Hi Michelle and welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel!
I have to admit I'm jealous of your upcoming land and sea vacation! This feels like the perfect time to sail away to adventure. I am so excited you've decided to attend
Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom Park! My husband and I attended one of the events and had an amazing time. Since the number of tickets sold is limited, there are truly lower crowds. We were able to ride our favorite attractions with much less wait time, enjoy delicious snacks, and get some memorable photos. We wanted to rush to fit everything in, but also took time to enjoy the beauty of the park without the crowds.
You can enter the park as early as 7 p.m. with your event ticket. Since you will already be in Magic Kingdom Park, you will only need to have your Magic Band scanned to verify your Disney After Hours ticket then you will receive a lanyard. There should be a cast member inside the gate who could scan your band so you can avoid leaving and re-entering the park. Your whole party will have to be there to have their Magic Bands scanned and receive their lanyards. I would try to go closer to 7 to avoid being caught between day guests exiting the parks and other guests arriving for Disney After Hours.
Please let us know if we can help you with any other questions.
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Amy H