Hi Julie! Welcome back to planDisney! You made a great choice with the
Disney After Hours event at Magic Kingdom Park!
There are so many great benefits of the Disney After Hours event! You already mentioned the first – being able to enter the park a few hours before the event officially begins! Take advantage of that extra time! Another great benefit is that complimentary select beverages, ice cream novelties, and popcorn are included in your admission! And, of course, the best benefit of all is that Disney After Hours is a limited ticket event meaning that the crowds will be light and wait times for attractions will be low! What a great way to spend a night at the Most Magical Place on Earth!
You are correct that you will be able to enter Magic Kingdom Park as early as 7:00 PM with your Disney After Hours ticket. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to enter earlier than 7:00 PM, even with your dining reservation.
Julie, I recommend either searching for a dining reservation after 7:00 PM at Magic Kingdom Park or finding a dining reservation at one of the three nearby resorts – Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, or Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Dining at any of these resorts would be a great way to kick off your magical evening! And, best of all, you can easily board the
Monorail at any of these three resorts for a quick ride to Magic Kingdom Park! I recommend a dining time of around 5:00 PM. This will allow you to enjoy your meal, without rushing, and then board the Monorail in plenty of time to make it to Magic Kingdom Park for 7:00 entry!
Enjoy Disney After Hours, Julie! A late night in the park is a great night in the park!
Dreams do come true!
Jonathan