Is it possible and has anyone ever rented out a Disney theme park for a day or night

[Thing2008]

I have always been intrigued to the idea of renting out a park for a night/day. I'm pretty sure it would have to be a night event as a day would lose to much money.

Has anyone ever tried this? It is a dream of mine to walk the park with almost no one. If I ever get this chance i'm inviting everyone on the disboards and the team !

 

[Alesia]

It's possible, but it's always done by large organizations. There are very, very few individuals that have that kind of money.

 

[verleniahall]

It can be done, but I wouldn't want to know the price!!!

 

[Thing2008]

It's possible, but it's always done by large organizations. There are very, very few individuals that have that kind of money.

Yeah thats what I thought.

 

[Thing2008]

It can be done, but I wouldn't want to know the price!!!

Probably in the millions!

 

[wilkeliza]

The whole park is incredibly expensive and is usually only done by large corporations where a couple million for an "event" is no biggie.

You can do smaller rentals of just an area or ride or character as well. I don't know if they do it any more but one of our dreams like no budget type dreams was to have our wedding reception in the Great Movie Ride and then also have Pixar Place and Toy Store Midway Mania open. For just a few hours that was going to be over 10K and I think the 10K did not include Toy Story. I can't remember any more as we priced it out 3ish years ago now.

 

[Quellman]

More often people rent out areas of the parks unless they are as @Alesia mentions, a large corporation. A popular area is the Rockin Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror courtyards. 2 headliner thrill rides in close proximity. The reason is that it costs so much money to keep rides and attractions open is staffing requirements. Imagine, you are paying for security, ride operators (who likely will be on overtime) managers, cleaning staff, also often you'll want a DJ and maybe some catered food. Not to mention the profit that Mickey takes off the top. So unless you can write it off as corporate events and team building, or charge a cost to attendees to either pay for or offset the costs..... I suspect that people who do this show up with one of those giant cardboard checks.

 

[Raya]

Way back when web design was a lucrative thing Marcomedia (now Adobe) rented out Universal Studios or at least a portion of it for folks who went to their annual conference. Even with a few hundred conference folks it felt "empty". Large buffets were set up in the center of the streets but food vendors were closed. All of the rides in that section were open (Tornado is the one I remember most) and street performers roamed.

Later I took part in a fundraiser for Children's Miracle network where we were given access to the park after hours for 2 or 3 hours to conduct a rideathon. Basically people pledged money for the number of times you rode Dumbo or Peter Pan. Only Fantasyland was open, and again a limited number of food vendors, but it was still neat to have a nearly empty park to run around in.

 

[cvjw]

My sister used to work for a large software company that rented out Hollywood studios and islands of adventure for their employees for a night.

She said it was awesome. Hardly anyone here, all the attractions were open and food was included.

 

[wmson2000]

Way back when web design was a lucrative thing Marcomedia (now Adobe) rented out Universal Studios or at least a portion of it for folks who went to their annual conference.

I've been to Microsoft and IBM events where they rented large portions of Universal for the private events. Lots of fun!

 

[NS8VN]

A company I am affiliated with is renting out DHS for 2 evenings coming up in February. I don't know the specifics but judging by how much they have spent per person in the past they are probably not paying more than half a million per day. They are advertising it with QS open and free. They have done this a couple times before at Universal and many of the QS food options were open and comped as well.

On a related note, avoid the Swan and Dolphin in mid-February

 

[grnflash]

Disneyland gets rented out. Usually just a land if its a celebrity doing it or a specific ride/area (like Mariah Carey rented out the castle so she could get married.) These will happen after regular park hours.

Full park rental is rarer but does happen. Usually a corporation but I think Miley Cyrus rented it all out for her 18th bday. Michael Jackson used to. After hours also but every once in a great while you'll see an odd closing time with no events to explain it. Like a random 8pm closure in the middle of a week when the park closes at 9 or 10 other nights. Park rental.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

I have always been intrigued to the idea of renting out a park for a night/day. I'm pretty sure it would have to be a night event as a day would lose to much money.

Has anyone ever tried this? It is a dream of mine to walk the park with almost no one. If I ever get this chance i'm inviting everyone on the disboards and the team !

On November 17, Magic Kingdom is closing at 4:30 for a private event. And I think also on January 23. (Both days I had planned to be in Magic Kingdom.)

 

[scrappingbuckeye]

Minecon rented out Island of Adventure back in 2013 and it was awesome! I went to the International Builders show back in 2003 I think and they rented out MK for the evening, again it was great - very low crowds.

 

[Lyricallie]

When I was at Universal in May they closed early (6:00) for a private event. I think it was for IBM in Studios. Very jealous as that was my last night and the parks shut early for it.

 

[Sorcerer17]

Let's hope the lone winner of the $487 Million Powerball drawing is a DISboards member and will rent out MK for a night and invite all of his/her DISboard friends!

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Procter and Gamble had a day they would rent Kings Island out for their employees.

 

[wilkeliza]

I keep seeing on this thread that IBM does this and I have to admit I hope they continue! I now work for IBM and might die if I got invited to go to one of their private park parties.

 

[rteetz]

The Dis has rented out parts of the parks several times. They rented out Pixar Place in DHS a few years ago and then they rented out Diagon Alley last year.

 

[Dave006]

On November 17, Magic Kingdom is closing at 4:30 for a private event. And I think also on January 23. (Both days I had planned to be in Magic Kingdom.)

The Nov. 17 evening event is for Disney Cast Members.

Dave