If you’re already in the park, look for this sign! This is a subject I never thought that I would write about, but I’ve seen this question asked a lot in different groups lately. Plus I attended my second Moonlight Magic last night, and this morning I bought my tickets for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, so I guess special events are on my mind.
The question that I keep hearing is this; how does Disney know that you don’t have a ticket for an after hours event? I like to think that most people who ask are curious, not looking for a way to sneak into a party without paying.
The answer is quite simple. When you arrive at an event, you need to check in. After you do, you will be given a wristband that has the event on it. Most of the time, a Cast Member will put the wristband on you. It’s color coded, so that people can’t reuse a wristband from a previous event. If you’re already in the park, there will be wristband distribution areas, so you don’t have to exit and then reenter.
A Cast Member giving out wristbands When the park in question closes for the day, Cast Members will start to ask to see wristbands whenever entering a new land or getting in line for a ride. There are plenty of Cast Members checking, enough so that people aren’t going to sneak through.
If someone is found where they aren’t supposed to be, they will politely be asked to leave. If the guest doesn’t comply, they will most likely be escorted out of the park.
Even with a lanyard, Cast Members checked wristbands Disney has used the wristband system for years, and it works well. Wristbands are used at Disneyland as well as Walt Disney World. Do people slip through? Probably. I can’t see it being a fun night, though, if someone is constantly trying to dodge Cast Members.