Do you love the after-hour events at Walt Disney World? Disney Villains After Hours at Magic Kingdom is happening now and I've got the full scoop on the event and whether or not you should take the plunge and buy a ticket.
What is Disney Villains After Hours?
A few weeks ago, I was invited by Disney to attend their Villains After Hours event. I remember seeing this event last summer, leading up to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (which is one of my very favorite special events), but this was the first time I was going to experience it myself. I was curious about what it would be like since I thought it was sort of a segue from summer into Halloween, so I jumped at the chance to attend. I made plans to attend with one of my best friends and quickly whipped up some villain inspired shirts on my Cricut.
Disney Villains After Hours is a special event at Magic Kingdom that runs on select nights from February 7th through July 10th. 2020. If you've ever been to an after-hours event at Magic Kingdom, you can usually expect smaller crowds as tickets are limited and much shorter wait times for your favorite rides and attractions.
Do you need a separate ticket for Disney Villains After Hours?
Yes! Annual passholders and guests that have purchases packages or daily park tickets will need to purchase a separate ticket for this event. It's highly recommended that you do so in advance since tickets are subject to availability. Tickets purchased in advance are $145 per person (plus tax) and same-day tickets are $155 per person (plus tax). For annual passholders or Disney Vacation Club Members, the price is $115 per person (plus tax).
What time can you enter the park?
Guests can enter Magic Kingdom at 7 PM, but the party officially starts at 9 PM or 10 PM depending on the date you select. Guest of this event can stay until 12 AM or 1 AM, also depending on which date you select.
Villains After Hours Schedule:
Disney Villains After Hours takes place from 9:00 PM to 12:00 AM on the following dates:
Friday, February 7, 2020
Friday, February 21, 2020
Friday, March 6, 2020
Disney Villains After Hours takes place from 10:00 PM to 1:00 AM on the following dates:
Friday, February 14, 2020
Friday, February 28, 2020
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Friday, March 27, 2020
Friday, April 3, 2020
Friday, April 10, 2020
Friday, April 17, 2020
Friday, April 24, 2020
Friday, May 1, 2020
Friday, May 8, 2020
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Friday, May 22, 2020
Friday, May 29, 2020
Friday, June 5, 2020
Friday, June 12, 2020
Friday, June 19, 2020
Friday, June 26, 2020
Monday, June 29, 2020
Monday, July 6, 2020
Friday, July 10, 2020
What can you expect at Villains After Hours?
As I mentioned earlier, you can expect smaller crowds and shorter lines and even some villain-inspired overlays to your favorite attractions like Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean. You can also expect special, edgier entertainment from Disney villains like the Villains Unite the Night stage show in front of Cinderella's castle.
You can also expect FREE treats! One of my favorite parts of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party are the special treats for attendees. At this event, you can grab free ice cream novelties, popcorn, and select bottled beverages at carts stationed throughout the park. On top of the free treats, there are also special villain-themed food and beverage offerings available to purchase throughout the park. We got a little preview of some of these items at a reception before our event.
Guests can also purchase event-themed, limited merchandise. I thought these light-up wings were pretty amazing!
Can you Disney Bound or dress in costume for this event?
Another thing I love about the after-hours events is that you can dress up for the occasion. Although costumes are usually prohibited for guests 14 years and older, Disney does make exceptions for the after-hours events as outlined in their dress code guidelines:
Costumes may not be worn by Guests 14 years of age or older; however, some costumes may be permitted during select special events, such as Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Disney Villains After Hours.
But, don't forget, costumes must be family-friendly and may not be obstructive, offensive, objectionable or violent and they may not contain any weapons. For the full policy, check here.
With the wicked stepsisters from Cinderella
So, in short, YES! You can Disney Bound or dress in costume for Villains After Hours. I went low-key with custom sweatshirts, but you can go all out if you want. And, speaking of all out... I also got a Character Couture makeover for the event!
What is Character Couture?
Character Couture is a fun way for you to get completely decked out as your favorite Disney character. Think of it like a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique experience for adults (or any age really). The stylists and artists can make you into virtually any Disney character, but for this event, you can choose any villain you'd like. I chose Ursula since I featured her on my sweatshirt.
With my amazing Character Couture artists!
The artists assigned to me were awesome. One tackled my makeup and the other my hair (although I was told that under normal circumstances the same person would do both). My hair was put up into an intricate updo with waves. She added removable color and a little bit of pixie dust for shimmer. I was a little skeptical that the color would come out fully, but it totally did. The villain look was really cool for this event, but they also do amazing classic princess looks too. I saw Ashley Eckstein of She Universe at an event a few weeks later and she'd got a Cinderella makeover and looked amazing!
You can get your hair, makeup, and nails done at any of these locations:
The Salon at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Salon by the Springs at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
La Vida Salon at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort
Ship Shape Salon at Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resort
In-room services are offered for an additional fee at participating Walt Disney World Resort hotels.
Prices vary, so you can call (407) WDW-GLAM or (407) 939-4526 for more information or to book your appointment.
Is it worth the money?
I went Villains After Hours with mixed feelings regarding the price. $145+ is pretty steep for having access to the park for only 6 hours (versus a full-day of 12+ hours). That being said, the smaller crowds and low wait times create an opportunity for you to ride several rides throughout the park, maybe even more than you could do in a 12+ hour day. We were able to walk onto many rides, like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, that usually have extremely long wait times. This made our visit way more efficient and we hit all of the major items on our bucket list.
I'd say that this event is absolutely worth the splurge if you can swing it. This was one of the most enjoyable times I've had at Magic Kingdom in quite a while (and that's considering Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party; two events that I absolutely LOVE).
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