Hmmm, this is very logical and has me leaning towards the 18th. Any comments on how the CHOC walk affects crowds after that weekend? Since we are driving, I am considering arriving on the 18th and going to the party. Then buying 2 day park hoppers for the Wed & Thur (19th & 20th)...
PS. I was able to online chat with disneyland.com and they did not have any information about the Disney Visa card member early purchasing for the Halloween party and that he believed it was only for APs. He did recommend I check with the Disney Visa recent newsletter or call them -- but I don't even have my card yet, so can't do that.
I
think you have to actually call the ticket number - 714-781-4400 - to get the advance purchase Visa discount for the MHP tickets (and DVC discounts too). I don't think it's ever been available online. Last year, AP holders, DVC members and Disney Visa card holders were able to pre-purchase MHP tickets on that phone number, if I recall correctly, and get discounts.
It's possible DLR may have changed its policy this year and eliminated the Visa folks from the mix - for example, all of a sudden they are allowing people to buy 1 day/1 park tickets online when, in the past, you could only get those tickets by calling the same ticket phone number. As they change things, they may change who gets discounts, but if you get a chance try calling that phone number just to be sure. I think someone in our Superthread mentioned (not so long ago) ordering tickets with their Visa after they went on sale to the AP and DVC people. I may be losing my mind and imagining that, but I think they did!
I've always heard that CHOC brings out lots of people but have not seen the crowds for myself. Frankly, I was surprised to see that the PIN code I received did not cover the first 2 weeks of October - that seemed very odd to me. I always thought that early October was very crowded, late October was really crowded, but in the middle was better. So to see the PIN for the last 2 weeks of that month only made me think that DLR is somehow anticipating larger crowds for the first 2 weeks of October. Perhaps there is some other event happening during that time that we don't know about yet? Maybe some other type of convention, or some other special thing that draws in large crowds?
Yep, I think I would still be going back and forth between 10/11 or 10/18 if I were you, with a possible slant towards 10/18. In my case, just because of this PIN offer, I will probably end up at the MHP on 10/18 or 10/21, even though I know the 10/21 party will be a madhouse. That date would only be on the agenda if friends of mine can't do the party on a Tuesday!
If I hadn't gotten the PIN, I would have probably done an earlier party in the season this year, even with larger crowds,
just to add some more space in between my Halloween trip and Christmas trip, so they are not so close together.
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