Hi Dutton
Last year, we went from Thanksgiving day, until the following Wednesday, and it was AWESOME!! THIS year, ( well, this past October) we decided to try the
MNSSHP and we went the first week in October. I, too, thought the parks would be decked out in Halloween decorations since they go all out for Christmas. There really wasnt anything. A few fall colored leaf swags on some of the stores on Main Street, some pumpkins, indian corn and hay bales behind The Hall of Presidents, and that was about it. They do decorate for the Halloween Party. The buildings have purple, orange and green lights shining on them, there are jack o lanterns in the windows on main street. There is a mickey bat and a witch shadow that flys up and down the buildings on main street. Cinderellas coach sits in a pumpkin patch behind the castle, some of the characters are dressed in costumes that are really cute!! There are giant treat bags at the beginning of Main Street with spooky fog coming out of them. THere are giant 'balloons' high in the sky that look like ghosts, and there are some pumkins too ( I wish I knew how to show my pictures on here!! I could show you some of them) there are some laser light pictures shown on the ground in places, and one on a fence in toontown. I saw 2 mickey pumpkins while walking towards toon town too. So, there was pretty much out for the party, but nothing out in the parks at all. I was a little disappointed. One other major difference about the 2 times we went.. the first week of OCtober was still really hot and humid. It was really hot the day we went to the party and I kept waiting for it to cool down!! I left the park at midnight still sweating!! I also didnt like the halloween parade near as much as I liked the christmas one, but the headless horseman in the beginning was GREAT!! I dont think I would go back in October. Im really thinking of trying to get back there this year the week after thanksgiving. I think that was the best time to be there. Crowds were really low, the weather was not hot and humid, and all the christmas decorations and shows were there!! And the best thing Ive ever seen in Disney was snow on Main Street! It just doest get any better than that!!!