Halloween at DL

[Sherry E]

Well...just for fun (and for informational, planning purposes, of course), I thought I might bump this Halloween at DL thread (not sure if the OP ever got the info that she needed??) to see if we can turn it into a comprehensive Halloweentime at DLR superthread, much like the wonderful "Disney at Christmas" thread that was so popular last year. Like in the Christmas photo/info superthread (which I will be resurrecting as it is necessary!!), we can make this a one-stop shop for everything Halloweentime-related, including all seasonal food pictures, information on any special Halloween activities, photos of characters in costumes, photos or info on Halloween merchandise, etc. Heck, it's just a good place to share all of our Halloweentime photos!

So...anyone out there with some pictures to post??

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I will, once I can upload them to photobucket. I have pics from the Trick or Treat party last year. I highly reccommend DLR at Halloween and the ToT Party is a must!!!

[Sherry E]

Originally Posted by 3Minnies1Mickey

I will, once I can upload them to photobucket. I have pics from the Trick or Treat party last year. I highly reccommend DLR at Halloween and the ToT Party is a must!!!

Cool! I would love to see pics from the TOTP - especially from last year, since I had to miss it - and they would be really great to have in this Halloweentime superthread in the making!

Let's see if anyone else has anything to post.....anyone? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

[PHXscuba]

I'm willing to answer any questions based on our experience last October in the parks, over Columbus Day weekend and into the week. We didn't do the ToTP. We stayed onsite at the DLH. We took 4 kids, ages 4-13. We ate our weight in treats. (Also ate at Goofy's Kitchen and Carnation Cafe). Hopefully anyone with similar problems/ages/queries could ask me; maybe others who went last year could be part of an informal "panel" to answer Qs.

Sherry, do you recall when last year's Halloween stuff was announced? A lot was rumored, but I think it was late summer before we had details. Knowing that might help people in their planning.

PHXscuba

[marjam]

When does this start? It sounds like fun!

[Sherry E]

PHXscuba - According to this 7-19-09 thread started by CinderALLIE last year, the Halloweentime info (complete with events and dates, etc.) had been released by D23 on 7-18-09:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2233852

Marjam - This year, unless there is a drastic change in how they do things at DLR, Halloweentime should begin on Friday, September 24th. It is almost always the last Friday in September when it begins, except for in 2007, when it was the next to last Friday that it began. The Trick or Treat Party usually begins on the first Friday in October, so exactly one week after Halloweentime starts at DLR. So Haunted Mansion Holiday and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy (if that returns this year) will be up and running on 9/24, as will any Halloween fireworks and decorations, but the TOTP will start the following week.

[haley's mom]

Originally Posted by PHXscuba

I'm willing to answer any questions based on our experience last October in the parks, over Columbus Day weekend and into the week. We didn't do the ToTP. We stayed onsite at the DLH. We took 4 kids, ages 4-13. We ate our weight in treats. (Also ate at Goofy's Kitchen and Carnation Cafe). Hopefully anyone with similar problems/ages/queries could ask me; maybe others who went last year could be part of an informal "panel" to answer Qs.

Sherry, do you recall when last year's Halloween stuff was announced? A lot was rumored, but I think it was late summer before we had details. Knowing that might help people in their planning.

PHXscuba

We are going the same time this year! Our first ever trip to DL. A fwe questions:

How was the weather? We are coming from Pennsylvania, wondering if we will need shorts, pants, coats, etc.
How were the crowds? We are arriving the Friday before Columbus Day and leaving the next Sunday. Will spend a few days traveling to San Diego for SW and SD Zoo. Plus 1 day at Hollywood and 1 day at the beach.

Were your kids afraid of Space Mountain or Haunted Mansion? My kids are 7 and 11. Not thinking 11 will be scared, just wondering about 7 year old.

TIA

[PHXscuba]

Haley's Mom:
We hit rain last year during that time -- coolish on Monday, rainy on and off on Tuesday and Wednesday until it finally cleared that afternoon. Coming from PA, it would probably still feel warm to you; just be sure to have a light jacket and a spare pair of walking shoes if the feet get wet.

But, we have been to CA several times that week in October (it's our fall break) and had absolutely perfect weather -- in the 70s and sunny.

(I heard) the parks reached capacity on that Friday and Saturday nights with all the locals wanting to see the Hallo stuff. The crowds were busy on Columbus Day (but still doable with all the DIS tricks), and dropped off greatly Tues and Wed, probably in part due to the rain). Maybe make your non-DL days the first weekend if you can stand it?

All of my kids (even the 4-year-old) rode Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy. DS was a little scared but he said he closed his eyes. All the others loved it. My 7-year-old is tiny but daring.

The best thing I did before we went was renting "Nightmare Before Christmas" on DVD so the kids would understand the HMH and Jack Skellington. They all loved the HMH -- I think it's actually less scary with the NBC overlay. DS4 took to calling the HM "Jack's house." We went on both rides mutiple times.

Hope that helps ...

PHXscuba

[Sherry E]

Bump! I know I can't be the only one to have Halloweentime photos to post in this thread (of seasonal decorations, merchandise, food, etc.).

[stephielela]

which days are the trick or treat parties on? we are doing a So Cal trip this October with the city pass, so we are doing 2 days in San Diego and 2 days at DL, but i want to make sure we time it right!

[nunzia]

We will be there at this time this year..How much did the TOT party cost?

[Sherry E]

Originally Posted by stephielela

which days are the trick or treat parties on? we are doing a So Cal trip this October with the city pass, so we are doing 2 days in San Diego and 2 days at DL, but i want to make sure we time it right!

Originally Posted by nunzia

We will be there at this time this year..How much did the TOT party cost?

Since we don't know what the rates and dates will be for this years' TOTP yet, here is a link to what they were last year:

http://allears.net/dlr/tp/dca/mht.htm

You can see that the TOTP started on the first Friday in October, and then increased to Thursday and Friday, and then increased to Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and then the actual date of Halloween was included too. So I imagine that is how it will go this year.

I know that if Halloweentime begins at DLR on September 24 (Friday) this year, as I expect it will, then the TOTP should begin on Friday, October 1. As soon as the TOTP prices and dates are announced for 2010, someone will have to post them here, so we can keep it all in one place.

Okay, I posted photos on the first page of this thread, but I don't see anyone else posting pictures!! Our Halloween Superthread has to have more photos!!

[Diznygrl]

Ok, I'll share some of my favorites. These were taken in 2007, the first year of HalloweenTime:

Pumpkin carvings at Halloween Roundup







Frontierland Decor


Pumpkin flowers


Some from last year, 2009:









Dessert at The Plaza Inn. It was pumpkin flavored mousse with carrot cake on the bottom. I just couldn't resist the pumpkin Mickey mini mug it came in.

[Vala]

Did someone ask for character photos from Halloween?

Let's start with the TOTP - there's a couple of characters roaming around the parks. Last year we saw Ratcliffe from Pocahontas, the Queen of Hearts and Bowler Hat Guy from Meet the Robinsons, all in the Bug's Land area. 2008 we met the Queen of Hearts and Cruella at the line of Mickey and Minnie. But I am sure we have missed some.



2008:





There's a Playhouse Disney photo stop which last year was on Hollywood Boulevard, and the Toy Story photo stop, near the actual attraction. (Sorry, no photos from Playhouse Disney.)

2008:



It is always two sets of characters switching.

With Golden Dreams demolished the Villains Photo stop had moved to a shed at Bug's Land. Last year it featured Cruella and Lady Tremaine and the stepsisters. 2008 Lady Tremaine and the stepsisters were taking turns with the Evil Queen.

2009:





2008:







Last year the Evil Queen had switched to a new photo stop dedicated to Snow White which was at the Animation Academy. She was switching with Snow White and Dopey there. I assume that was for the anniversary because that photo stop was there throughout the day for some days after Halloween too.





The Princess photo stop was near Ariel's Grotto. It had two backgrounds where you met one princess each. If my memory serves me corret Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty were switching with Ariel and Belle.









The year before it had been two princess photo stops, an additional one was located near the Hyperion Theatre. You had one background there and got to pose with two princesses at the same time. Not sure if this system will be back this year, the two backgrounds system seemed to make the line move much more fast.

2008:









The fourth pair was Jasmine and Cinderella, but somehow I can't find that photo.

Pirates Wharf had the Pirates photo stop - quite obviously.

The characters you meet there have been the same in 2008 and 2009, Captain Jack Sparrow and Peter Pan and the gang - sometimes it's Hook on his own.





This was the only chance you had last year to meet Captain Jack.

[Vala]

2008 from Pirates Wharf:







Mickey's and Minnie's photo stop had moved the the queueing area of Aladdin this year - a very good idea in my eyes because their line is the slowest moving for sure.



2008:



During the days the Villains had their special photo stop set up near "it's a small world". Characters were switching every 15 minutes or so, so we set up camp there for quite a while to see everyone we wanted.

We saw Cruella, QoH, Evil Queen, Jafar, Hook and the Old Hag:















2008 the villains were roaming around the Hollywood Boulvevard at DCA:

















Photos from Big Thunder Mountain decorated for Halloween:



The card player doing tricks there, he was really good. Occassionally Woody and Jessie hang out there too.