**Disney After Hours - Magic Kingdom** FAQ & Discussion Thread

[BrianL]

Well, I'll be there this week, though I don't like what I'm hearing. I deliberately got FP for POTC and Space so I wouldn't have to use event time for them (the overlays don't excite me that much), but I was hoping to be able to get a few rides in on BTTMR, Splash, etc. with little wait. I guess we'll see what happens. I plan to watch the 1 AM show, so the three hours will pretty much be all ride time (or attempted ride time). I'll chime in with the results.

 

[mamamelody2]

Boy, I sure do hope things calm down for the regular MK AH when they start back up! Not liking the reports coming in about these Villains events! We are going 8/29. (And if it does turn out to be awesome, we will go 9/5 also.)

 

[KangaFan]

Something's up. There's a bunch available on 8/1 in the evening. SDMT is the only one that isn't.

Edit: Is the system recognizing that you're using the VAH ticket? It sounds like you may have FPs scheduled before 6pm and it's assigning a regular park ticket to that day. Why that would matter, I don't know.

I already have my FPs, but was looking to change to another ride and it was offering a bunch of different times for things up until 6pm, but nothing after, so I'm afraid it may just have to do with the crowds expected on the 8th unfortunately.

 

[alex9179]

I already have my FPs, but was looking to change to another ride and it was offering a bunch of different times for things up until 6pm, but nothing after, so I'm afraid it may just have to do with the crowds expected on the 8th unfortunately.

Yeah, I was wondering if it's a glitch and the system is acting like it's a party night. To have nothing available after 6pm is just odd, even on a busy night.

Their system went wonky and wouldn't scan guest tickets in, today. I bet your issue is connected because the FP system also had issues.

 

[PolyRob]

I already have my FPs, but was looking to change to another ride and it was offering a bunch of different times for things up until 6pm, but nothing after, so I'm afraid it may just have to do with the crowds expected on the 8th unfortunately.

Do you have your 3 FP+ booked something like 6-7pm, 7-8pm, and 8-9pm and are you trying to modify one of them?

I have an AP and checked MK on 8/8 and there is plenty of availability past 6pm. When trying to modify a FP+, the FP+ system will not show any times that conflict. Only if you cancel a FP+ and then try to book again will it show you all the times and what conflicts. It is a very silly system.

 

[winnieofpooh]

Boy, I sure do hope things calm down for the regular MK AH when they start back up! Not liking the reports coming in about these Villains events! We are going 8/29. (And if it does turn out to be awesome, we will go 9/5 also.)

Same here. We're going 8/22 and I don't think I would've bought the tickets if it's the same experiences as we've been reading here. Hoping things calm back down to "normal" AH levels once the Villians part ends.

 

[KangaFan]

Do you have your 3 FP+ booked something like 6-7pm, 7-8pm, and 8-9pm and are you trying to modify one of them?

I have an AP and checked MK on 8/8 and there is plenty of availability past 6pm. When trying to modify a FP+, the FP+ system will not show any times that conflict. Only if you cancel a FP+ and then try to book again will it show you all the times and what conflicts. It is a very silly system.

Thanks for checking! That's so weird because I changed a couple of others for other parts of our trip and I was always able to see ones at the same time. Guess I'll have to see who wants to change and cancel and book one at at time since there's no way to know if there are 6 available at the same time. Thanks again for your help and its good to know that they aren't all booked!

 

[magickingdomprincess]

I was interested in doing a DAH at MK on Thurs 9/26. That is the "regular" DAH event, correct, not the Villains version? For some reason I could have sworn it was the Villains version but thinking I must have imagined that.

Also, to purchase tickets with either DVC or AP discount, do you just call and then see the tickets in your MDE? TIA!

 

[alex9179]

Thanks for checking! That's so weird because I changed a couple of others for other parts of our trip and I was always able to see ones at the same time. Guess I'll have to see who wants to change and cancel and book one at at time since there's no way to know if there are 6 available at the same time. Thanks again for your help and its good to know that they aren't all booked!

If you try to modify the one in that time slot, you'll see the available FPs.

 

[Mrjoshua]

I was interested in doing a DAH at MK on Thurs 9/26. That is the "regular" DAH event, correct, not the Villains version? For some reason I could have sworn it was the Villains version but thinking I must have imagined that.

Also, to purchase tickets with either DVC or AP discount, do you just call and then see the tickets in your MDE? TIA!

Regular. Villains ends in August.

 

[PolyRob]

Thanks for checking! That's so weird because I changed a couple of others for other parts of our trip and I was always able to see ones at the same time. Guess I'll have to see who wants to change and cancel and book one at at time since there's no way to know if there are 6 available at the same time. Thanks again for your help and its good to know that they aren't all booked!

You're welcome! It looks like everything except 7DMT, Journey of the Little Mermaid, PhilharMagic, and Monster's Inc has FP+ availability past 6pm.

 

[AngiTN]

Wow, wonder why some are so bad and others run so smoothly.
Our event on 7/18 was really on par with any DAH we'd done when it comes to wait times and lines for snacks. The only significant difference was leaving.
It was obvious many had opted to ride the entire time and then watch the final Villain show, and leave. This let you do everything extra at once, show, Maleficent on the street, and catch the villains on the train platform. This makes sense as it's a wise use of time. It made for a crowded walk down Main St to depart and a full bus but we didn't have a long wait at all. Or a standing room bus. Just full. They seem to be running a lot of buses.

Two more VAH events left, then back to regular DAH. I think from what I read/see on this thread, we’ll split future VAH events (if they are offered) into a separate thread.

Thanks as always for the many contributions to this thread!

Yes, 2 different threads for sure. Events are just too different to group together.

I do think it's important to differentiate DAH and VAH. I don't think the two can really be compared as similar events based on what we have seen to date.

That being said, I really don't know what to make of the 8/29 DAH date, and others around SWGE opening. Seems like it could be ripe for sell-out conditions (which by the way, shouldn't even be much of a concern even if it were to sell out based on most past events), or it could be awesome, I'm just not sure?

There are lots of conflicting things going on all over property... crazy early hours at DHS, DAK, and MK....tons of EMH hours... SWGE opening, MNSSHP parties. To me that could be a good set up for shifting guest demand and crowds around, but hard to tell.

And to me, avoiding the August sun is a major beneift!

I wondered about the events offered during the opening days of GE and came to the conclusion they are trying to spread out crowds and give folks who are shut out of the land a place to go and something to do.

 

[Mrjoshua]

I mean this respectfully, and not in a presumptuous way... I think people are making mistakes during these Villains After Hours events, and that the mistakes are leading to disappointment.

The most common complaint I've read is that VAH is not worth it, because not enough rides are ridden during the event. It's not for me to tell anyone how to enjoy an event, but there are a few personal choices that tend to coincide with the negative reviews. Those personal choices also seem to account for the most common complaint. I imagine, as a generalization of the complaint, someone typing, "We didn't ride very many rides", and then I discover (again generalized) clues as to why they did not.

"We left early": Several members talk about leaving early; midnight, 12:30, 12:50... etc. How can anyone expect to get full value out of something that is only 2/3 or 5/6 used? Even 10 minutes is still enough time to lineup for a favorite ride, or ride low wait rides twice.

”We attended the stage show, and/or watched Maleficent, before 1am": It could have been done after 1am, leaving the full 3 hours of event time to ride rides. Nothing wrong with choosing to do it earlier, but not the best strategy for maximizing rides.

"We got Magic Shots, or bought merchandise, or ate food, or got our faces painted, or watched Maleficent, or watched the stage show, or some combination thereof": Nothing wrong with wanting to do any or all of this, but a huge drain on ride time. Most of these are unique options during VAH, but I would liken it to eating at Casey's or shopping at the Emporium on a normal day, or during MK AH. Those choices detract from ride time. It's hard to maximize rides at VAH if you choose another priority or priorities... Unless of course, the other priorities are accomplished after 1am.

"We arrived after 10pm": Showing up late almost certainly guarantees less ride time. I would suggest arriving early to enjoy more rides and attractions at VAH.

"Haunted Mansion broke down": A popular ride going down can certainly eat up time, especially if you're stuck on it, or waiting in vain to board it. Unfortunately, that's just part of the theme park experience. My advice is do your best to keep moving. My first MK AH, both SM and 7DMT were down for the majority of the event. We still had a ball, and rode 14 rides despite missing both of those. We decided it was better to continue onto other things, as opposed to waiting for the possibility of quick fixes.

"20-35 minute wait times aren't low (as advertised)": I think this one is just flawed logic. I checked out MDE a little while ago, and saw the following wait times: 7DMT 130 minutes, Space Mtn 120 minutes, Splash MTN 120 minutes, HM 60 minutes, BLY Space Ranger Spin 60 minutes. VAH wait times appear to be, as advertised, low. I would argue that VAH wait times are dramatically low. Maybe not minimal (not advertised), or non existent (also not advertised) , but certainly low.

Bottom line, I think the key to riding more rides is to prioritize rides over distractors, and plan accordingly. Of course, it's always possible that the unforseen could happen; there are always exceptions. For those of you attending the last 2 events, I think you'll ride more if riding is your priority.

 

[provoaggie]

I mean this respectfully, and not in a presumptuous way... I think people are making mistakes during these Villains After Hours events, and that the mistakes are leading to disappointment.

The most common complaint I've read is that VAH is not worth it, because not enough rides are ridden during the event. It's not for me to tell anyone how to enjoy an event, but there are a few personal choices that tend to coincide with the negative reviews. Those personal choices also seem to account for the most common complaint. I imagine, as a generalization of the complaint, someone typing, "We didn't ride very many rides", and then I discover (again generalized) clues as to why they did not.

"We left early": Several members talk about leaving early; midnight, 12:30, 12:50... etc. How can anyone expect to get full value out of something that is only 2/3 or 5/6 used? Even 10 minutes is still enough time to lineup for a favorite ride, or ride low wait rides twice.

”We attended the stage show, and/or watched Maleficent, before 1am": It could have been done after 1am, leaving the full 3 hours of event time to ride rides. Nothing wrong with choosing to do it earlier, but not the best strategy for maximizing rides.

"We got Magic Shots, or bought merchandise, or ate food, or got our faces painted, or watched Maleficent, or watched the stage show, or some combination thereof": Nothing wrong with wanting to do any or all of this, but a huge drain on ride time. Most of these are unique options during VAH, but I would liken it to eating at Casey's or shopping at the Emporium on a normal day, or during MK AH. Those choices detract from ride time. It's hard to maximize rides at VAH if you choose another priority or priorities... Unless of course, the other priorities are accomplished after 1am.

"We arrived after 10pm": Showing up late almost certainly guarantees less ride time. I would suggest arriving early to enjoy more rides and attractions at VAH.

"Haunted Mansion broke down": A popular ride going down can certainly eat up time, especially if you're stuck on it, or waiting in vain to board it. Unfortunately, that's just part of the theme park experience. My advice is do your best to keep moving. My first MK AH, both SM and 7DMT were down for the majority of the event. We still had a ball, and rode 14 rides despite missing both of those. We decided it was better to continue onto other things, as opposed to waiting for the possibility of quick fixes.

"20-35 minute wait times aren't low (as advertised)": I think this one is just flawed logic. I checked out MDE a little while ago, and saw the following wait times: 7DMT 130 minutes, Space Mtn 120 minutes, Splash MTN 120 minutes, HM 60 minutes, BLY Space Ranger Spin 60 minutes. VAH wait times appear to be, as advertised, low. I would argue that VAH wait times are dramatically low. Maybe not minimal (not advertised), or non existent (also not advertised) , but certainly low.

Bottom line, I think the key to riding more rides is to prioritize rides over distractors, and plan accordingly. Of course, it's always possible that the unforseen could happen; there are always exceptions. For those of you attending the last 2 events, I think you'll ride more if riding is your priority.

I can see where you are coming from but I think the place that Disney really went wrong here was piggy backing off of the After Hours name. This wasn't a coincidence, it was a decision that they made. They even have it grouped with other After Hours events on their website. Prior to Villains, if you searched up reviews of Magic Kingdom After Hours you would see countless videos and reviews of people walking on pretty much every attraction in the park. You see pictures of them walking around with no one else in view. They built up the After Hours brand as an event where you could experience the park with no crowds. They may have slightly changed the terminology in the description but for people seeking out more information from reviews, they'd get bad information based on the event being radically different from every After Hours event that came first. Beyond that, some people had done other After Hours events and liked them so much that they wanted another one. I did Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom both and decided that was the way for me to visit a Disney park. I don't like crowds, I don't like lines and I don't like the sun beating down on me. After Hours was a fix for those 3 things for me. When I booked my trip, Villains was announced but hadn't started yet. I had no reason to believe that the event would be as bad as it was.

Beyond that, I didn't make the mistakes that you mentioned. I was in line at 6:15 to get into the park. We were among the first. We utilized our fast passes for before the park closed and honestly those were the shortest lines of the night. We did do 1 picture without a wait but we skipped the stage show altogether and happened to see Malificent while walking out at the end of the night but we stayed until the end. Haunted Mansion was our final ride and we got off at 1:05. We spend the entire night trying to just ride rides. We didn't waste any time with the other stuff yet we were still unable to accomplish our goal. Disney chose to piggy back the marketing of this event on a completely different type of event and that's where the disappointment is coming from. Had this event had a different name and had it been listed on a different page on their site from the other After Hours events then you wouldn't have the confusion that you have now.

 

[heath92681]

I mean this respectfully, and not in a presumptuous way... I think people are making mistakes during these Villains After Hours events, and that the mistakes are leading to disappointment.

The most common complaint I've read is that VAH is not worth it, because not enough rides are ridden during the event. It's not for me to tell anyone how to enjoy an event, but there are a few personal choices that tend to coincide with the negative reviews. Those personal choices also seem to account for the most common complaint. I imagine, as a generalization of the complaint, someone typing, "We didn't ride very many rides", and then I discover (again generalized) clues as to why they did not.

"We left early": Several members talk about leaving early; midnight, 12:30, 12:50... etc. How can anyone expect to get full value out of something that is only 2/3 or 5/6 used? Even 10 minutes is still enough time to lineup for a favorite ride, or ride low wait rides twice.

”We attended the stage show, and/or watched Maleficent, before 1am": It could have been done after 1am, leaving the full 3 hours of event time to ride rides. Nothing wrong with choosing to do it earlier, but not the best strategy for maximizing rides.

"We got Magic Shots, or bought merchandise, or ate food, or got our faces painted, or watched Maleficent, or watched the stage show, or some combination thereof": Nothing wrong with wanting to do any or all of this, but a huge drain on ride time. Most of these are unique options during VAH, but I would liken it to eating at Casey's or shopping at the Emporium on a normal day, or during MK AH. Those choices detract from ride time. It's hard to maximize rides at VAH if you choose another priority or priorities... Unless of course, the other priorities are accomplished after 1am.

"We arrived after 10pm": Showing up late almost certainly guarantees less ride time. I would suggest arriving early to enjoy more rides and attractions at VAH.

"Haunted Mansion broke down": A popular ride going down can certainly eat up time, especially if you're stuck on it, or waiting in vain to board it. Unfortunately, that's just part of the theme park experience. My advice is do your best to keep moving. My first MK AH, both SM and 7DMT were down for the majority of the event. We still had a ball, and rode 14 rides despite missing both of those. We decided it was better to continue onto other things, as opposed to waiting for the possibility of quick fixes.

"20-35 minute wait times aren't low (as advertised)": I think this one is just flawed logic. I checked out MDE a little while ago, and saw the following wait times: 7DMT 130 minutes, Space Mtn 120 minutes, Splash MTN 120 minutes, HM 60 minutes, BLY Space Ranger Spin 60 minutes. VAH wait times appear to be, as advertised, low. I would argue that VAH wait times are dramatically low. Maybe not minimal (not advertised), or non existent (also not advertised) , but certainly low.

Bottom line, I think the key to riding more rides is to prioritize rides over distractors, and plan accordingly. Of course, it's always possible that the unforseen could happen; there are always exceptions. For those of you attending the last 2 events, I think you'll ride more if riding is your priority.

Do you have a solid strategy for maximizing rides? Is there a particular order in which you would go?

 

[Mrjoshua]

Do you have a solid strategy for maximizing rides? Is there a particular order in which you would go?

Yes, I would start at one of the overlay rides, and line up for it around 9:50pm. This should allow you to hit the ground running at 10pm, and avoid a half hour wait during the event. From there, generally work your way over to the other side of the park. Ride rides multiple times if you like, but try to avoid retracing your steps between the rides; ride it however many times, and move on. Hopefully, you'll reach the second overlay ride between 11pm and 12am; usually the overlays have had lower wait times in the middle during the shows and the Maleficent dragon (we had a 5 minute wait once for Space Mtn Villains). After the second overlay, do nearby attractions (Jungle Cruise, Splash MTN, BLY Space Ranger Spin, TTA People Mover... etc.). Lastly, and if possible, line up for 1 last ride. Ring the last ride out of the night by getting in line no later than 12:59... It adds to your ride total, and extends your evening past 1am.

Obviously, this can be changed. If you want to avoid the overlay rides, it really doesn't matter where you start. I would still start at 1 side of the park, and work your way to the other. If you want to catch the 1am show and Maleficent, I would skip lining up late. Look for food and bathrooms that are along the way during your travels. Also, be flexible.

 

[Mrjoshua]

A little more strategizing while I'm thinking about it...
Eat beforehand if possible. If rides are your priority, free snacks may not be worth your while. Nothing wrong with eating ice cream while waiting in line, but we've miscalculated the timing before, and been held off of rides until our ice cream was gone. Also, the snack lines can be long at times. Avoiding or minimizing snacks will help to maximize ride time.

 

[Mrjoshua]

I can see where you are coming from but I think the place that Disney really went wrong here was piggy backing off of the After Hours name. This wasn't a coincidence, it was a decision that they made. They even have it grouped with other After Hours events on their website. Prior to Villains, if you searched up reviews of Magic Kingdom After Hours you would see countless videos and reviews of people walking on pretty much every attraction in the park. You see pictures of them walking around with no one else in view. They built up the After Hours brand as an event where you could experience the park with no crowds. They may have slightly changed the terminology in the description but for people seeking out more information from reviews, they'd get bad information based on the event being radically different from every After Hours event that came first. Beyond that, some people had done other After Hours events and liked them so much that they wanted another one. I did Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom both and decided that was the way for me to visit a Disney park. I don't like crowds, I don't like lines and I don't like the sun beating down on me. After Hours was a fix for those 3 things for me. When I booked my trip, Villains was announced but hadn't started yet. I had no reason to believe that the event would be as bad as it was.

Beyond that, I didn't make the mistakes that you mentioned. I was in line at 6:15 to get into the park. We were among the first. We utilized our fast passes for before the park closed and honestly those were the shortest lines of the night. We did do 1 picture without a wait but we skipped the stage show altogether and happened to see Malificent while walking out at the end of the night but we stayed until the end. Haunted Mansion was our final ride and we got off at 1:05. We spend the entire night trying to just ride rides. We didn't waste any time with the other stuff yet we were still unable to accomplish our goal. Disney chose to piggy back the marketing of this event on a completely different type of event and that's where the disappointment is coming from. Had this event had a different name and had it been listed on a different page on their site from the other After Hours events then you wouldn't have the confusion that you have now.

Let me start by saying that I'm sorry the event was bad for you and yours. I'm glad that you've enjoyed other AH events.

While I agree that a regular After Hours is probably better for the purpose of riding rides, I honestly didn't feel that Villains After Hours was drastically different. For example, someone else who went on July 11 was able to ride 13 rides, get snacks x 3, and watch the show and Maleficent. I compare that with my first MK AH in December. We rode 14 rides, and stopped for snacks x 2. My second MK AH was 12 rides. 13 lands right in the middle. The only reason I prefer rides at the original, as opposed to the Villains version, is less spectacle, and therefore less gawkers and congestion. People seem to keep moving at a regular MK AH. I don't think it's necessary to name it something else, because the numbers don't strike me as much different. People still experienced attractions with a reduced wait time.

 

[sjberg79]

I hear this but we were there from 6pm on and we were not wasting time on snacks. We'd get them and move on. And watching Maleficent literally took 5 minutes, we got there right as it started and she passed us right away and then we moved on. The only thing we did "wrong" was leaving at 12:30 but you can try taking my autistic ADHD 5 year old with you sometime and walk a few Disney miles in my shoes and then let me know what time you need to leave at. Also, have fun waiting in those "only 20-30" minute lines with him and then let me know what you think of them then. While you CAN request DAS even during events our own experience is when you do most of the cast members are not prepared for it and they will give you a super hard time so it's just better not to (even though I've spoken to guest services multiple times and they have assured me I can, my experiences have taught me not to during after hours, EMM, Halloween/Christmas parties because the cast members do not seem to be on the same page as guest services).

I know you didn't mean it disrespectful but it's easy to tell people about their "mistakes". I didn't make "mistakes", I'm an experienced Mother of a special needs child and I do all my planning around him and his needs and I booked this event based on what Disney was selling as a "low wait" event. I didn't find that here on the night we went. It sounds like others who were there the same night had a similar experience to us and they didn't even have a special needs child with them so *maybe* Disney just messed up on this one.

I mean this respectfully, and not in a presumptuous way... I think people are making mistakes during these Villains After Hours events, and that the mistakes are leading to disappointment.

The most common complaint I've read is that VAH is not worth it, because not enough rides are ridden during the event. It's not for me to tell anyone how to enjoy an event, but there are a few personal choices that tend to coincide with the negative reviews. Those personal choices also seem to account for the most common complaint. I imagine, as a generalization of the complaint, someone typing, "We didn't ride very many rides", and then I discover (again generalized) clues as to why they did not.

"We left early": Several members talk about leaving early; midnight, 12:30, 12:50... etc. How can anyone expect to get full value out of something that is only 2/3 or 5/6 used? Even 10 minutes is still enough time to lineup for a favorite ride, or ride low wait rides twice.

”We attended the stage show, and/or watched Maleficent, before 1am": It could have been done after 1am, leaving the full 3 hours of event time to ride rides. Nothing wrong with choosing to do it earlier, but not the best strategy for maximizing rides.

"We got Magic Shots, or bought merchandise, or ate food, or got our faces painted, or watched Maleficent, or watched the stage show, or some combination thereof": Nothing wrong with wanting to do any or all of this, but a huge drain on ride time. Most of these are unique options during VAH, but I would liken it to eating at Casey's or shopping at the Emporium on a normal day, or during MK AH. Those choices detract from ride time. It's hard to maximize rides at VAH if you choose another priority or priorities... Unless of course, the other priorities are accomplished after 1am.

"We arrived after 10pm": Showing up late almost certainly guarantees less ride time. I would suggest arriving early to enjoy more rides and attractions at VAH.

"Haunted Mansion broke down": A popular ride going down can certainly eat up time, especially if you're stuck on it, or waiting in vain to board it. Unfortunately, that's just part of the theme park experience. My advice is do your best to keep moving. My first MK AH, both SM and 7DMT were down for the majority of the event. We still had a ball, and rode 14 rides despite missing both of those. We decided it was better to continue onto other things, as opposed to waiting for the possibility of quick fixes.

"20-35 minute wait times aren't low (as advertised)": I think this one is just flawed logic. I checked out MDE a little while ago, and saw the following wait times: 7DMT 130 minutes, Space Mtn 120 minutes, Splash MTN 120 minutes, HM 60 minutes, BLY Space Ranger Spin 60 minutes. VAH wait times appear to be, as advertised, low. I would argue that VAH wait times are dramatically low. Maybe not minimal (not advertised), or non existent (also not advertised) , but certainly low.

Bottom line, I think the key to riding more rides is to prioritize rides over distractors, and plan accordingly. Of course, it's always possible that the unforseen could happen; there are always exceptions. For those of you attending the last 2 events, I think you'll ride more if riding is your priority.

 

[dancergirlsmom]

Thanks for checking! That's so weird because I changed a couple of others for other parts of our trip and I was always able to see ones at the same time. Guess I'll have to see who wants to change and cancel and book one at at time since there's no way to know if there are 6 available at the same time. Thanks again for your help and its good to know that they aren't all booked!

f

Take another look. I am attending Villains DAH that night and have three fast passes booked prior to the event. I just went out as if I was going to modify our 9pm fastpasses and everything was showing availability except 7DMT for rides which I already have a FP for anyway so it wouldn't show up even if there was availability.