Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party 2016

[raymusiccity]

Am I the only one who sees potential for an Osborne Lights-esque lightshow during MVMCP?

Yes.

 

[networkpro]

In here tonight and from a crowd perspective it's a disaster. All the CM are telling me it's sold out. You can't even move around Main Street, Fantasy Land, and Frontier land. All rides have an excessive wait.

Disney sold out the customer and packed as many bodies in as possible.

TERRIBLE!!!

My wife an I were sitting across from the hall of presidents for the 830 parade and while it did take about 8 minutes to get to the tangled bathrooms it was manageable. After a stop there it was very light traffic around through fantasyland, Tomorrowland and then Mainstreet had very few bodies in it. It's all in the planning. We came over from Hollywood Studios about 4:30, went to the Big top to drop a few dollars on the villains boxed set, did a few Socerers portals to finish off a game, and then she camped out while I grabbed a few pounds of candy. Tiki room and sideshow Petes are the quickest way to fill bags.

 

[DisneyDaver]

Always wait for the second parade is my advice!

Yup, you can get a lot done during the first parade.

 

[matt clark]

We Went on Friday September 23rd and had an AMAZING time.
Only ride we didnt do that we wanted was the Mine Train.
It had a 30 minute wait.
We COULD have done it after all the shows, but my son had enough and was ready to sleep at 11pm.
Everything else was a walk on with the exception of peter pan. That line took a good 15 minutes.
We got TONS of candy. The only candy line that was really long was the one by the haunted mansion. We watched the parade around that line and hopped in it right after the parade ended and the line was smooth. Avoided the pile up there. Filled a toy story drawstring backpack FULL of candy... and either we missed the worthers line or they didnt hand that junk out this year. We only got GOOD candy.... even DOVE chocolates!
We were able to get through the gate at 3:45PM. We were able to use BOTH fast passes I scheduled. We moved around the park with ease and were able to even squeeze in 5 or 6 rides, all the shows, and at least 9 treat stops, before we left.. EARLY. 95% of the Cast members were amazing! I had an issue with a real shlubby looking fellow at the Gaston Picture stop in Fantasyland, but its not worth even getting into.
We even got our own personal boat on its a small world

 

[mgpan]

In here tonight and from a crowd perspective it's a disaster. All the CM are telling me it's sold out. You can't even move around Main Street, Fantasy Land, and Frontier land. All rides have an excessive wait.

Disney sold out the customer and packed as many bodies in as possible.

TERRIBLE!!!

I've had both experiences. One wasn't that bad with some short waits but bodies everywhere (Bodies, Halloween, get it), but others you could not move even in Frontierland, much less near Main Street. Now at the price they are, just not for us. EMM seems like a better value although only a couple of attractions to enjoy, but apparently these don't sell as well.

 

[Kuzcotopia]

My only guess is that for the three parties that washed out almost completely last week, Guests were given the opportunity to go to other nights. Other than that, the number of people admitted hasn't changed since New Fantasyland opened. The party is cursed because everyone always wants to see the fireworks and the parade so it'll seem exponentially busier, too. Always wait for the second parade is my advice!

So do you think it's possible they were over their limit on that particular night.

I'm doing 10/31 this year, first timer. . . I'm a little nervous about the sold out crowds, and if the experience will be similar.

We're definitely doing the later shows and parades to help though.

 

[mgpan]

Just left the party tonight, and it was crazy busy. Honestly it was busier than a park day in early June. Wait times on the app were not accurate (ex. haunted mansion said 15 min wait on the app, show up to the ride and it says 40 minutes). You could barely even move let alone walk around to different areas of the park. Honestly wish they would lower the amount of people they let in for parties because it isn't worth it when the whole world is in there.

Surely the wait times wouldn't be listed artificially low, to further the "everything is a walk-on all night" selling point? Also don't see how ToT is listed as a three hour wait right now, perhaps just to discourage standby from getting in line until they've worked down the number of FP returning guests? I have less and less faith in app listed wait times, and those in the parks themselves seem suspect on many occasions.

We do know they've increased ticket numbers from the early years, i do recall seeing that in a post right here. The ability to get in early at 4 for free and with three FP's in your hand, claw, hook, etc. is becoming more and more common knowledge. I see many, many posts of people not going to the parks or using a day ticket and just going to the parties ($10 to add a full day or $92 for a party, so WDW makes out pretty well). It amazes me that if tickets are really limited as much as most would like that most of the parties aren't selling out. Perhaps the price increase really did go too far.

 

[JohnD]

So do you think it's possible they were over their limit on that particular night.

I'm doing 10/31 this year, first timer. . . I'm a little nervous about the sold out crowds, and if the experience will be similar.

We're definitely doing the later shows and parades to help though.

I'm adding to your crowd and you're adding to mine. One caveat about the later shows -- keep an eye on the weather. That was my plan at a MVMCP. I skipped the 9pm parade to see the 11pm parade. Yep, the 11pm parade got rained out.

 

[xdan0920]

In here tonight and from a crowd perspective it's a disaster. All the CM are telling me it's sold out. You can't even move around Main Street, Fantasy Land, and Frontier land. All rides have an excessive wait.

Disney sold out the customer and packed as many bodies in as possible.

TERRIBLE!!!

I had the same experience the last time we went to a Christmas party. Crazy price point, and huge crowds turned us off to the parties completely. Won't go back unless things change dramatically.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I don't see them plastering millions of lights all over Main Street. Of course, there are always projections. Yawn.

I meant using projection. I could see it looking cool. The technology is commonplace but I personally find Disney's usage elsewhere to be effective.

Yes.

It would seem lol.

 

[Stephen novak]

I had the same experience the last time we went to a Christmas party. Crazy price point, and huge crowds turned us off to the parties completely. Won't go back unless things change dramatically.

We went last night and our experience was similar. We saw the parade, show and fireworks, but nothing else due to excessive wait times. 3 hour wait time for jack and Sally 1.5hr for the 7 dwarfs, tick or treat lines were huge ( although they moved quickly)

Limited tickets my butt, it was no less crowded than any other weekend at MK ( excluding holidays). They even shut the lines down before 12. We waited all night for the line to go down for the 7 dwarfs M&G. Finally at 11:40 figured we better get in line so we can get at least 1 picture with a character. We were told "Oh sry the line is closed",and there was literally 3 people in line, so who knows how long they had been turning people away. I realize that you want to get your employees home but either sell less tickets so there are not hr long wait times or say that you close after the fireworks which you basicly did. At 1030 there were 2 places available to eat starlight cafe and Casey's corner.
Could have been such a great night if they just would have cut the capacity down by half, unfortunately it's hard to tell any business to not make as much money as possible so this will be our 1st and last hard ticket party event.

 

[DisneyDaver]

We waited all night for the line to go down for the 7 dwarfs M&G. Finally at 11:40 figured we better get in line so we can get at least 1 picture with a character. We were told "Oh sry the line is closed",and there was literally 3 people in line, so who knows how long they had been turning people away.

The 7 dwarfs M&G always (at least when I have been there) shuts down way before midnight. The line for that very popular M&G is always very long ... if they didn't shut it down early, the line at Midnight would probably be over an hour long.

 

[DisneyDaver]

I had the same experience the last time we went to a Christmas party. Crazy price point, and huge crowds turned us off to the parties completely. Won't go back unless things change dramatically.

I doubt it will change anytime soon ... the ticket price keeps going up dramatically and the parties still sell out. I haven't been to the Halloween or Christmas parties since 2014 so maybe things have changed in terms of crowd level, but when I went I always found the crowds very manageable if you plan well by (a) watching the second parade, (b) avoiding fantasy land until 11:00 pm, and (c) skipping the popular meat and greets.

 

[Bairstow]

The 7 dwarfs M&G always (at least when I have been there) shuts down way before midnight. The line for that very popular M&G is always very long ... if they didn't shut it down early, the line at Midnight would probably be over an hour long.

It was in 2014.
That was the first party we attended and the first time we rode the mine train.
We got in line around 11:50 and didn't get out of the park until after one. By then, the Emporium was locked when we tried to enter.

 

[71jason]

Goaded into going by out-of-town friends Sunday night. Even tho it was a sell-out, I think it still very much served their purposes--an enjoyable single "day" in MK at a 30% discount with free candy.

Entry is a cluster. Moving security to TTC will help tremendously, but at the moment metal detectors create a chokepoint that drives everyone into a big mess.

Ride lines were never that bad, and were non-existent by night's end. Even HM, when posted 25, we never stopped walking until Good Ol' Fred's tombstone. See kids, that's how rides worked before Fastpass. Why Fastpass is evil.

After splitting 8 year-olds from 4-year-old, managed to hit Mermaid, 3 princesses, Dumbo, Barnstormer (twice!), HM, Pirates, IaSW and still have plenty of time for rest and random play at Dumbo. It was that rarest of things, a relaxing time in MK. 8 y.o.s had similar luck with Splash and even 7D.

Fireworks remain impressive, even from behind castle--my friend's non-Disney mother, who complained about everything else, raved for 10 minutes how they were the best she'd ever seen. The parade felt tired. Horseman so removed he should probably be his own thing. Still love the grave diggers, but feel the loss of the cowboys, and two WIR floats feels like overkill. And the Fall barn dance is just a head-scratcher, that's the best Halloween-related idea on the table? Wasn't impressed with Hocus Pocus first time, so didn't push to see it again (tho could have easily caught the 12:00 show had others been up to it). And didn't even let kids know there were "special" meet & gropes.

All the candy I received I'd consider legit brand-name, most helpers were generous. Lack of double barrels on each station a bit of a letdown but we still left with more than a lot. After initial 7 pm rush, lines rarely seemed terribly long--when they did, we just skipped, next station would be fine. Candy lines move fast.

Leaving the park, Express monorail down, to no one's shock. Just a reminder the current entry/exit model is broken.

So I'm back to recommending MNSSHP for non-APs. Cheaper, less crowded night with free candy. For APs, it would take at least three more HM-like overlays and a refreshed parade to recommend (or tickets < $50). As is, money better spent on drinks and dessert at Top of the World or Cali Grill to see Hallowishes there.

 

[NothingRhymeswithOrange]

I had the same experience the last time we went to a Christmas party. Crazy price point, and huge crowds turned us off to the parties completely. Won't go back unless things change dramatically.

I had the same experience during MVMCP about two years ago. Was super excited for the party since it was my wife and I's first time attending one. The wait times on all the rides were 90 minutes+ and the character M&G lines were atrocious. At one point Jack Skellington had a wait time of three hours. We were in the park until about 11 before we ended our night and we said we were never doing a party again. Well, that was short lived because we decided to do MNSSHP the following year. Our experience was A LOT better the second time. Yes the M&G lines were still long and main street was ridiculously packed especially during the parade and stage shows, but having the knowledge of our past experience definitely helped. Watching Boo to You from Frontierland was definitely the right choice and was much more enjoyable then where we were for the Christmas Parade. Also being able to walk onto Space Mountain 5 times in a row with no wait was an added bonus lol.

 

[xdan0920]

I doubt it will change anytime soon ... the ticket price keeps going up dramatically and the parties still sell out. I haven't been to the Halloween or Christmas parties since 2014 so maybe things have changed in terms of crowd level, but when I went I always found the crowds very manageable if you plan well by (a) watching the second parade, (b) avoiding fantasy land until 11:00 pm, and (c) skipping the popular meat and greets.

So what are you paying for?

 

[mgpan]

So what are you paying for?

My feeling after attending our last one in 2013 as well. Attraction/selling points were special meet and greets (1-2 hour waits for most popular ones), fireworks (yes better than normal wishes, but replaced ability to see regular wishes since parties were about every freakin night we were there), candy (they do sell the same stuff in stores ya know), parade (same one we saw three years running), low wait times for attractions (during the last hour, and you needed it since the one non-party night during the trip was the real crowd nightmare), special merch (like we need more WDW stuff to buy and want to spend $$$ party time shopping), maybe a special cupcake (mmmm, $100 cupcake), and seeing people in costumes ( i can see them from 4-7 for "free" with my day ticket when they're let in early). In other words, probably gonna skip em in 2016.

 

[EUmickey]

Mickeys Halloween party at Disneyland just sold completely out for all dates a month before Halloween. Yes, they have way less tickets to sell but they also keep a good limit for it not to get mega crazy busy. They also raised prices for all dates but atleast people accept it with the special feeling of not being with a gazillion people at the park.

 

[WDWYankee15]

Going Sunday. Kids really want to meet 7 Dwarfs. What time do they start meeting and what time is a good time to line up? I want to do it first thing and get it over with.

We will already be in the park so we will have our braclets at 4pm.