Hello there Alec,
Welcome to planDisney and thank you so much for this question. I'm thrilled to hear you'll be attending an upcoming
Disneyland After Dark event! You are going to have an out-of-this-world time.
These special events are absolutely incredible and a great way to experience some extra Disney Magic. However, given that don't allow entry into Disneyland Park until 6:00 PM, I typically recommend
purchasing a 1-day ticket as well with two important caveats.
First, I only recommend it if you can comfortably fit the expense into your trip budget! You'll need to make sure to have some extra funds to purchase all the cool merch at the Disneyland After Dark event as well.
Second, I would only strongly recommend purchasing your 1-day ticket if you'll be able to spend the majority of the day at the park! For example, if you're not arriving in Anaheim area until mid-to-late afternoon, then it might be better to spend some time in the Downtown Disney District until 6:00 PM. However, if you'll already be in the area by mid-morning then you'll get the full-day use out of your 1-day ticket and it makes way more sense!
Since it looks like you're headed to the parks in early May, I'm guessing that you'll be attending Star Wars Nite, so make sure to check out
this helpful Disney Parks Blog article with some additional details to get you prepared for your night in a galaxy far, far away!
Thanks again for your question, Alec, and enjoy Disneyland After Dark.
Have a Magical Day,
Greg