After Hours is now available at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios parks as well thanks to the company’s recent expansion!
So it is no secret that I adore Disney, but I am aware that the expense of going there can be a burden for many families. As much as I enjoy the opportunity to cover these events, I always ask myself, “Okay, so what would the cost be?” and ask myself whether or not the special event ticket is worth the money. In most cases, the answer to questions like “Will you be attending the Very Merry or Not So Scary?” is a hearty “Yes,” but in this case, I was really apprehensive, and I will explain why:
You may stay in the park for three hours after it shuts for a total cost of $125, during which time you can consume as much ice cream, popcorn, and beverages as you like. The first thing that went into my head was, “Wow, $125 for three hours? Therefore, after taxes are taken into account, that comes to a little more than $500 for my family of four. It doesn’t seem like it would be worth it because there’s not much you can accomplish in three hours.
It turns out that in that span of time, you can get A LOT, as in a lot, accomplished. Permit me to walk you through the events of my night and explain what led to my decision to no longer attend the After Hours event.
1. NO CROWDS
So while there is a limited number of tickets sold to help keep the crowd low, when I say the park felt empty, it felt like we had the park to ourselves
After taking this shot I walked down the place with my arms outstretched because I could and not worry about bumping into anyone. I went with my sister-in-law (SIL) and we both said that we maybe saw 100 people the entire night. Which for the park size is pretty impressive.
2. NO WAIT ON RIDES
The fact that there were wait times of no more than five minutes for rides is unquestionably a positive aspect of the pricing, and this holds true even for the more popular rides in the park, such as Flight of Passage, which the previous time I attended had a wait time of five hours. 5…yes, there was a wait of 5 minutes when it was After Hours. There was a time in the night when it was just my sister-in-law and I in our room. There were other people on the journey, but they let us choose where we wanted to go, so we felt we may as well spread out because we had the opportunity to do so.
The following candies and snacks were available for purchase: ice cream sandwiches, popcorn, fruit pop, a variety of popsicles, and beverages (soda and water). You can purchase food that is typically available, but only at certain establishments that are open during the after hours. You won’t run out of things to do in the three hours that you’re going to be there.
AWESOME VIEWS
So this is for the shutterbugs or those that just want to get an awesome selfie at their favorite spot in the park. The best part of After Hours and having no huge crowds are the uninterrupted views like the view of Expedition Everest at night is amazing.
Overall Thoughts
It was absolutely worth it, absolutely worth it, absolutely worth it! Every preconceived notion I had going into this has been completely debunked. Even though we were unable to visit certain stores and attractions because they were closed during the After Hours event, we were still able to accomplish more than we would have during the day. Being able to enjoy the park without having to contend with crowds and wait times brought back memories of a childhood fantasy in which I was allowed to stay in the park after it had closed. I have a feeling that we have started a new custom in the family.
What To Know Before You Go
How early can I enter the park?
Guests with Disney After Hours tickets can enter the park at 7:00 PM every event night.
What are the hours?
The event takes place from 8:30 PM to 11:30 PM
Tickets to this special event can be purchased online. Or call 407-939-7795 or visit any Walt Disney World ticket window.
Hey! I’m Julia, the girl behind the blog. I am a Long Island living’ dog lover and taco enthusiast. Here you’ll find posts about fitness, travels, my life, and my guy. Feel free to stay awhile.
