Question about the hard-ticket events WDW Theme Parks Discuss Question about the hard-ticket events in the Vacation Planning forums; I am going to MNSSHP this October, and I can't wait! It will be my first hard-ticket event at WDW. I don't know why I was wondering about this, but ...

[AllieBee]

I am going to MNSSHP this October, and I can't wait! It will be my first hard-ticket event at WDW.

I don't know why I was wondering about this, but maybe some of you hard-ticket event veterans could help me understand. If they don't make everyone leave and then let the people with tickets come back in for the party, then couldn't non-ticket holders stay in the park? Where and how do they check to make sure you are an even ticket-holder? If you didn't want to ride any attractions, couldn't you just wander around if you had already paid to be in the MK that day?

Of course I would hope that people would be honest, but I guess I just don't get it. Can someone explain how they make sure only ticket-holders are left in the park after 7pm and no stowaways?

Thanks for explaining.

[DisneyGuy87]

They put nice colorful wristbands on everyone staying for the party and then most of the cast memebers you walk past ask you to show the band or they tell you that you should leave. It seems to work pretty well. Hypothetically, some people could probably get away with staying in the parks but it would be tough and I don't think they would be able to get on any rides.

[NC_WDW_Daddy]

Without the wristbands, CMs will escort those guests to the exist. It's kind of like herding cats, but it works.

[NC_WDW_Daddy]

BTW, you only need your hard ticket for entrance after 4 PM. So, if you are not going to any of the parks that day before MNSSHP, you will not have to use one of your passes for entrance to MK after 4 PM.

[tizzo]

I saw this once from the other side. Disney is rather aggressive, in my opinion, about sorting the hard-ticket guests from the day guests. I was there on a MVMCP day, when the park closed at 7PM. Around 6:45PM, we were by the Carousel, and noticed that they had set up a line of cast members across the walkway that runs from the Carousel over towards liberty square, and anyone trying to get by without a wrist band was stopped and directed out of the park. Presumably they did the same thing in other areas of the park as well so they could effectively section off the park and prevent movement between sections, limiting the appeal of lingering in the park beyond closing.

What actually kind of upset me, beyond the fact that they started doing this before my paid admission was over, was that they also had cast members posted at the bathrooms (at least some of them) and wouldn't let anyone without a wristband in. We actually were on our way out of the park, and my niece had to use the rest room before we left (she's two) and two different cast members at two different bathrooms told my wife that she couldn't go in. She finally argued with the second cast member, because my niece was beginning to squirm, who relented and let her in. We then made our way out of the park.

We were back the next day, so I stopped in Town Hall to complain about how we were treated. The cast members at guest services took us seriously and made an effort to try to identify the cast members in question (my wife didn't think to check their name tags), and insisted that it wasn't policy to deny guests access to the bathrooms.

Anyway, my advice would be to avoid MK completely on days that have hard-ticket events scheduled. And if you must go, make it easier on yourself and be out at least a couple hours before closing.

[Mary501]

As best as the cast members try to 'herd' non-ticketed guests out, there are always a few that manage to get missed. Last year for MVMCP, they were checking both wristbands and for the actual ticket. It seems that the wristband color had been used on a previous night at another park for evening extra magic hours - oops on WDW's part.

The wristbands get you onto the rides and into any of the theatres for the special presentations.

Hope you enjoy your visit.