Hiya Shaun,
Welcome back to planDisney! I’m honored to be a part of helping you plan your upcoming visit to Magic Kingdom Park. Your question is very timely; my Prince Charming and I were just debating this the other day, so I am happy to provide my opinion on attending a
Disney After Hours event versus spending a “full” day in Magic Kingdom Park.
When I talk to people looking to plan their first Walt Disney World Resort vacation, I always recommend Magic Kingdom Park as a must-do. Besides being iconic, it has the most attractions and is quintessentially Disney. If you were new to visiting the Most Magical Place on Earth, I would tell you to skip Disney After Hours and spend the whole day at Magic Kingdom Park. Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom Park is only a three-hour event (six hours if you plan to arrive at 7 pm), and you may feel rushed to fit everything in during that event and not be able to enjoy the experience fully. For those who have been so many times that they can tell you the quickest path to and from their favorite attractions to the Cheeseburger Egg Roll cart (like me), I lean more towards attending Disney After Hours. Yes, the shorter wait times are great, but in my experience, Disney After Hours is the time to take a slower pace. Enjoy complimentary snacks and beverages, ride a few of your favorite attractions, and experience the park without feeling rushed from place to place.
I hope this helped make your decision for your upcoming vacation, Shaun. Whichever option you choose, I know you will have a magical time. If you have never done an After Hours Event, I believe it is worth experiencing. On days we do After Hours Events, we tend to spend the morning at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park or EPCOT, then head back to our resort for a break and an early dinner so we can stay all night in the Theme Park. It is always a nice break from our typical Theme Park sprint.
Additionally, six hours is plenty of time to do everything we want. Lastly. as an added benefit, this year, Guests who attend are treated to the opportunity to see both
Happily Ever After Fireworks (if you get to Magic Kingdom Park early) and
Disney’s Enchantment, both of which are my favorites! Please come back and see us if you need anything else.
Happy Planning,
Ashley F.