Attention all MNSSHPers

[3princesses4us]

I have also sent an email to both. We bought tickets months ago for Sept. 15

Same date for us and I also sent my emails.

 

[Uncle Remus]

I paid good money to take my family and those who stay without a ticket are thieves, just like the woman who passes off her 3 yr old for a 2 yr old in the restaurants thread!! I'll add to the email campaign, right after I calm down a little.

 

[MyZoeJane]

Sent my emails:

To Whom It May Concern,

It has come to my attention that Disney plans to make little, if any, effort to clear the parks of non-ticket holding guests at the Halloween parties this year. Why would a person bother to buy tickets to the party if this is the case? How is this fair to the people who have ALREADY bought tickets? Will you be offering refunds to them? Myself, and MANY other people would like to know how it can possibly be conceived of as fair to those people who pay for the party, which has been advertised as a "ticket only" event? Don't "you" feel you owe it to those people who purchase the extra ticket to make good on your "word" and limit the crowds to those who actually paid to be there? And by this I mean by doing more than just "asking people to leave."

I understand the Disney "spirit" of making things magical for people and trying to keep Disney experiences as positive as possible, but you owe it to your guests to enforce rules by doing more than just "asking people to leave." You don't just "ask people to present a ticket" at the gate, do you? You use computers to verify the validity of the ticket. You scan for fingerprints. You don't want ot get "ripped off." Well, what about protecting those of us who pay for something by not "ripping us off", as well?

Please do what needs to be done to assure that "ticket only" event means exactly that. I can easily spend my money elsewhere and while I am only one person, I assure you there are plenty of others who feel exactly the same way.

And if they think that's too harsh then I'll certainly be avoiding the "ticket only" parties in the future!

 

[MyZoeJane]

Same date for us and I also sent my emails.

Unfortunately, you guys are the "guinea pigs" for the MNSSHP this year. I hope things go smoothly for you guys!!!!

 

[daisy_77]

Email sent!

 

[disneyaggie]

A few hours ago I called the Disney Switchboard (407-824-4321) and asked for a supervisor. I spoke with Ginger. She works "on behalf" of the supervisors.

Anyway, this is what she said, "What you are hearing is a rumor. You must have a wristband to stay in the park. Anyone without one will be asked to leave by security and/or a CM."

I then asked, "Well what if they just want to stay to watch the parade and/or the fireworks"? She responded, "Absolutely not. They must have a wristband." She did add that it is virtually impossible to make sure everyone has a wristband, but that security and the CM's watch for them.

We will see . . .

Oh, she also said that the park is scheduled to close at 6:00pm to decorate, not 7:00pm as some have been led to believe. Again, we will see.

 

[disneysnowflake]

Last year at MNSSHP we were all told to stay in Frontierland after 6pm.
There was a family there who didn't have wristbands. The adult woman was told twice to exit the park, but she didn't. She just nodded to the CMs and continued to sit there letting her kids run around and talking on her cellphone.
Even when we were told right before 7pm that we could enjoy the park she took off with her stroller and headed to Fantasyland.
I'm not sure if she was ever forced to leave the park or not, but she wasn't heading for the exit. I hope she left. I believe we paid $160 for the 4 of us to attend MNSSHP last year. That doesn't seem fair if a family got benefits from the party without paying for tickets.

If they don't try to make people leave until after the party starts I don't see how this will work. It was very, very crowded when we went to MNSSHP in 2005 and MVMCP in 2004. It was much more crowded than I expected for a mid-week party.

I'll be interested to see what happens this year. I've offered to pay for MVMCP tickets next year for all family members who come to our Grand Gathering. That's a lot of money when others could be there for free.

 

[PookaJean]

I have sent an e-mail regarding this issue and let them know that if nothing is rectified by 10/31/06 I will be requesting a full refund of my tickets and not renewing my annual passes for which I have had for nearly 10 years. I sure hope they get this straightened out. Halloween night is crowded enough without extra NON-PAYING GUESTS!!!

 

[lexmelinda]

Just sent:

To Whom It May Concern:
I was considering purchasing tickets to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party during our late September vacation but I heard recently that the park will not be closing one-hour before the party begins in order to clear the park of day guests. I believe this would be a MONUMENTAL mistake on the part of Disney and I feel I have a couple of valid concerns. ONE: I have serious doubts about whether the cast members will be able to clear the park of day guests after the event starts. It will be dark by then (party decorations in place, special events beginning) and it will be very difficult to sort out who "belongs" and who doesn't. What parent would deny their child an opportunity to see all the decorations, parades, fireworks, and characters if they could? Why would any of the day guests bother to exit if they are simply "requested" to leave? TWO: It devalues the price of the hard ticket events. If you can actually stay in the park for free, then why bother purchasing a ticket? Or as my mother used to say, "Why pay for the cow if you can get the milk for free?" As Disney builds off-season momentum and attendance with these elaborate hard ticket events, the only way to build revenue as well is to make sure the parties are indeed "special". If dedicated hard-ticket event attenders see that Disney is allowing the park to become crowded with non-paying day guests then are those folks likely to be repeat visitors to these events? Will they travel from around the world, the country, or even across town to attend these events in the off-season? I think not. THREE: Even if you could figure a way to get the park cleared of all the day guests, it still makes Disney look greedy. Can't you hear it now? "It's not enough that Disney gets to double-dip and get paid for two days park admissions in one day, they just can't stand to make the non-paying moochers leave on the outside that they might spend an extra buck at the parks." Very, very bad PR with the loyal paying party guests. Maybe $190 for party tickets isn't a lot of money at your house but it is at ours. In summary, I believe that I (and many thousands of others) will need a rock solid assurance on the part of Disney that the park will be thoroughly cleared of all non-paying day guests before we will ever again consider spending our hard-earned money on a hard-ticket event. Please keep the magic of these events "magic" and the revenue will follow. If you cheapen the events by assuming people are not smart enough to realize the motivation behind letting the non-paying guests stay...the magic is lost. I think Walt would be so disappointed.

 

[tacomaranch]

We are also going for the first time and have purchased tickets. It is not the rides which we can go on anytime, but the special fireworks, the charaters, the parade. Why buy tickets if I can see it for free? It really upsets me that I paid money for my tickets to the party, being honest, and it is really free! Urg...

 

[NancyIL]

IF I go to MNSSHP it would be on Oct. 12th. I will wait and see what happens with the September parties before I buy a ticket.

 

[Amyrlin]

I have sent an email as well, we had bought the tickets beofre this change was quietly slipped in.

 

[kellyg403]

I sent an email as well but I do wonder something. I know that they say they will be enforcing the wristband etc. But, I worry about those children who are staying with their parents waiting in line to see a character and then turned away because the CM sees they have no wristband. That bothers me alot too because I don't think that is what Disney is all about. Like another poster suggested, some parents may not even realize certain things. Even as a paying ticketholder I would be upset if I saw a child whose feelings were hurt because of a miscommunication. I will keep hoping that things work out the way they are supposed to.

Kelly

 

[Skylarr29]

That is absolutley ridiculus. One of the main reasons I go to those parties is for the parades which are meant to be special.... regretting that I just bought tickets. I will be sending an email!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bamabear]

Just sent my email.

 

[dalt01]

e-mail away

 

[eblack0409]

I have sent an email to both addresses!!!!

To Whom it May Concern:

I have purchased tickets to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party on September 22. When I purchased these tickets I was told this was a "hard ticket" event and that the park would be cleared of all day guests prior to the start of the party. I have since been informed that WDW is not closing the park an hour early to clear the day guests, they are simply being "asked to leave." If WDW is not going to make the effort to clear day guests from the park before the party starts, then everyone who has purchased tickets did so under false pretenses. If the Magic Kingdom park isn't cleared of day guests and those non-paying guests are allowed to enjoy the festivities we (the paying guests) paid to attend, the "hard ticket" events will be devalued. I understand that the cast members don't want to spoil the magic of Disney for anyone, but what about those of us who have paid to attend this event? What about the magic of Disney for us?? All I am asking for is fairness. Is it fair to have non-paying guest attend a "hard ticket" event for free? NO. Is it fair to the paying guests to have to fight for a place to see the parade and fireworks? NO. Please help to make this year's Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party memorable all of us (the paying guests). Ask yourselves, "What would Walt do?"

Sincerely,

Joe and Elisabeth Black
Loyal Disney Guests


I hope that Disney gets enough negative feedback about not closing the park and rethink that decision....

 

[lexmelinda]

"What would Walt do?"

 

[eblack0409]

I am on the phone with a CM now...he is saying that Disney is undecided as to whether they will close the park an hour early or just make an announcemennt. He said that whether they close the park early or just make an announcement, the park WILL BE cleared of all non wristbanded guests prior to the start of the party, and any guests that are still in the park with out a wristband will be escorted out of the park....I hope this is true!

He also told me that Disney isn't giving the free picture this year, but they will offer them to guest 50% off.

 

[Amity 3]

I am on the phone with a CM now...he is saying that Disney is undecided as to whether they will close the park an hour early or just make an announcemennt. He said that whether they close the park early or just make an announcement, the park WILL BE cleared of all non wristbanded guests prior to the start of the party, and any guests that are still in the park with out a wristband will be escorted out of the park....I hope this is true!

they can't clear out the park unless they're sweeping the queues and telling people to leave. that was the whole point of closing an hour earlier, they could catch people without the wristband and direct them to the front of the park. last year they closed off Frontierland to only those who had the wristband and swept the rest of the park.

an announcement will do nothing, there's always been plenty of signs up in the past. and we've seen plenty of people trying to stay in the park after the one hour shutdown. they'll never clear the park if they don't follow the past procedures.

Universal and Busch Gardens are still shutting down early prior to Halloween Horror Nights and Howl-O-Scream. Disney's just trying it because they can get away with it.