Going in October and thinking of skipping MNSSHP?

[kldmom2000]

I keep mulling it over and can't make a decision..... we've never done MNSSHP, but we have done MVMCP many times.... years ago when it was just DH and myself, the MVMCP was awesome-never crowded-we got to do all the rides w/o waits and really enjoy the park. When we went with our girls in 12/04 after a 5 yr hiatus, the party was so not enjoyable-it was PACKED-more crowded than any of the days that we were there. I hadn't seen it that crowded in the MK since taking a trip many years before during peak season (we always go the beginning of December) Our girls (ages 2 and 4 then) were miserable and cranky despite having napped that day (we only stayed @ the party until 9 and kind of wasted the $$$ spent on tix.) We're going to Disney 9/29-10/04 and I had all intentions of buying tix for the MNSSHP for 10/2... but now I'm second guessing it? The girls will be 4 and 6. Is it worth buying the tix or should I wait until they're a bit older?

 

[cvjw]

If they are much older, they may not enjoy it as much. My boys, ages 10 and 6 still want to go to the Halloween party, but it is not the same as when they were 7 and 3. When they were younger, they really enjoyed seeing the characters dressed up and the parade. They have gotten too big for that now. Now they just want to go for the rides and the candy. I am very glad that my boys were able to enjoy the Halloween party when they were smaller, those parties have been some of our favorite times at the Magic Kingdom.

 

[john2u]

We are going this Oct and my DD is 5. This is all she is talking about. We went last year and she had a blast . As a matter of fact, this year we are attending 2 of the MNSSHPs.

Have a Disney Day

John

 

[Squidrific]

Go - they will love it. It is absolutely beautiful and so much fun and they will love the trick-or-treating and the dance parties with the characters. I looked at your dates and if you want to go try to go on the Tuesday night because Tuesday is the least crowded night it seems. I have been on Thursdays and they are okay, but I always try to go on a Tuesday if I can. The parade is fun and the fireworks are great! We went for the first time 3 years ago when dd was 5. We go every year now and wouldn't miss it. She can't imagine trick-or-treating anywhere other than Disney now.

 

[Corryn]

My daughters are 12 & 13 now. I am a Disney fanatic and my husband tells me I push WDW on them. I say I don't. The true test - Easter morning. I had purchased from QVC these huge rolling duffle bags with handles and I printed up cards with Lilo and Stich dressed up for Halloween on the cover (americangreetings.com) and I put, Happy Easter, what are you doing this Halloween? and inside I put some of our pictures from the last MNSSHP and then I wrote the dates we are going and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Now you know kids, they are honest. As soon as both of my daughters reached into the top pocket of their duffle bag and pulled out the card, they screamed with excitement. I said to my husband, You can't call that pushing Disney!
My 12 year old is telling everyone she got an Invitation for MNSSHP.
My 13 year old who would not dress up last year for Halloween kept saying she is so excited and she wants to be Tinkerbell..... A 13 yr.old as Tinkerbell? In our neighborhood? Never. Tickerbell at MNSSHP, yes!
I don't think there is any age that is too old. I saw lots of teenagers all dressed up. They would never dress up at home, but at WDW they do because they know they're dealing with those who are like-minded.

I think 4 and 6 are the perfect age! They are basically self-sufficient, you don't have diapers to change and they really get into the characters.

We waited until our daughters were 4 and 5 before we took them. I always said, when you're dealing with babies and diapers, it ain't no vacation! It's just a waste of money 'cause you know the stress of dealing with babies at home in their comfort zone, but you take out two babies close in age and you are trying to have a good time and they're uncomfortable because their schedule is all messed up and you have set yourselves up for disappointment.

I say you should go. 4 and 6 are perfect ages!
Good Luck and Have Fun

 

[eeyore45]

I'm joining the original poster.

I felt ripped off big time last year!

I had been to the 'e nights' when it cost an extra $10 per person to stay what 3 hours after close? THAT was heaven!! So imagine my SHOCK when we paid $30 per person to be wall to wall people!! They gave out PENNY candy - and we were shoved by adults trying to grab more than one teeny tiny piece!! The lines for the rides were humongous - it rained... one parade cancelled, so everyone stuck around for the 2nd - it was 4 - 8 people deep everywhere!!

I could see frustration on the CM's faces giving out candy!! The fireworks were very good... but not worth $120 for our family!


Will we go again? I dont know. How can you not go, I'm afraid I've bought into the 'Hype"... I do know they have all these 'dance ' stations set up, and those that were there really really enjoyed that part of it - but people walking around seemed more... frenetic that night, the villians were out, it just was different, and way too crowded for my tastes!

 

[pepe of ohio]

We attended first time this past October, first week, and though it was a new experience, great to see and do, but won't go again. To say further, we were my wife and I and our daughter and husband. All adults, we dressed but it was very crowded, nowhere really to get out of the mass. Penny candy, long lines, parade wait was 5 deep all of Main Street. To get out of the park, we traveled through the shops to avoid the mass on Main Street.

It was different, we did it once, thats enough, worth the money, once. Rather do the E-nite of yore, better price for the experience but those are gone. EMH's in the evenings are better, doesn't cost you and most of the evening, not at the start, the parks are manageable.

I believe its great to do once, experience it, enjoy the darkness and villians, and catch some rides.

 

[mjh8955]

Our last trip was with our family (DH, DS14, DD11) and BIL, SIL and their son 4.
We deliberately did not go to MNSSHP on Halloween but instead enjoyed a nearly empty MGM and then Epcot that day. The next day is when we did MK and again enjoyed the lack of crowds. Entire Fantasyland was a walk-on for us. The night before Halloween we went to DTD, the 4-year-old dressed up and the kids got treats in every shop. Great Halloween atmosphere there. It worked for us.

 

[mom2my3kids]

This is our first year going in october, we will be doing the MNSSHP..

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We went last year and had a great time! We had a 4pm ADR at Crystal Palace. After we ate, we had an hour and a half or so with hardly any lines, and were able to do most of our favorite rides then. Afterward, we watched the fireworks and parade, walked around, had pictures done, got candy, did a few more rides, etc. Left MK around 12:20am and rode back to the Dolphin on an almost empty bus.

I hope we can find a way to do it again this year!

 

[CarolA]

I love MVMCP and can easily skip the Halloween party and probably will this year. I am just not into Halloween as a major holiday.

I don't know where you folks buy candy, but if you can find the candy Disney gave out for penny please send me the location. I went with a group and when I left I dumped a TON of candy into a young CM's bag. (He was there with us and I figured he and his roomies needed candy more then a middle age woman! LOL!) I really saw very few lines for candy and I can assure you I did not "shoved your kids trying to grab more than one teeny tiny piece!! " I don't really care about the candy I just went for the fun.

If you go to these parties expecting them to be "ride opportunties" then you probably will be disappointed. I make a point of seeing as many shows etc as possible. I do rides on another trip.

(The kids Halloween parade is great if you have little ones.)

 

[il-gander]

We went to MNSSHP in October 2004, and as the night went on it was more and more packed. In fact, it was far more packed than at any park any time during our June 2003 trip! We liked the atmosphere and it was fun wearing the costumes to MK, the special parade and Wishes were very cool, but we did not enjoy how crazy busy it was. (Our night was the Friday night before Columbus Day weekend, and I'm sure that contributed to the business.) The lines for candy and characters were insane, and we did a few and then skipped the rest. We're going back the 1st week of October this year, and I asked everyone if they wanted to go to MNSSHP as we have 3 opportunities that week. They all said "no" pretty quickly. It was fun to do one time, but we're not going back.

Carla

 

[beattyfamily]

I went to one of the first parties last year and it was not that crowded at all, especially compared to MVMCP.

I think it's well worth it and my girls 6 & 9 LOVE both MNSSHP and MVMCP and we try and go to one (last year both!) every year, alternating each year.

Based on when you are going, OP, I think it will be much less crowded then what you experienced at MVMCP.

I say go for it.