For a Disney After Hours event in 2026, you can typically enter the park as early as 7:00 PM using only your special event ticket, even though the event itself usually doesn't officially start until 9:30 PM or 10:00 PM. This "early entry" is a strategic perk, giving you roughly three hours of overlap with regular day guests to enjoy shows or dinners that might close once the official After Hours period begins. Upon arrival at 7:00 PM, you must head to the designated event turnstiles to receive your wristband. If you already have a regular day ticket and are already inside the park, you can simply visit a designated check-in station within the park to get your wristband without having to exit and re-enter. This 7:00 PM window is highly recommended for maximizing value, as it allows you to tackle lower-priority rides during the "mix-in" period so you can save the low-wait After Hours time for the most popular headliner attractions like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind or TRON Lightcycle / Run.