"Official" 2018 Disney After Hours (DAH) Thread (Now Closed, see New 2019 Thread)

TrixieBel · Jul 18, 2018

Sooooo excited as I have booked DH and I in for the Saturday 4th August DAH event (please add me onto the listing at the front :worship:

)

I've been lurking on this thread for a couple of months, reading all your messages, and thinking and thinking about it - and finally discussed it with DH today and he agreed that my changing everything up was a good idea!

So instead of doing a whole split day at MK on Thursday 2nd with an early BOG breakfast and FPs in the morning, we now have that morning free (quick - you can pick up my BOG 8.10am bfast if you're quick...) before going into MK from 5pm to do a few of the bigger rides on our moved FPs and then the dessert party (garden view) for HEA. We can now either do poolside stuff or visit Disney Springs that day during that day.

Then on the Saturday which is our last full day in Orlando, we will spend the day poolside (we're at YC for the last day/night) before heading into MK for the DAH event at 7.00pm to have a wander, ride a few rides (?), and have dinner at the Jungle Navigation Co before the official 10pm start.

Did I say I am excited???? :rolleyes:

famsen · Jul 18, 2018

Is it now a confirmed fact that they let you in at 7pm no matter what time the start of DAH is or is it a set number of hours before the beginning of the event?
We attended the first DAH of the year and we expected to be let in early but the event started at 9pm and they let us in at 7pm so it was only 2 hours before the event started. Now I see the event starts at 10pm but they let guests in at 7pm or earlier.

Haley R · Jul 18, 2018

famsen said:
Is it now a confirmed fact that they let you in at 7pm no matter what time the start of DAH is or is it a set number of hours before the beginning of the event?
We attended the first DAH of the year and we expected to be let in early but the event started at 9pm and they let us in at 7pm so it was only 2 hours before the event started. Now I see the event starts at 10pm but they let guests in at 7pm or earlier.

I think the official time is still 7 for all of the events, but they have still been letting people in earlier. The earliest I’ve seen people let in was 6 I think.

GillianP1301 · Jul 18, 2018

I'm curious on the first post table, what is the "OUAT" column represent?

amalone1013 · Jul 18, 2018

GillianP1301 said:
I'm curious on the first post table, what is the "OUAT" column represent?

Once Upona A Time show

GillianP1301 · Jul 18, 2018

amalone1013 said:
Once Upona A Time show

Thank you! I sat and looked at that forever and could not figure it out and it was driving me crazy lol

GADisneyDad14 · Jul 18, 2018

famsen said:
Is it now a confirmed fact that they let you in at 7pm no matter what time the start of DAH is or is it a set number of hours before the beginning of the event?
We attended the first DAH of the year and we expected to be let in early but the event started at 9pm and they let us in at 7pm so it was only 2 hours before the event started. Now I see the event starts at 10pm but they let guests in at 7pm or earlier.

Yeah, ‘official’ check-in is 7pm for all DAH nights, regardless of the actual start time of the DAH hours.

After the first couple of DAH nights in the winter (which you experienced), the actual “let in” time drifted more towards 6-6:30pm rather than 7pm. The summer reports have pretty much been in the 6ish-6:30 range.

Elsaspiritanimal · Jul 18, 2018

I'm going to the September DAH! Booked a special trip just for this event since the one in March was so great. So excited!!!!!

lvcourtneyy · Jul 18, 2018

Two questions here!

1. Has anyone that attended DAH for the summer dates also gone to it in January/Feb/March of this year?

I ask because we attended DAH twice last year Feb and March 2017 and absolutely loved it. We went in March this year and while we still enjoyed ourselves, we felt it was much more crowded than the 2 last year. Based on our experience in March, I said I wouldn't attend the event again.

Now, reading reviews and watching videos of the summer dates, I feel they seem less crowded than our experience in March. Is that what people who have done both experienced?

2. Have CMs told anyone here to use the re-ride on Space or have we just been doing it? I only ask because we went to use the re-ride in March and there was a CM standing at the merge point at the end of the re-ride and she let us through but told us next time we had to exit and walk back up.

Teal03 · Jul 18, 2018

Just watched Tim Tracker’s video on this. I really like his channel.

Anyway I defintely have to do this. The unlimited free snacks are worth the price alone. I was going to buy soda, popcorn, both Mickey ice creams and Olaf anyway which is like $25. I’ll get back $15 from Swagbucks. $85 to ride all my favorite rides at my favorite park multiple times and eat more free snacks is such a great deal.

Mousefan mom · Jul 18, 2018

We did our first one last Saturday, and it was truly magical! We had an AP discount, which
Made it more affordable. We saw plenty of snack and drink carts—so go with an appetite. Some of the reviews we had read made it seem they hide them—this was not our experience. My only complaint was they did not use the fast pass que lines—which would have been a nice time and feet saver—also when it began at 10 lines were still full and they would not allow us to fast pass the line or anything—so the first 20-30 minuets you are line waiting. It was a super fun time!

Mousefan mom · Jul 18, 2018

lvcourtneyy said:
Two questions here!
Although we did not do the after hours in March, we did visit in March and are here now—crowds in general are lower than March—or the park hours are so nice and long, we do not feel it’s as crowded as it was in March. We are really enjoyed all the late
Park nights this trip!!!
1. Has anyone that attended DAH for the summer dates also gone to it in January/Feb/March of this year?

I ask because we attended DAH twice last year Feb and March 2017 and absolutely loved it. We went in March this year and while we still enjoyed ourselves, we felt it was much more crowded than the 2 last year. Based on our experience in March, I said I wouldn't attend the event again.

Now, reading reviews and watching videos of the summer dates, I feel they seem less crowded than our experience in March. Is that what people who have done both experienced?

2. Have CMs told anyone here to use the re-ride on Space or have we just been doing it? I only ask because we went to use the re-ride in March and there was a CM standing at the merge point at the end of the re-ride and she let us through but told us next time we had to exit and walk back up.

Haley R · Jul 18, 2018

Mousefan mom said:
We did our first one last Saturday, and it was truly magical! We had an AP discount, which
Made it more affordable. We saw plenty of snack and drink carts—so go with an appetite. Some of the reviews we had read made it seem they hide them—this was not our experience. My only complaint was they did not use the fast pass que lines—which would have been a nice time and feet saver—also when it began at 10 lines were still full and they would not allow us to fast pass the line or anything—so the first 20-30 minuets you are line waiting. It was a super fun time!

That’s weird that they didn’t let you go through the fp line after 10. Doesn’t seem right to make you wait after the event has started.

GADisneyDad14 · Jul 18, 2018

Mousefan mom said:
My only complaint was they did not use the fast pass que lines—which would have been a nice time and feet saver

I kind of agree with this comment, on some rides. Something like Little Mermaid... that ride takes forever going through the standby line!

senadler · Jul 18, 2018

lvcourtneyy said:
2. Have CMs told anyone here to use the re-ride on Space or have we just been doing it? I only ask because we went to use the re-ride in March and there was a CM standing at the merge point at the end of the re-ride and she let us through but told us next time we had to exit and walk back up.

When I rode with my son in March I asked a CM if we could ride again and she pointed out the short-cut.

Thomasfouraker · Jul 18, 2018

GADisneyDad14 said:
I kind of agree with this comment, on some rides. Something like Little Mermaid... that ride takes forever going through the standby line!

I really think it would be best to leave both open on all rides, primarily the interactive queues. Some people enjoy the interactive queues and to leisurely stroll through being able to admire theming and details they may not otherwise be able to when you are shoulder to shoulder with others in line.

Would be curious to know the thought processes on this. I guess in the rare occurrence where a wait may be encountered that backs up to the FP and Standby intersection it could lend itself to confusion with no Cast Member there to regulate it.

The two Winter 2018 events I attended, I believe it was fairly random which queue was open. Should have payed more attention.

Lsdolphin · Jul 18, 2018

GADisneyDad14 said:
I kind of agree with this comment, on some rides. Something like Little Mermaid... that ride takes forever going through the standby line!

I do remember when I went in Feb I definitely remember using the Fast pass line for both Peter Pan and Little Mermaid.

whiporee · Jul 18, 2018

Mousefan mom said:
We did our first one last Saturday, and it was truly magical! We had an AP discount, which
Made it more affordable. We saw plenty of snack and drink carts—so go with an appetite. Some of the reviews we had read made it seem they hide them—this was not our experience. My only complaint was they did not use the fast pass que lines—which would have been a nice time and feet saver—also when it began at 10 lines were still full and they would not allow us to fast pass the line or anything—so the first 20-30 minuets you are line waiting. It was a super fun time!

Are you saying they wouldn't let you into the FP line, or that you couldn't skip it? If they wouldn't let you into the FP line, that's crap. Space was shut down when DAH started for us, and that was very unfortunate. But they might have been weaning out the stragglers for that first half hour. Either way, though, it kind of sucks but I can see it as inevitable. But it's also one of the hints of DAH -- stay away from the places where people slip in at the last minute -- use the first 20 minutes to let the crowds get turned away, and then hit the E-ticket rides.

123SA · Jul 18, 2018

Mousefan mom said:
My only complaint was they did not use the fast pass que lines—which would have been a nice time and feet saver—also when it began at 10 lines were still full and they would not allow us to fast pass the line or anything—so the first 20-30 minuets you are line waiting. It was a super fun time!

I am disappointed to read this.

whiporee · Jul 18, 2018

123SA said:
I am disappointed to read this.

I think it's a lot worse in theory than it is in practice. You'll get all the rides you want if you go -- those "lost" minutes at the end of the regular hours are pretty unavoidable -- MK's long-standing policy of "if you're in line at close, you're in line" can't really be abandoned, so it's just something in. If you're looking for a reason not to go, then I guess it would work as a reason, but in practicality it won't affect your experience nearly as much as one might fear it does.

"Official" 2018 Disney After Hours (DAH) Thread (Now Closed, see New 2019 Thread)

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