News 'Disney After Hours' ticketed event

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
Ha! Me too! I'll have to move somethings around.

Does anyone know if they let us plebs shop on Main Street at the start of the event, or are we actually shooed away?

At official start, 7 PM, you can't purchase anything without the party night wristband. It's not only to discourage folks without the ticket to stay to watch the parade and fireworks and castle show, but to prevent them from buying the merch and food exclusive to the party.

I don't know with the new regime of ending regular guests' day at 6 PM even though the party starts at 7 PM if you can buy anything between 6 - 7 PM. You can stay to watch the Frozen castle-lighting show at 6:15 PM, though.
 

The_Jobu

Well-Known Member
At official start, 7 PM, you can't purchase anything without the party night wristband. It's not only to discourage folks without the ticket to stay to watch the parade and fireworks and castle show, but to prevent them from buying the merch and food exclusive to the party.

I don't know with the new regime of ending regular guests' day at 6 PM even though the party starts at 7 PM if you can buy anything between 6 - 7 PM. You can stay to watch the Frozen castle-lighting show at 6:15 PM, though.

Does this hold true for these non-party after hours events too? For example the one on the third, MK is listed as closing at 10pm and then the event is 10-1am. Can I be in the Emporium at 10:30 or would they make leave for lack of a wristband?
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
Does this hold true for these non-party after hours events too? For example the one on the third, MK is listed as closing at 10pm and then the event is 10-1am. Can I be in the Emporium at 10:30 or would they make leave for lack of a wristband?

That I don't know. Without the exclusive merch and public shows for EMM, there's no reason not to let people hang out and shop. They should only be excluding you from the rides and free Mickey Bars.
 

note2001

Well-Known Member
I'm willing to bet that they still start to block off parts of the store as the party time approaches.
My experience last winter with MVMCP: It was still 1/2 hour before party time and I wanted to look at the mouse ears in the emporium. I was scolded for attempting to do so as they were setting up for the event.
 
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xdan0920

Think for yourselfer
Out of interest, how much does say a 7 day non-hopper ticket cost per day? For a US Guest?

I can’t look at those prices, it defaults to the U.K. pricing. For us, it comes out at roughly $66 per day. Although the best selling ticket by far is a 14 day ticket which is roughly $35 per day.

Adding the cost of this DAH ticket would make it $191 or $160 per day. Just wondering how that compares to the cost for you guys. Could it be that it appeals more to international guests? I think @MisterPenguin has a good point about offsite guests “buying EMH” as they do for EMM.

Or is it people who don’t have park tickets for that day who are buying this as a way to add on an extra day?
Here's an idea. Maybe WDW should start charging foreign guests full price. Maybe then they would have enough money to properly staff and operate their parks.
 

nickys

Premium Member
Here's an idea. Maybe WDW should start charging foreign guests full price. Maybe then they would have enough money to properly staff and operate their parks.

Ha! They have to tempt us over, and then tempt us away from the opposition!

The vast majority of UKers will stay offsite, and be doing Universal, WDW, Seaworld, Kennedy, Bush Gardens .........

By selling a 14 day ticket, they encourage people to come back to WDW more than just 2 or 3 days. Very few people will be visiting for 14 days, even if they’re staying onsite. (Although when we’re staying at Bay Lake, we do sometimes pop into MK in the evening even if we’ve been out all day). Universal does a 14 day all parks ticket, WDW need to compete. Even if they don’t come more than that, they’ve sold the ticket. That’s a win for Disney either way.

I feel like I’m in a real minority, being a WDW fan. Most people who are going on a return visit maybe do just go to Disney for 3or 4 days. But all of them will have bought a 14 day ticket. Universal will get a similar time, plus Volcano Bay on top of that. I have yet to meet anyone else who is DVC or has even stayed onsite more than maybe twice. Certainly not with kids over primary school,age.

Disney know that, they just try to lure us back with offers. If a family have spent $3-4K on flights, they know they can’t charge $100 a day per person for tickets and expect them to visit more than twice. For us, it’s the other way round. Last trip, DH and I plus our eldest decided to go WWOHP. Park to park tickets for one day was about $400. Next time we’ll probably skip it totally.
 

wdwfan22

Well-Known Member
One of the greatest things I remember about E-ride nights was that you could only purchase them IN the park the day of, so you really only had to pay the extra $30 on top of the admission you'd already paid for to add an extra 3 hours to your day. Now you're basically paying the full day's admission PLUS the extra $30 and you only get access for 3 hours. Who in their right mind would pay that? That's REALLY expensive ice cream.......

Actually E-Ride nights tickets could be purchased in advance at and resort Guest Services desk. You just had to have a multi-day ticket and be a Disney Resort Guest to attend.
 

sgtbtlbailey

Active Member
Actually E-Ride nights tickets could be purchased in advance at and resort Guest Services desk. You just had to have a multi-day ticket and be a Disney Resort Guest to attend.
My mistake. I only recall ever buying them at City Hall the day of, but that was a long time ago. I just remember being able to ride more in an hour during E-ride nights than I could all day. Getting off rides and being able to just walk right back on multiple times with no wait. It was awesome. I would never pay $129 pp to do it now. Its cheaper to go to MVMCP and ride rides while everyone else is participating in the festivities.
 

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
I feel like I’m in a real minority, being a WDW fan. Most people who are going on a return visit maybe do just go to Disney for 3or 4 days. But all of them will have bought a 14 day ticket. Universal will get a similar time, plus Volcano Bay on top of that. I have yet to meet anyone else who is DVC or has even stayed onsite more than maybe twice. Certainly not with kids over primary school,age.

I'm from the UK (adult with no kids though) and have done WDW staying on site five times. Just either rented a car or used Mears to get us to Universal, Busch Gardens, Florida Mall, Premium Outlets etc.

So yes I don't spend all 14 days of the trip at Disney, but possible 7-8 days of the trip is spent in various Disney parks.

and yes £300 for a 14 day ticket isn't cheap, but for that there are fireworks/shows every night at WDW and long park hours. In comparison the UK theme parks are around £30 (booked online, £55 on the gate) per day for a much shorter day.
 

The_Jobu

Well-Known Member
I'm beginning to think the mouse didn't take my email seriously...

hey hey, the mouse replied:

"You should be able to go shopping on Main Street USA at that time. This is subject to change. "

That takes a bit of the sting out of losing the nighttime crowds. It's either this, go on a party night (not blipping likely) or go on the weekend.
 

nickys

Premium Member
I'm from the UK (adult with no kids though) and have done WDW staying on site five times. Just either rented a car or used Mears to get us to Universal, Busch Gardens, Florida Mall, Premium Outlets etc.

So yes I don't spend all 14 days of the trip at Disney, but possible 7-8 days of the trip is spent in various Disney parks.

and yes £300 for a 14 day ticket isn't cheap, but for that there are fireworks/shows every night at WDW and long park hours. In comparison the UK theme parks are around £30 (booked online, £55 on the gate) per day for a much shorter day.

I think you misunderstood my post lol!

I’m not for a minute suggesting the U.K. tickets aren’t a fantastic deal. They absolutely are! Disney want to encourage us to spend more time at their parks than any other park. And they know they need to lure us over to Florida in the first place.

However, they aren’t stupid. They a) are competing with Universal for our time and b) they also know that the actual cost per day that the average U.K. person effectively pays is probably at least double the “on paper”cost per day. They are not loosing money by offering us these deals. Nor by offering us deals on resort and ticket packages either! Once we’re there, we’re lucrative guests.

We are DVC. 2-3 weeks onsite, 2/3 of our time at Disney parks. You and I are not their “normal” UK guests. But even so, we’re still spending money there, I doubt that ticket deal is costing them when you factor in all our other spending. ;)
 

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
We are DVC. 2-3 weeks onsite, 2/3 of our time at Disney parks. You and I are not their “normal” UK guests

I think it could be that I only know people without kids (and gay men often have more disposable income) but most friends I know who go spend two weeks in Florida and stay on Disney (often to take advantage of the free dining offer). I don’t think there are many spending much less than two weeks in Florida, but yes often staying in a villa or off site hotel. Friends going for the first time this week are staying at Universal’s Aventura hope which is cheaper than Disney but still committing several days to the Disney parks :)

Yes maybe my friends aren’t typical but I think a lot of Disney’s offers work to get Brits to stay on site. Although personally if they keep the price the same and remove the dining offer then I will be considering staying at Universal or offsite instead.
 

jt04

Well-Known Member
I really hope they continue these, particularly into October at DHS. ;)

A before hours event would also be welcome at DHS. Call it 'Sunrise' something or other.

I think it would print money. At least until the SW hotel opens. At that time I am sure such a thing will be available to hotel guests. But in the interim it is a good testing ground and way to spread out demand. IMO.
 

aliceismad

Well-Known Member
A before hours event would also be welcome at DHS. Call it 'Sunrise' something or other.

I think it would print money. At least until the SW hotel opens. At that time I am sure such a thing will be available to hotel guests. But in the interim it is a good testing ground and way to spread out demand. IMO.
There already is a before hours even at DHS. Early morning magic. But it's only for Toy Story rides right now. Who know what craziness will ensue for the Star Wars.
 

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