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

[Haley R]

I was thinking as long as they give an hour to get everyone with tickets in, it would work for us. I would hate to pay for those precious few hours and not get in until well after it already started. 4pm would be even better but I won't count on it. Thank you!

I'm hoping for 4 pm!

 

[Pdollar88]

Oh goodness. I convinced my friend to go with me on 1/26. So I'm taking an impromptu trip before my longer March visit. For "research."

 

[DisneyGuy]

I'm going February 8th! I hope it's as empty as i've been reading about. I'm wondering just how much we can actually do in 3 hours?? Do you make a plan? or just go with the flow? Probably won't have much time for food, but I hope to be able to walk on Haunted Mansion/Pirates a couple of times each with little to no wait - as well as Splash Mountain and the Mine Train. My concern is that the first hour is still going to be packed with people who haven't left yet. I'd hate to waste 30 minutes in line.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I'm going February 8th! I hope it's as empty as i've been reading about. I'm wondering just how much we can actually do in 3 hours?? Do you make a plan? or just go with the flow? Probably won't have much time for food, but I hope to be able to walk on Haunted Mansion/Pirates a couple of times each with little to no wait - as well as Splash Mountain and the Mine Train. My concern is that the first hour is still going to be packed with people who haven't left yet. I'd hate to waste 30 minutes in line.

Nice, I’ll get you added to the list!

In my experience, the three hours does go by very quickly. I didn’t make a plan - not sure if one is really needed unless you’re just an uber planner.

What’s hard to plan for is rides you may want to ride multiple times. We would somewhat randomly do things multiple times when the mood struck and/or it was easy to get back on. Three rides on Splash all of a sudden eats a bunch of time!

As far as the park clearing quickly... 2/8 is an 8-11 DAH night. HEA is scheduled for 8PM. I think this tends to help DAH guests because 1) a lot of day guests will be gathering in the hub well before 8PM to find a spot to watch, which naturally clears people from rides... and 2) people tend to leave right after the fireworks since they can’t do anything else.

While there certainly is some crossover time in that 8-8:45ish range, I didn’t find it bad at all on my day last year.

 

[DisneyGuy]

Nice, I’ll get you added to the list!

In my experience, the three hours does go by very quickly. I didn’t make a plan - not sure if one is really needed unless you’re just an uber planner.

What’s hard to plan for is rides you may want to ride multiple times. We would somewhat randomly do things multiple times when the mood struck and/or it was easy to get back on. Three rides on Splash all of a sudden eats a bunch of time!

As far as the park clearing quickly... 2/8 is an 8-11 DAH night. HEA is scheduled for 8PM. I think this tends to help DAH guests because 1) a lot of day guests will be gathering in the hub well before 8PM to find a spot to watch, which naturally clears people from rides... and 2) people tend to leave right after the fireworks since they can’t do anything else.

While there certainly is some crossover time in that 8-8:45ish range, I didn’t find it bad at all on my day last year.

Oh yeah I can imagine 3 rides on Splash can take a good amount of time - but time well spent! We have tickets for the day anyway, so I'm thinking we can show up around 5-6pm? and then just stay in the park? Definitely not going to watch the fireworks or anything as we'll save that for another night - this is all about rides for us. I might save the repeat rides for the end until we have to leave. Can you get in line right up until 11:00pm?

Really looking forward to this event - it's pricey but I hope it's well worth it.

 

[pitpat]

We have tickets for the day anyway, so I'm thinking we can show up around 5-6pm?

Even without tickets for that day, it looks like you can enter at 4pm. Can you save those tickets for another day? Or maybe go early and take a break at the resort before the event?

 

[Haley R]

Even without tickets for that day, it looks like you can enter at 4pm. Can you save those tickets for another day? Or maybe go early and take a break at the resort before the event?

We don’t know for sure if they will let us in at 4 pm yet. I’m hoping they will but no one knows yet.

I'm going February 8th! I hope it's as empty as i've been reading about. I'm wondering just how much we can actually do in 3 hours?? Do you make a plan? or just go with the flow? Probably won't have much time for food, but I hope to be able to walk on Haunted Mansion/Pirates a couple of times each with little to no wait - as well as Splash Mountain and the Mine Train. My concern is that the first hour is still going to be packed with people who haven't left yet. I'd hate to waste 30 minutes in line.

The best plan I’ve seen so far is to start in Adventureland and move clockwise. It seems like 7dmt should be left for last.

 

[TheFloatingBear]

BOOO TO YOU!!!!

Empty log splash photos are one the BEST parts about DAH!!!

I’m sure this has happened in the past, but a “second rehab” after an already extensive closure? Guess they want to have it open for the holidays then close it back down again. Grrrrrr.....

I had seen that and hoped it wasn't true but I hadn't really thought it all through - didn't think of empty log pictures because I haven't done DAH before.

 

[TheFloatingBear]

Nice, I’ll get you added to the list!

In my experience, the three hours does go by very quickly. I didn’t make a plan - not sure if one is really needed unless you’re just an uber planner.

What’s hard to plan for is rides you may want to ride multiple times. We would somewhat randomly do things multiple times when the mood struck and/or it was easy to get back on. Three rides on Splash all of a sudden eats a bunch of time!

As far as the park clearing quickly... 2/8 is an 8-11 DAH night. HEA is scheduled for 8PM. I think this tends to help DAH guests because 1) a lot of day guests will be gathering in the hub well before 8PM to find a spot to watch, which naturally clears people from rides... and 2) people tend to leave right after the fireworks since they can’t do anything else.

While there certainly is some crossover time in that 8-8:45ish range, I didn’t find it bad at all on my day last year.

Glad I saw this...I was wondering if the 8pm start and 8pm HEA would be a positive or a negative, but what you're saying makes sense. We may try to be up by BTMRT during HEA. One time my DD and I were on it during Wishes (just by accident) it was beautiful - a favorite memory!

 

[kmc8826]

I'm going February 8th! I hope it's as empty as i've been reading about. I'm wondering just how much we can actually do in 3 hours?? Do you make a plan? or just go with the flow? Probably won't have much time for food, but I hope to be able to walk on Haunted Mansion/Pirates a couple of times each with little to no wait - as well as Splash Mountain and the Mine Train. My concern is that the first hour is still going to be packed with people who haven't left yet. I'd hate to waste 30 minutes in line.

Really isn't any need for a plan. Other than what has been mentioned keep in mind that while doing rides like Haunted Mansion are fun they can eat up time. We did it last DAH and had to wait a bit because only one elevator was running.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Really isn't any need for a plan. Other than what has been mentioned keep in mind that while doing rides like Haunted Mansion are fun they can eat up time. We did it last DAH and had to wait a bit because only one elevator was running.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Do things that take more time or have longer pre-shows, but still lower crowds, before DAH. My general strategy is:
Pre-DAH (can maybe try to get day-of FPs as I will be in AK that morning):
Philharmagic
Pirates
Jungle Cruise
Haunted Mansion

During DAH
Splash
Big Thunder
7DMT
Peter Pan
Winnie the Pooh

Unsure, depends on timing and pre-DAH lines, but I will probably try to ride sometime that day
Peoplemover
Dumbo
Barnstormer
Mad Tea Party
Magic Carpets

Skipping
Space (too rough)
Buzz (I suck at it)
Little mermaid (identical to DLR)
Astro Orbitor (too slow to load)
Speedway (not so much fun since I have to drive so much anyways)

 

[famsen]

We bought our tickets tonight for 1/19. There will be four adults in our party and I am really getting excited!

 

[georgina]

I'm going solo on Feb 15! I will be visiting my newly retired sister in FL and decided to take a side trip to Orlando. How could I not? I have an AP burning a hole in my pocket!

 

[stink]

Are there any character meet & greets during After Hours Events ?

 

[Haley R]

Are there any character meet & greets during After Hours Events ?

I think the Princess Hall is open.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Are there any character meet & greets during After Hours Events ?

Princess Fairytale Hall and Town Square Mickey are open. That’s pretty much it. Can’t remember if there are any characters out at the dance party in Tomorrowland?

Part of me wishes they’d add a couple of rare character meets to increase the value / special appeal of the event.

 

[Haley R]

Princess Fairytale Hall and Town Square Mickey are open. That’s pretty much it. Can’t remember if there are any characters out at the dance party in Tomorrowland?

Part of me wishes they’d add a couple of rare character meets to increase the value / special appeal of the event.

I agree with this. I wish they would add some special characters.

 

[mcurrence]

Are there any character meet & greets during After Hours Events ?

I don't think they were any characters in the dance party-would love it too if they added some not so often seen characters

 

[stink]

Was Pete's Silly Circus Tent character meet & greet open during Disney After hours ?

Off topic, but I wish they would add Anna & Elsa to the Frozen Desert Party in EPCOT.

 

[bbangel]

For the characters it would be cute if they had some characters out in pj's - those outfits exist so it would be easy to do!