In an effort to create more experiences for guests to walk away with special memories, Disney does have a slew of after hours special events that guests can attend. These events are generally hard-ticket events meaning that they are an additional cost and not covered by regular park admission. Some guests may balk at this additional expenditure, but you shouldn’t! Here are our six reasons you’ll love Disney’s after hours special events!
1. Smaller Crowds
Disney does limit the number of tickets that are sold to these events, so crowd levels are never what they are on a regular day. Most of the special events that Disney holds are at the Magic Kingdom (Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and Disney After Hours). There are a few other events that happen at other parks (Star Wars Galactic Nights – Hollywood Studios) and H2O Glow Nights (Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon). Smaller crowds means less waiting in line and more time focused on the fun! So, the extra price tag soon becomes worth it since you aren’t battling the traditional hordes of other guests!
2. Characters
During most of these events, Disney has characters roaming the park and positioned in certain areas to allow guests to interact with them. Some of the characters are ones that guests see normally in the parks, but with their festive wear one, while others rarely are seen in the parks. During the Christmas party, our family was able to have their photo taken with all seven of the dwarfs at the same time! And, of course, Disney has PhotoPass photographers present with all of the characters so guests can pose for a photo and have a great souvenir of a fabulous time!
3. Free Food
As it relates to the three events at the Magic Kingdom, guests can expect to be regaled with tons of free food while dashing between the fun! During the Halloween party, guests can visit numerous spots throughout the park to go trick-or-treating. Guests are given their own small bag when entering the park to be able to collect all of their treats —guests are welcome to snack on their finds while waiting in line or days later! During the Christmas party, guests will be treated to a variety of warm and seasonally appropriate snacks — usually a multitude of cookies and other sweet treats. At the Disney After Hours event, guests were able to gnosh on unlimited popcorn, ice cream bars, and bottled drinks!
4. Merchandise
For the collectors out there, these special events are a great opportunity to find and collect event-specific merchandise. Guests will find pins, t-shirts, in some instances, special releases of Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom card game, and more. Disney will usually release previews of the merchandise available at these events before the party and guests can also find where to find the merchandise on the park maps that are distributed for the events!
5. Special Entertainment
Especially true for the holiday parties, guests will be treated to special entertainment options. In addition to special themed fireworks displays, guests also are treated to wonderful holiday parades. At the Halloween party, guests will see the phenomenal Boo To You Parade and at the Christmas party, guests will be able to see the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. Guests will love the characters who participate in the parades, as well as the wonderful music!
6. Rides Galore
Most, if not all, of the rides are open during these events, so guests have the ability to take a break from the fun to ride some of their favorites. While there are still wait times for the attractions, guests can expect to wait a sliver of the time they usually have to wait. We love sneaking in a few rides on our favorites during the parties — Splash, Space, and Big Thunder Mountains! It can also be a great time to ride some classic attractions that you may overlook on regular trips to the park!
Have you visited Disney World for any of these special events? Which is your favorite? Which are you dying to try for the first time?
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