MNSSHP for 'adults'

[OneLittleSpark]

Hi guys. I've already posted this on the UK board, but was also hoping to get a wider perspective here. I want to get some information from all of you wonderful people on MNSSHP. We'll be visiting our Happy Place again in September , and will be there for some of the earlier Halloween parties. We're considering going along to one of the parties, but wanted to know more.

It will just be me and the fella going, so no little'uns to get over-tired. We're both 20-somethings, but with a mental age of about 6, so won't worry about whether or not we're being 'grown up enough'. We're more than happy to dress up, join in and generally be silly .

I've never been to one of Disney's ticketed events, so was wondering what they're like. I know enough about them to know it's not a great time to do the rides, but we're there for 14 days (we got in on the 14 days for the price of 10 deal!! Sooooo good!!) so will have enough time to do everything we want to during normal park hours. Really, I just like the idea of the at-mouse-sphere (sorry, bad bad pun), and we're both fans of Disney parades and fireworks.

So, first question is - what's it like and is it worth it? Very wide and subjective question, I know, but I just want to gather opinions and thoughts.

Now on to some more specifics...

I'm guessing that the crowds will be fairly heavy, but how bad are they? I'm a wheelchair user, so don't get the prettiest of views in tight crowds . Also, are there fewer people at the mid-week ones, or does it not really make a difference? My birthday is on the 18th and there is a party then, but it's a Friday night. We could go to that one or, if it would be significantly quieter, we could go to the party on the 15th, which is a Tuesday. It would be nice to go on my Birthday, but it would not be so nice to be smooshed into a pavement pancake on my Birthday

Secondly, what are the buses like? Is it horrendously crowded at kicking out time, even for the September parties? I really don't want to start a whole debate on wheelchair users and buses, but crowded buses can be... 'interesting' (I refer you back to the position of my eye-line).

Thank you in advance everyone!

[topmonkeygirl]

I went to the MNSSHP last year, just me and DH, and it was awesome. The rides in Fantasy land were very crowded but the others not so much. We just walked on POTC with plenty of seats to spare. We didn't stick around to the very end so I don't know how bad it was getting out. If you stay of Main Street and Fantasy land it's not that bad. The fireworks and parade is so totally worth the extra money. I highly recomend youu go.

If you want to dress up do it, there are tons of adults without kids who do dress up.

Have fun.

[bananarumba]

I think you will not be sorry for attending MNSSHP. We went last year in Mid-October; and while it was busy - I didn't think it was totally chaotic or wall to wall people. We liked it so much, we are going again this year! They have special parades and fireworks. The atmosphere is perhaps as magical as they come. Plus, you can't beat being able to dress up like you're 6 again and get an entire bag full of candy!!! I remember being able to walk on most rides - waiting no more than 5-10 minutes max for most of them. They have special surprises around every corner!

[raraloveseeyore]

I've done the MNSSHP three times and loved it every time! Last September, me, my DH and our 22 year old DD went. It was her 1st time and she can't wait to do it again. We dressed up all three times too. This time our DD was Cinderella and my DH and me dressed up as the mice. We stayed the whole time and watched both parades and the fireworks. I think it is one of the best things to do at WDW!

[Andyjo0930]

Actually early September is one of the best times to attend the party. We were there last year on the 2nd party of the season. Earlier in our trip we had met a dream cast member and we ran into him again that night. He was telling us that on a busy day in MK, say like Christmas...there are 100,000 people there. An average day has about 50,000. They sell 20,000 tickets to a hard ticket event. The day we were there, they only sold about 9,000 tickets. There were no lines for anything...we went on rides over and over again, and in some cases didn't have to even get out of the ride, they just passed us through again. They are more generous with the candy also when it's a smaller crowd. Our kids got so much candy, much more then when we went at the end of October. You will have a ball, enjoy your day!

[auntfrannie]

I took my mother last year to a party in October for her birthday. The party was awesome!! I had been to a Pirate & Princess party when they offered those and thought that was a waste. But the Halloween party was outstanding.

I didn't think it was to difficult to maneuver...my mother was in a wheelchair as well. We really didn't do any rides as we were making our way through all of the trick or treat stations. Make sure you go to one of the special parade viewing sections for wheelchairs; that way you will usually have a front row view without strainingto see around people standing around you.

You're going to have a great time!

[OneLittleSpark]

Thank you everyone for your replies, you're very persuasive people ! If we do go, we will most certainly be in costume (just try and stop us! ), and I'll think up a costume that gets the wheelchair dressed up too.

Thank you all for the info on crowds and wheelchair issues. It doesn't sound like I'll have too many problems, as we'll be going in September. I'm fairly used to negotiating through crowds now, I just don't like closely packed crowds with other people's 'bumpers' near my face . Glad to hear the parade viewing areas are still there for the parties - they're a real help.

Thank you guys! Really useful information! Now to talk the fella in to it

[Missytara]

At my local watering hole, one of the servers got married last year around Halloween. She and her husband are just nutty over Halloween.

He surprised her by taking her on her first trip to Disney for their honeymoon last year and they did that specifically. They loved it! They said they definately got their Halloween fix for the year, and they wore their bride and groom ears, so everyone went out of their way to share in their excitement!

[OneLittleSpark]

Originally Posted by Missytara

At my local watering hole, one of the servers got married last year around Halloween. She and her husband are just nutty over Halloween.

He surprised her by taking her on her first trip to Disney for their honeymoon last year and they did that specifically. They loved it! They said they definately got their Halloween fix for the year, and they wore their bride and groom ears, so everyone went out of their way to share in their excitement!

Awww! That's so sweet! And I can't think of a better place to celebrate your honeymoon, either.

The holiday is now almost all paid off (once the credit card people pull there finger out and figure out how to give me my own money , it will all be sorted), so I can start thinking about the extras now . I'm considering asking for the party tickets as a birthday present, seeing as we'll probably be going on the day itself anyway! Now all I have to figure out, is what costume to go in

[xipetotec]

Originally Posted by OneLittleSpark

Hi guys. I've already posted this on the UK board, but was also hoping to get a wider perspective here. I want to get some information from all of you wonderful people on MNSSHP. We'll be visiting our Happy Place again in September , and will be there for some of the earlier Halloween parties. We're considering going along to one of the parties, but wanted to know more.

It will just be me and the fella going, so no little'uns to get over-tired. We're both 20-somethings, but with a mental age of about 6, so won't worry about whether or not we're being 'grown up enough'. We're more than happy to dress up, join in and generally be silly .

I've never been to one of Disney's ticketed events, so was wondering what they're like. I know enough about them to know it's not a great time to do the rides, but we're there for 14 days (we got in on the 14 days for the price of 10 deal!! Sooooo good!!) so will have enough time to do everything we want to during normal park hours. Really, I just like the idea of the at-mouse-sphere (sorry, bad bad pun), and we're both fans of Disney parades and fireworks.

So, first question is - what's it like and is it worth it? Very wide and subjective question, I know, but I just want to gather opinions and thoughts.

Now on to some more specifics...

I'm guessing that the crowds will be fairly heavy, but how bad are they? I'm a wheelchair user, so don't get the prettiest of views in tight crowds . Also, are there fewer people at the mid-week ones, or does it not really make a difference? My birthday is on the 18th and there is a party then, but it's a Friday night. We could go to that one or, if it would be significantly quieter, we could go to the party on the 15th, which is a Tuesday. It would be nice to go on my Birthday, but it would not be so nice to be smooshed into a pavement pancake on my Birthday

Secondly, what are the buses like? Is it horrendously crowded at kicking out time, even for the September parties? I really don't want to start a whole debate on wheelchair users and buses, but crowded buses can be... 'interesting' (I refer you back to the position of my eye-line).

Thank you in advance everyone!

Actually, we've been to a couple of ticketed events, including MNSSHP and we've found the crowds to be less than you woul dhave on a busy DAY at the MK. The atmosphere IS FANTASTIC and the busses are just fine. Their policy is that they'll get everybody home no matter what.

IN FACT, when we went to one of our ticketed events, DW and I took the fairy instead of heading for the bus. ( it was a nostalgia thing, taking the fairy at night ). You see, I thought there were busses to all the resorts at the TTC as well at this time. Well it turns out there wasn't. And the ferry was not taking me back to MK. So we looked kinda foolish. There was however an off-shift bus driver ( still in his bus ) talking to a buddy, and he saw us, asked where our resort was and promptly drove us there! V.I.P.

[daisax]

I loved the Halloween Party-- much better than the Christmas one, for my money. The parade is full of villains you never see in the parks (and some walk along the parade route sneering at people as they go, and will banter occasionally).

The crowd isn't that bad and seriously thins out after the first parade. If you stay to the bitter end, they play the creepiest "good night" music -- it totally would have scared me as a child, because even in my 30s, walking along a fairly deserted (for MK) Mainstreet, this creepy disembodied voice saying "Good night" in a sing song voice was scary! (in a good way)

[OneLittleSpark]

Well, the holiday is now all paid off, and I think that everbody has convinced me that this party is well worth it .

On to a few specific questions -

I know that the party has a lot to see and do, but I get worn out fairly easily. Is it possible to do these parties at a fairly lesiurely pace, and still see lots of stuff? I don't think we're going to need to get every autograph, or collect five tonnes of candy (one each should be enough ), but we want to see the parade and fireworks, and still have enough time enjoy the atmousphere.

Has anyone here ever arrived after the party has started, say 7:30 - 8:00?

[Anglefan]

I think you have all of the wrong impressions about this party. It's a great time to do rides. After hours parties are the LEAST crowded MK will EVER be on any day. At the end of the party, there will be almost nobody left there. There is no rush to the exits at midnight, 80% of the crowd is already gone.