*I was provided free admission to Disney After Hours in exchange for my honest opinion on this event. All opinions are my own. Please see my full disclosure policy for more information*
Disney After Hours
Y’all know if you have spent any time looking at my blog of social media, that I am a huge Disney fan. We try to go as often as possible, and do our best to find times when the crowd levels are low. Recently, we were able to attend the Disney After Hours event, and I have to say that it was probably my favorite Disney Event that I have ever attended. If you are looking for a true VIP Magic Kingdom experience, with low crowds and low heat, then this is the event for you!
What Is Disney After Hours
First thing’s first, what is Disney After Hours? Well, it is a limited time event taking place on select nights this summer. You can purchase tickets on the Disney Website that will entitle you to a unique VIP experience that can only be described as truly surreal. With these passes, you can arrive and enter the park as early as 7 PM. There will be an event check in area at the front of the park where you will receive your After hours Badges.
For a few hours, you will have access to the regular park while it is open, but once the park closes, the real fun begins! Enjoy some dining and the fireworks before the real fun begins.
With your After Hours badges, you will have access to Magic Kingdom for 3 hours after the park has technically closed to the public! I recommend that if you want a full meal or a coffee though, to go ahead and grab that before the park closes because many of the eateries will close at their regular time even during the event.
What You Get
Starting at park close, you get all of the VIP perks! Select food vendors hand free FREE popcorn, bottled drinks, and mickey ice cream bars! Yup, no need to pay for $4 water bottles, you get as many as you want for free for 3 hours.
On top of the snacks, the best perk is the almost non existent wait time for major rides. During the event, 25 attractions stay open just for you! Since ticket sales are capped, there are almost no lines! I mean, we walked right on Space Mountain, Seven Dwarves and Big Thunder Mountain. If you are a Disney junkie, you know that these rides usually have extreme wait times! So getting on with no wait, is like finding a unicorn!
One of the coolest things to see, is just hope empty Main Street is during these hours. If you have ever been to Disney, you know how packed this part of the park can get. So seeing it completely empty is completely surreal!
The Ultimate VIP Magic Kingdom Experience
Disney After Hours really is the Disney lover’s ultimate VIP experience. We were able to do more rides in 3 hours than we could have during an entire day during normal park hours. Not only will you get to ride more rides, but the scorching heat is not nearly as bad either. No Florida sun beating down on you, no wait times, free snacks and drinks… What more could you want?
There are even numerous character meets during this time! Always wanted to meet a princess but didn’t want to wait in an hour long line? No problem! During Disney After Hours, you can get right in and meet your favorite characters.
So if you are looking to step up your next Disney vacation, then you hands down need to experience Disney After Hours. I know this is something that I will be doing any chance I get!
What is your favorite Disney ride?
How awesome!!! This sounds incredible and I’ll definitely be checking it out!!
Do they still have extra magic hours for ticket holders on select days like they used to? Or do you have to have the VIP pass?
They still do Magic hours for resort guests on certain days. This is just a different event.
There are so many awesome rides that is hard to choose. With that said, Pirates of the Caribbean is an all time favorite
Pirates is a classic for sure, and one of my favorites as well!
Nice Post. Thanks for sharing. I wanna definitely go there in future.
I am in desperate need of a Disney fix.. I would love to add this to my Disney Experience wish list!
It is seriously the best way to do Disney!
My babes love Disney almost as much as I do 😉 We try to go every year, and will definitely try to take advantage of this on the next trip if we can make it down in the right timeframe. I actually didn’t realize this was a thing!
I didn’t know much about it either until recently, but now I think it is my favorite event they have! I hope you get to check it out
I would LOVE to do this one day! I’m all about less people. I think I’ll have to do this with my kids at some point. We are going in October, but we’re doing Mickey’s Halloween Party, so at least it’s not so crowded then.
WE are hoping to go to the Halloween Party too! We did Christmas Party last year, and it was a lot less crowded than a regular park day for sure.
This sounds truly magical! Just the way I would want to do a theme park, no crowds, no lines, cool night air, what could be better?
It really is the best way! I was loving the no lines
I used to go monthly when I lived in florida. Pirates is definitely the Best! Love this!
I love Pirates! They have updated it a lot recently as well, so it is really cool seeing it so different than when I was a kid.
Wow! This is such a wonderful post. Loved to go back in the happiest place on earth.
Disney one of the best place to visit. Most of the people added this place to their wish list including me also. If I get chance then I am not going to miss. Thanks for sharing Jessi
Disney is one of my favorite places for sure! Totally worth the visit.
This is wonderful experience and glad you enjoyed it the most! I would be so thrilled for this and will take many videos 😀
I wish I would have gotten more video, but we forgot the good camera and it was so dark on my phone.
I had no idea Disney offered this! Will have to remember about this VIP experience for when I visit!
I have an annual pass and love disneyland! This experience seems out of this world!
OMG! I am so envious! I wanna go to Disney too! Such an amazing place!
Wow! That sounds fantastic and it’s perfect for me! 🙂 I will definitely check this out!
It is so worth it to avoid crowds!
ok this would be the most magical experience! I love extra magic hours. xo, Natalie http://nataliastyleblog.com
Extra magic hours are always awesome!
I had no idea Disney After Hours was a thing. Now I know thanks for sharing this option!
I had heard of it, but never done it myself. It is so much fun though!
This sounds so exciting to get to go to Disney after hours. Its like being in the exclusive “After hours” party that you hear celebrities talk about.
Ha Ha Yes! It did feel very exclusive, such a cool experience!
Wow, this must be an experience you will never forget. I love to go and try it out… My kids would love this… Def. will find out further… Thx.
It really was an amazing experience! I say everyone going to Disney should try to do it at least once!
This sounds so cool! I want to go! It sounds like a cute date night idea ! Do you if Disneyland does it too? Thanks for the info hon!
I am not totally sure if Disneyland does it or not, but I would assume they would.
I’ve neve been to disney world 🙁 I always thought I was too old for it.. but you’re making me change my mind 🙂
Oh man you so have to go! You are NEVER too old for Disney! I love going with my kids and without them! I actually had my Bachelorette weekend at Disney before I got married lol
i havent been to disney land but i plan to go by october ! great that i read this because i will surely keep this in mind. now u got me really excited!
October is a good time to go! We love going in the Fall because it is less hot here in Florida ( a little lol) and there is less rain during the fall.
One Of my much -awaited destination. Thanks fro sharing your travel experience. very Helpful 🙂
That is so awesome! I didn’t know they had VIP after-hours!!! This sounds like the perfect option for someone like me!!