Whit and I attended Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom Park on President’s Day (one of the busiest days of the Disney year!) and had such a marvelous time!! After Hours is a limited-capacity nighttime event that requires a separate ticket. Running from 10:00 PM – 1:00 AM, I think it is perfect for families with teens or adult-only groups. The lines are SHORT, the snacks are included and magic abounds!
In addition to Magic Kingdom, After Hours Events are also available in Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Typhoon Lagoon. I consult with all of my clients on whether or not these events are a good fit for their family and work them into their custom itineraries in a way to maximize time, money and FUN.
We started our evening with an 8:30 PM dinner at Whispering Canyon, a sit down restaurant at our resort.
We headed to the doc for the boat to Magic Kingdom around 9:45 PM and had just missed one so we didn’t actually make it to our first attraction until 10:30 PM. We did catch the Electric Water Pageant on Bay Lake, which was magic.
We were a little bummed to miss out on a half hour of the 3 hour event but it made NO difference in the end. We had plenty of time to do all the things. Arriving late, we breezed through the turnstiles and got our wristband for the event.
There are more than 20 attractions available during After Hours. Here’s what we did:
- Jungle Cruise
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Haunted Mansion
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (longest posted wait at 35 minutes; actual was 24)
- Mad Tea Party
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- People Mover
- Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin x2
- Meet Mickey Mouse
Main Street “Crowds”. :-)
The only thing we didn’t get to do was Space Mountain because it had broken down. BUT, we went through it on People Mover and got to see inside with the lights on for the first time ever. SO cool and super scary.
Wait times at 11:16 PM…
Ice cream, drinks and popcorn are all included in unlimited quantities. We enjoyed it all – and at a leisurely pace by sitting on a bench. :-)
We also took time to stop for photopass photographers to capture the night.
We did everything on our list and were out of the park before 1AM! It was such a FUN night!
Let’s Travel & My Services
As a Premier Level Advisor with Glass Slipper Concierge, I am recognized for providing the highest level of customer service, experience, and knowledge in the industry. I use my personal connections and firsthand expertise to craft bespoke Disney trips for the most discerning clients. On top of that, Disney vacations are expensive and I know how to get the best value for your time and money. If you’re looking to travel to Disney any time in 2023, NOW is the time to plan!
Most aspects of planning a Disney vacation look different and now, more than ever, it is crucial to have the most current, up to date information based on personal experience to plan your vacation. I travel to the theme parks monthly and have stayed in every single resort from coast to coast! I tour the parks the way you will be touring the parks – whether it is a “best day ever” on VIP Tour, strategizing on Genie+, or waltzing onto attractions with Express Pass, you won’t find a travel advisor with more passion or first hand experience. Let’s go there!
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What is the earliest you can enter for this special event? We are going to MK on Monday for a normal park day and I was wondering what time it will start to get crowded. I’ve done Vlians after hours and remember getting in early,
I think 7PM.
This sounds like fun! How long are they running the After Hours program?
Dates through June, depending on the park!