My first After Dark event at Disneyland!
How it works? What it offers! Is it worth it?!
You can keep an eye out for these special event announcements via social media, i.e. Instagram, Disney Parks Blog or Facebook, etc. You can purchase these tickets on Disneyland.com. Ticket prices were $99 per person for this specific After Dark event. Event time starts from 9pm - 1am but ticket holders are allowed into the parks beginning at 6pm with the park closing at 8pm. This gives regular guests time to weave out of the park and allow event guests to have the park to themselves.
Event guests lined up at the ticket entrance to Disneyland and upon entrance we were given our special tickets, lanyards and event guide. AP Holders were also given a complimentary button which could be found at Starcade in Tomorrowland.
Although most Restaurants were closed starting at 9pm, you could still get the opportunity to dine at them when you entered at 6pm. All snack/churro carts were open during the event including Red Rose Taverne, Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor, Jolly Holliday, Mint Julep Bar, Royal Street Veranda, Alien Pizza Planet, Galactic Grill and Tropical Hideaway.
Entertainment offerings including Dueling Pianos in Frontierland, Moonlight Cruise on the Mark Twain Riverboat, The Royal Princess Ball in front of "it's a small world," Steel Drum Band in the Tropical Hideaway, "Get Your Ears On" Celebration Dance Party inside Tomorrowland Terrace and Mickey's Mix Magic firework Spectacular.
It was so much fun to spot Characters so easily and to be able to interact with them!
Photo opportunities were provided at specific locations throughout the park. Those included Toy Story, Up, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Tangled, Lady and the Tramp and a Sweethearts' Nite themed backdrop.
How cute is Carl & Ellie?!
We ended up Disneybounding as one of our favorite couples, Wall-E + Eve!
Pros for the event included:
- Little to no wait times for rides
- Specific event merchandise
- Rare character meet + greets
- Movie themed photo ops
- Beautiful themed decor + lighting
- Special Entertainment & food offerings
Cons, I thought, for the event:
- Super long wait times for photo ops
- Limited Restaurant options
- Weather (Now, this is something Disney cannot control but I should warn you to be overly prepared because the only downfall was that it was really cold.)
Is it worth it? I would say, it’s definitely worth it! Our main goal was to ride rides and we were literally breezing past all the queues and getting right onto the rides. To be able to walk the park so late at night with no crowds and no strollers was pretty amazing. It’s probably the closest we will ever feel to renting out the park.
This was our first After Dark event and I would say we will definitely be going to more in the future!
I hope this post was helpful + as always, thanks so much for stopping by! Xoxo~
This was our first After Dark event and I would say we will definitely be going to more in the future!
I hope this post was helpful + as always, thanks so much for stopping by! Xoxo~
