Early Admission to MNSSHP?

[xyymom]

I have read on these boards that you can enter the park for MNSSHP at 4pm. However, I read today from someone (elsewhere) who'd been at MNSSHP last year that they herd you into Tomorrowland until the party begins. Does this mean you can walk around and see things in Tomorrowland but nowhere else? Are rides available at that time? And if so, you can only ride in Tomorrowland?

Our other tentative date for our family visiting MK is on a day that they have another MNSSHP. Does this mean we'll have to leave the park at 4pm if we go on that day?

Can anyone who has been there previously please elaborate for me? We were planning on getting there at 4pm and staying pretty late to get the most for our $$. We were going to eat before the party started but not at a sit down restaurant. I was thinking it was a pretty good deal if you could be there for 8 hours in the parks for less money & trick or treat too

Thanks!

 

[skiwee1]

I believe they close the parks at 5pm or 6pm on MNSHHP nights. That means that if you are not staying for the party then you will have to leave by closing. If you are already in the parks from earlier in the day and staying for the party also then you will be herded to Tomorrowland where you will be given a wristband in exchange for your MNSSHP ticket. I don't know about the rides because the last time we were there it was mobbed. We actually veered off from where the CMs were trying to herd us and went to Fantasyland instead. I have heard that you can get in as early as 4pm with just your MNSSHP ticket but do not know from experience. It is a tradition of ours to eat at Chef Mickeys before the party and we don't arrive at the party until 6pm where we are allowed to enter. Edited to add that just being there for a few hours is more then enough to "get your money's worth" for this event. You should not feel the need to cram in 8 hours of park time to eek out ever cent. The parade alone is worth it and the cost is cheap for the party. I just bought tickets for it. It was under $100 for two adults and one child. I would gladly pay more to go to this event as it is so much fun.

 

[jimmytammy]

Originally posted by skiwee1

The parade alone is worth it and the cost is cheap for the party. I just bought tickets for it. It was under $100 for two adults and one child. I would gladly pay more to go to this event as it is so much fun.


Be careful what you say, Eisner may be lurking

 

[DebbieB]

Last year we went to MNSSHP on a Sunday night, it wasn't very crowded. We rode the rides in Tomorrowland between 6 & 7 with little wait. Between 4 & 6 (regular park closing), you can go anywhere. I don't know if they "herd" you to Tomorrowland, we just went there because I knew that was where the rides were open.

 

[Flower4Pwr]

It is true you can get in at 4. You just enter on the left side get your wristband and your all set.
While they do Direct you towards Tomorrowland it is so that they can clear the park and ready decorations. All other rides are closed for this hour (between 6 and 7.)
I personally think it's a god idea to enter early. Not everything are open during the party and you can use this time to just "enjoy" the park and it gives you a full appreciation of the low crowds when they clear out!!

 

[xyymom]

Thanks! I was thinking that even if the rides weren't open it'd be a good time to snap some pictures with less people being around.

So Flower4Pwr what you're saying is the rides will be open from 4 until 6 then closed until 7? That's great!

Thanks :0)

 

[beattyfamily]

The party starts 'officially' at 7:00p.

The park closes between 6:00p and 7:00p to get it ready and to clear out the park of non-party guests.

They have been letting party goers in the park with ONLY their party tickets after 4:00p...so from 4:00p to 6:00p, you can do whatever you want in the park as it hasn't closed yet so that's an extra 2 hours with just your party tickets, and then you also get from 6:00 to 7:00 in Tomorrowland so that's 3 extra hours before the party starts!

Once the park closes at 6:00p, they will herd party goers into either Fantasyland or Tomorrowland to make it easier for them to clear out the park.

If you are eating in a restaurant between 6:00 and 7:00 then you will not be herded to Tomorrowland.

Then they let you go wherever you want at 7:00p.

 

[nuke]

Are most of the fantasyland attractions open for the party?

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by nuke
Are most of the fantasyland attractions open for the party?

Yes, most are open...even Philharmagic! No Ariel though.

 

[t-roy]

We went last year and arrived about 5:15 while they were ushering people out. It was weird fighting the crowd to get into the park. Since ds was 4 and we spend most of our time in Tomorrowland and Fantasyland this was an invaluable timeframe. It was not very crowded there and we were able to walk onto most rides. We did the same in Fantasyland. We never felt "herded."

We definitely felt ahead of the crowd since we were moving on to the next by the time the party "officially" started. We even walked onto the Speedway which always seems to be crowded. I enjoy this time but I don't want to convince anyone else to do this so that we can stay ahead of the crowd.