I just returned from a lovely trip to the Orlando theme parks. While there, my mom and I attended a Magic Kingdom after hours event. So, I thought I would do a little review of the experience to help others decide if it’s a good event for them.
Magic Kingdom After Hours
Walt Disney World hosts special after hours events at their theme parks. These are separately ticketed events that take place after normal park hours. They are more expensive than a regular theme park ticket. However, they are limited capacity events so there are significantly fewer people in the park.
Currently, only three parks are hosting these special events: Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot. The Magic Kingdom dates are either a Monday or Thursday, from now until June 27th. Technically, the event is only three hours: 10 PM to 1 AM. However, your ticket will allow you to enter the park at 7 PM.
The Rides
The main appeal of these events is the ability to ride the rides without much wait. The night we attended started out rainy. So, we were able to ride lots of rides before the event officially started! By 10:05 PM we had been on Pirates, Big Thunder Mountain, and Haunted Mansion! If we had skipped the first fireworks show (more on that below), we probably could have hit up even more rides.
By the end of the night we had ridden Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder 2x each! We also managed to ride Mine Train with minimal wait as we got on right before they closed the line for the second fireworks show. We also rode It’s a Small World, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Tomorrowland Speedway once each! As you can see, this is an amazing opportunity to ride lots of rides in a short amount of time!
The Free Snacks
These events also come with some free snacks! Select ice cream novelties and popcorn are provided for free during the event! You can also get bottled beverages included with the price of admission! They start handing them out at 10 PM, so we grabbed a couple of drinks and ice creams prior to the second fireworks show. I got an ice cream sandwich and my mom got an ice cream bar. They also had a strawberry bar available. This was a nice break and a chance to relax in between running around the park for rides.
The Entertainment
New for 2024, this event comes with a special showing of the Disney Enchantment fireworks! So, for the price of one ticket, you can see two fireworks shows! Plus, the second one is with much smaller crowds. We watched the regular fireworks show, Happily Ever After with the regular park guests on Main Street. Even with the rain and wind, it was a huge crowd. So, it was a rare (and very nice) opportunity to experience Enchantment from right in front of the castle with plenty of elbow room! Then again, we are the same people who will pay extra for a seated fireworks dessert party.
Is the Magic Kingdom After Hours event worth it?
The event costs $155-175 per person, with discounts for DVC owners and passholders. So, it’s a pricey 3-6 hours in the park. However, it was worth it for us. It allowed us to rides countless rides as well as watch two fireworks shows and enjoy a few snacks. I don’t think it would be worth it if you go often or if you have young kids who can’t stay up late. However, for two adults it’s a great night in the park.
Have you ever attended one of these events?
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