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

[AngiTN]

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!

You just buy them online and they are in MDE
No phone calls needed.

 

[Iowamomof4]

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!

Just make sure you are logged in and seeing the right price.

 

[preemiemama]

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 agree- I have DS 19 and we still didn't get as much done as I felt we could have! We also arrived at 6, had FP for before the party, and didn't waste a lot of time on snacks. We bought shirts prior to the start of the event, and we rode Splash around 9 because we knew it was a longer ride experience- and we wanted to maximize our time on other rides during the party. We had a plan and stuck to it for the most part. We did the Maleficent photo while waiting for 7DMT's line to go down (and I was in line for it while my DH and DS had a bathroom break and grabbed a snack). The rest of the time, we rode rides up until about 12:50 when we chose to find some Magic Shots.

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.

This was basically our plan. However, at 9:35 we got held up at BTMRR until just after 10 because a posted wait was less than the actual wait. And then Pirates was also posted at 15 but took us almost 30 just after 10.

We worked our way around to 7DMT because we'd planned to be in line around 10:45 to take advantage of the people watching 11:00 show instead of riding. Wait was still 45 minutes- and the CM stated that it was because they were "still clearing day guests from the line". This was when we tried PP- and again it was posted 5 minutes but took about 20. Did the magic shot, got snacks, then got in line for 7DMT at a posted 25, which was about accurate at that point.

After that, we headed to Space Mtn, since it was nearing the 12:00 show. We did stop for our passholder ornaments because it was on the way. That took less than 5 minutes because they were already bagged up and ready to go once we showed our passes and ID. Space was posted at 15 minutes, but the line was out the door and it wound up taking about 30-35 minutes. We did check again as we exited- the line was still out the door and now posted at 40 minutes, so no re-ride. We rode Buzz after that, and then headed off to get the Oogie Boogie and Hades Magic Shots. Could we have done one more ride at that point? Sure. But it still would have been only 6 vs. the 5 we did- still not a great deal. We had a plan, and followed it, being flexible where we could. And still only did 5 rides.

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.

I will concede to you that had we done "smaller" rides like Barnstormer, Teacups, Dumbo, Aladdin's Magic Carpets, etc., we could have done more than 5 rides. We did get snacks and Magic Shots x3 in short lines, and got our pass holder ornaments. We may have been able to squeeze in another ride or two had we not gotten the magic shots. However, I don't feel that we made a lot of "mistakes".

IMHO, Disney oversold the event and did not do a good enough job of clearing the day guests from the lines which resulted in a backlog during the party. This impacted wait times, and therefore our ability to be able to ride more "big" rides and get the full benefit from this event.

 

[PolyRob]

I am starting to put together a rough itinerary for my spring trip in preparation of ADRs. Do I tentatively schedule DAH at MK on Thursday (or even Monday)?

 

[KCSherri]

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 posted my review of the VAH from 7/25 - and it was a negative review. Let me state that I consider myself a Disney expert; I know all of the tricks, shortcuts, strategies, etc, to get the most out of my Disney day. With that said, I didn’t do ANY of these things that you mention - and yet still experienced significant wait times.

Leaving early? Nope. Daughter and I were one of the last ones out of the park.

Attended the show/watched Maleficent? Nope. Didn’t watch any of the shows; watched Maleficent at her 1:20 am show.

Magic shots? Face painting? Eating? Nope. Did none of the above. We are not into popcorn, or ice cream. Although we stopped for ONE minute at a cart to pick up bottles of water.

Arrived after 10:00 pm? Nope. We were there for an 8:00 am PPO BOG breakfast.

Haunted Mansion broke down? Yes. We were IN THE LINE right by the door - when it broke down. And because we didn’t KNOW it was down - no announcement, no notice - we spent 30 minutes here. 20 minutes of that was spent winding our way to get to that point; 10 minutes were spent AT THE DOORS, wondering if/when they would open to let us in.

And I am going to disagree with your comment on low wait times. I have attended NUMEROUS DAH’s for MK, HS, and AK. In every other case, wait times were 10 minutes at the most. I could ride 12-13 rides at MK at a single DAH event in the past. Getting six rides - for $139 - was frustrating. In my opinion, this event is more similar to a rope drop opening at the park - yes, lines are better than they will be at noon - but they are not “low.”

 

[AngiTN]

And I am going to disagree with your comment on low wait times. I have attended NUMEROUS DAH’s for MK, HS, and AK. In every other case, wait times were 10 minutes at the most. I could ride 12-13 rides at MK at a single DAH event in the past. Getting six rides - for $139 - was frustrating. In my opinion, this event is more similar to a rope drop opening at the park - yes, lines are better than they will be at noon - but they are not “low.”

Problem is there's not one definition to low. Figuring out what low means is like nailing jello to a wall.
Everyone's got a different threshold of what they view as "low"
You didn't view them as low but someone else could have.
Even if they are higher waits than DAH that doesn't mean they aren't someone's definition of low. Especially if you are comparing a 30 min wait to a 90 min wait during park hours.

 

[DVC92]

IMHO, Disney needs to stop being $$$ greedy and return to the old days. Enough of this closing parks early, reducing or eliminating EMH, and having a ridiculous number of nighttime paid events. It wasn't that long ago that MK would be open to midnight with EMH until 3 in the morning. Also, there were at least 2 EMH at MK during the week. They have also eliminated the nighttime parade. In August , MK is closing at 10 most nights with one 2 hr EMH. It should be open until at least midnight in the summer. Also, they are already starting the Halloween parties in August with early MK closing. No wonder one cannot get on a sufficient number of rides.

 

[cmsb]

We attended VAH on 7/25. The only other AH event that we have attended was at HS.

First the positives:

• The atmosphere was awesome! My kids loved the DJ at the castle and the lighting throughout the park. It definitely had a party vibe and felt different from just staying late at the park.
• We really enjoyed the villains show. The projections on the castle always fascinate me and I loved how they changed them for each villain. My kids liked seeing some characters that they don't normally get to see in the park.
• The magic shots were some of the best photos that we took all week. The lines for the photos were pretty non-existent after the first 30 minutes of the event. They were definitely worth getting!

The negatives:

• The event felt quite crowded. We knew going into it that there were be a decent sized crowd, but we were not expecting as many people as there were. We were hoping to at least walk through the lands without bumping into other people, but that did not happen (at least not for us).
• The lines were longer than we expected for most of the rides. I understand that they were still shorter lines than during the day. However, during the day we are able to go from fastpass to fastpass and barely wait in line at all. I know that sounds ridiculous with wait times at 20 minutes, but it seemed like we are able to get much more done during the day with fastpasses.
• Wait times were not always accurate. When we got in line for Pirates at the start of the event, the wait time was posted at 10 minutes. It wound up being closer to 25. Conversely, Buzz was listed as 25 all night, but was walk on. Had we known that, we would have rode it sooner!

At the end of the night, we all agreed that we would not do this particular event again. The live Pirates in POC were neat, but not worth the 25 minute wait. The theming and show were great, but not something we would need to see again. And none of us can eat enough ice cream (despite our best efforts) to make the ticket price worth it.

 

[Mrjoshua]

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.

Sorry for striking a nerve... Obviously you should raise your child as you see fit. I make no claims as to child rearing. I've been to Disney World multiple times with my special needs niece, so I'd like to think that I've walked some Disney miles in similar shoes. I'm not critiquing your choices, needs, or limitations. I'm simply criticizing your critique of the event.

You say you only got 4 rides. I say leaving half hour early, getting out of a line after waiting, watching Maleficent, and getting in snack lines did not help your ride total.

The mistake is one of logic. For example, if I attend an event with my mom, whose knees are bad, I should expect to get to less rides than if she had not attended. If after waiting in line for 20 minutes, the ride suddenly breaks down, I should know that extenuating circumstances decreased my ride total. If I arrive late, I should realize that doing so most likely cut into my ride time.

I would take responsibility for what I was responsible for, and account for the situations that led to the ride total, rather than saying the event is "BS", or feeling that I'm being squeezed, or stating that "Disney just messed up on this one".

Subjective or no, VAH is still a "low wait event". The wait times weren't higher than normal. Times across the park weren't on par with the average wait time. Nor were they slightly less than normal. Overwhelmingly, rides were typically less than half the usual wait. That is demonstrably low. It may not be to your liking, but the wait times are indeed measurably and provably lower than usual.

 

[sjberg79]

Sorry for striking a nerve... Obviously you should raise your child as you see fit. I make no claims as to child rearing. I've been to Disney World multiple times with my special needs niece, so I'd like to think that I've walked some Disney miles in similar shoes. I'm not critiquing your choices, needs, or limitations. I'm simply criticizing your critique of the event.


Subjective or no, VAH is still a "low wait event". The wait times weren't higher than normal. Times across the park weren't on par with the average wait time. Nor were they slightly less than normal. Overwhelmingly, rides were typically less than half the usual wait. That is demonstrably low. It may not be to your liking, but the wait times are indeed measurably and provably lower than usual.

How nice of you to take your niece all by yourself and take care of her like that, it must be nice for her parents to get a break.

I've done other After Hours events... this one was not even close. This felt more like a Holiday party crowd than it did an After Hours event. After Hours usually is like walking on to rides or waiting maybe 5 minutes. Holiday parties you are going to be waiting 20-30 minutes. I can go in circles with you over and over again but were you even at this? Were you there? I'm not backing down, this event was not low wait. And I wasn't going to complain to Disney about it but you've got me wasting so much time arguing with you about this that I might as well call them up and submit my photos of their long lines to them. Thank you for inspiring my spite Have a wonderful day!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

This thread and prior DAH threads have been a happy home for anyone to share experiences, reviews, thoughts, questions, etc on the Disney After Hours series of events.

No need to debate why someone’s feelings about their experiences are right or wrong - we all view these things through our own lenses and make choices with how we want to spend time during the event at our own discretion. There is no right or wrong way to do these events, just like there is no right or wrong way to do Disney.

Time to move on.

 

[Mrjoshua]

How nice of you to take your niece all by yourself and take care of her like that, it must be nice for her parents to get a break.

I've done other After Hours events... this one was not even close. This felt more like a Holiday party crowd than it did an After Hours event. After Hours usually is like walking on to rides or waiting maybe 5 minutes. Holiday parties you are going to be waiting 20-30 minutes. I can go in circles with you over and over again but were you even at this? Were you there? I'm not backing down, this event was not low wait. And I wasn't going to complain to Disney about it but you've got me wasting so much time arguing with you about this that I might as well call them up and submit my photos of their long lines to them. Thank you for inspiring my spite Have a wonderful day!

Thank you!

Glad I could help. I hope things work out better on your next visit, and I hope you have a great day also.

 

[ninafeliz]

Has anyone who had an AP and attended the nights prior to them having the special AP ornament successfully gotten one in the mail? I did an online chat a couple of weeks ago and was told (incorrectly I suspect) that they were mailing them out to everyone in that situation. I thought I had read that some people called and had them mailed. I'm trying to decide if i care enough to call the AP line and attempt, or if I should just figure we missed out. I know a call isn't a big deal, but I hate making them and suspect I'll be told no and that will just irritate me since i thought it was possible, so I thought I would ask here first.

 

[123SA]

I don’t understand the getting in line for pirates at 950. Get in the standby line? Or hang near the FP line?

 

[HopperFan]

I don’t understand the getting in line for pirates at 950. Get in the standby line? Or hang near the FP line?

If you are a day guest and you wait to get in the Standby Line of Pirates just before park closing (as is allowed) then you were pretty much guaranteed to get to see the live pirates that are provided for those who paid big bucks to see them. Then the line continued to be LONG all night.

On this one I think they should close the line early for "maintenance" "event conversion" so that it was clear of day guests. Same with Space Mountain.

It was simply too easy for non-paying guests to enjoy components many paid dearly for ... Disney needs to clear the park as this was more like a party than it was a normal DAH.

 

[AngiTN]

I don’t understand the getting in line for pirates at 950. Get in the standby line? Or hang near the FP line?

There's a place where the let everyone attending VAH gather separately from the regular line. You can stand there till they've made the switch over to the special version. The CM will direct you, just ask

 

[KangaFan]

Does anyone know if Villains guests were allowed to use the FP line for Pirates once it's switched?

 

[Haley R]

Does anyone know if Villains guests were allowed to use the FP line for Pirates once it's switched?

They created a whole new line for VAH guests when we went

 

[KangaFan]

They created a whole new line for VAH guests when we went

Did you get to bypass the regular line then?

 

[Haley R]

Did you get to bypass the regular line then?

I believe what they did was load the opposite side with just VAH guests. I might be wrong but I think that’s what happened. So they used one side for day guests and loaded the other side with VAH guests