Ticketed After Hour events are returning to Disney World parks but is it worth the money?
By Brian Miller
When the parks close for the night, there is a long walk back to your car or to the transportation that takes you back to your hotel. Aside from your feet hurting and your back aching, you find yourself thinking about what you wanted to do but forgot to do at any of the Disney World parks.
To purchase tickets to these closed events, guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel will be able to purchase tickets starting on November 7th. All other guests will be able to order theirs online a week later on November 14th. For resort guests, call 407-934-7639. All others will need to go to DisneyWorld.com on the 14th to make their purchases.
Included in your purchase will be free snacks and drinks at various locations in each participating park. Purchasing a ticket for any of the After-Hour events is not guaranteed or advisable on the day of the event as many will likely sell out prior to those dates.
Animal Kingdom is the only park that does not have an After Hours party.
Over at EPCOT, six nights will be open for After Hours if you will.
The cost to stay after the park closes ranges from $149 to $159 depending on the night. There is a $30.00 discount for Passholder and DVC members.
With the parks staying open later, guests at EPCOT can enter the park around 7:00 p.m. and stay after the park closes at 9:00 p.m. Ride times will be much shorter but does EPCOT provide enough to warrant the price?
Depending on what is open during those hours, it can be. Imagine if you could ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind as many times as you want in one night. Another long line that will be considerably shorter, or should be, is the Frozen ride at the Norway Pavilion.
EPCOT will be open from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on those select nights. Those nights currently are listed as Friday February 2nd, Thursday the 8th, Thursday the 15th, Thursday, March 7th, Thursday the 28th, and Thursday, April 4th.
Moving along to Magic Kingdom, prices are a bit different as they will range from $155 to $175 for guests and $125 to $145 for DVP and AP holders. Like EPCOT, the park will have special snacks and beverages provided as part of admission.
This years dates will begin on January 11th and run through April 8th.
- Thursday - January 11
- Monday - January 15
- Monday - January 22
- Thursday - February 1
- Monday - February 5
- Monday - February 12
- Thursday - February 29
- Monday - March 4
- Monday - March 18
- Monday - March 8
Should you attend this event? Magic Kingdom makes a lot more sense than EPCOT if we are being honest. There are a lot more attractions that guests can experience with little wait times. From Seven Dwarf Mine Ride to the new Tron: Light Cycle Run (likely will need a stand-by queue), the price of admission makes more sense if you are choosing one over the others. Like EPCOT, Magic Kingdom's hours will run from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Finally, you will have options to attend After Hours at Hollywood studios as well.
Hollywood Studios will get a jump on their After Hours events starting January 10th and will run to the 10th of April. Pricing is the same as Magic Kingdom. Dates are mostly going to take place on Wednesdays including January 10th and 24th, February 21st and 26th (Monday), March 13th, 20th, and 27th, and finally April 3rd and 10th.
According to BlogMickey.com Hollywood Studios' After Hours event will begin at 9:30 and run until 12:30 a.m. with early entry starting at 7.
Like Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios also makes a lot more sense than EPCOT. For those especially interested in partying it up at Hollywood after hours, you could start your day by parking at Hollywood but instead of going to the park, hop the Skyliner to EPCOT and enjoy the day there and then around 6:30 make your way back to Hollywood.
You can enter at 7:00 that evening as well so enjoy your time at EPCOT if you choose to do that first.