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

[anomamatt]

When you did space did you get to stay on or did you have to walk all the way around?

We had to exit and walk around.

 

[Lesley Wake]

I know we've been hearing transport back to Magic Kingdom resorts is a nightmare. Did anyone go all the way back to AKL? I'm trying to figure out how many other resorts will share that bus. Leaning towards probably walking to Contemporary and taking an Uber (or a Minnie Van, but don't know their availability).

 

[1st*toright]

I feel like the dessert party was a mistake because we could have been using the lanyard as a FP between 7-8 and riding rides before and during the fireworks. I’m not sorry we watched the fireworks. I had never seen them before and thought they were absolutely amazing. But we should have done the dessert party on a different night. Oh well.

Thanks for the intel - I just cancelled our dessert party for our DAH night. Now that it seems likely we won't get in until 7 (I have an AP, but my DD doesn't), it seems like doing a party that night would take up too much time/reduce our flexibility. If we can find a good spot for HEA when we get there (once we get in to the park, maybe get in a ride or two and then head to the hub) we will watch the show. If it seems like we will get bogged down in the crowd if we do fireworks, we will ride either BTMRR or Dumbo and watch the fireworks that way! Better to be able to decide on the fly.

A big thanks to everyone who posted about their experiences!

 

[summerlvr]

I'll be there on 1/30, can't wait! Making a special trip down just for this. I have an AP, so no worries with getting in to MK early, but sure do hate the thought of having to completely exit the park to get the lanyard and then fight fireworks crowd to get back in. I hope they change that and start handing out the lanyards somewhere inside the park for those of us who come earlier than 7.
Do you get any other information with the lanyard like a map with open attractions? Also, how do you know where the snack carts are? Thanks!

 

[hcap1j]

I know we've been hearing transport back to Magic Kingdom resorts is a nightmare. Did anyone go all the way back to AKL? I'm trying to figure out how many other resorts will share that bus. Leaning towards probably walking to Contemporary and taking an Uber (or a Minnie Van, but don't know their availability).

We were at AKL. The bus situation was just like an ordinary park day. We had a 10-15 minute wait for a bus to arrive, shared with Kidani and Jambo. We left the park on the late side and everyone on our bus had a seat.

 

[wootejl]

Sounds like there were some transportation frustrations the night of the first DAH. My husband and I have a 4:15 Ohana reservation the night of DAH (3/1), and were originally planning on driving either straight to the Poly or to the TTC from our resort (POFQ), then taking the monorail over to MK for DAH, then doing the reverse to get back to the resort afterwards. Since it sounds like the monorails were not running after DAH, what would be the best strategy for transportation? Maybe drive to MK, monorail to Poly for dinner, monorail back to MK for DAH, then drive back to the resort after?

 

[TropicalDIS]

Thanks for all the reports from the first night! Sounds like Disney did not have their stuff together. Hopefully things run smoother this Friday for the next one.

Reports have left me a tad disappointed so far, not being able to enter at 4 is very disappointing and i hope that changes.

Was there last year and it was amazing. Did 16 rides in between 8 & 11. Timed our trip this year so we coule get to one of the after hours nights. Going on the 30th of this month, so looking forward to hearing what the group from Friday has to report!

 

[mcurrence]

We were at AKL. The bus situation was just like an ordinary park day. We had a 10-15 minute wait for a bus to arrive, shared with Kidani and Jambo. We left the park on the late side and everyone on our bus had a seat.

Thanks for this...we're staying at Kidani, did it make any other stops? Maybe because it's so out there- there's really no other hotel to group it with? Hoping for the same!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Thanks for this...we're staying at Kidani, did it make any other stops? Maybe because it's so out there- there's really no other hotel to group it with? Hoping for the same!

Yeah, me too! Crossing my fingers and I guess I can save that $ for more merchandise!

 

[mlbrv]

question - i have a dinner rez @ skipper canteen @ 6:15. when i bought the DAH tix i assumed i'd be able to pick up the lanyards at 4 when i got to the park. but reading these posts it seems like this year they aren't giving out lanyards until 7. if we are eating dinner, could my husband take all our magic bands (or i have the plastic tix as well) and go pick up our lanyards? do we all have to be present?
i'm just trying not to cancel our dinner rez as i was excited about trying this restaurant!
thanks!

 

[CarolynFH]

Sounds like there were some transportation frustrations the night of the first DAH. My husband and I have a 4:15 Ohana reservation the night of DAH (3/1), and were originally planning on driving either straight to the Poly or to the TTC from our resort (POFQ), then taking the monorail over to MK for DAH, then doing the reverse to get back to the resort afterwards. Since it sounds like the monorails were not running after DAH, what would be the best strategy for transportation? Maybe drive to MK, monorail to Poly for dinner, monorail back to MK for DAH, then drive back to the resort after?

Parking for MK is at the TTC, so I would drive to MK Parking (TTC), walk or take the Resort Monorail to Poly (it's right next door to TTC), monorail or resort launch from Poly to MK, then after DAH take the ferry or monorail to TTC and your car. The ferry will likely be crowded after DAH too, so taking the bus from POFQ to MK and then monorail or resort launch to Poly for dinner followed by monorail or resort launch to MK and bus home after DAH might work just as well! (PS the resort launch between Poly and MK serves the GF as well and runs MK to GF to Poly to MK.)

 

[hereforthechurros]

Thanks for the in depth reports everyone! Does anyone remember what, besides ice cream/popcorn carts, were open for food? And what stores on Main street stayed open?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Doing some updating to Post #1 - if anyone would like to contribute pictures of the lanyards (front & back) and a picture and/or scan of the DAH handout, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[MermaidMommy]

question - i have a dinner rez @ skipper canteen @ 6:15. when i bought the DAH tix i assumed i'd be able to pick up the lanyards at 4 when i got to the park. but reading these posts it seems like this year they aren't giving out lanyards until 7. if we are eating dinner, could my husband take all our magic bands (or i have the plastic tix as well) and go pick up our lanyards? do we all have to be present?
i'm just trying not to cancel our dinner rez as i was excited about trying this restaurant!
thanks!

Someone posted earlier that she had to bring her whole family with her to get their tickets.

 

[nancy155]

I've been saying "no I shouldn't, but yes I should" to the Nautilus for like... two years now. I'm such a huge 20k Leagues fan, ehehe. But it's really good to know about the box. Maybe I should save my sanity and my dollars and get a smaller drink while just toasting to the sub, instead. Thank you so much for the info!

I'm going on March 30th. I think it'd be super-fun to have a pre-DAH party! We have a reservation for tea at the Grand Floridian, then we were going to head over.

It would be fun to have the pre-DAH drink, however I am going on 2/15. Have a great time!

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

How was the popcorn "served"? If I bring a refillable popcorn bucket, would they fill that?

I never thought about riding Dumbo during the fireworks! That's brilliant! I'm definitely going to do it this!

They would not fill our bucket. They had to give us a normal container, I am guessing to keep count.

We then dumped it in our bucket so we could use the lid, while we were on rides.

 

[IceQueen182]

Looking forward to DAH on Friday!!! I'm worried about getting back to the GF - has anyone heard whether the ferry or monorail will be running this time? Based on the times guide, it looks like the monorail stops running at 10:30... Thanks!

 

[mcurrence]

Looking forward to DAH on Friday!!! I'm worried about getting back to the GF - has anyone heard whether the ferry or monorail will be running this time? Based on the times guide, it looks like the monorail stops running at 10:30... Thanks!

Last year the ferries only went back to the TTC not the resorts .. it seems they haven’t improved ttransportation this year so your only Option is by bus-unless you get a Uber or cab from the ttc. Monorails won’t run after the event

 

[rosysubmarine]

Last year the ferries only went back to the TTC not the resorts .. it seems they haven’t improved ttransportation this year so your only Option is by bus-unless you get a Uber or cab from the ttc. Monorails won’t run after the event

If you don't mind walking, you can walk to the Poly from the TTC and then walk to the GF from the Poly... unless those pathways close for some reason

 

[Zachary Friess]

question - i have a dinner rez @ skipper canteen @ 6:15. when i bought the DAH tix i assumed i'd be able to pick up the lanyards at 4 when i got to the park. but reading these posts it seems like this year they aren't giving out lanyards until 7. if we are eating dinner, could my husband take all our magic bands (or i have the plastic tix as well) and go pick up our lanyards? do we all have to be present?
i'm just trying not to cancel our dinner rez as i was excited about trying this restaurant!
thanks!

My wife and I had to exit the park at the turnstiles and scan into the park with magic bands and fingerprints and then they gave us the lanyard.