1st Time Visit Next Month - Need Help!

[gbaby]

Hello! My family of four is taking our first trip to Disneyworld in October 2015. (First trip for each of us!) We are spending two days in Magic Kingdom and the park is scheduled to close each day we are there at 7:00pm for Mickey's Halloween. We do not have tickets for this special event. For those who have been in October, will we miss the fireworks (assuming it's not dark at 7:00pm)? Is it really worth paying the extra price (almost a whole ticket) to go? My kids are small and I am worried they would get scared.
Thanks!

 

[ldymcbth]

How little are your kids?

We LOVE the Halloween party. It is not scary. There is a parade and there are some villains in the parade, but even my very scaredy cat little one was not bothered by it.

You will miss the fireworks due to the party. If you can swing it, the party really is SO much fun. You can all dress up, there's trick or treating, dance parties, a great parade, etc.

 

[gbaby]

They are 8 and 4. I'm not worried about my older one, but my younger one concerns me. He is still scared of the Easter Bunny. We're not sure how he will do with any of the characters.

 

[ldymcbth]

I think 8 and 4 you would be fine, honestly. You can go on YouTube and watch the parade/fireworks and see what you think - even maybe let your younger one watch with you and see how that goes.

 

[gbaby]

That's a good idea, thanks. Do you normally do the park the same day? We want to get the most our of our two days. I was thinking going early on the day of the party, then coming back to the resort to nap and rest, then returning to the park that night.

 

[kmb584]

Yes, you'll miss the fireworks. On MNSSHP nights there is a special version of Wishes, HalloWishes, that takes place in time to

That's a good idea, thanks. Do you normally do the park the same day? We want to get the most our of our two days. I was thinking going early on the day of the party, then coming back to the resort to nap and rest, then returning to the park that night.

Party days are a fantastic time to get a lot done at MK. A lot of people skip the park during normal hours, opting instead to enter with their MNSSHP ticket at 4p, and wait times for most attractions are minimal all day long.

 

[ldymcbth]

That's a good idea, thanks. Do you normally do the park the same day? We want to get the most our of our two days. I was thinking going early on the day of the party, then coming back to the resort to nap and rest, then returning to the park that night.

We personally use the party day as a day to hang out and swim at the resort, take it easy, etc - but that's because I let mine stay up til midnight for the party. If you just have those two days, I think going at rope drop, coming back for a mid afternoon nap, and then heading back in for the party is a great plan.

 

[Mikie]

I have traveled to WDW several times in party season, but never have gone to the party. In our case, there's no way my kids at those ages would have still been awake and having fun (maybe awake and very crabby!) through the party hours of 7-12. No matter what, my kids didn't seem to know how to "sleep in", so we couldn't have taken it slow in the morning to shore up energy for party time.

In your shoes, I would go to the park from open (arriving at the gate about 30 min before official opening) and stay at the park through 7pm close, at which point we'd all be exhausted and plenty ready to call it a day. The park really is more manageable during a party day, because many people avoid it due to shortened hours. If fireworks are important to you and you're not purchasing park hoppers, which would allow you to go watch Illuminations at Epcot, I might do a few searches here in DIS for good places to see the fireworks from outside MK.

I know tons of people here enjoy the party with kids the ages of yours and they can give you great advice from that viewpoint, but that's just what I would do.

 

[sharonabe]

Are you only doing MK or some of the other parks too? Is there any way to rearrange your days, so you have one day at MK when it isn't a party night?

 

[Kathryn777]

Do you have fast passes ?

 

[lovndisney12]

My two cents: if you have the money to spend and it isn't pushing you to the limit - the party is really fun and not too scary (the parade does have some parts that may scare some kids - but it is also very cool). However, we went years ago when it was a lot cheaper and were piggy backing off of a trip for work for me so we only spent one day in Magic Kingdom and then on another evening when I was done with the conference we headed to the party. My boys were the same age (7 and 4) and really enjoyed the trick or treat aspect, parade, night rides, and glow in the dark path that lit up their costumes. Neither of my boys liked people dressed up - I have pictures of little boys in tears by clowns, Santa, etc. The youngest wouldn't even budge at a museum because of the realistic wax figures in the entrance rotunda. So, I understand your concern. If you think it will be an issue - I would save your money.

BUT, if I didn't have plenty of extra money to spend, I would stick with just enjoying the park up until close. There is so much to see and do that you really don't need to add the party. If the fireworks are important, as PP stated you can watch them from a variety of other locations including the beach at the Polynesian and the music is even piped in (you don't have to be staying there to go sit out on the beach). A favorite "break" spot for us when our kids were little was Tom Sawyer Island. The kids could just be kids and run around and explore - once on the island - no lines to wait in and plenty of room for kids to move. Two other great escapes are the People Mover and the Carousel of Progress - nice rides to relax, sit, and just take a break.

My biggest first trip tip: focus on making memories with your kids and enjoy what you get to do - don't focus on what you miss. I know we missed rides because my kids wanted to stay on Tom Sawyer Island much longer than we had planned. I have great memories of that time and really couldn't even begin to tell you what we missed! (And I've had kids sleep through fireworks too! - and now we just laugh about it)

 

[gbaby]

Are you only doing MK or some of the other parks too? Is there any way to rearrange your days, so you have one day at MK when it isn't a party night?

We are only doing two days at MK and don't have the option to move days around, unfortunately. We timed our trip so the oldest would miss the least amount of school.

 

[gbaby]

Do you have fast passes ?

Yes, we have fast passes booked and dining reservations.

 

[gbaby]

My two cents: if you have the money to spend and it isn't pushing you to the limit - the party is really fun and not too scary (the parade does have some parts that may scare some kids - but it is also very cool). However, we went years ago when it was a lot cheaper and were piggy backing off of a trip for work for me so we only spent one day in Magic Kingdom and then on another evening when I was done with the conference we headed to the party. My boys were the same age (7 and 4) and really enjoyed the trick or treat aspect, parade, night rides, and glow in the dark path that lit up their costumes. Neither of my boys liked people dressed up - I have pictures of little boys in tears by clowns, Santa, etc. The youngest wouldn't even budge at a museum because of the realistic wax figures in the entrance rotunda. So, I understand your concern. If you think it will be an issue - I would save your money.

BUT, if I didn't have plenty of extra money to spend, I would stick with just enjoying the park up until close. There is so much to see and do that you really don't need to add the party. If the fireworks are important, as PP stated you can watch them from a variety of other locations including the beach at the Polynesian and the music is even piped in (you don't have to be staying there to go sit out on the beach). A favorite "break" spot for us when our kids were little was Tom Sawyer Island. The kids could just be kids and run around and explore - once on the island - no lines to wait in and plenty of room for kids to move. Two other great escapes are the People Mover and the Carousel of Progress - nice rides to relax, sit, and just take a break.

My biggest first trip tip: focus on making memories with your kids and enjoy what you get to do - don't focus on what you miss. I know we missed rides because my kids wanted to stay on Tom Sawyer Island much longer than we had planned. I have great memories of that time and really couldn't even begin to tell you what we missed! (And I've had kids sleep through fireworks too! - and now we just laugh about it)

Thank you, this has been very helpful. I like the idea of watching the fireworks from outside the park. My husband doesn't think the kids will last through the party. They both wake up super early, no matter how late we try to keep them up. They are usually out by 10:00pm. I was also planning to play it by ear and let the kids go wherever they wanted.

 

[gbaby]

Yes, you'll miss the fireworks. On MNSSHP nights there is a special version of Wishes, HalloWishes, that takes place in time to


Party days are a fantastic time to get a lot done at MK. A lot of people skip the park during normal hours, opting instead to enter with their MNSSHP ticket at 4p, and wait times for most attractions are minimal all day long.

That's good to know! Thanks!

 

[ESDisneyAddicts]

If your kids can't make it until 10, then they would miss the regular Wishes fireworks anyway. My advice would be to make the most of your day at MK and stay until 7.

 

[gbaby]

If your kids can't make it until 10, then they would miss the regular Wishes fireworks anyway. My advice would be to make the most of your day at MK and stay until 7.

Thank you!