2015 Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

[Next Big Thing]

They are pretty busy with 4 shows a night!

Just a quick slightly off-topic note: Bill & Ted perform 4-5 times a night at HHN and still find time to come out after many of their shows to meet with guests for a bit (albeit normally not for too long as the time they meet with people cuts from their break time).

I think it's less about number of shows and more about it being something that they just don't want to do or haven't thought to do.

Taken the other night:

 

[Krystle Snow]

We have been to the Halloween party the last few years, always the first or second party and couldn't believe how busy it was this year! (The 15th) We were surprised it sold out and the crowds seemed so congestive. We love going to the special ticket events in the magic kingdom for the lighter crowds. Last year when we were about to unload off of Splash, the CMs would ask us if we wanted to stay on. This year - 25 minute wait during the first parade! We had already spent a half day at the MK and if something had a long wait we would say to each other "Let's just skip it, we have the Halloween party to ride things over and over!" Well - that didn't happen!
I must say, we go every September and we were shocked at the increase in crowds and wait times this year. I've been hearing a lot of talk about having no "slow season" anymore, and after this trip I really have to agree!

 

[LL2WDW]

Labor Day was 6 days earlier. The first party was 14 days later. You really don't think the goal is to sell out every party? Why do you think there's no more Pirate and Princess parties?

In 2014 Labor Day was September 1. The first party was September 1.

I admit, I misunderstood your first post. Though c'mon...you do have a tendency to be anti-Disney operations.

 

[LL2WDW]

Just a quick slightly off-topic note: Bill & Ted perform 4-5 times a night at HHN and still find time to come out after many of their shows to meet with guests for a bit (albeit normally not for too long as the time they meet with people cuts from their break time).

I think it's less about number of shows and more about it being something that they just don't want to do or haven't thought to do.

Taken the other night:

Or they realize the chaos it would create. Sending out all the Villains and the Sanderson Sisters for meet and greets following the shows, while cool, would be insane. I was at the parties in the past, and tried to get photos with the Villains following the Mix and Mingle, and experienced how crazy it was. And experienced the let down of not getting to the characters in time.

You really cannot compare Bill and Ted, with the popularity of the Disney Villains.

Having said that, I do wish they would have them out in dedicated areas, separate from the show.

 

[Next Big Thing]

Or they realize the chaos it would create. Sending out all the Villains and the Sanderson Sisters for meet and greets following the shows, while cool, would be insane. I was at the parties in the past, and tried to get photos with the Villains following the Mix and Mingle, and experienced how crazy it was. And experienced the let down of not getting to the characters in time.

You really cannot compare Bill and Ted, with the popularity of the Disney Villains.

Having said that, I do wish they would have them out in dedicated areas, separate from the show.

I wasn't comparing their popularity, i'm sure it would be crazy, but there are ways to do these things without it needing to. The line could form and be cut off very quickly after the show ends. Meet for a very short period of time and leave. But it's not worth the insanity/disappointment, I get it.

Although there are many HHN goers love pics with B&T... they've been an institution at Universal. And let's be honest, Hocus Pocus and Bill & Ted were both cult movies. Actually, they both are properties that made about roughly $40M in the early 90's and have since been mostly forgotten about outside of HHN for B&T and now finally at MNSSHP for the Sanderson Sisters. Most people born in the 2000's likely don't even know who they are.

 

[asianway]

Or they realize the chaos it would create. Sending out all the Villains and the Sanderson Sisters for meet and greets following the shows, while cool, would be insane. I was at the parties in the past, and tried to get photos with the Villains following the Mix and Mingle, and experienced how crazy it was. And experienced the let down of not getting to the characters in time.

You really cannot compare Bill and Ted, with the popularity of the Disney Villains.

Having said that, I do wish they would have them out in dedicated areas, separate from the show.

The mingle was bad but not that bad. You could easily get 2 pics after a show, and realistically that's enough unless you needed all of them. And then you could hit another show.

If the sisters met you'd be looking at Jack/Sally type lines the first year, so I agree they would not work like bill and Ted it would be too crazy

 

[GymLeaderPhil]

Sold out on the 25th now too.

 

[Bairstow]

Here right now and it's a zoo. Definately a lot busier than when we went on a Tuesday 2 years ago. Don't know if the sell outs are because everyone thinks the weekday events are less busy or if the Hocus Pocus show really is that pobular.

Thanks for the report.
How are the queues for the attractions?
Have things gotten any better now that the sun has set?

 

[mguimond1990]

Thanks for the report.
How are the queues for the attractions?
Have things gotten any better now that the sun has set?

The attraction lines aren't too bad. The trick or treating lines are insane and good luck watching the parade or hocus Pocus show. It's packed.

 

[Crazydisneyfanluke]

The attraction lines aren't too bad. The trick or treating lines are insane and good luck watching the parade or hocus Pocus show. It's packed.

Through out the night does it become less busier? esp after the fireworks?

 

[Next Big Thing]

If the sisters met you'd be looking at Jack/Sally type lines the first year, so I agree they would not work like bill and Ted it would be too crazy

I was just providing an example that it would be possible. Probably too much of a nightmare on ops for them to even give it a thought though.

Although I still think many overstate the sisters' popularity among the MNSSHP going group. As stated, you pretty much have to be at the very least in your late teens, early 20's to know who they are. Unless they show the movie on ABC Family or something a lot (that, I am completely unsure of).

 

[mguimond1990]

Through out the night does it become less busier? esp after the fireworks?

After the fireworks at 10 I saw a herd of ppl leave but it's still crowded. The 10:40 hocus Pocus show is just as busy as the 8pm show. I'll give cast members credit tho, from what I saw they were all over ppl without braclets.

 

[robonakabob]

Just a quick slightly off-topic note: Bill & Ted perform 4-5 times a night at HHN and still find time to come out after many of their shows to meet with guests for a bit (albeit normally not for too long as the time they meet with people cuts from their break time).

I think it's less about number of shows and more about it being something that they just don't want to do or haven't thought to do.

Taken the other night:

I'm willing to bet that these fellas are non-union actors. The Sanderson Sisters are portrayed by Union actors and Disney must comply with Union regulation. Aka, no M&Gs.

 

[drew81]

I'm willing to bet that these fellas are non-union actors. The Sanderson Sisters are portrayed by Union actors and Disney must comply with Union regulation. Aka, no M&Gs.

Gaston does at B&B.

 

[drew81]

There are many things Disney could do for hard tickets. They choose not to.

I could give the character lists from MNSSHP 2003 and 2004 and it would make most of the Disney internet community salivate.

 

[Bairstow]

I'm willing to bet that these fellas are non-union actors. The Sanderson Sisters are portrayed by Union actors and Disney must comply with Union regulation. Aka, no M&Gs.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but do you know the specifics of how the contract precludes the performers from mixing with the crowds, or at least not being required to?
Couldn't the contract for the job characterize the M&G as a continued element of the overall "performance"?
I ask because I find these kinds of arrangements interesting.

 

[Next Big Thing]

I'm willing to bet that these fellas are non-union actors. The Sanderson Sisters are portrayed by Union actors and Disney must comply with Union regulation. Aka, no M&Gs.

Bill & Ted are AEA (I know this for a fact), as is anyone with a live mic in the show. Those actors (Bill especially) have done the show for an incredibly long time now... they wouldn't continue to if they were only getting paid regular entertainment wages.

 

[dstrawn9889]

Or they realize the chaos it would create. Sending out all the Villains and the Sanderson Sisters for meet and greets following the shows, while cool, would be insane. I was at the parties in the past, and tried to get photos with the Villains following the Mix and Mingle, and experienced how crazy it was. And experienced the let down of not getting to the characters in time.

You really cannot compare Bill and Ted, with the popularity of the Disney Villains.

Having said that, I do wish they would have them out in dedicated areas, separate from the show.

couldnt do that, then the possibility of two characters being seen at the same time... cannot 'break' the magic

 

[ChrisM]

I recently read the TouringPlans.com analysis of their complete whiff on September crowd estimates thus far and it seems as though they are as befuddled as the rest of us as to why September crowds are so historically huge so far this year. The vague guess as this being "the new normal" just doesn't ring true to me for some reason; there has to be some more specific explanation.

I know the September calendar this year is a bit strange with an extraordinarily late Labor Day followed shortly by the Jewish High Holy Days, but that just doesn't seem sufficient to explain these kinds of crowds. Did any large school systems transition to year round calendars recently? Were there specific promotions, marketing campaigns, or economic indicators the last 12 months that would lead to a spike in September reservations?

 

[drew81]

couldnt do that, then the possibility of two characters being seen at the same time... cannot 'break' the magic

Yes they could. At previous Mix n Mingles the same character would be on stage performing, walk to the ramp when it was over and come do a 10 minute set.