Disney After Hours, Magic Kingdom Version

Disney After Hours is a special ticketed event that I have recommended to you several times. During it, a limited number of tickets are sold, which means that you can hit some of the most popular rides over and over again. I’ve attended the Disney’s Animal Kingdom version, as well as the one at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Unfortunately, the Studios version is no longer offered, and I’ve been told that there are no immediate plans to bring it back.) I had always wanted to try the Magic Kingdom version of Disney After Hours. On January 23, I finally was able to check it out. My daughter and I were hosted by Disney for the evening, as part of our Resort Showcase media event.

With Disney After Hours you will enjoy three hours of park time. That might not seem like a lot, but considering that the tickets are extremely limited you can get a lot done. For us, that meant hitting Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Space Mountain several times. We concentrated on rides that normally have long lines and that are usually hard to get last minute FastPass+ for. We would have included Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in our evening, but unfortunately it was down whenever we checked.

With Disney After Hours, you can also have your fill of ice cream novelties, popcorn, and bottled soda or water. There are plenty of kiosks, so this is another line that you will not have to wait in.

If you decide to attend the Magic Kingdom version of Disney After Hours, I have one main piece of advice. Your ticket will allow you in the park at 7:00pm, so take advantage of that. Then make your way to whatever your first ride is going to be. We weren’t able to do that, we arrived not long after the Magic Kingdom closed to the general public for the day, and Main Street, U.S.A. was packed! Once we made our way through the crowd and over to Adventureland we experienced the opposite. The rest of the park was almost empty.

There are two After Hours events at the Magic Kingdom. The one that I attended on January 23 was Disney After Hours. There is also Disney Villains After Hours, which is about to return. It is the same concept, but there are some villainous shenanigans thrown in. I attended Disney Villains After Hours last year, and will again on February 7, so I’ll be sure to tell you what has been updated.

I know that Disney After Hours is expensive, but this is one event that I think is worth the cost. If you’re interested in short lines and lots of Mickey bars, you might want to consider attending one evening. You can learn more information and purchase tickets here. There is a discount for Annual Passholders and DVC members. You can also save a few dollars by purchasing your ticket in advance. If you wait until the day of the event you will pay more; if there are any tickets left.