Official 2021 Disney Very Merriest After Hours Thread

[Lillian Gracey]

Fortunately for us, there's a party the night before we leave so we chose that one so we could sleep in the next day. DH and I are rope drop people and we're only doing one day at each park plus a full MK day on top of the party so we didn't want to miss any park time. If that wasn't an option, we'd probably do Epcot due to the late opening time.

 

[Avery&Todd]

For those of you who have gone to the party, how quickly has your group been getting around the next morning? Still trying to make a decision about going, and then on top of that trying to make a decision about which park to do the next day (i.e. which park will not making rope drop, or stacking lightening lanes for the evening, etc be most beneficial!) Leaning towards Epcot, do a couple rides with the late open, possibly stacking LL for HS after 2pm but then going back to Epcot for the late hours. I’m excited to try the party but the expense, plus costing a RD the next day makes al the expenses even more hard to swallow! We are rope drop to close kind of people and I would make that day a non-park day but we are staying at deluxe specifically for the EMH so I hate to lose those at Epcot if we don’t do a park that day.

We went to the Nov. 12th party and got back to our hotel (VGF) and was in bed by 2am, and we left after the 2nd parade that started after midnight....and left the park just before 1am.

I was then up by 6:15am trying to get Genie + to work (it didnt work for us the entire trip and I had to have the front desk buy it for me at 6:30am each morning) and we walked into Epcot at 10am..it was a rough start to the day....

but the party was TOTALLY worth it!

 

[disneygrandma]

I just went online to see what dates were available, and possibly bite the bullet and purchase. However, it's telling me that tickets are not currently available. Anyone else seeing this message? Thanks!

 

[persnickity]

I just went online to see what dates were available, and possibly bite the bullet and purchase. However, it's telling me that tickets are not currently available. Anyone else seeing this message? Thanks!

I am able to add tickets to my cart (using Chrome browser).

 

[persnickity]

My crew has decided (a little too late) that they want to attend 11/21 which is now sold out I’m sure we’re out of luck but has anyone had any luck purchasing day of for a sold out party?

Tickets for 11/21 are showing as available this morning!

 

[TropicalDIS]

Anyone here hitting the party tonight? Super excited!!

 

[disneygrandma]

I just got them to come up. In the meantime, I went in to UT to check prices. I've never bought special event tickets from them before. However, it was only showing me FL resident prices, which I'm not, and that's never happened before. I'm looking at a Dec date. Does UT sell them for non-FL residents, and if so, how much is the ticket? Any savings over Disney? Thanks!

 

[disneygrandma]

Just looked at plans again, and I'm considering Tues, Nov 30th or Thurs, Dec 2nd. Any ideas which would be less crowded? Thanks again!

 

[dez1978]

We plan to go to the part 12/2. Then the next morning wake up when ever and transfer over to Universal studios.

We are staying at the hilton at DS. How horrible would it be to ride the bus to SSR after the party and jaywalk over to the hilton (palace)?

 

[bjcaed]

Wellll I'm going solo and im gonna be downing coffee and rope dropping HS the next day..

But I would not do that if my kids were with me. I plan to sleep in the muppets theater... joking... but am I?!?

We are going on December 12thand flying out the next day. Our flight was scheduled for 6:40 that morning! We figured we would just pull an all nighter because the flight was just $49. It is just me and my 18 year old DD. THEN I found a flight late that evening for only $5 more! So I used touring plans and snagged Ohanna breakfast at 10:00, heard it is worth getting up for. then we will resort hop a little before heading to the airport. MUCH better plan.

 

[DisneyPanthersFan]

Apologies if this has already been asked, but when do people start lining up for the parade, fireworks, and stage show? We are going to tonight's event (so excited!!!).

 

[loveshak22]

Anyone here hitting the party tonight? Super excited!!

I am!!! Getting ready to board ny flight now and can't wait to get to the party tonight!!!

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

We’re going Thursday night. Staying at GF (for easy walk/monorail purposes). Then hitting EPCOT next day (via monorail). In my mind if you can swing it split stays around your parks is a good way to go

 

[soniam]

Apologies if this has already been asked, but when do people start lining up for the parade, fireworks, and stage show? We are going to tonight's event (so excited!!!).

From what I have read in this thread and on Touring Plans blog, people are not really lining up for the parades and fireworks a ton. There appears to be availability pretty close to the show. As for the stage show, I don't remember. I wouldn't bet on my analysis though. I would try reading through the posts from the party days.

 

[Lsdolphin]

We went to the Nov. 12th party and got back to our hotel (VGF) and was in bed by 2am, and we left after the 2nd parade that started after midnight....and left the park just before 1am.

I was then up by 6:15am trying to get Genie + to work (it didnt work for us the entire trip and I had to have the front desk buy it for me at 6:30am each morning) and we walked into Epcot at 10am..it was a rough start to the day....

but the party was TOTALLY worth it!

how long did you have to wait fo a bus?

 

[Avery&Todd]

how long did you have to wait fo a bus?

We were at the VGF, so we took the boat back....

sorry!

 

[Kfreitas]

Has anyone done a dessert party on the night of the Christmas party? One person in our party only has a Christmas party ticket (the other 2 have regular tickets that day) and I'm trying to figure out whether the dessert party is realistic if the last person won't get in until 7...

 

[bethbuchall]

No one has commented on how crowded busses are after party....I think a lot people especially those with kids leave after the fireworks and then a lot more probably leave after the 2nd parade so does that mean no bus lines by 1:00 am??? I was thinking of leaving during 2nd parade to avoid a long wait for a bus....

It seemed that most buses weren’t crowded at all. We were off Pirates at 1:06 am. We went straight out to the buses. The only line with anyone in it was ours (POFQ). We stood and watched as bus after bus came to the stops around us. There were times that there was no one else in the whole bus depot. Our bus finally showed up just before 2 am and was quite full by then. (It was kind of the story for our whole trip.)

 

[Tonberry]

Just looked at plans again, and I'm considering Tues, Nov 30th or Thurs, Dec 2nd. Any ideas which would be less crowded? Thanks again!

Honestly, I don't think either day would have a noticeably different crowd level. Fridays would probably be the most busy. Strangely, it seems like Sundays are the last to sell out. Whether it's due to higher ticket prices, more capacity limits, or just the better day to go, nobody knows.
Either way, I'd pick a day that works best with your plans and follow it up with a morning that you can recover from.

 

[gmant]

My wife and I did the after hours last night and loved it. I wanted to post about it in case it's helpful to anyone since I've gotten so much great info from these boards.

We arrived at the gates around 6:20pm. We did some pictures in front of the Mickey & Minnie birthday cake with a great magic shot. They started letting us in at 6:40. Got pictures with Mickey, posted wait was 10 min we were done in under 5 min. Went into the emporium but it was a mad house as was Main Street so went to Space Mountain, posted wait was 35 min. TP said 15 min we were on in 13 minutes. Walked on tea cups, dumbo and mermaid. Watched fireworks above Gaston statue. Peter Pan posted 55 min, we waited 5 min. Walked on small world. Got Mickey bars and popcorn. Haunted Mansion posted 30 min we waited less than 15. Seven dwarves posted wait was 30 min, on in less than 20. Saw the end of the parade then waived to Big Al. Walked on big thunder mountain. Splash Mountain posted 5 min but decided to skip because it was getting cool and didn't want to get wet. Took pics with Captain Hook. Waited less than 5 min for Pirates. Took pics at Jingle Cruise with a fun magic shot. Wait posted 35 min so decide to wait. Shopped in the Christmas shop. Watched fireworks next to the shop. Got pictures with Santa 5 min wait. Took pics with Piglet & Eeyore. Watched some of the stage show and got more great magic shots at the partners statue. Danced with Stitch in the snow. Walked on Astro blaster. Wait for seven dwarves said 45 so passed and walked to Chrismas shop again. Watched the parade. It was now 12:40am and Jingle Cruise had 55 min posted, waited 25. Took pics in front of castle and down main Street. Got on the boat to parking at 1:45am. All cast members were awesome. Did not wait more than 5 minutes for snacks or magic shots.

We had a blast. Would absolutely do it again. Did everything we wanted and more.