aeryn said:
BriarRosie,
It may have changed to this. I know that in the recent past (2 years ago) you needed *both* an admission ticket and the hard ticket for the event.
As far as whether you'll be able to do both, the only ones who know is WDW and they'll tell you if you can/can't when you try.
I think the confusion seems to be whether you're inside the park prior to the
park closing around 6pm. If you are already at the park on a general
admission ticket that day, the hard ticket is proof of purchase, in order to
get the wristband to allow you to stay in the park while the cast members
clear the park of the day guests.
But when you enter the party after the day guests leave, all guests are
party goers, so they use their party tickets through the turnstiles to get in.
One fried told me she used the party ticket after 4pm, and the turnstile
accepted it. She got her wristband since she arrived earlier than the
park closing for the party, and she was one of the people herded into
a land while they cleared the day guests out of the park.
I think the 4pm strategy is terrific. It doesn't make a difference to me,
as I can use my AP to get in, but I think it's a great tip for those who use
multi-day passes (and didn't enter a park that day).