Attention all MNSSHPers

[mickeyluv'r]

Blaze12 - I seriously doubt your 3 year old will be going on rides by himself. If they see him with adults, all of whom have wrist bands, then they will assume he is with you, as therefore leagelly in the park. The CM's told our family that they don't worry too much about toddlers or infants having wristbands, since they are never without their parents.

As for everyone else, this sounds a little reactionary to me. Obviously Disney has been researching this, and discovered that people who don't belong do, in fact, leave the park. (probaably as soon as they discover they can no longer go on any rides) I seriously don't think most folks are going to stick around for three hours in the parks if they can't go on any rides and are being told to leave every time they try to go on a ride or get in line for a character. The parade is just not THAT thrilling, that most people would want to sit around all that time doing nothing. And if there are a few - and I mean a few - extra people watching the parade I'm not going to care, it's not like there isn't LOTS of places to see the parade/fireworks. As long as they aren't letting any not wristbanded people on Space Mountain -we'll be going.

For those of you holding out - I wouldn't hold out too long, or the tickets might just be sold out - as they have sold out in the past.

But hey, to each his own. If you don't want to go, then don't go. No biggie.

 

[akunamatata]

I feel for you guys who have paid for those tickets!! Here's the email I sent to Disney:

"My husband and I are Florida residents and have planned our first trip to WDW for 10/28-11/5/2006 in Fort Wilderness. We have been considering paying the additional money for the Halloween Party until we read on the Dis Forum Boards that you will not be closing the park and removing day guests before the party begins. We will DEFINATELY not be giving Disney more money for a party that virtually everyone can attend. And while I know those who are buying tickets will have wristbands, that doesn't change the fact that non-payers will still be able to see that special parade and fireworks and get to do the Trick or Treating. That's just wrong!!! And if Disney is not going to assure everyone that only those who actually spent the money to attend the party will be the only ones there, then I will recommend to all my friends not to waste the money.

BTW, being Floridians we were planning on coming there for the Christmas Party also. Too bad, so sad... you won't be geting our money because your policy stinks."

And you guys can be assured, my husband and I will NOT be in the park during the party.

 

[jima53]

If they continue this policy of not clearing the park and letting people mingle with the paid guest they won't get our money for Halloween or Christmas. Too bad because we have contemplated paying for both parties.

Jim

 

[lexmelinda]

Obviously Disney has been researching this,and discovered that people who don't belong do, in fact, leave the park.

Obviously Disney has been researching this, and discovred they could make more money if they didn't close the park for an hour before the party starts.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Disney have cocked up on this, 2 of my work friends, who were going to BUY MNSSHP are now NOT going to bother. They will try and stay in, and play "dumb" if they are caught they will walk "slow" via the toilets, and loose the CM. IF they do ger "swept" out they will then BUY a ticket for a following date. But in their words, " Why pay when Disney are already sooooo rich?"
Im so mad with one of them, I had to leave the table today. What about the paying guests I asked. "more fool them!". was the reply.
.

If an employee ever said the same to me I'd simply ask, "How long until you decide I am soooooo rich and it's ok to steal from me?" I'd fire him on the spot.

I think Disney will handle it just fine. The vast majority that are supposed to leave will leave. There are a few that will need a little coaxing. And I'm sure a few will get away with it. But a few got away with it under the old policy. There really is only one way to make sure everyone's gone. That would be to close the park at 6, clear everyone out, and not let any of the partygoers in until 7. I personally wouldn't want that. Having to get there at 5 just to wait in line so I can get through the turnstyles before 8 isn't my cup of tea. And I'm willing to put up with the few that get away with it in exchange for me being able to walk in about 4:30, breeze right through the turnstyles, get my wrist band, and do what I want before the party.

 

[jima53]

I think you folks are jumping to alot of conclusions! If you need a wristband to attend, then you need a wristband to attend! What makes any of you think you are not getting what you have paid for? If the park closes to regular guests at 7, then I highly doubt they would be handing out trick or treat bags to people without tickets! They are not being "Allowed" to stay for something they didn't pay for, they are just not being asked to leave until an hour after they used to be.

For all you know, maybe they plan on making an announcement for all ticket holders to gather in a particular land at a specific time, and non-wristed band guests will be directed out of the park at that time.

None of us really know how they plan to do it, but give the mouse some credit...they must be pretty good at what they do or we wouldn't keep going back!

If you read further you will find that people without wristbands were given trick or treat bags, were allowed to enjoy the parade and fireworks last year. It wasn't imagined. Cm's didn't control the problem very well according to a lot of last years attendees.

Jim

 

[DramaTech]

I feel for you guys who have paid for those tickets!!

No need to feel badly for us party goers. My wife and I can't wait for both MNSSHP and MVMCP. So some people will stay and get in for free...so what? We want to enjoy the festivities, and Disney says that costs an extra amount of our hard earned money. So, we'll pay it, and we will go to the parties and enjoy every minute. There are cheaters in all walks of life, but that doesn't mean they get to ruin our fun.

We could just not go out of contempt for the new policy (which, I might add, is not written in stone...could change at any time...), and then, we'd miss the fun of being in the MK late at night...watching the parade and fireworks...and overall, having a blast of a time. I'd rather pay what Disney says is the cost, and go enjoy myself.

We learned a long time ago that life isn't fair. So, what? For the cheaters who plan to stay without paying, I am saddened that you are adding to a world of deceit and selfishness (although, I know I'm preaching to the choir, here). As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

So, we want to go enjoy both parties, and already have tickets to both. We are getting more excited about it every day, and really don't care what other people do or how they act. We are going to have a blast!!!

 

[schlepsnort]

For those who say "so what" if the people are cheating and getting in without paying and those who think that the collective 'we' are overreacting I respect that that is your opinion but it doesn't mean that we are wrong for speaking up and demanding an explanation from WDW in regards to what is happening to these events. I would think that instead of being critical of what 'we' are doing perhaps be respectful of it because it is our opinion.

In my opinion we have every right to demand that WDW uphold its part of the deal and remove all non-party guests before the party. We paid extra money under the agreement that the event would be private and only for those holding a ticket. So in the time between now and the first party we have every right to demand an explanation from WDW as to why it is appearing that they will not be upholding their part of the deal. Perhaps if we all speak out (as we are) it will change something. Instead of sitting back and saying oh well and letting 'cheaters' run you over, I believe in standing up, using my voice and demanding change for the good.

Yes life is not fair but if we never speak up against the unfairness then when will it ever change?

I am fighting for our right to party darnit!

 

[Hank's R&R]

For those who say "so what" if the people are cheating and getting in without paying and those who think that the collective 'we' are overreacting I respect that that is your opinion but it doesn't mean that we are wrong for speaking up and demanding an explanation from WDW in regards to what is happening to these events. I would think that instead of being critical of what 'we' are doing perhaps be respectful of it because it is our opinion.

In my opinion we have every right to demand that WDW uphold its part of the deal and remove all non-party guests before the party. We paid extra money under the agreement that the event would be private and only for those holding a ticket. So in the time between now and the first party we have every right to demand an explanation from WDW as to why it is appearing that they will not be upholding their part of the deal. Perhaps if we all speak out (as we are) it will change something. Instead of sitting back and saying oh well and letting 'cheaters' run you over, I believe in standing up, using my voice and demanding change for the good.

Yes life is not fair but if we never speak up against the unfairness then when will it ever change?

I am fighting for our right to party darnit!

I totally agree. We are PAYING for these privileges, after all.

 

[mickeysaver]

We have a trip planned to WDW in exactly a month! We have a room reserved at CBR, bought our tickets for the parks, and purchased Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) tickets for 9/22. I have been looking forward to the party quite a bit. From the reviews that I have read on the net and heard from friends at my local Disney Store, it sounds fabulous. We have attended Mickey's Very Merry Christmas (MVMCP) party twice in 2003 and twice in 2005, so we know that the Mouse throws a great party.

When we attended the MVMCP's in the past, the Magic Kingdom (MK) would close at 6pm to day guests and then the park would be transformed into a wonderland of holiday cheer during the hour in between as the day guests were herded out and some of the MVMCP guests trickled into the park. This gave the Cast Members (CM's) a chance to herd everyone that had not paid for the party out and that way there were not a lot of folks hanging out to enjoy the stuff that we paid to be able to enjoy. After all, it is a hard ticket event with exclusive entertainment. Snow on Main Street, the character dance party, holiday story telling, a wonderful parade, and the most amazing fireworks display in the whole world.....these are all events are exclusive to MVMCP and while the wristbands keep day guests from buying party merchandise, riding rides, getting cookies & cocoa, & having their picture taken, it would not exclude them from hanging out to enjoy many of these perks of the party. So by giving the general public the park hours that end at 6pm, the day guests plan their day around that park closure time. They don't all want to leave at the same time, but it's the decreased crowd size that gives the CM's the best chance of herding out the day guests by watching for those all important wristbands.

But, wait, you guys already know all of that!

The park hours for MK on 9/15 and 9/22 are both listed with a park closing time of 7pm. This confuses me. If I was planning a visit to MK that day and was not planning to attend MNSSHP, I would plan to stay there riding rides until 7pm. This would have me exiting the park as late as 7:45pm. Multiply this by the hundreds, if not thousands of day guests with similar plans, and this is going to turn into a nightmare for the CM's whose job it is to weed out the day guests and keep the park open and pixie dusted for the party guests who paid for exclusive access to all of the entertainment that you folks have lined up for us. I worry that people are going to potentially abuse the system more than they have in the past and bring costumes to change into that intentionally cover the wrists so that the CM's just assume that the people at the party belong there, when in fact they did not pay for the tickets and are there crowding the park and causing those of us that paid for the privilege to be there to have a less enjoyable experience. The honest day guests get a raw deal too, because if you are advertising that the park is open to 7pm and you plan to start herding them out at 6pm as you have in the past, they are going to feel slighted too. I see this as a PR problem for you guys because either you are going to tick off the day guests by kicking them our earlier than posted park hours or you are going to tick off the MNSSHP guests because you are leaving us to do battle with day guests that don't want to play by the rules. The last thing that I want to do on my vacation, especially a vacation that is planned to be an anniversary celebration, is to be put in a position where I am a guinea pig.

If you guys can close the MK down at 6pm to set things up for Night of Joy, why can't you do the same for the folks that paid to go to MNSSHP?

I apolgize if this sounds whiny, but I am just concerned about the changes that seem to be in the works, I do not see this as a positive change for the guests. Please respond when you can.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

So, do you think this about covers it? I dang sure hope that someone is listening. Maggie

 

[4mcbjCtr]

Mickeysaver -

Your email was great. One thing you mentioned that is so true is day guests won't leave the parks until well after 7pm. For some of the rides, the lines get really long. Like on Space Mountain for instance, the line allows entrance until park closing. Well, with a 60 minute line, you will have day guests on the ride until 8pm. This really limits the ability for MNSSHP guests to have exclusive access like they should at 7pm. This was a huge problem for EMH when we were there this last summer. It took a good hour for the lines from regular guests to clear before the lines were shortened for the guests who had access to EMH. It was quite frustrating.

If day guests are there until 8pm, I think the CM's will be less likely to be enforcing the escorting of guests out. By that point, a lot of the CMs will assume that everyone is a paying guest.

Oh well. All we can do is sit and wait. Although I am quite frustrated by the whole situation, I think Disney will be able to handle it. If not, we do need to let our voices be heard. My opinion that they have mastered EMH is totally inaccurate in my opinion. There is so much abuse of the system, it is ridiculous. If they think they are doing a great job with EMH, then in turn think they can handle the MNSSHP and MVMCP the same way, they are sadly mistaken.

 

[Lindy Loo]

STILL not got a reply !!!!! . sent e mails 6 days ago !!!


Disney you need to get better business manners, and take the time to reply to your PAYING customers!

 

[usewickhouse]

I have been to the MNSSP for the last threee years and each year they closed the park at 6 pm. The second year we went we were informed by a CM supervisor that we could have gotten in the park at 4 pm with just our MNSSP ticket. So last year we got there around 3:45 pm were directed to wait until 4 pm. Once it hit 4 pm they let us in and gave us our wrist bands. At 6 pm when they closed to the general public they moved all the guests with wristbands to the Frontierland/Adventure Land area. There were a few attractions that were still opened...Big Thunder MTN, Hall of Presidents, the Tiki room and a few others. IMHO I feel that they should continue to close offically at 6 pm in order to make this fair to ALL park guests. One way to get around the 7 pm issue is to go at 4 pm when they first start letting people in. I too am very anxious to hear how the first night goes. We were not planning on going this year but are going to the MVMCP. Disney is getting GREEDY...maybe they could add a new Dworf? Snow White and the Eight Dworfs...GREEDY DWORF! Sorry if this offends anyone but as a FLorida resident, Mom of two and wife to a HUGE Disney fanatic I hate to see the magic of someone's trip be lost by something so avoidable!!
GOOD LUCK to you ALL and I will hope that Disney gets this fixed before you all go.

 

[Dreamseeker]

I feel for you guys who have paid for those tickets!! Here's the email I sent to Disney:

"My husband and I are Florida residents and have planned our first trip to WDW for 10/28-11/5/2006 in Fort Wilderness. We have been considering paying the additional money for the Halloween Party until we read on the Dis Forum Boards that you will not be closing the park and removing day guests before the party begins. We will DEFINATELY not be giving Disney more money for a party that virtually everyone can attend. And while I know those who are buying tickets will have wristbands, that doesn't change the fact that non-payers will still be able to see that special parade and fireworks and get to do the Trick or Treating. That's just wrong!!! And if Disney is not going to assure everyone that only those who actually spent the money to attend the party will be the only ones there, then I will recommend to all my friends not to waste the money.

BTW, being Floridians we were planning on coming there for the Christmas Party also. Too bad, so sad... you won't be geting our money because your policy stinks."

And you guys can be assured, my husband and I will NOT be in the park during the party.

I can assure that phrases like "Too bad, so sad... you won't be geting our money because your policy stinks" will get your worries no further than the virtual trash can!

I absolutely understand everyone's concerns, however, and encourage everyone to keep those emails coming.

 

[eblack0409]

I made my 6th phone call today asking about the procedures to get day guests out of the park for MNSSHP...I got the same answer: "MNSSHP ticket holders will be herded into one specific area of the park, probably Tomorrowland beginning at 6:00..at the same time, all the rides will stop to allow the CMs to clear the park of non ticket holders. At 7:00, the party will begin and the ticket holders will be allowed out of the designated area and the rides will start up again!"

I have made 6 different phone calls, talking to 6 different CMs and getting the same response....I am hoping that they have just changed their mind and everyone hasn't been notified yet....everytime I call, I request to speak to a supervisor, so maybe it hasn't made it down the "totem pole" yet!

 

[beattyfamily]

I made my 6th phone call today asking about the procedures to get day guests out of the park for MNSSHP...I got the same answer: "MNSSHP ticket holders will be herded into one specific area of the park, probably Tomorrowland beginning at 6:00..at the same time, all the rides will stop to allow the CMs to clear the park of non ticket holders. At 7:00, the party will begin and the ticket holders will be allowed out of the designated area and the rides will start up again!"

I have made 6 different phone calls, talking to 6 different CMs and getting the same response....I am hoping that they have just changed their mind and everyone hasn't been notified yet....everytime I call, I request to speak to a supervisor, so maybe it hasn't made it down the "totem pole" yet!

I wouldn't get my hopes up. My phone call yesterday was from Disney's executive officies and she seemed quite sure and confident in her information that the park will not close and it will be handled like EMH nights, unfortunately.

 

[cherokeemamma]

Hello People!

I just got off the phone with WDW. I spoke to 2 people. The first woman I talked to was very nice but really did not seem to understand what I was talking about with the park closing at 7 and the MNSSHP starting at the same time. She assured me it would be closing at 6. I kept telling her that the calendar stated the park would be closing at 7. I was trying to explain that I was concerned both events were happening at the same time and asking how in the world could they clear the park. She asked me to hold while she checked something. Then a person came onto the phone and identified herself as an information specialist.

She talked to me quite a while and was very helpful. She said that to the best of her knowledge the park would be closing at 6pm to non-party attenders. I explained to her the info on the calendar stated closing at 7. She said that she highly doubted that would actually happen. She did not think Disney would allow the closing and the start to happen at the same time.

She did go onto say that they have a new computer sysytem and as info has been inputed some of it is incorrect. She also stated that with the event being a month away and with the new system that I should check back because things were constantly being updated; even as we speak.

I told her the theory about folks getting in line at 6 to ride SM and perhaps staying in line and then the party would start. They could then get to experience and enjoy the party. She told me that there was no way they would allow this to happen. She went on to tell me she thought everyone would be sent to Fantasy Land and the rest of the park closed until 7. She said they would be extremely cautious not to let people stay without wristbands and they would be constantly checking for those.

She also told me that those with MNSSHP tickets could enter as soon as guests were allowed to get their wristbands in the park. I told her I was really concerned with the chaos that could ensue if people were allowed to remain there until 7 without tickets. She assured me that those people would be asked to leave and that it shouldn't be anything to worry about and she really thought the time for closing would be 6 pm. She also mentioned the rest. not taking reservations later than 5:30 for non-attenders. Does anyone know that to be true?

She has made me feel completely better so I would say she is very good at her job.

I would love to hear from more of you it you can call and check this out personally.

Sorry to be so long winded, but I wanted you to know I questioned her thoroughly.

Thanks

 

[tiggerlover73]

I know I'm new here but I just have to say something. This is Disney-"The Happiest Place On EArth"!! We go to Disney because we LOVE it. Where is all your magic at??? Does Tinker Bell need to come over and help you find a happy place??

This whole situation stinks and yes it does cost money. And no I really don't want to have to share my special party with those that didn't pay, but I'm sure this has happened in the past, you just weren't aware of it.

I'm lucky to be going to both MNSSHP and MVMCP this year. And I can't wait to go. I don't know if I'll ever be back there again at that time of year. I want to experence it all- the good and the bad. If there are people there without wristbands I'm surely not going to go up to them and tell them to get out and start a fight. I may make a CM aware of the fact that they are there.

You need to remember one thing-if you are there with your children and they see you unhappy and upset how is that going to make them feel?? They aren't going to understand what is going on. Do you want them to enjoy the party and have special stories and memories to tell their friends? Or do you want them to go home and tell their friends that "daddy or mommy got into a fight at Disney"

I know it is frustrating but you need to:

REMEMBER THE MAGIC!!! ​

 

[CdnMom2]

I just called to confirm all my ADRs, reservation requests, & then spoke to someone in "Recreation". The very helpful calm person answered my questions about how the Park closures would work. An announcement would be made to all Park Guests that the Park was closing at 6pm except for guests with WristBands for the MNSSHP. But he also said that there was no way that Disney could clear all the other guests from the Park & they would not be doing that, but merely making the announcements. We could easily get our wristbands from stations in the Park once we entered (allowable at 5:30pm). All Counter Service Restaurants would be open right through the night. Only 2 TS restaurants would be open (CP & LTT). Then from 7pm the CMs would be checking for wristbands for rides & Trick-or-Treating. Wow, I asked if he could pass on the comments from this first-time "exclusive" Party-goer that it did not seem right for the $$$ charged to those who bought their non-refundable tickets under the pretense that it was a CLOSED, exclusive event that others could stay and watch the special Parade, Fireworks, & Halloween ambience freely as this was a big part of the draw for us. While, I am still thinking we are going to love it, I am concerned about the crowds for the Parades, lines for candy, any ugliness in said lines if people do get checked. Truly I did not pay all that for us to have Candy. If we wanted to ride rides at MK in the eve we'd simply stay for an EMH or a late Saturday night for no extra $. It's a bit harder to justify to myself & DH that financial splurge I made for the 6 of us now.

 

[TXMastiff]

I have just sent in my email complaint and so has my girlfriend. Their inbox should be getting very full by now!