“Official” 2018 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party – Strategy and Itinerary Thread

[Bex258]

Oh, wise one!!! all this help and photos too! Makes it more real when you can see. If you have any links to trip reports or videos please add them here!!!!

Again, !!!! And Congrats on "DIS Veteran"

My trip report

https://www.disboards.com/threads/m...nd-trip-but-1st-solo-and-on-property.3644620/

This is the link to the days I'm not sure if the second link works better

https://www.disboards.com/threads/m...-and-on-property.3644620/page-2#post-58460850

https://www.disboards.com/threads/m...-and-on-property.3644620/page-2#post-58495755

My Han Solo Spooktacular trip to WDW (2nd trip but 1st solo and on property) 24th Sept

My Han Solo Spooktacular trip to WDW (2nd trip but 1st solo and on property) 26th Sept

I did have video from the shows/parade etc but I haven't edited it yet, I have kind of did day 1 of the trip and I had 30 minutes of footage so I have lot to edit down, filming all the parades and shows (Happily Ever After, Fantasmic!, Rivers of Light, Star Wars fireworks) in full was not the best idea after all.

The cloud on the second photo reminds me of Baymax!!!

View attachment 313440

or did I have too much coffee again!?

Cheers!

Baymax with very long legs

 

[FoxC63]

@Bex258

Thank you so much for the links I'll read through them tonight. Is it okay for me to post them on my main pages?

 

[Bex258]

@Bex258

Thank you so much for the links I'll read through them tonight. Is it okay for me to post them on my main pages?

Sure no problem, I've just added a title in the post to make a note of where that part appears.

Edit: just reworded my last line because I merged two sentences together.

 

[dachsie]

I did a party the same time last year, it was sold out by the night of the party.

Donald and Daisy was a slow line of about an 1 hour, Minnie was next and she was nearer 30 minutes but she was going through line pretty quick (it was long but moving). Goofy was about 20 minutes but he went for a break during that time. I don't have a time for Mickey but it was a good 20-30 minutes because I know missed the fireworks whilst in that queue.

As you only plan to do one party, if you are going in the Studios during your trip you could always look to do Minnie's Seasonal Dine, (I got a Fantasmic! FP as well when I booked that). They had Minnie, Mickey, Goofy, Donald and Daisy in Halloween costumes. They are not the same ones as in the park but it would free up time to meet Queen of Hearts and look at other things you want to do in your party.

I may just try for Donald and Daisy then. I don't have to get those pics, just would like to. I will figure it out

 

[Haley R]

There are a few ways to make your itineraries:

• Prioritizing: I understand you're attending two parties but what if weather becomes an issue and you can only attend one party during your trip what are your top priorities? Yes, you can ask Guest Services to move you to another night but it might be sold out or weather becomes an issue again, there are too many variables here. I would make my itinerary based on my top priorities on the first and then on the second party use my time to get the rest done.

• Separate the parks: On the first party focus on Frontierland, Adventureland & Liberty Square viewing parade, Hocus Pocus and fireworks from that half of the park as well as meeting characters in those areas. And on the second party do Fantasyland & Tomorrowland (Fantasyland is usually the busiest) same rule applies, viewing parade, Hocus Pocus and fireworks from that half of the park and meeting characters in those areas.

View attachment 313414

Which ever you choose please separate your post by Date of Party. I'll post both itineraries on the MAIN page.

I agree with many who have already responded, eat a well balanced meal before attending the party. Eat, get dressed and arrive at MK bing, bang, boom! While standing in line send someone to grab take-out. Menus are available online and you can plan this ahead too. Write it all down beforehand so you don't miss anything like napkins and hand it off to the designated person.

I completely didn't even think about the possibility of rain. Luckily, we will be there when there are 3 parties so hopefully we can switch to the Friday (26th) if we need to. I think we are going to plan on doing our top priorities, but also are going to split our characters between the two nights.

 

[Haley R]

@Haley R on the day of your parties are you planning on attending other parks? I recommend sleeping in late then go to MK, use your FP's, get some Magic Shots and other photos and out MK. Be sure to get your package of SofMK cards too and play a few games!

Night of parties, there will be restaurants open during the party so no worries there. Main Street Bakery - Starbucks has sandwiches, salads etc. and you can use gift cards there!

We won't be going to any other parks on the day of the parties. We are going to do brunch (11:30) at 1900 PF the first party on the 23 and lunch at Whispering Canyon before the second party on the 25. I've never done SofMK before. I just started trading pins this year so I'll probably fit some of that into the party time, too!

 

[SgtTibbs]

Pirates was 35-40 minute wait

Well shiver me timbers! 40min! With a people eater like Pirates and so many people focused on Character meets and special treats I was expecting something more like a walk-on even on a crowded night.

 

[ksromack]

October 8, Monday, Columbus Day
DH, DW

A.M. at AK with lunch at Sanaa. Heading over to MK around 2pm for a few rides then:
3:30-4:10 Pick up Wristband @ Philharmagic
4pm-5:30 Ride rides, perhaps shop early at Emporium and while we're there check out the Bypass (I assume this is allowed even if we already have our bands). Pick up SotMK card.
5:40-6:20 Maybe try for a FP although since we're at AK in the a.m. i don't think we'll have any luck with FP to 7dwarfs but possibly something in Fantasyland or Tomorrowland.
ToT along the way.....
6:30-7:15 Queen of Hearts & Tweedles, send dh for a popcorn bucket or maybe we'll just go together after Queen.........
Ride teacups with fun overlay.....try not to lose my lunch
7:20-7:40 Pirate Goofy
7:40-8:00 HM Grave Diggers @ Adventureland see map: BLUE Circle (I don't know where to fit this in now. It seems like we are hanging closer to Tomorrowland. Is there another time to fit this in and not criss cross the park too much)?
8:00-8:30 Check out Elvis Stitch's line. One report indicated line at 8:15pm was short. If too much a line, return later.
8:30-9:30 Boo to You Parade 9:15 @ (changing location here to spoke from Tomorrowland or may have to get closer to spoke from hub at Adventureland in order to position self by Casey's for fireworks)
9:30-10:30 HalloWishes @ Casey's-tag team getting Hades Nachos at Casey's, mobile order?
10:30-11:10 Hocus Pocus 10:45 @ Partners Statue
11:15 possibly catch 2nd Boo to You Parade
We may or may not still do this depending on the Elvis Stitch situation. If we were unable to get Stitch earlier we will do him at this time before his line closes.
12pm Headless Horseman Magic Shot @ Front of Park Entrance - and you'll still have time for this Magic Shot!
exit park

I've really modified our plans. Given the early party admissions I am guessing Jack and Sally will be a 2 hour wait for those that can't legally line up until 4pm. I'm not willing to do that since we've met them at the MNSSHP in 2015 and also at Disneyland on a regular day outside HM. They are wonderful, though!

 

[Haley R]

October 23
DH, DW

• QS lunch at Pop

3:15-4:00 MK party entrance-get wristbands at front entrance
4:00-4:20 Go through bypass, get treat bag and take photos
4:20-6:05 Magic Shots (only some available), eat dinner (Pecos Bills has Hades Nachos), look at merch in shops, try food
6:15-7:10 Jack Sparrow in Adventureland
7:10-7:30 Tarzan, Jane, and Terk
7:30-8:00 Jasmine with Genie
8:00-8:30 Jafar (about a 30 minute wait)
8:35-11:20 Meet characters and watch Monsters Inc. Scream-O-Ween Ball

• 7 Dwarfs, Lots-o’-Huggin’-Bear, Elvis Stitch
• Ride Space Mountain
• Ride the Tea Cups
• Trick or treat

11:25-11:45 Get Oogie Boogie and cauldron popcorn buckets in the Hub
11:45 Watch Hocus Pocus (12:00 am)

 

[Haley R]

October 25
DH, DW
FP: 7DMT, Peter Pan, Space Mountain

• Brunch at 1900 PF (11:45 am)

Space Mountain (1-2 pm)
Peter Pan (2-3 pm)
7DMT (3:05-4:05 pm)

4:00 (or right after 7DMT) Head to Town Square Theater for Jack and Sally (get wristbands in line)
4:00-5:00 Jack & Sally - Out at 4:30 pm (tag team with dean1953)
5:10-6:40 Magic shots and eat dinner in Fantasyland
6:40-7:10 Queen of Hearts & Tweedles in Fantasyland - Out at 7pm
7:10-7:30 Cruella De Vil (roams near Winnie the Pooh)
7:35-8:45 Check in for dessert party at Tomorrowland Terrace, Magic Shots & Shop on Main Street, Pick up SotMK Card, trick or treat if time
8:45~10 Go to flagpole for parade viewing and watch parade
10:00 Follow CM to Terrace for dessert party and fireworks

 

[Cluelyss]

October 9, tuesday
DH, DW

We will probably do MK this day.....we've done it in the past and I enjoy the lower crowds on party days. Planning on a late lunch ADR at either BOG or Skipper's Canteen.

4pm get party bands at area closest to Jack and Sally
4:00-4:30 ride something
4:30-5:30 Line for Jack and Sally 1 hour
5:30 snacks.
5:45-7:15 Queen of Hearts/Tweedles (do they ever come out early)? Is 5:45 too early to get in line if we want to do this one?
7:20-8:30 Photo opps either Pirate Goofy, Ariel/ERic, or Village Belle w/Gaston--unsure here, probably Goofy? Not sure of his exact location

Grave diggers photo opp......where is this and is there usually a line? Or is this just the Magic Shot? It's over by HM, yes?

8:30 line up for Boo to You Parade 9:15 event
9:30 position selves for fireworks and maybe get a treat?
10:15 HalloWishes by Casey's maybe? Undecided on best location
After HalloWishes, position selves for Hocus Pocus
Headless Horseman magic shot
exit park

We've actually done Jack and Sally and the Dwarfs in 2015 at a single party but that required a lot of waiting in line. It IS fun, though....you make friends with the people you are waiting in line with! In 2015 we never did actually get a good view of Hocus Pocus. We never could time it right. It was the first year for it and it proved to be quite popular.

We'll also do the Return to Sleepy Hollow (this is new to us). Can anyone help with the difference between the General admission at $22 and the Premier admission at $38 besides the seating at the movie? Not interested in the Dessert portion of this event. Thanks to all for any help you might be able to offer!

We lined up for QOH at about 6:30 last year and started the line. They do not come out early. Our night they actually came out a bit late as it was sprinkling.

Also, Goofy meets by the Barnstormer.

 

[Cluelyss]

October 25
DH, DW
FP: 7DMT, Peter Pan, Space Mountain

• Lunch at Whispering Canyon Cafe

3:15-4:00 MK party entrance

• Take pictures, Magic Shots, trick or treat
• Go to Moana in Adventureland
• Go see 7 Dwarfs and Cruella De Vil in Storybook Circus
• Use Fast Passes
• Meet Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum, and Queen of Hearts in Fantasyland
• Grab dinner at a QS restaurant in the area
• Go to Tomorrowland for Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear
• Watch Monsters Scream-O-Ween Ball (from 7pm-12 am)
• Trick or Treat, shop in stores on Main Street
• Get spot for parade on Main Street (11:15 pm)

If you intend to use your FPs, you will not be able to use them after meeting Cruella, she doesn’t come out until 7. Better option to tag team those while waiting for Moana and then the dwarfs. You will also not be able to TOT until after 7 (Unless I’m misreading your wishlist and it’s not in time order??)

 

[Haley R]

If you intend to use your FPs, you will not be able to use them after meeting Cruella, she doesn’t come out until 7. Better option to tag team those while waiting for Moana and then the dwarfs. You will also not be able to TOT until after 7 (Unless I’m misreading your wishlist and it’s not in time order??)

No you were reading it right.
I completely forgot about the actual party starting at 7 when I made those. I’ll have to change some things around. I think we just need the main characters with parades/fireworks and the rest we will be flexible with. I just tried to get some kind of plan. Thanks!

 

[Bex258]

Well shiver me timbers! 40min! With a people eater like Pirates and so many people focused on Character meets and special treats I was expecting something more like a walk-on even on a crowded night.

It might calm down a bit as the party gets properly started, I stopped looking after that as I was more focused on the meet and greets.

October 9, tuesday
DH, DW

We will probably do MK this day.....we've done it in the past and I enjoy the lower crowds on party days. Planning on a late lunch ADR at either BOG or Skipper's Canteen.

4pm get party bands at area closest to Jack and Sally
4:00-4:30 ride something
4:30-5:30 Line for Jack and Sally 1 hour
5:30 snacks.
5:45-7:15 Queen of Hearts/Tweedles (do they ever come out early)? Is 5:45 too early to get in line if we want to do this one?
7:20-8:30 Photo opps either Pirate Goofy, Ariel/ERic, or Village Belle w/Gaston--unsure here, probably Goofy? Not sure of his exact location

Grave diggers photo opp......where is this and is there usually a line? Or is this just the Magic Shot? It's over by HM, yes?

8:30 line up for Boo to You Parade 9:15 event
9:30 position selves for fireworks and maybe get a treat?
10:15 HalloWishes by Casey's maybe? Undecided on best location
After HalloWishes, position selves for Hocus Pocus
Headless Horseman magic shot
exit park

We've actually done Jack and Sally and the Dwarfs in 2015 at a single party but that required a lot of waiting in line. It IS fun, though....you make friends with the people you are waiting in line with! In 2015 we never did actually get a good view of Hocus Pocus. We never could time it right. It was the first year for it and it proved to be quite popular.

We'll also do the Return to Sleepy Hollow (this is new to us). Can anyone help with the difference between the General admission at $22 and the Premier admission at $38 besides the seating at the movie? Not interested in the Dessert portion of this event. Thanks to all for any help you might be able to offer!

When I did my queue for Jack and Sally the wait time at 4:20 was 2 hours, a CM was letting those joining the queue know. Not sure if that included the pre meet and greet queuing time or if it was just from the meet start time, the queue was winding around quite a bit by then. I know mine was a sold out party so that adds to the wait but I started queueing a few minutes after 4pm and was done at 5:41pm.

Goofy was near the Barnstormer and took about 20 minutes with a break in that time. He would defiantly be an easy one to meet. I'm not sure how long the other lines were, Ariel and Eric were opposite their castle and the ride/meet area against a wall. Hopefully someone can help you out with that one.

 

[Haley R]

It might calm down a bit as the party gets properly started, I stopped looking after that as I was more focused on the meet and greets.



When I did my queue for Jack and Sally the wait time at 4:20 was 2 hours, a CM was letting those joining the queue know. Not sure if that included the pre meet and greet queuing time or if it was just from the meet start time, the queue was winding around quite a bit by then. I know mine was a sold out party so that adds to the wait but I started queueing a few minutes after 4pm and was done at 5:41pm.

Goofy was near the Barnstormer and took about 20 minutes with a break in that time. He would defiantly be an easy one to meet. I'm not sure how long the other lines were, Ariel and Eric were opposite their castle and the ride/meet area against a wall. Hopefully someone can help you out with that one.

Are jack and sally an option to meet last minute near midnight?

 

[Bex258]

Are jack and sally an option to meet last minute near midnight?

I think some did manage to do nearer the end of the party for some of the long queues, I can't recall if that was one of them. If lines are long they will cut them before the end of the party.

Hopefully someone can input their own experience.

 

[Bex258]

Ok so I went back over my photos and found some queue pictures to give everyone an idea what the queues look like and where you need to be heading.

These were for two sold out parties so kind of the worst case scenario.

JACK AND SALLY QUEUE

Just after 4pm

About 10 minutes later they moved the queue into the sun

Heading towards 5pm

Same time frame just around a different side, these were the people behind me that looped around alongside us then round and off the right hand side of the photo.

Then they went from that picture to this one and it goes right and out of shot of the photo at the end of the hedge.

This was 5:13 according to my photo info but I think its nearer 5:20pm as the line as started moving.

SEVEN DWARVES

Dwarves queue at 6:40pm having joined the queue around 5:50pm.

Here's part of the queue behind us and the second one has a view of Donald and Daisy arriving for their meets at 7pm/just after.

I finished with the Dwarves at 7:40pm. It was so slow moving because for 2017 they decided to have every Dwarf greet you individually which is a nice touch but that really seemed to slow this queue down.

 

[Bex258]

DONALD AND DAISY LINE

I know this took an hour, the CM's were telling everyone.

This is behind me in the line, it curves around and goes off the screen on the right and along that wall. (Notice the Monsters Inc crew in the background )

-having issues with picture currently-

The queue was ahead of me and curves around to where the Photopass photographer is, Minnie is on the otherside, her queue is up the steps in the area I circled in red.

OTHER INFO

This is the pathway I'm talking about and Cruella walks along it, her meet and greet was behind me. Donald and Daisy are on the left beyond the steps.

I passed by the Queen of Hearts and Tweedles meet so here's where the queue will start.

Scream-o-ween dance party

Lotso's meet area

 

[FoxC63]

Well shiver me timbers! 40min! With a people eater like Pirates and so many people focused on Character meets and special treats I was expecting something more like a walk-on even on a crowded night.

Nope, that usually happens later in the evening. And from what was reported last year Captain Jack Sparrow's line was a bit longer than in previous years. You'll be able to walk-on most rides including Big Thunder Mountain after HalloWishes and more rides after the last parade.

 

[ksromack]

I'm such a loser! I need to change my party date. We are doing Universal on Oct 9 because Oct 8 is Columbus Day and the crowds will be larger at US then. I'm sorry! Please change my date to Oct 8 for MNSSHP I promise I won't be a pain again!