time.