Credit: DisneyWalt Disney World Resort guests are sharing their disappointment after feeling duped by an expensive offering at the Florida theme park destination.
A Disney vacation has never been cheap, but fans have shared concerns that prices are soaring out of control. As free perks like the Magical Express and FastPasses disappear from the Disney bubble, reports suggest that even Disney executives fear they’re pricing out the average American. Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported that some believe “the company has become addicted to price hikes and has reached the limits of what middle-class Americans can afford.”
With the price tags for tickets, hotels, food, and merchandise all skyrocketing, Disney hasn’t hesitated to attach extra upcharges to Disney World vacations. Nowadays, guests who want to skip the lines (or, more realistically, just wait in a shorter line) need to shell out for Lightning Lanes.
Meanwhile, with the pre-COVID evening Extra Magic Hours a thing of the past, guests hoping to stay in the parks after hours will either need to stay at a Disney Deluxe Resort (which gifts its residents Extended Evening Theme Park Hours for select parks on select dates) or shell out for Disney After Hours.
While the latter isn’t a daily option, it’s semi-regular at the likes of EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guests pay $155 to $175 per person (with Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members enjoying a $30 discount) in exchange for shorter queues for popular attractions and the added perk of certain free snacks and beverages, plus character meet and greets.
However, guests who attended a recent Disney After Hours event at EPCOT claim the event doesn’t justify its price tag.
“Anyone else thoroughly disappointed with tonight’s EPCOT Late Night event?” a guest wrote on Reddit after its August 28 event. “Guardians was broken down all night, and I only saw 2 characters the entire night.”
Not only was Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – the park’s most in-demand attraction, and arguably the biggest pull of paying more to visit after hours – out of action, but the guest was surprised to learn that the entire World Showcase was closed during the event, which meant no cocktails or shopping.
“So I paid $85 for a DJ, some free popcorn, ice cream & soft drinks, and somewhat lighter crowds,” they concluded. (Note that while the guest claimed to have paid $85, this is likely a typo, with tickets for last night’s event costing $155 for regular guests and $125 for passholders.)
As stated on the Disney World website, the following attractions are available at After Hours events at EPCOT:
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Frozen Ever After
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
- Living with the Land
- Mission: SPACE
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Spaceship Earth
However, food and shopping options are indeed limited during the event.
Other guests chimed in with similarly negative Disney After Hours experiences at EPCOT in particular.
“It’s not a park I’d want to do after hours at ever again,” said one Reddit user. “Hollywood Studios is the better park for it. There’s more characters, it’s a smaller park so easier to get around, and the rides are much better.”
Another wrote, “EPCOT extended hours is a giant letdown. Not all the lands are open. Good luck finding anything to eat.”
“Went to a DVC After Hours events at Epcot a couple of years ago and it’s just not a park that works well for these events,” another commented. “I understand why World Showcase is closed cause that’s A LOT of CMs needed to run but then you just end up doing a lot of walking in a very dark park for very little payoff.”
But not everyone is disappointed by the experience.
“If Guardians was down then yeah you really had a bad experience,” conceded one guest, before adding, “I honestly think the best bang for your buck on those events is just spamming your favorite E ticket attraction. We met a couple at the end of the night that went on Guardians eight times, and that probably makes a lot of sense to get the most for your money.”
However, many agree that other parks simply offer more value after hours.
“After Hours Hollywood Studios is the best time I’ve ever had in any Disney Park,” one user wrote. “So many characters (and rare characters!). Rode Slinky Dog I think 6 times back to back with no waiting at one point (although they did make us keep going back through the queue).”
Magic Kingdom events were also praised. Magic Kingdom you get the extra fireworks show as well,” a Disney fan said. “Nothing more rewarding for your cash than having space right at [the] front of the castle to lie flat on the ground and watch the fireworks.”
What are your thoughts on the value of Disney After Hours events?