For those who have already experienced the 60th celebration

[MickeyMinnieMelanie]

We are going to DL the week of Columbus Day in October. This will probably be our only visit. DL is driving me crazy. I am a planner and am used to already having everything planned out for WDW. I'm thinking of Santa Monica Pier Saturday that we arrive and staying the night, Laguna Beach Sunday and staying the night, Hollywood Monday and staying the night then heading over to DL Tuesday and staying the rest of the week at DL.
1. What are your thoughts on this plan?
2. Our plan was to hit the Halloween party Tuesday or Friday night. With the 60th celebration going on, are the fireworks a "not to be missed" or should we rearrange our schedule and skip the Halloween party and see the 60th fireworks? I'm assuming I will still get to see the paint the night parade and world of color during the week. We have been to the Halloween party at WDW.
Thanks for taking time to help me with this dilemma.

 

[SMD]

Do Laguna on Monday, you'll be starting closer to DLR than from Hollywood. Do both Santa Monica and Hollywood from the same hotel. Hollywood and SM are less than 15 miles apart, whereas Laguna is 60 miles south of both, so you'd be doing an extra 120 miles round trip to split them up with Laguna.

 

[MickeyMinnieMelanie]

Thanks. The only reason we're going to Laguna is because that is the only beach I could find that has a hotel directly on the beach ( not across the street. I want to hear the ocean, not the traffic) and has a pool. Otherwise, I would be fine staying at SM or even Huntington.

 

[figment_jii]

The new Disneyland Forever fireworks are very impressive and worth seeing. I've generally been more impressed with the DLR fireworks shows than the ones at WDW. My guess is that in October, fireworks will be presented on Fri (potentially MHP instead), Saturday, and Sunday only (they did not do fireworks on Columbus Day last year). So you'd need a Sat/Sun if you wanted to see them for sure (baring weather-issues). It's too early at this point to really say if Paint the Night will be nightly or not in the non-peak season.

Which days are flexible in your schedule? It's worth noting that the Sunday before Columbus Day is when CHOC has their annual walk at DLR, which means the parks are very crowded. It was one of the busiest Sundays I've seen the parks, so it's something to keep in mind.

 

[MickeyMinnieMelanie]

Really any of my days are flexible as I have not made any reservations. We are arriving the 10th and leaving the 17th. Since Sunday is sooooooo crowded, that would only leave Saturday to see the fireworks. We won't land until 1:00 so I hate to waste a day at Disney getting there so late.
Is it possible for us to go somewhere Saturday night or Sunday night to see them outside of the park? Downtown Disney? ?

 

[SMD]

Really any of my days are flexible as I have not made any reservations. We are arriving the 10th and leaving the 17th. Since Sunday is sooooooo crowded, that would only leave Saturday to see the fireworks. We won't land until 1:00 so I hate to waste a day at Disney getting there so late.
Is it possible for us to go somewhere Saturday night or Sunday night to see them outside of the park? Downtown Disney? ?

Yes, you could see all but the low stuff, but this show relies on projections which I'm not sure you can get outside the park. Are the 10th and 17th travel days? Another thing you could do is participate in CHOC walk. It won't get you in any rides, but you get to walk around the parks and there are photo ops with characters. Even though that day is always crowded you could get a Twilight ticket as a CHOC participant and just do shows that night.

 

[superlarz]

You can see the fireworks from the esplanade or downtown disney or the parking garage, but you cant see the "firework show" from anywhere outside the park. The new "show" is what everyone is raving about.

 

[MickeyMinnieMelanie]

The 10th and 17th are travel days. We should land in LA around 12 and leave LA around 11am.

 

[Drusilla99]

Here's my 2 cents...I like fireworks as much as the next person, and the new show is beautiful, and even though I watched it from tomorrowland, and I couldn't see any of the projections, I've seen it. I don't feel compelled to spend park time staking a claim to Main Street property for hours to get a prime view. That being said, I would much rather experience a whole evening of the Halloween party than a fireworks show. I feel like I could watch the fireworks so's on YouTube, but have so much fun at the party. I'd probably hit the party on Tuesday, they don't sell out as often as Fridays, so, hopefully, less people.

 

[Sherry E]

Here's my 2 cents...I like fireworks as much as the next person, and the new show is beautiful, and even though I watched it from tomorrowland, and I couldn't see any of the projections, I've seen it. I don't feel compelled to spend park time staking a claim to Main Street property for hours to get a prime view. That being said, I would much rather experience a whole evening of the Halloween party than a fireworks show. I feel like I could watch the fireworks so's on YouTube, but have so much fun at the party. I'd probably hit the party on Tuesday, they don't sell out as often as Fridays, so, hopefully, less people.

All of the Halloween party nights -- including Tuesdays -- have sold out, with the exception of one night, for the last couple of years. Last year the second party of the season did not sell out, and in 2013 I think it was the Monday before Halloween that did not sell out (or didn't sell out until the last second).

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Another thing you could do is participate in CHOC walk. It won't get you in any rides, but you get to walk around the parks and there are photo ops with characters. Even though that day is always crowded you could get a Twilight ticket as a CHOC participant and just do shows that night.

As far as I remember, the CHOC Walk tickets are not twilight tickets. They are regular tickets at a very nice discount. But if crowds are a problem (and that day will be very crowded), then it would be better to skip the parks that day. I've read that if you view the fireworks from the top level of M&F, the Matterhorn and the projections can be seen (binoculars might help!).

 

[MickeyMinnieMelanie]

As far as I remember, the CHOC Walk tickets are not twilight tickets. They are regular tickets at a very nice discount. But if crowds are a problem (and that day will be very crowded), then it would be better to skip the parks that day. I've read that if you view the fireworks from the top level of M&F, the Matterhorn and the projections can be seen (binoculars might help!).

What is M&F?

 

[MickeyMinnieMelanie]

Does anyone know where I can find park hours for October from last year?

 

[SMD]

As far as I remember, the CHOC Walk tickets are not twilight tickets. They are regular tickets at a very nice discount. But if crowds are a problem (and that day will be very crowded), then it would be better to skip the parks that day. I've read that if you view the fireworks from the top level of M&F, the Matterhorn and the projections can be seen (binoculars might help!).

But they also offer convention rate tickets through CHOC. Although if they do the wristband offer again this year it may be a better deal than a twilight ticket.

 

[bellazachmom]

What is M&F?

I believe it is Mickey & Friends Parking Garage ~ but I could very well be wrong

 

[Sherry E]

Does anyone know where I can find park hours for October from last year?

This should give you the info:

October 2014 - Disneyland Park Hours/Parades and Show Times

The assorted closures of Disneyland at 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. were mostly due to Mickey's Halloween Party, unless there was some other sort of private event I am forgetting about.

 

[MickeyMinnieMelanie]

This should give you the info:

October 2014 - Disneyland Park Hours/Parades and Show Times

The assorted closures of Disneyland at 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. were mostly due to Mickey's Halloween Party, unless there was some other sort of private event I am forgetting about.

Thanks

 

[MickeyMinnieMelanie]

Does anyone know where I can find park hours for October from last year?

Do you think the park hours will be extended this year due to the 60th celebration?

 

[taniahappy]

I couldnt imagine spending all that time in the area and not seeing the fireworks in all their glory... also if you can, add World of Color... the new one is AMAZING!... make a date out of it, maybe Carthay Circle dinner and get the Fastpass

 

[MickeyMinnieMelanie]

We are going to see world of color one night with the fast pass package at Carthaway Circle.