Walt Disney World is known as The Most Magical Place on Earth, while Disneyland holds the title of The Happiest Place on Earth. The two resorts welcome millions of guests each year and are loaded with thrilling rides, fantastic theming, and renowned shows. But they’re also known for huge crowds, lots of screaming children, and high prices.
For adults visiting the parks, the experience can vary. Universal Studios is often considered the more “grown-up” theme park since Disney has been banking on its family-friendly image for decades. But in recent years, Disney has launched a new series of after-hours parties that are perfect for grown-ups. These events have their own tickets, a capped admission, and take place after the parks close. They’re also loaded with exclusive events and goodies (including lots of special boozy cocktails).
The after-hours parties are the best way for adults to experience Disney, and they create such a great atmosphere that they’re actually some of the best theme park experiences I’ve ever had at any park around the world. Here’s why adults will love Disney’s after-hours parties.
Fewer crowds and fewer kids
Both Disney World and Disneyland host various after-hours parties throughout the year, and each has its own specific schedule. But in general, the events run from around 7 pm – 1 am and require a separate ticket from a standard park admission. On top of that, the events have capped admissions, so you’ll never experience the large crowds you would during a typical day in the parks.
Plus, because of the later hours, there’s way fewer kids. There are no adults-only rules for the after-hours parties, but the evening/late night timing naturally deters most families with small kids…especially since lots of Disney guests love to “rope drop” and try to be awake at 6 or 7 am to enter the parks. For grown-up visitors, this creates the perfect scenario for a great night at Disney.
The rides stay open
You won’t believe how short the ride lines are during the after-hours parties. For starters, the capped admission helps a lot. Secondly, the parties are absolutely loaded with exclusive performances and shows, so tons of guests spend their nights seeing those. The result are rides with incredibly short (and often nonexistent) wait times.
During a normal day, you might be waiting an hour or more to ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, but during my most recent after-hours party, we literally walked right on. We also walked right on to Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. I did the Pride Nite party at Disneyland last year as well and walked right onto Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain and had maybe a 5-minute wait for the Matterhorn. If you love rides, after-hours parties are an absolute must and allow you to ride more rides than you would during a full normal day at the parks.
There’s lots of exclusive shows and performances
As I said, the rides often have short lines thanks in part to all the events going on around the park, and trust me, these events are tons of fun as well. During the after-hours events, the parks come alive with dance parties, live music, parades, and epic shows…many of which are exclusive to the party and don’t happen during a normal day at the park.
Better yet, since the ride lines are so short, you don’t need to spend your night choosing between getting in line for a ride or enjoying a cocktail and live music. You get to do both. You will be absolutely shocked at how different the experience is when you’re not spending hours upon hours standing in line for rides. It opens up so much more of your time to experience the entertainment.
There’s exclusive treats and boozy cocktails
You can’t have a party without some great food and drinks, and the Disney after-hours parties definitely deliver. During the events, the typical food offerings remain open, so you can still get the iconic Disneyland churro and Blue Milk at Galaxy’s Edge. But the parties also have their own exclusive menus too.
Sip on a spiced (and spiked) hot chai latte; or a “Dark and Snowy” which is a frozen drink made with Jack Daniels, coconut cream, and cinnamon; or try a beer margarita, which combines tequila, pilsner, and Cointreau. When you’re hungry you can snack on delights like cereal milk funnel cakes, pork belly baos, caramel-dipped croissant waffles, and lots more.
They’re more bang for your buck
Prices vary, but most of the after-hours parties cost around $155-$185 per person, making them a bit more expensive than a standard ticket. But when you factor in the short (or nonexistent) ride lines, you can actually ride more rides during the party than you could during a standard day in the parks – which for me already makes it worth the price. Plus, you have all the great entertainment, the drinks, and the exclusive food choices.
But most importantly, since you have fewer crowds, fewer small children, and more room to breathe, the entire vibe of the parks are different. You’re more relaxed, it’s a bit quieter, it’s less stressful, and you feel like you have a lot more freedom. Disney parks can sometimes feel like an obstacle course, but during the after-hours parties, they feel more like a playground.
Popular after-hours parties you should check out
At Disney World, the most popular after-hours parties are Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party during the fall, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights celebrations during the holidays. But there are other after-hours events taking place throughout the year.
At Disneyland, their after-hours party series is known as Disneyland After Dark, and their biggest yearly parties are Pride Nite, Star Wars Nite, and Sweetheart’s Nite.
