HalloweenTime at DLR Superthread #4

[CassieScraps]

kylie71 said: ↑
Hi Sherry! Thanks for the update! Let talk heat... 102 here yesterday in Northern Nevada, with a flash flood last night!
Fall sounds kinda nice right now!!



--Lori
This happened a street over from our home! It's a small world! (pun intended)

kylie71 and bigb83 - I'm in Sparks too! I had gone to the grocery store and decided that I'd go home instead of going to the 99 cent store for produce. I would have been right in the thick of that flash flood if I hadn't changed my mind. Crazy weather these days!

 

[kylie71]

kylie71 and bigb83 - I'm in Sparks too! I had gone to the grocery store and decided that I'd go home instead of going to the 99 cent store for produce. I would have been right in the thick of that flash flood if I hadn't changed my mind. Crazy weather these days!

Small World!! Are you 2 planning a all trip too??

Yes, I am off Prater and Sparks BVLD, Prater was a river!!! Crazy hot and muggy today, reminds me of Anaheim weather in August!

--Lori

 

[CassieScraps]

We have our hotel booked for Oct 8th-13th. This is a surprise for my little one who turns 5 in Sept. It will just be me, her and dad. Our last few trips have been with everyone in the family or the school band and she kinda got lost in the shuffle. This one is all about her and what she wants to do.

I can't wait! We spend Christmas at DL in 2013 and that was SO much better than Christmas at home! Halloween is my favorite holiday, so I've been wanting to see what DL does for it. I finally got my hubs to agree to the trip, lol.

Now, I'm just waiting on MHP dates so I can buy those tix and adjust my hotel reservation if I need to. C'mon Disneyland, get it together! Hahahah!

 

[Sherry E]

Well, dare I say -- and I hesitate to say it, because just as I think I've got Disney figured out and nailed down to a predictable pattern, they will throw something in to surprise me! -- the longer Disney drags out the wait for the pending Disneyland Halloween Time/Mickey's Halloween Party announcements, the less of a chance there is that any major changes (losses) are happening to the season... which is good. My guess is that if anything really substantial were going to change this year (such as a change in location for MHP), they would have probably let us know before now. If they are simply adding in some extra party nights, starting them earlier in the Halloween Time season than usual, they wouldn't necessarily have to announce it early because the dates wouldn't affect the start of the Halloween Time season.

So I think we're probably in the safe zone at this point -- meaning no big losses to the Halloween Time season as we know it, and there is still room for some "extras" to be thrown in!

Now that Walgreens has thrown down the Halloween gauntlet by putting the 3 MuskeFEARS bars out on the shelves, I would expect that other stores may be scrambling to get their Halloween items out soon too. I know that Target gets a lot of their Fall/Halloween stuff in July, BUT they don't necessarily put it on the shelves until the beginning of August. If they see that Walgreens has gotten an early start, they may hustle to stock the shelves with pumpkin-y things as well!

Halloween merchandise should begin popping up in Disneyland Resort stores in August!

Also, I noticed that the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride (recommended for those "scary Halloween" fans who are visiting Los Angeles and love the more frightful side of the season) teased on its Facebook page that this year's event and theme will be announced very soon as well. That's an event that is growing in popularity every year, especially for fans of Universal's Halloween Horror Nights, Queen Mary's Dark Harbor and Knott's Halloween Haunt.

I was out in the sun a couple of days ago, and although it was "only" supposed to be in the mid-80s, the heat was so harsh it felt like it was much hotter than that. I felt like I was going to pass out. When I got home I ran my head under cold water -- and then quickly turned it off, as I was worried about wasting water in this drought! I dread what August and September will bring, in terms of heat, wildfires, etc.

When will tickets for the unwashed masses go on sale do y'all think? IF they announce today, that is.

The tickets for the Annual Pass holders, Disney Visa holders and Disney Vacation Club members would probably go on sale by or before 7/17, and the tickets for the general public would go on sale by or before 7/31. I don't think the general public tickets would go on sale any later than 7/31 -- especially if more parties are added into the schedule for earlier in September. That's my guess -- which could always end up wrong!

Do they always announce it on the disney parks blog?

The Disney Parks Blog is the one reliable Disney source that will announce the seasonal dates and info every year. However, sometimes the dates have been posted in other places (on the Annual Pass section of the Disneyland website or in Annual Pass holder magazines) before the Parks Blog makes an announcement. I think that the Parks Blog is the most dependable source of dates and info.

 

[kaoden39]

I'm watching all the AP news. Here's my guess, the Contest ends on September 11, so I think it will start becoming Halloween. Just an uneducated guess.

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Thanks Sherri. Just need to know how much money to put on the credit card and when!

 

[Sherry E]

I'm watching all the AP news. Here's my guess, the Contest ends on September 11, so I think it will start becoming Halloween. Just an uneducated guess.

Yeah, I noticed the contest end date a while back -- but that is too close to Labor Day to officially start the season. There are things that may unofficially go up before the season start date (which is what happens with the holiday season), but Halloween Time never starts just a few days after Labor Day. (Although... with Disney, never say never...)

Also, WDW's Halloween festivities don't begin until 9/15 this year -- and when have we ever known Disneyland to get started on something before WDW gets going on it? That would be a Halloween miracle! I am still guessing that 9/18 may be too late of an official start date, but that 9/11 is too early. I am still guessing somewhere between 9/12 and 9/16. But, we shall soon see!

 

[kaoden39]

Yeah, I noticed the contest end date a while back -- but that is too close to Labor Day to officially start the season. There are things that may unofficially go up before the season start date (which is what happens with the holiday season), but Halloween Time never starts just a few days after Labor Day. (Although... with Disney, never say never...)

Also, WDW's Halloween festivities don't begin until 9/15 this year -- and when have we ever known Disneyland to get started on something before WDW gets going on it? That would be a Halloween miracle! I am still guessing that 9/18 may be too late of an official start date, but that 9/11 is too early. I am still guessing somewhere between 9/12 and 9/16. But, we shall soon see!

So, like my last trip the season will change before my eyes during our trip. Always loads of fun!

 

[Sherry E]

So, like my last trip the season will change before my eyes during our trip. Always loads of fun!

Could be! Last time the parks were transitioning out of the holidays and into 'normal mode' during your trip, correct? If the Halloween Time season gets an 'unofficial' kickoff sometime before the official kickoff, I would expect that there will be some pumpkins already in place by that unofficial start-- probably the over-the-turnstiles pumpkins and maybe some Halloween-ish displays in the windows on Main Street (not the Enchanted windows, but the regular store windows).

The good thing is that the Halloween decorations are much less extensive than the holiday decorations, so it should not require as much time to get 2 or 3 lands in Disneyland park Halloween-ready as it takes to get two parks and 3 hotels Holiday-ready in November. So, it seems to me that if Disney were pressed and forced to have to get those pumpkins in place in a shorter period of time than usual, it may be tricky -- but probably possible. I think that the bulk of the time goes into transforming Haunted Mansion into Haunted Mansion Holiday -- and that will have to shut down in enough time to get it ready for the official season start date.

 

[kaoden39]

Could be! Last time the parks were transitioning out of the holidays and into 'normal mode' during your trip, correct? If the Halloween Time season gets an 'unofficial' kickoff sometime before the official kickoff, I would expect that there will be some pumpkins already in place by that unofficial start-- probably the over-the-turnstiles pumpkins and maybe some Halloween-ish displays in the windows on Main Street (not the Enchanted windows, but the regular store windows).

The good thing is that the Halloween decorations are much less extensive than the holiday decorations, so it should not require as much time to get 2 or 3 lands in Disneyland park Halloween-ready as it takes to get two parks and 3 hotels Holiday-ready in November. So, it seems to me that if Disney were pressed and forced to have to get those pumpkins in place in a shorter period of time than usual, it may be tricky -- but probably possible. I think that the bulk of the time goes into transforming Haunted Mansion into Haunted Mansion Holiday -- and that will have to shut down in enough time to get it ready for the official season start date.

Our planning seems to be skewered. But, I kind of like seeing the changes during the trip. We're going to be at the parks 9/14-9/18. So we could see fun change in those days.

 

[kylie71]

I want to see some fall when I am there,,,,,,,,, but we leave on the 11th!!! Bummed!

--Lori

 

[Sherry E]

I want to see some fall when I am there,,,,,,,,, but we leave on the 11th!!! Bummed!

--Lori

I think you will see some things -- as I mentioned above, even if the season has not officially begun yet, I would expect certain things to appear before the start date (turnstile pumpkins, window displays, merchandise, and even some of the fall treats). In other words, most decorations for any season don't just magically appear overnight -- there is a process that takes place, either over weeks or days. So, certain things inevitably appear before a season begins.

 

[kylie71]

Thanks Sherry!

--Lori

 

[Jeff314]

Man this is getting ridiculous. The wait for the dates is taking forever! I know they have to know when they're doing the parties by now. Let us know! Haha we already have the hotel booked and HOPING there's a party the last day we are there sept 25

 

[Sherry E]

Man this is getting ridiculous. The wait for the dates is taking forever! I know they have to know when they're doing the parties by now. Let us know! Haha we already have the hotel booked and HOPING there's a party the last day we are there sept 25

Someone at Disney (not out on the front lines in the parks, but higher up in the ranks) most definitely has the dates for the party. Even if they assume that the Disneyland visitors don't plan all that far ahead and don't need to know information way in advance (an incorrect assumption), you can bet they have probably had the dates lined up for months! Now, as to when the news/info actually gets into the hands of the Parks Blog is anyone's guess. I don't know how far in advance the Parks Blog folks find out these things -- they may not actually find out until a couple of days before they have to write the blog announcing it. But someone, somewhere, at Disney -- in the Team Disney Anaheim offices -- has had the Halloween Time, Mickey's Halloween Party AND Holiday season information for a long time, and is just sitting on it!

Madness! Madness!!!

 

[Jeff314]

Someone at Disney (not out on the front lines in the parks, but higher up in the ranks) most definitely has the dates for the party. Even if they assume that the Disneyland visitors don't plan all that far ahead and don't need to know information way in advance (an incorrect assumption), you can bet they have probably had the dates lined up for months! Now, as to when the news/info actually gets into the hands of the Parks Blog is anyone's guess. I don't know how far in advance the Parks Blog folks find out these things -- they may not actually find out until a couple of days before they have to write the blog announcing it. But someone, somewhere, at Disney -- in the Team Disney Anaheim offices -- has had the Halloween Time, Mickey's Halloween Party AND Holiday season information for a long time, and is just sitting on it!

Madness! Madness!!!

Yeah disneyworld's has been out for months and months. What gives?

 

[mummabear]

Someone at Disney (not out on the front lines in the parks, but higher up in the ranks) most definitely has the dates for the party. Even if they assume that the Disneyland visitors don't plan all that far ahead and don't need to know information way in advance (an incorrect assumption), you can bet they have probably had the dates lined up for months! Now, as to when the news/info actually gets into the hands of the Parks Blog is anyone's guess. I don't know how far in advance the Parks Blog folks find out these things -- they may not actually find out until a couple of days before they have to write the blog announcing it. But someone, somewhere, at Disney -- in the Team Disney Anaheim offices -- has had the Halloween Time, Mickey's Halloween Party AND Holiday season information for a long time, and is just sitting on it!

Madness! Madness!!!

I know!
In general it is something that really frustrates me about DLR as a whole.
If someone were looking to book an October trip now they would easily be mislead by looking at this month/next months park hours. A first time visitor would be unlikely to know that fireworks are weekends only.
There are so many people that would be helped by having information about hours/party dates/entertainment schedules being out 6 months in advance and it's rather simple for them to do.

 

[bigb83]

Small World!! Are you 2 planning a all trip too??

Yes, I am off Prater and Sparks BVLD, Prater was a river!!! Crazy hot and muggy today, reminds me of Anaheim weather in August!

--Lori

We have Sep 14th-17th booked and am anxiously awaiting dates yes!

 

[JessieD]

I know!
In general it is something that really frustrates me about DLR as a whole.
If someone were looking to book an October trip now they would easily be mislead by looking at this month/next months park hours. A first time visitor would be unlikely to know that fireworks are weekends only.
There are so many people that would be helped by having information about hours/party dates/entertainment schedules being out 6 months in advance and it's rather simple for them to do.

It's not the first time I've been, but this is my first trip where I'm the mom, and the one doing all the planning. This is absolutely maddening to me! There was so much I learned after buying plane tickets and reserving a hotel. Not that my dates would change because I really want to have my son there for his birthday, but still...it's hard not being able to map out every detail!

 

[Comicbookmommy]

Now that Walgreens has thrown down the Halloween gauntlet by putting the 3 MuskeFEARS bars out on the shelves, I would expect that other stores may be scrambling to get their Halloween items out soon too.

Wut. At all Walgreens? I want some!

And hurry up, Disney! I have plans to make!