News Disney Very Merriest After Hours

[HauntedPirate]

Yep, our 4 tickets (2 adults, 2 kids) cost us a total of $411 after taxes in 2019, so that was our plan. We slept in, spent the day at the pool, walked into MK at 4, used our pre-scheduled 3 fastpasses and then enjoyed the party til they kicked us out.

Now it would cost us $890 for the same approximate dates, with 3 less hours of time in the park. Insane.

But… but…MAGIC!! And, after hours!! Those aren’t enough to have you hand over your credit card for this event??

ETA: And that example really highlights and drives home the point that pricing is, for all intents and purposes, out of touch with reality.

 

[wdwmagic]

Yep, our 4 tickets (2 adults, 2 kids) cost us a total of $411 after taxes in 2019, so that was our plan. We slept in, spent the day at the pool, walked into MK at 4, used our pre-scheduled 3 fastpasses and then enjoyed the party til they kicked us out.

Now it would cost us $890 for the same approximate dates, with 3 less hours of time in the park. Insane.

It is a very difficult sell at that price, and I think Disney is finding that out.

 

[Andrew M]

But… but…MAGIC!! And, after hours!! Those aren’t enough to have you hand over your credit card for this event??

ETA: And that example really highlights and drives home the point that pricing is, for all intents and purposes, out of touch with reality.

haha yep. I had someone try to tell me that the price was justified and not comparable to the 2019 price because it was an 'After Hours' event and not a 'Christmas Party'. I didn't realize those words double the value of the event.

It is a very difficult sell at that price, and I think Disney is finding that out.

I'm glad they finally (hopefully) hit that point, I was starting to get worried when the Halloween Parties completely sold out.

 

[HauntedPirate]

haha yep. I had someone try to tell me that the price was justified and not comparable to the 2019 price because it was an 'After Hours' event and not a 'Christmas Party'. I didn't realize those words double the value of the event.


I'm glad they finally (hopefully) hit that point, I was starting to get worried when the Halloween Parties completely sold out.

I sincerely hope they eat a sizable portion of tickets for this event. Sadly, I don’t expect any lessons to be learned from it.

 

[DCBaker]

According to the calendar, December 21st (the last night) has sold out.

Current sold out dates -

November - 9, 11, 16
December - 21

 

[dothebrdwalk]

It is a very difficult sell at that price, and I think Disney is finding that out.

True but for every family of 4 that is going this year- Disney is making DOUBLE what they would have on a family of 4 at MVMCP so I think they are going to be happy either way....

 

[chama1]

I have a reservation at Magic Kingdom for Nov 12th....I'd love to take my neighbors children to this Very Merry (they've been so good during this Covid19 period) does anyone think they'll open the purchase of this event to "passholders"?

Well I guess I won't be able to take them, not at those prices....I'll take them to Disney Springs, movie, much cheaper.

 

[mattpeto]

It is a very difficult sell at that price, and I think Disney is finding that out.

This will have ripple effects for 2022.

Here is my guess:

• Revert to traditional parties next year OR
• Cut entertainment in the After Hours party concept

I think there's room for both types of parties to exist (legacy and After Hours), I will be curious on Disney's move.

 

[MisterPenguin]

This will have ripple effects for 2022.

Here is my guess:

• Revert to traditional parties next year OR
• Cut entertainment in the After Hours party concept

I think there's room for both types of parties to exist (legacy and After Hours), I will be curious on Disney's move.

The traditional parties kicked day-guests out early such that they'd miss the fireworks.

WDW is unlikely to do that during the continued 50th Anniversary celebration. So, it is likely they'll stick with some form of DAH.

With the Halloween DAH selling out, it wasn't surprising that WDW raised the price. We'll see if they went too far soon enough...

 

[Animaniac93-98]

This will have ripple effects for 2022.

Here is my guess:

• Revert to traditional parties next year OR
• Cut entertainment in the After Hours party concept

I think there's room for both types of parties to exist (legacy and After Hours), I will be curious on Disney's move.

Disney's clearly trying to find that sweet spot between After Hour prices/hours and satisfying the demand for a full party of entertainment. Looks like they're still figuring it out.

I don't think parties like they used to will come back. They're going to push the After Hours angle as much as they can. They'll keep adjusting the price and entertainment line up till they find what works best for them (not necessarily us).

Of course, if they really wanted to make everyone happy, they'd just run seasonal entertainment during regular hours like other Disney parks, but we know that's never going to happen.

 

[DCBaker]

According to the calendar, November 18th has sold out.

Current sold out dates -

November - 9, 11, 16, 18
December - 21

 

[HauntedPirate]

According to the calendar, November 18th has sold out.

Current sold out dates -

November - 9, 11, 16, 18
December - 21

I just pulled up the calendar in the DME app and it shows November 18 as still available.

 

[DCBaker]

I just pulled up the calendar in the DME app and it shows November 18 as still available.
View attachment 598442

Perhaps they have remaining AP/DVC tickets since your discount is showing? It show something similar when the first date sold out, but was updated a few hours later for the AP/DVC side.

Here's what the regular calendar looks like -

Editing to add - Here is what MDE shows just after 10am.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Perhaps they have remaining AP/DVC tickets since your discount is showing? It show something similar when the first date sold out, but was updated a few hours later for the AP/DVC side.

Here's what the regular calendar looks like -

View attachment 598446

Editing to add - Here is what MDE shows just after 10am.

View attachment 598448

Didn’t even think about the discounted tickets. My apologies.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

I still think they might be able to get away with some of these prices if they offered a real, full, slate of entertainment. Not the rumored reduced castle show and parade they are supposedly offering (which we'll find out about next week), plus actual meet and greets. The people willing to pay the money will know the difference when MOUACT rolls down Main Street without the wooden soldiers at the end.

The 50th celebration, and their desire to let day guests see the fireworks every night, will necessitate keeping After Hours around at least until next year. But I think they'd be idiotic not to include more/better entertainment next year. At the very least, they ought to bring back the immensely popular Hocus Pocus show next year to dovetail with the release of the sequel.

 

[mattpeto]

The traditional parties kicked day-guests out early such that they'd miss the fireworks.

WDW is unlikely to do that during the continued 50th Anniversary celebration. So, it is likely they'll stick with some form of DAH.

With the Halloween DAH selling out, it wasn't surprising that WDW raised the price. We'll see if they went too far soon enough...

So much has changed from what we thought…

Disney Enchantment was never an anniversary show. Just a new show debuting for the 50th. And by next August, it won’t be a “must see” for anyone. They can shut the parks down early, bring back the legacy parties. Maybe it will only happen 1x a week, so MK only closes down 1 day early.
The rest of the party nights can be Boo Bash/Very Merriest with low attendance and less entertainment. Maybe it will mimic Boo Bash more. The holiday fireworks and parade will still occur for the legacy parties.

(This is a great topic for my new podcast me thinks…)

 

[jrhwdw]

I still think they might be able to get away with some of these prices if they offered a real, full, slate of entertainment. Not the rumored reduced castle show and parade they are supposedly offering (which we'll find out about next week), plus actual meet and greets. The people willing to pay the money will know the difference when MOUACT rolls down Main Street without the wooden soldiers at the end.

The 50th celebration, and their desire to let day guests see the fireworks every night, will necessitate keeping After Hours around at least until next year. But I think they'd be idiotic not to include more/better entertainment next year. At the very least, they ought to bring back the immensely popular Hocus Pocus show next year to dovetail with the release of the sequel.

Do we know for a fact that there's no Toy Solders at MK/MOUACT this year????? MK did 4 of Them last year. If Mk has to cut a few Solders, MK could just keep the band, not the Troop in front /behind it.

That might be a headline.........




IDK why people aren't happy with AH/Parties after Enchantment???? What's wrong with keeping all the regular Entertainment and then the Special Stuff after Enchantment(Which AH Guests can see too BTW) I do agree that Special Entertainment shouldn't suffer just because it's AH, not a Party that makes MK close before Sunset.

TDR does both Reg and Special Entertainment on the same day! Granted it's all included with the Day's Admission, but still.....

 

[jrhwdw]

Just to add that while I feel awful for the Guests in the Rain today, better today than next week! Next Week looks Fantastic for Merriest AH! Not like 2 years ago when the Rain Christmas Cal. ran more than MOUACT! Can't wait to hear MOUCAT's intro in MK again!!!! Monday's going to be special!!!!! Let's hope TDO passes...........

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Do we know for a fact that there's no Toy Solders at MK/MOUACT this year????? MK did 4 of Them last year. If Mk has to cut a few Solders, MK could just keep the band, not the Troop in front /behind it.

That might be a headline.........




IDK why people aren't happy with AH/Parties after Enchantment???? What's wrong with keeping all the regular Entertainment and then the Special Stuff after Enchantment(Which AH Guests can see too BTW) I do agree that Special Entertainment shouldn't suffer just because it's AH, not a Party that makes MK close before Sunset.

TDR does both Reg and Special Entertainment on the same day! Granted it's all included with the Day's Admission, but still.....

We don't, but a couple of our insiders posted that the size of the parade was "cut down" (and MOUACT used to be a fairly lengthy parade). I was just using one example of something that would be easy enough to eliminate. I have no idea what (if anything) has actually been cut. We'll find out next week.

And I have no issue with having fireworks twice a night so the day guests still get Enchantment. I think the issue, as you identified, is that they're using it as an excuse to cut down on the entertainment offered at the upcharge events, which used to have two parades and about 4 castle shows, plus continuous meet and greets with rare characters, and another, smaller, show in Tomorrowland.

 

[Ronnie Sanford]

Do we know for a fact that there's no Toy Solders at MK/MOUACT this year????? MK did 4 of Them last year. If Mk has to cut a few Solders, MK could just keep the band, not the Troop in front /behind it.

That might be a headline.........




IDK why people aren't happy with AH/Parties after Enchantment???? What's wrong with keeping all the regular Entertainment and then the Special Stuff after Enchantment(Which AH Guests can see too BTW) I do agree that Special Entertainment shouldn't suffer just because it's AH, not a Party that makes MK close before Sunset.

TDR does both Reg and Special Entertainment on the same day! Granted it's all included with the Day's Admission, but still.....

Double that and you'll catch the entire squad.