Back from a week at DL...Halloween party...etc

[godalejunior]

Spent a week at the VGC and attended the first Halloween party of the season. This was our first party and a group of six of us went as pirates. I do have to say....I have no clue how many tickets they sold to this party but the park was MUCH busier during the party then it ever was all day on Friday.

Not very many people in costume at all.....was REALLY surprised at this. I thought we were trick or treating....which we do here in costume!!!

We did not get on one ride as all the wait times were longer than earlier in the day and we decided we would never see any characters or treats if we did the rides. We were in the park for the full five hours of the party. Ghost Galaxy Space Mountain was down...not sure what was going on there. It was so crowded we could not enjoy walking around the park and seeing everyone's costumes and had difficulty keeping track of the two kids with the crowds.
That being said, loved the fireworks....the backdrops for the meet and greets, loved seeing the characters dancing with the kids and all the villains. We got approximately 20-25 lbs. of fruit and candy without even really trying to go for that much.

I really love Disneyland this time of year but I will not pay the extra money to do the Halloween party again unless there are less tickets sold.....and I just dont see that happening. Oh...and to be able to see Perry in the park...loved it!

Caught a couple Angels vs. Rangers games at the stadium...took a taxi from the hotel. Had a great time, great seats and much less expensive than seeing our Mariners.

So...on Sat. was the first day of the Gay Days annual event. I was looking forward to seeing the red shirts and people enjoying the park. All I can say is....after spending three hours in the park and seeing vulgar comments on red shirts (can't believe Disney would let these shirts in) and numerous sexual innuendos and comments in front of my nine year old child....we left the park and did not go back. I was extremely disappointed in what I heard and saw....it does not matter what group is at DL...I don't take my family to the park for a sex ed class nor do I feel that is the appropriate place to do so.

 

[tkitty]

Thanks for posting- hoping that the tues parties are much less crowded. How crowded were the rides from about 3-4pm till the party started?(If you were there)
Sounds like you had a good trip.

 

[ldagenhart]

That is terrible (about the t-shirts and sayings). I don't understand why people (straight or gay) feel the need to let everyone know how they feel about potentially offensive topics. Whether it be a t-shirt, car window sticker, or whatever.

Do you think maybe kids will be there? Do you think it is appropriate for kids to see it? GRRRRRRR

And I'm more angry with Disney for letting them in.....however - maybe they had another t-shirt on over the offensive shirt and changed once they were in the park?

Sorry for being a whiny, old-fashioned, prude But there are some things that aren't appropriate for places with kids.

 

[godalejunior]

Thanks for posting- hoping that the tues parties are much less crowded. How crowded were the rides from about 3-4pm till the party started?(If you were there)
Sounds like you had a good trip.

We were getting ready in the room at that time...left the parks about 3 and everything was around 20 minutes or less for the most part. Came back just before 7. We started the day at 8 a.m.

 

[godalejunior]

That is terrible (about the t-shirts and sayings). I don't understand why people (straight or gay) feel the need to let everyone know how they feel about potentially offensive topics. Whether it be a t-shirt, car window sticker, or whatever.

Do you think maybe kids will be there? Do you think it is appropriate for kids to see it? GRRRRRRR

And I'm more angry with Disney for letting them in.....however - maybe they had another t-shirt on over the offensive shirt and changed once they were in the park?

Sorry for being a whiny, old-fashioned, prude But there are some things that aren't appropriate for places with kids.

I left with my nine year old as I felt it was not appropriate for him to see or hear.

 

[pattyduke34]

Last year I went for the first time to the Halloween party on a Tuesday night and boy it was sooooo crowded...To us it was the most crowded time for us in the 4 days were where there. Could not do many rides lines too long. Did get candy and we did dressed up too! (just 2 adults, me and my DH). I love the Halloween decorations at this time of year...but IMO way to crowded for the party. Do not think we will do it again either....

 

[BELLEDOZER]

I do agree with you on a couple of issues. First off there was alot less people in costume than last year. Alot of people just in a crazy t shirt and that's it. It was alot more crowded than the MHP parties I attended last year, and I can see it being a problem in general with families that have young kids that tend to wander. I did noticed alot more odd ball t-shirts during Gay Days, but while we noticed it, our kids didn't, and we weren't offended by them, although a couple of them came close. I too thought that DL monitored for offensive shirts. I guess that there's no accounting for taste LOL! If I were to go back during Halloween time, I would go there for the decorations, and not for the MHP.

 

[godalejunior]

I do agree with you on a couple of issues. First off there was alot less people in costume than last year. Alot of people just in a crazy t shirt and that's it. It was alot more crowded than the MHP parties I attended last year, and I can see it being a problem in general with families that have young kids that tend to wander. I did noticed alot more odd ball t-shirts during Gay Days, but while we noticed it, our kids didn't, and we weren't offended by them, although a couple of them came close. I too thought that DL monitored for offensive shirts. I guess that there's no accounting for taste LOL! If I were to go back during Halloween time, I would go there for the decorations, and not for the MHP.

My DS is very observant and he noticed the red shirts and heard the comments.

I guess the success of the parties has DL selling more tickets maybe? I did love the atmosphere that was there but the crowds made it difficult for us to enjoy the whole thing.

 

[Hoku]

[...]the crowds made it difficult for us to enjoy the whole thing.

You were there when it was kicking off the season. I'd think that time, and the time closest to Halloween are the busiest. I wonder if the exact middle of the season would have the most manageable crowds.

 

[nunzia]

You were there when it was kicking off the season. I'd think that time, and the time closest to Halloween are the busiest. I wonder if the exact middle of the season would have the most manageable crowds.

Ugh..I hope so..we'll be there the 21st..

 

[goodriddanceyalooney]

can anyone tell me if the decorated space mountain is open during normal hours? It is not just for the halloween party, correct?

 

[BELLEDOZER]

godalejunior, when I was at DL during the first 9 days of Oct last year, especially during Gay days, while I noticed the red shirts, I found it to be not as in your face as this year. It was almost as if they were waiting for people to comment on the offensive shirts. I'm very laid back by nature, and even so some of the shirts had me shaking my head. I also found the crowds very heavy to the point where it was hard to navigate between the lands. Last year I could walk on many rides without much of a line up. This year the line ups for rides were just as bad as during the daytime. So they must have sold alot more tickets this year than last. Because of the heavy crowds we didn't enjoy the party as much as we could have, and don't intend to go back during Halloweentime because of this.

 

[BELLEDOZER]

SMGG was not only open during the day but during the MHP as well. Rides were breaking down on a somewhat regular basis. On more than one occasion we were in line ups for a ride, when it broke down 1/2 way into the wait. It was frustrating as H at times.

 

[tiffjoy]

We were there the same night, and I didn't think it was that bad. We did tend to stay in the back areas of the park, though. We had already been there for 3 days, so we just came in on Friday for the party. We only did rides with a short wait, but I did notice many were quite long. I thought the trick or treat lines were insanely long, but some people said they moved fast. We didn't get much candy for DD as she's only 2 and doesn't need it. And neither do we! We met characters, ate a sit down meal at Cafe Orleans, and enjoyed the sites, parade, and fireworks.

We didn't go on Saturday, but we at at Downtown Disney for lunch, and we noticed it was Gay Days. I didn't notice any offensive shirts, but then, we were outside the park and only in DD for about 2 hours. I'm sorry you experienced that. We were standing in line to meet Minnie one day, and a young teenage girl (~15, 16)was in line wearing someone completely 100% inappropriate for a woman of any age to wear, let alone to Disney, let alone a teen girl! I was glad I didn't have a young son- that would have been distinctly uncomfortable. I was very uncomfortable for her- it was so very revealing. We saw people more covered up at the beach than she was! I guess that sometimes happens, and there's really nothing you can do about it.