Hello there, Brittany!
Once upon a dream, I got to visit the Walt Disney World Resort theme parks during a
Disney After Hours event, and it was a shining, shimmering, splendid experience.
Brittany, I triple-checked with a sweet Cast Member, and they confirmed that you would be able to ride attractions to your heart’s content from the time of check-in for the event until the event officially begins AND until the event officially ends! This means that you can get a head start on going on your favorite attractions.
In the past, I've shown up to the After Hours event turnstile entrance approximately 30 minutes before check-in begins so that I’m one of the first people to check in for the event. I like to take advantage of as much of the After Hours event time as possible. Before you arrive, I recommend checking what popular attractions are typically included during the
EPCOT After Hours events to help you plan out your evening since admission to the event doesn’t guarantee access to any attraction or experiences.
You’ll find that wait times drastically decline from the time you enter the theme park at check-in to the official event time start. I usually use this time to grab a bite to eat and let the crowds disappear before the event officially begins. If you’re a theme park attraction lover and want to get on attractions as soon as you enter the theme park, I recommend going to the far end of the park since Guests will start to get funneled out of the park near the entrance. For instance, this may be a good time to go on
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. I was amazed by how many attractions I could go on with little to no wait during the official event hours.
May the magic be with you!
Melanie