Halloween at DL

[Belle Ella]

Me too. Me too. But I'll just have to make do

Heyyyyy, 1,000 replies over here. Not to shabby, eh?

 

[srauchbauer]

Good news and ugg news:

Good news: airline tickets bought now the fun part waiting for the Oct deals to show-up (hopefully they will start showing up soon)

Ugg News: DWD extending the free dining why doesn't DL ever want to feed me for free.

 

[VictoriaAndMatt]

Don't know if any of you caught the new blog post from Al Lutz, but it looks like there are some more changes to the MHP, including fireworks for all guests, ticketed or not.

"Fireworks for all; Rides, well...

It’s the annual Halloween parties on Friday nights in late September through October that always create the biggest parking headaches, and this year will be no different as the extra-cost parties move over to Disneyland instead of DCA. The local fans that have been flocking to Disneyland’s growing roster of HalloweenTime events were furious to learn this spring that the very popular Halloween Screams fireworks show would only be performed on the nights of the extra-cost trick or treat parties.

But that’s only half the story. The plan now is to allow anyone inside Disneyland at the time the party begins to remain inside the park to see the fireworks, shop and eat. Party-goers who bought a ticket will receive a wrist band that will allow them access to the candy stations, the Character meet n’ greets, and the operating attractions for the night. But those without a wrist band won’t be asked to leave, and they can stay as long as they like to watch the Halloween Screams fireworks and hang out in the park. Most of the Attractions operating for the party will staff a greeter that will supposedly check for wrist bands, but anyone who has attended a mix-in party like this at Disneyland knows that after about an hour the CM’s get tired of checking every wrist and they give up on screening people for the night.

The inability to keep the party exclusive to ticket holders, particularly the viewing of the Halloween Screams fireworks, stems from a logistics issue. Disneyland often holds private parties after regular park hours where it corrals 2,000 to 8,000 people in either the Festival Arena or the Fantasmic! viewing area, using wristbands as an identification badge as the rest of the park is cleared out. But these Halloween parties are selling upwards of 20,000 tickets per night, and logistically there’s nowhere big enough to contain that many people within an hour of Disneyland’s posted 6:00 PM closing time. While the Disneyland main entrance will close to anyone without a wrist band at the time the party starts, anyone who got into the park before then will be allowed to stay and mix in with the party guests.

The usual ban on adults wearing costumes inside Disneyland will also be lifted, but only after 4:00 PM, as the current timeline being considered by TDA’s party planners goes. So if an adult doesn’t score a ticket to the party, they could theoretically show up in costume in the late afternoon, enter Disneyland and then stay all night for the fireworks and fun without purchasing a ticket. This basic concept plays out for some of the themed parties thrown at WDW’s Magic Kingdom park with most of the tourists there playing by the rules and leaving the park before the party starts, but it might not work at Disneyland once the million Annual Passholders in SoCal figure out ways to game the system without a party ticket."

Blog link http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al070610a.htm

 

[iKristin]

Ugh I don't like that idea at all!! How are they going to get MORE people into the park that do have wrist bands if no one decides to leave and it's at capacity?? That's the dumbest idea they've had yet!!

 

[srauchbauer]

Don't know if any of you caught the new blog post from Al Lutz, but it looks like there are some more changes to the MHP, including fireworks for all guests, ticketed or not.

"Fireworks for all; Rides, well...

It’s the annual Halloween parties on Friday nights in late September through October that always create the biggest parking headaches, and this year will be no different as the extra-cost parties move over to Disneyland instead of DCA. The local fans that have been flocking to Disneyland’s growing roster of HalloweenTime events were furious to learn this spring that the very popular Halloween Screams fireworks show would only be performed on the nights of the extra-cost trick or treat parties.

But that’s only half the story. The plan now is to allow anyone inside Disneyland at the time the party begins to remain inside the park to see the fireworks, shop and eat. Party-goers who bought a ticket will receive a wrist band that will allow them access to the candy stations, the Character meet n’ greets, and the operating attractions for the night. But those without a wrist band won’t be asked to leave, and they can stay as long as they like to watch the Halloween Screams fireworks and hang out in the park. Most of the Attractions operating for the party will staff a greeter that will supposedly check for wrist bands, but anyone who has attended a mix-in party like this at Disneyland knows that after about an hour the CM’s get tired of checking every wrist and they give up on screening people for the night.

The inability to keep the party exclusive to ticket holders, particularly the viewing of the Halloween Screams fireworks, stems from a logistics issue. Disneyland often holds private parties after regular park hours where it corrals 2,000 to 8,000 people in either the Festival Arena or the Fantasmic! viewing area, using wristbands as an identification badge as the rest of the park is cleared out. But these Halloween parties are selling upwards of 20,000 tickets per night, and logistically there’s nowhere big enough to contain that many people within an hour of Disneyland’s posted 6:00 PM closing time. While the Disneyland main entrance will close to anyone without a wrist band at the time the party starts, anyone who got into the park before then will be allowed to stay and mix in with the party guests.

The usual ban on adults wearing costumes inside Disneyland will also be lifted, but only after 4:00 PM, as the current timeline being considered by TDA’s party planners goes. So if an adult doesn’t score a ticket to the party, they could theoretically show up in costume in the late afternoon, enter Disneyland and then stay all night for the fireworks and fun without purchasing a ticket. This basic concept plays out for some of the themed parties thrown at WDW’s Magic Kingdom park with most of the tourists there playing by the rules and leaving the park before the party starts, but it might not work at Disneyland once the million Annual Passholders in SoCal figure out ways to game the system without a party ticket."

Blog link http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al070610a.htm

Oh that sounds like a big headache for all, I'm glad that everybody can see the fireworks but it sounds like huge crowds and long waits.

 

[VictoriaAndMatt]

I don't know why they don't just show the Halloween fireworks on the weekends. Then people can still see the fireworks on Sat & Sun, and the people attending MHP on party nights wouldn't have to worry about high crowd levels. It just doesn't make sense to me. They should also have the Halloween fireworks when the season officially kicks off in Sept, but I'm biased since that's when we are going lol.

 

[iKristin]

Exactly...Oh I'll be one angry person if I see them start to let people on the rides that don't have wristbands, not because I don't want everyone to ride the rides but because I paid an extra 50 bucks to have that and they got my money for nothing. I'll be making sure I get my money back if that's the case.

 

[srauchbauer]

I don't know why they don't just show the Halloween fireworks on the weekends. Then people can still see the fireworks on Sat & Sun, and the people attending MHP on party nights wouldn't have to worry about high crowd levels. It just doesn't make sense to me. They should also have the Halloween fireworks when the season officially kicks off in Sept, but I'm biased since that's when we are going lol.

I agree showing the fireworks on the weekends having it available for all might change my mind about spending the extra 200 dollars; even though I love all the character interaction.

 

[iKristin]

I think they should put a rope up all around MainStreet with cast members to check wristbands...that way everyone can stay on MainStreet for fireworks and shopping and not interrupt the party guests around the park.

 

[mvf-m11c]

This just sucks for people who bought tickets for MHP to see Halloween Screams like myself and found out from the Al Lutz report that all guests who are in the park (MHP ticket or not) will be able to watch the fireworks on a MHP day. I'm hoping this is not true and only the guests who bought the tickets will be able to be in the park and watch the fireworks on those nights.


Just like all the pp, I wish the DLR would do the Halloween Screams fireworks on the weekends also. It just doesn't make sense to only show Halloween Screams fireworks 10 times on those specific days in October.

 

[PHXscuba]

As much as I hated the idea of the Halloween Screams fireworks being shown only at the party (because they are SO AWESOME!) I also think DLR is going to have a huge problem with letting non-ticketed guests stay. Part of the appeal for people going to the party is having the party emptier than usual.

I know how it bothers me at the school carnivals to see the ride operators not checking the $$$ wristbands -- it makes the lines longer for my kids and the school doesn't earn as much. That's with only 200 kids -- imagine it with 20,000.

I think they are going to find that doing what WDW does for these parties isn't going to work at DLR. The first couple nights might not be bad, but once word gets out, I'd expect many "party crashers." I know they want people to stay to eat and shop ($$$), but it could backfire with party guests with money to spend not being able to get to and buy things.

I have no vested interest in this either way because I am not going this Halloween, but if I were paying an extra $50 a head, I'd want more exclusivity.

PHXscuba

 

[sarah017]

I am thinking of going to DL Oct 8th. If I chose not to pay the extra to go to the Halloween party, does the park close early? Do I have to leave at 6 when they start the party??
Thanks!!

 

[VictoriaAndMatt]

I am thinking of going to DL Oct 8th. If I chose not to pay the extra to go to the Halloween party, does the park close early? Do I have to leave at 6 when they start the party??
Thanks!!

Yes and no. The park does "close early" to non-ticketed guests, but as of the new update today from Al Lutz you will not be asked to leave. You can stay and enjoy the ambiance, shopping, restaurants, and fireworks. You won't be able to ride rides, do special character photo ops or trick-or-treat.

 

[Sherry E]

Thank so much for breaking the news, VictoriaAndMatt - I've been super swamped this morning, and haven't been able to get on here as frequently as I want to.

I'm confused by the whole thing. I think DLR keeps changing its plan as it goes along. I thought it was dumb to only show the Halloween Screams fireworks for 10 nights in October, but if there is anyone out there who has already bought an MHP ticket just to see the fireworks, I feel bad for them. Chances are, most people who have already bought MHP tickets would have been going to the MHP anyway, even if the fireworks were not said to be exclusive to the party.

But they should have decided on the plan to let non-MHP guests see the fireworks before putting the tickets on sale to anyone. I guess they re-thought the situation and did some last minute scrambling to revise their plans a bit before putting the tickets on sale to the general public on 7/16.

As I have said many times, I think DLR had a plan in place when the year began - I think they were still assuming the party (TOTP) would be held in DCA and that would be that. Then, as World of Color drew near and they thought about the logistics of having a party in DCA, when so much of the park will either be closed or devoted to WoC, they made a sudden switcheroo to DL and hence, the MHP was born. But they didn't think it through well enough and now things are still being tweaked as they go along.

Since I am fairly positive we will get the official HalloweenTime agenda (the thing that lists "spooky treats" and all the other highlights of the season) soometime by the end of next week, either via the Disney Parks Blog or D23, that should be the final word in what will be happening for HalloweenTime. I think DLR needed to tweak whatever it was going to tweak before they release that HalloweenTime agenda.

 

[sarah017]

good to know. thanks!

 

[Sherry E]

By the way, I love how Al Lutz gets a dig in at the AP holders at the end, basically saying that the AP holders are the ones who are going to be crafty enough to work around the MHP ticket system and still get to enjoy all the Halloween stuff (maybe minus the candy). I don't have an AP at the moment, but I would think that his comment would make a few AP holders mad.

 

[Belle Ella]

Hm. I'll have to go see that new update. I get that things aren't going to be set in stone and adjustested as October gets nearer and nearer. Any news that anyone knows so far regarding fireworks before October?

 

[Porturican]

Don't know if any of you caught the new blog post from Al Lutz, but it looks like there are some more changes to the MHP, including fireworks for all guests, ticketed or not.

"Fireworks for all; Rides, well...

It’s the annual Halloween parties on Friday nights in late September through October that always create the biggest parking headaches, and this year will be no different as the extra-cost parties move over to Disneyland instead of DCA. The local fans that have been flocking to Disneyland’s growing roster of HalloweenTime events were furious to learn this spring that the very popular Halloween Screams fireworks show would only be performed on the nights of the extra-cost trick or treat parties.

But that’s only half the story. The plan now is to allow anyone inside Disneyland at the time the party begins to remain inside the park to see the fireworks, shop and eat. Party-goers who bought a ticket will receive a wrist band that will allow them access to the candy stations, the Character meet n’ greets, and the operating attractions for the night. But those without a wrist band won’t be asked to leave, and they can stay as long as they like to watch the Halloween Screams fireworks and hang out in the park. Most of the Attractions operating for the party will staff a greeter that will supposedly check for wrist bands, but anyone who has attended a mix-in party like this at Disneyland knows that after about an hour the CM’s get tired of checking every wrist and they give up on screening people for the night.

The inability to keep the party exclusive to ticket holders, particularly the viewing of the Halloween Screams fireworks, stems from a logistics issue. Disneyland often holds private parties after regular park hours where it corrals 2,000 to 8,000 people in either the Festival Arena or the Fantasmic! viewing area, using wristbands as an identification badge as the rest of the park is cleared out. But these Halloween parties are selling upwards of 20,000 tickets per night, and logistically there’s nowhere big enough to contain that many people within an hour of Disneyland’s posted 6:00 PM closing time. While the Disneyland main entrance will close to anyone without a wrist band at the time the party starts, anyone who got into the park before then will be allowed to stay and mix in with the party guests.

The usual ban on adults wearing costumes inside Disneyland will also be lifted, but only after 4:00 PM, as the current timeline being considered by TDA’s party planners goes. So if an adult doesn’t score a ticket to the party, they could theoretically show up in costume in the late afternoon, enter Disneyland and then stay all night for the fireworks and fun without purchasing a ticket. This basic concept plays out for some of the themed parties thrown at WDW’s Magic Kingdom park with most of the tourists there playing by the rules and leaving the park before the party starts, but it might not work at Disneyland once the million Annual Passholders in SoCal figure out ways to game the system without a party ticket."

Blog link http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al070610a.htm

If this is true it makes me want to re-think my quick girls only overnight to go to the party.

 

[Sherry E]

Hm. I'll have to go see that new update. I get that things aren't going to be set in stone and adjustested as October gets nearer and nearer. Any news that anyone knows so far regarding fireworks before October?

You mean regular fireworks or Halloween Screams fireworks?

In any case, not yet. But I think the full, final agenda of activities and events for HalloweenTime will be out between now and the end of next week, so DLR's final plan for the fate of the fireworks will be on that agenda. Maybe they will decide after all to just show Halloween Screams all season long - including in September - like they did last year. Frankly, at this rate, they may as well just do it. If they are going to be allowing thousands of non-MHP people to see them anyway, they may as well just do what they did last year and show them all season long.

 

[Porturican]

Thank so much for breaking the news, VictoriaAndMatt - I've been super swamped this morning, and haven't been able to get on here as frequently as I want to.

I'm confused by the whole thing. I think DLR keeps changing its plan as it goes along. I thought it was dumb to only show the Halloween Screams fireworks only 10 nights in October, but if there is anyone out there who has already bought an MHP ticket just to see the fireworks, I feel bad for them. Chances are, most people who have already bought MHP tickets would have been going to the MHP anyway, even if the fireworks were not said to be exclusive to the party.

But they should have decided on the plan to let non-MHP guests see the fireworks before putting the tickets on sale to anyone. I guess they re-thought the situation and did some last minute scrambling to revise their plans a bit before putting the tickets on sale to the general public on 7/16.

As I have said many times, I think DLR had a plan in place when the year began - I think they were still assuming the party (TOTP) would be held in DCA and that would be that. Then, as World of Color drew near and they thought about the logistics of having a party in DCA, when so much of the park will either be closed or devoted to WoC, they made a sudden switcheroo to DL and hence, the MHP was born. But they didn't think it through well enough and now things are still being tweaked as they go along.

Since I am fairly positive we will get the official HalloweenTime agenda (the thing that lists "spooky treats" and all the other highlights of the season) soometime by the end of next week, either via the Disney Parks Blog or D23, that should be the final word in what will be happening for HalloweenTime. I think DLR needed to tweak whatever it was going to tweak before they release that HalloweenTime agenda.

I was going for the fireworks since my trip later in Oct we wont be able to do the halloween party. I love Halloween since my sons b-day is right before and I really want to see the fireworks, but if I have to fight an even larger crowd to see them then there is no use in paying the extra $$ for the party.