Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party 2024

[Andrew25]

The park’s build out is hamstrung by tents. Granted, they have plenty of garbage attractions to replace before expanding anyway…

Not really.

The two older sprung tents (are rumored to be retired next year and replaced with newer ones farther away from the park). They built two new sprung tents this year that are replacing (rumored) the two houses located previously in the old/new parade warehouses in order to accommodate the new parade. All the other HHN houses are built in soundstages or empty spaces within the park (F&F queue, Shrek's 2nd theater previously).

If anything, HHN is strategically moving out of the way of park expansions/operations. HHN builds it scare zones so they can be moved in/out each night and doesn't impact guest flow during the day. If anything, HHN is hamstrung by daily park ops lol

And the construction of Transformers literally cancelled a HHN house being built in the previous space... so it's not like HHN is holding them back at all.

 

[JohnD]

For me the party is a great value. I plan on doing AK the day of the party, taking a small break and then heading to mk. So instead of getting a park hopper I can spend about $20 more and enjoy the party.

Since I have the Pixie Dust pass, I'm deciding on either Sun. 10/27 where I can only go to the party, or Thu. 10/31 and doing what you did -- go to AK first then hop to MK for the party. Both are the same cost of $199 so, sure, I could go Halloween Night but the cost and the experience are the same at both. (Why the later more expensive parties? My alma mater in the area--no it's not FSU--has its homecoming the weekend prior. Makes sense to build in a trip to WDW afterward.)

 

[ToTBellHop]

Not really.

The two older sprung tents (are rumored to be retired next year and replaced with newer ones farther away from the park). They built two new sprung tents this year that are replacing (rumored) the two houses located previously in the old/new parade warehouses in order to accommodate the new parade. All the other HHN houses are built in soundstages or empty spaces within the park (F&F queue, Shrek's 2nd theater previously).

If anything, HHN is strategically moving out of the way of park expansions/operations. HHN builds it scare zones so they can be moved in/out each night and doesn't impact guest flow during the day. If anything, HHN is hamstrung by daily park ops lol

And the construction of Transformers literally cancelled a HHN house being built in the previous space... so it's not like HHN is holding them back at all.

You literally point out they must close F&F (and are unlikely to replace it with anything better anytime soon) and made the new Minion thing tiny to accommodate HHN. So it is indeed impacting the park negatively year-round.

 

[Andrew25]

You literally point out they must close F&F (and are unlikely to replace it with anything better anytime soon) and made the new Minion thing tiny to accommodate HHN. So it is indeed impacting the park negatively year-round.

They don't close F&F specifically for HHN, never had until this year which is probably just a cost-cutting measure. They still operated it during HHN season.

Minions is a rather long experience in a tight space. Don't think any additional Sq. Ft. would have added to the experience.

 

[ToTBellHop]

They don't close F&F specifically for HHN, never had until this year which is probably just a cost-cutting measure. They still operated it during HHN season.

Minions is a rather long experience in a tight space. Don't think any additional Sq. Ft. would have added to the experience.

One of Villain Con's complaints is that the rooms are extremely tight which makes people feel claustrophobic and can make it challenging to hold and point the guns well. Bigger rooms would have been quite welcome.

Double the space would've left room for an actual ride.

 

[Andrew25]

One of Villain Con's complaints is that the rooms are extremely tight which makes people feel claustrophobic and can make it challenging to hold and point the guns well. Bigger rooms would have been quite welcome.

Double the space would've left room for an actual ride.

If Universal wanted to build a dark ride there, or anything else, they would have told the HHN team to scram and find another place.

Villain-Con has just the right amount of space, it's definitely not claustrophobic at all. The only issue is that they placed the dots where you stand on way too close to each other, but it has nothing to do with the space the attraction occupies. That's more of a capacity thing.

While HHN is a popular event, Universal will certainly not let it impact theme park expansions whatsoever. They were very close to removing the FFL theater a few years back for more Potter stuff, HHN team would have had to scramble to find another location for a show.

 

[ToTBellHop]

If Universal wanted to build a dark ride there, or anything else, they would have told the HHN team to scram and find another place.

Villain-Con has just the right amount of space, it's definitely not claustrophobic at all. The only issue is that they placed the dots where you stand on way too close to each other, but it has nothing to do with the space the attraction occupies. That's more of a capacity thing.

While HHN is a popular event, Universal will certainly not let it impact theme park expansions whatsoever. They were very close to removing the FFL theater a few years back for more Potter stuff, HHN team would have had to scramble to find another location for a show.

Mmm-kay.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Just to be clear, “sold out” is a moving metric that Disney can decide whenever and however it’s “met”

What do you mean?

In the post-COVID party nights, the sold out crowds look the same every sold-out event. It's not like some sold-out night has twice the number of people as another sold-out night.

The exception to that were the first after hour/party events when Disney didn't know if they had the staff to run the event and the sold-out nights kept opening as they were able to hire and lock-down more CMs to staff it.

That all points to Disney keeping a hard cap on the party nights.

 

[HauntedPirate]

What do you mean?

In the post-COVID party nights, the sold out crowds look the same every sold-out event. It's not like some sold-out night has twice the number of people as another sold-out night.

The exception to that were the first after hour/party events when Disney didn't know if they had the staff to run the event and the sold-out nights kept opening as they were able to hire and lock-down more CMs to staff it.

That all points to Disney keeping a hard cap on the party nights.

I think he means that if they had a cap of, say, 10,000 tickets, if they only sold 9,500 tickets they could cut off sales and call it "sold out". It creates the perception of demand and feeds FOMO. And gives them some flexibility to announce "surprise" availability again, or even day-of ticket availability.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I think he means that if they had a cap of, say, 10,000 tickets, if they only sold 9,500 tickets they could cut off sales and call it "sold out". It creates the perception of demand and feeds FOMO. And gives them some flexibility to announce "surprise" availability again, or even day-of ticket availability.

Last year, as far as I was keeping track, there were practically no surprise extra availability. Notice of sold out was up just about every night with no surprise tickets at the gates.

Operational shifts, tho, do make for great conspiracy theories!

 

[Andrew25]

Didn't go to the parties, but Universal used that trick last year and the "Sold out" nights ended up being quiet enjoyable as it prevented locals with the Frequent Fear passes to visit lol

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Last year, as far as I was keeping track, there were practically no surprise extra availability. Notice of sold out was up just about every night with no surprise tickets at the gates.

Operational shifts, tho, do make for great conspiracy theories!

Since they've returned, the only time I remember "surprise availability" was in 2022 for one night...and it was the night after a hurricane. Parks opened at 11 AM that day. I only know this because I happened to benefit from this "surprise availability" and got a ticket the day of to a previously sold out party. The party was, as expected, VERY empty that night.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Its unfortunately as I suspected that I will not be able to end my last park day at MK as I'm not going to spend that much on party tickets.

 

[the_rich]

Its unfortunately as I suspected that I will not be able to end my last park day at MK as I'm not going to spend that much on party tickets.

It's a few months away. Is there no way you can shuffle park days?

 

[Brian]

Didn't go to the parties, but Universal used that trick last year and the "Sold out" nights ended up being quiet enjoyable as it prevented locals with the Frequent Fear passes to visit lol

I'll keep that in mind for this year

 

[SamusAranX]

I think he means that if they had a cap of, say, 10,000 tickets, if they only sold 9,500 tickets they could cut off sales and call it "sold out". It creates the perception of demand and feeds FOMO. And gives them some flexibility to announce "surprise" availability again, or even day-of ticket availability.

Explained it better than I could.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I just found out that when Mickey compliments your costumes, it’s pre-recorded, not organic, and he just points at some random person.

Last year, I was convinced he was pointing at me in my Jack Skellington t-shirt and not my sons dressed as Peter Pan and Hook.

I’m devastated.

The Magic is dead.

Boo to you, indeed, Bob.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

It's a few months away. Is there no way you can shuffle park days?

I like ending my last night at MK but there is a party that night and I'm not going to it. I'd have to change my trip dates in order to go to MK on my last park night and I cannot change my trip dates as I am driving and the trip is sandwiched between my dad's birthday and a wedding.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Explained it better than I could.

It's still a conspiracy theory. There's no evidence of that happening. No insiders vouching for that idea.

 

[ToTBellHop]

It's still a conspiracy theory. There's no evidence of that happening. No insiders vouching for that idea.

I think people imagine it’s easier to increase capacity than it is. They need to hire more people for that.

What they CAN do (and did do, prior to COVID), is say “this did great with 10k guests last year! Why don’t we increase to 11k and see how it impacts guest satisfaction this year.” And increase staffing for the new party season.

There were noticeable capacity increases year-over-year in the 2010s that did actually cause complaints and declining GSATs in the late 2010s.

Guest capacity is lower at the parties now. Thank goodness they’ve practically doubled ticket prices since then or I’d be worried about Bob’s bonus this year. Guy’s gotta eat.