Strange After Hours Offering

[KeithS]

Have you folks read about this from WDW:
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2016/03/new-disney-after-hours-provides-loads-of-nighttime-fun-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

It is a three hour overtime session in the Magic Kingdom in WDW on select nights in April and May.  It is a tickets event which allows you to stay in the park from 11pm to 2am - similar to the Extra Magic Hours program currently in existence.  But unlike EMH - each ticket to this event is $149 (including kids!).

EMH still exists on other nights for Disney resort guests.

I just don't know who the intended audience for this ticketed event is?  Wouldn't you rather spend money on something like MNSSHP which is much cheaper?

The only people who would buy the ticket would be those staying offsite (after all, onsite people get free EMH anyway).  But would a family of four who may be staying offsite to save some money, then spend $600USD to spend three hours from 11pm at the Magic Kingdom?

Am I missing something here - I just don't get it...

[mushu mama]

I've read a lot of unhappy posts about this on the Disney photographer pages.  The most prized shots taken at any of the parks are the ones they hang around up to two hours after closing to get of the rides/attractions lit up at night without people in them, and that allow for long exposures.  They're all pretty unhappy that this may not be an option anymore.  Personally, I'm a little devo as well, as I was planning to do the same when I'm there later in the year and have been planning a shot list for just such an occasion, but depending on how soon it comes in, it might be another of those 'didn't get to do that at WDW' things I seem to be racking up. 
From what I've read - and this is all conjecture and opinion that I've cobbled together from various sources - the thought is that it might be to attract the cashed up 'once in a life-timers' who want to ride everything but might not have been able to do so because of the ever increasing crowds.  I've read a LOT of people expressing that they would be interested in such a program to take advantage of little or no lines later in the day, and particularly people attending after conferences that they may be in Orlando for, and would otherwise see a few hours in the afternoon as not great  value ( but worth it if they can go late into the night).  Naturally the AP holders are less than impressed, as they would have to pay extra too. 
I guess if you knew you might never get back there - and that is the case for many - then you might be tempted to splash out on extra time without the crowds. 
I would hope that the lengthened operating hours would also mean more staff - but if they're just going to stretch out the already stretched cast members, then I wouldn't be so enraptured with the whole scheme. 

[KeithS]

Yeah. I also figured they were targeting the cashed up convention attendees. Maybe get them in for one night of small crowds and then they'll bring back their kids at a later date.

I note that only selected attractions are open so not everything will be available and therefore the number of cast will be limited. This is only for April and May at the moment but it'll be interesting to see if they continue.

[ajp]

I just hope it's not a cash grab aligning with the cost cutting they've recently instigated. The worry is that if they experience some success from it, then they may keep it and remove EMH which would be catastrophic. Maybe they're trying to turn people away from MK at night so they go to AK to see the new show there. Whatever the weird reason they will have I am still confounded about this particular offering, where you're essentially getting nothing for something.