Disney has announced the lineup and dates of 2024 Disneyland After Dark parties! Returning are Star Wars and Pride Nites, joined by the first-ever Disney Channel night as part of the popular post-park closing hard ticket events. This shares details and offers commentary about these hard ticket events in California.
In case you’re unfamiliar with it, Disneyland After Dark parties are limited-time parties that take place after regular park hours and feature unique themes, festivities, character meet & greets, special nighttime entertainment, access to attractions with reduced wait times, and more. It’s the Disneyland equivalent of After Hours at Walt Disney World, albeit typically with more on the thematic front.
With each separately-ticketed Disneyland After Dark party, attendees get 4 hours of party time after the parks close to day guests. Plus, there’s a 3-hour pre-party mix-in at the same park as the event. That amounts to a total of 7 hours park time, minus however long it takes to check into the event.
The release of these Disneyland After Dark themes and dates follows Disney releasing the Full 2024 Calendar of Events at Disneyland, which includes seasonal events that’ll run concurrent with these parties, including Season of the Force and Pixar Fest. So attendees can enjoy those offerings during the mix-in hours, followed by the event-exclusive entertainment (etc.) during Disneyland After Dark.
In addition to all the themed fun brought to life just for the party, admission also includes commemorative keepsakes such as a souvenir credential and an event guide map, plus unlimited digital downloads of Disney PhotoPass photos taken throughout Disneyland After Dark, which is a nice since a lot about these events revolves around photos and fun.
Here’s the 2024 Disneyland After Dark lineup:
Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts’ Nite
Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts’ Nite celebrates the love all around us on eight different nights in Disneyland. Plan a dreamy rendez-vous, besties night, or start a family tradition at these sensational soirées. Here are the Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts’ Nite party dates:
- January 23, 2024
- January 25, 2024
- January 30, 2024
- February 1, 2024
- February 6, 2024
- February 8, 2024
- February 12, 2024
- February 14, 2024
Sweethearts’ Nite will include many heartwarming offerings:
- A royal cavalcade will make its way through Disneyland park, offering an enchanting gathering of some of Disney’s favorite royals, transported by equally splendid equines.
- Near “it’s a small world,” dance along with princesses, princes and Disney characters at the evening’s royal ball.
- Stitch and Angel will host their very own dance party at the stage in Tomorrowland. Join them throughout the night to dance and sing to some awesome beats!
- Throughout the park, unique photo backdrops will offer you an opportunity to step inside some of Disney’s iconic scenes of love and friendship, including “Lady and the Tramp,” “Tangled,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Aladdin,” and more.
- Divine lighting, fabulous projections and the music of Disney love songs create the ultimate atmosphere for romance, friendship and family throughout the park.
- Enjoy many sweet treats to indulge in and themed savory items available throughout the park, created especially for Sweethearts’ Nite. New offerings will include the shortbread cookie churro with strawberry cheesecake dipping sauce and the Café Daisy fried heart-shaped ravioli, plus some returning and reimagined favorites like the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe Chocolate & Strawberry-stuffed croissant.
- Plus, specialty menu items will also be available at Plaza Inn, Cafe Orleans, River Belle Terrace and Carnation Café, subject to availability. Reservations are recommended and can be booked online soon.
A limited number of Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts’ Nite tickets will go on pre-sale for Magic Key holders beginning December 12, 2023 (no earlier than 9 a.m. PT) on Disneyland.com.
On December 14, 2023 (no earlier than 9 a.m. PT), tickets will go on sale to the general public and are subject to availability.
Disneyland After Dark: Disney Channel Nite
Get ready for this all-new, nostalgic celebration as Disneyland After Dark: Disney Channel Nite comes to life, highlighting themed offerings from favorite Disney Channel shows across various eras of programming with fantastic music, memorable characters, high-energy parties, unique photo opportunities, and more!
Disneyland After Dark: Disney Channel Nite will be held March 5 & 7, 2024, at Disneyland. Join in the fun with fellow Disney Channel fans with great offerings including:
- The “High School Musical” pep rally will take place through the streets of Disneyland park celebrating the songs from the beloved “High School Musical” franchise.
- The “Phineas and Ferb” dance party at the stage in Tomorrowland will be a high-energy dance party, complete with a DJ and appearances by your favorite “Phineas and Ferb” characters!
- “Camp Rock” karaoke will allow you to sing favorite songs, and The Ultimate Disney Channel Trivia Challenge will test true Disney Channel fans, all in the cozy atmosphere of The Golden Horseshoe.
- “Descendants” at the Rivers of America will invite you to take a cruise on the Sailing Ship Columbia and enjoy music from the “Descendants” trilogy.
- Opportunities to step into imaginative photo backdrops representing favorite Disney Channel shows and movies, including “Lizzie McGuire,” “The Cheetah Girls,” “Teen Beach Movie” and more, will make you the star!
- Enjoy specially themed foods and snacks all evening long. A few items to expect are the mini banana burritos and tropical banana punch at Red Rose Taverne, plus chili cheese loaded nachos, and s’mores donut skewer from Café Daisy. Additionally, specialty dining packages will be available, too – more details coming to Disneyland.com, soon.
A limited number of Disneyland After Dark: Disney Channel Nite tickets will go on pre-sale for Magic Key holders beginning December 12, 2023 (no earlier than 9 a.m. PT) on Disneyland.com.
On December 14, 2023 (no earlier than 9 a.m. PT), tickets will go on sale to the general public and are subject to availability.
Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite
Star Wars Nites are back, with more nights than ever before! Prepare to launch your course for a galactic adventure like no other. Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nites will take place during Season of the Force, happening at Disneyland park from April 5 to June 2, 2024.
Here are Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite party dates:
- April 16, 2024
- April 18, 2024
- April 23, 2024
- April 25, 2024
- April 30, 2024
- May 2, 2024
- May 7, 2024
- May 9, 2024
On sale dates and additional details for Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite have not yet been announced. Last year, highlights included the following:
- An amazing pyrotechnical spectacle that will illuminate the skies with the “Star Wars: Celebrate the Nite” fireworks show illuminating the skies above Disneyland. This pyrotechnic spectacle is set to the powerful music of Star Wars films.
- Captain Phasma and Stormtroopers during the March of the First Order in Tomorrowland, as they search for a Resistance spy.
- Encounter travelers across the galaxy like Tusken Raiders and Jawas.
- Get ready to master a lightsaber! Attend the Lightsaber Instructional demonstration, where you will learn to handle a lightsaber through a series of elite moves, sure to bring out your inner Jedi!
- Picture yourself in dynamic photo backdrops featuring some of the galaxy’s favorite heroes and villains, captured by Disney PhotoPass photographers at the party.
- Themed snacks such as galactic churros
We’d expect some of that to stay the same, and some to be different. Even with Hyperspace Mountain returning, our hope is that more happens in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. As Disney gets more and more comfortable with bending the rules on Batuu, that’s possible. It’s also likely new characters from Disney+ and beyond will appear.
Disneyland After Dark: Pride Nite
Last year, Disneyland After Dark: Pride Nite came to life for the very first time, and it’s back in 2024 with entertainment, colorful characters, photo opps and more on two spectacular evenings on June 18 & 20, 2024 at Disneyland.
Stay tuned for on-sale dates and additional details for Disneyland After Dark: Pride Nite in the coming months.
Last year’s highlights for Pride Nite included the following:
- Celebrate at the Pride Nite Cavalcade featuring Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Clarabelle, Donald, Daisy and Goofy dressed in special attire as they make their way through the heart of Disneyland park down Main Street, U.S.A.!
- Join Stitch at the Ohana Dance Party at Tomorrowland Terrace, where a DJ will be spinning great tunes with joyful energy at a dance party that celebrates “ohana” – family!
- The Pride Nite Dance Club will come alive along the Rivers of America, inviting everyone to dance and enjoy music under the stars.
- Kick up your heels with country line dancing at the Golden Horseshoe!
- Picture yourself in fun photo backdrops with inspirational messages or Disney characters
- Savory snacks and sweets specially made for the party
Again, expect some of that to change and some to stay the same.
Turning to commentary, there are a couple of surprises here–but it’s mostly what we expected. I’ll start by admitting that when I first saw the press release about this, I misread it and thought we were finally getting a Disney Afternoon Nite, which would’ve been a “shut up and take my money” dream scenario for us. As I’ve written repeatedly, I’d be willing to overpay for tickets to a 90s Nite that leans heavily into nostalgia for the Disney Afternoon and offers substantive entertainment from that era.
Then I realized that it’s actually Disney Channel. Then I read the shows, movies, and characters it’ll feature. Oh. While I am personally disappointed, I can’t knock the concept. There are a ton of people who love all things Disney Channel, and I’m happy for them that they’re getting an event right up their alley!
Not everything needs to be squarely aimed at me–I think I’m just a few years too old to be the target audience for this one. Nevertheless, it’s nice to see a party like this. Really! I’m betting it’ll be a huge hit. (And hopefully that will mean Disney Afternoon is next. See? I’m playing the long game!) My biggest surprise is that it’s only two nights.
Honestly, the biggest surprise to me that Disney Channel and Pride Nite each only have two dates. The latter sure seemed like it was a massive success last year, and I fully expected to see (at least) a half-dozen Pride Nite parties this year as a result.
In fact, if the dates were at the beginning of June 2024 instead of late in the month, I would’ve speculated here that they were possibly testing the waters and planned to add more dates ‘by popular demand’ if tickets sold well. And I guess that could still happen, but it seems unlikely with the parties happening later in June.
But I learned a long time ago that it’s a fool’s errand trying to make sense of the Disneyland After Dark schedule. A couple of years ago, when they scheduled more Grad Nite Reunion parties than anything else–and then had trouble selling tickets–cemented that for me. I’m sure there’s some method to the madness, but sometimes it seems as if Disneyland just kind of does what it wants with these parties. Like there’s one leader who is really passionate about Sweethearts’ Nite, so that one keeps coming back with a lot of dates.
Ultimately, that’s about all we have to say about the 2024 Disneyland After Dark lineup. We had already made the decision to attend one, with a new and exciting concept having top priority, followed by whatever would be most bloggable. I had hoped that would be 80s or 90s Nite, but assumed it’d mean Pride Nite. In reality, looks like it’ll probably be Star Wars Nite. Here’s hoping that ends up being significantly different this year for Season of the Force!
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of other places!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you excited for the lineup of Disneyland After Dark in 2024? Excited or disappointed about the event themes? Which of these “Nites” do you think looks like it has the best lineup? Does Disney Channel Nite look appealing to you, or would you prefer 80s/90s/Disney Afternoon Nite? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
