Halloween at DL

[Vala]

It was May 15th....almost there!!!

Thank you. Now that's typical of me to be too eager.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

MP sources are reporting that the TOTPs will be every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday in October.

Does this mean F! is only on Saturdays?

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

MP sources are reporting that the TOTPs will be every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday in October.

Does this mean F! is only on Saturdays?

Uugh! I don't like that! How 'bout Tues, Thu, & Sunday? that would leave Fri & Sat for F! (or WOC) Mostly because if they do Tues, Fri & Sunday, we'll have to do TOTP on Friday night, when I'd rather be doing F!, unless, they'll show F! just for us trick or treaters....

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks, 3Minnies1Mickey, for that info!

And the fireworks! What about the special Halloween/villain-themed fireworks? Does this mean that people won't be able to see the fireworks on Fridays or on the actual Halloween night (which is a Sunday) because DL is closed for the TOTP? Or as Mommy2PrincessAbby said, will they run F! and the fireworks exclusively for the TOTP guests? I would have imagined that Fridays would be big nights for people to see the Halloween fireworks, because they are only there for a limited time.

This is all very interesting and I guess it is an experiment. I guess DLR will try having ALL the Halloween stuff in DL this year (will there even be any giant Candy Corn in DCA?) and see how it works in terms of crowds and the crowds bouncing off of WoC & heading back to DL.

I am actually really surprised that DLR is taking away so much Halloween focus from DCA, even though it is WoC's debut year. I would have thought that they would still put some sort of Halloween stuff there to attract people. It makes me wonder if Christmastime will be the same - Santa finally made his return to DCA last year, after being gone in 2008. Will they remove Santa from DCA again to just keep the focus on WoC?

 

[Vala]

Didn't they want to completely re-model Sunshine Plaza anyway? I remember reading something about a temporary entrance.

I am not sure when that starts, but if this starts on or before Halloween Time it would make sense to move the Candy Corn Acres, and then later Santa.

 

[Belle Ella]

The thought of there being no Fantasmic or Fireworks because of the TOTP has me very, very nervous! If they are only on one night during the weekend I won have time to see everything! Wow, wow. That would be one big wasps nest of problems to deal with.

I hope there's something we're not thinking of that will make all the pieces fall into place.

 

[Sherry E]

Didn't they want to completely re-model Sunshine Plaza anyway? I remember reading something about a temporary entrance.

I am not sure when that starts, but if this starts on or before Halloween Time it would make sense to move the Candy Corn Acres, and then later Santa.

Santa was in the the Paradise Pier location this past December (which was actually quite pretty), but IF they let Santa come back to DCA this year at all, they will probably not have him anywhere in that area because they want nothing detracting from WoC. I don't know where he would go if he can't go to the Plaza. Hmmm... I just cannot imagine DCA without the giant candy corn and Candy Corn Acres. I mean, come on, Disney - we all know you are pushing this WoC on us as though the world is coming to an end tomorrow, but you've got to mix it up a little and leave more options in DCA for people who are not interested in that and who may want to take a break from DL.

But, yes, Vala - I think you're right in that the whole entire entry area to DCA - extending from the letters in the front all the way to the bridge and beyond to the Plaza - is going to be re-themed in some way eventually. So that Sun will probably be hitting the road.

The thought of there being no Fantasmic or Fireworks because of the TOTP has me very, very nervous! If they are only on one night during the weekend I won have time to see everything! Wow, wow. That would be one big wasps nest of problems to deal with.

I hope there's something we're not thinking of that will make all the pieces fall into place.

Hee hee - Jazz, I love your way of phrasing things!!. "Bracing for war" was priceless in the other thread, and now "one big wasps nest of problems to deal with" is hilarious as well!!!

But this is a big mystery, how it will all be coordinated, and what will or won't be available for TOTP guests to see on their nights. Again, I am still inclined to think that when 2010 began, Disney was not planning on having the TOTP in DL. I think they only began to consider the problems of having it in DCA as the WoC planning madness began, and I think that the idea of having the TOTP in DL was only a recent thought that they now have to scramble to put together in such a way that won't disrupt DL's crowd flow and operations too much.

I think it would be crazy business if they didn't have F! and the Halloween fireworks on the nights of the TOTP, but I think a lot of folks who are not interested in the TOTP will be ticked off if they can't go in on a Friday night or a Sunday night (Columbus Day Weekend, everyone!) and enjoy DL's other Halloween offerings. I mean, imagine - shutting down DL early on the Friday and Sunday of Columbus Day Weekend?!! That's madness!! Would they do that kind of shortened park schedule for the TOTP on a holiday weekend? I can't see that happening.

Yep. I am convinced. This is not well-thought out by Disney. They didn't look far enough down the road to plan everything out. They were so focused on WoC and the other DCA projects in the works that they forgot about the TOTP.

 

[Belle Ella]

I'm glad someone finds them amusing! It's the way I see things and if I can laugh at the situation then all the better! Otherwise I think I'll go crazy.

I have a feeling -- make it a strong feeling -- that we'll be waiting a little longer than we would have under normal conditions for announcements about what will end up happening this year for Halloween and beyond. They have to have enough on their hands making sure that everything with WOC goes as smoothly as possible. With all that is coming out I would think that there's a lot to think about just with this summer, let alone the seasons that follow it. Pff. October and Halloween? November/December and Christmas? They're still months away!

This is what I have decided: If only they let us plan these things out. Everything would run much more smoothly!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Fireworks were nightly last year so that shouldn't be an issue, but I agree that Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday would be a better schedule to accomodate F!

 

[Sherry E]

Fireworks were nightly last year so that shouldn't be an issue, but I agree that Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday would be a better schedule to accomodate F!

Fireworks were nightly but there also wasn't a TOTP inside DL last year. So you think they will go ahead and run the fireworks and F! just for the TOTP guests? Is that what they do for MNSSHP in WDW?

I still can't see them actually closing DL hours early on Friday and Sunday of Columbus Day weekend. That seems counterintuitive, somehow, holding back the massive amounts of business they could do on a holiday weekend to instead close early for TOTP guests and get less business. They may do something slightly different with that weekend's TOTP schedule.

 

[Diznygrl]

Fireworks were nightly but there also wasn't a TOTP inside DL last year. So you think they will go ahead and run the fireworks and F! just for the TOTP guests? Is that what they do for MNSSHP in WDW?

Well, no Fantasmic obviously since at WDW it's over at Hollywood Studios. But the Hallowishes fireworks are exclusive to MNSSHP and are not shown at any other times. There is also the Boo to You Halloween parade and a villain show in front of the castle (also party exclusives).

I would hope that DL doesn't go this route and keeps the Halloween fireworks as a seasonal thing EVERYONE can enjoy and doesn't "hold them hostage" for hard ticket events like at WDW. Given the difference in demographic I don't think they would, but you never know.

 

[Sherry E]

Well, no Fantasmic obviously since at WDW it's over at Hollywood Studios. But the Hallowishes fireworks are exclusive to MNSSHP and are not shown at any other times. There is also the Boo to You Halloween parade and a villain show in front of the castle (also party exclusives).

I would hope that DL doesn't go this route and keeps the Halloween fireworks as a seasonal thing EVERYONE can enjoy and doesn't "hold them hostage" for hard ticket events like at WDW. Given the difference in demographic I don't think they would, but you never know.

Cool! I just wanted to make sure that DL would still do the fireworks for the TOTP and not short-change the TOTP people from getting to see them. Of course, the general, non-TOTP public will have fewer days to see the fireworks this season because certain nights will be devoted to the TOTP, but I guess Disney assumes that those non-TOTP people won't idn missing the fireworks and will just meander over to DCA to get caught up in the WoC frenzy!

If those TOTP days that 3Minnies1Mickey saw on MP turn out to be accurate - every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday in October - then the October 1st TOTP start date that I had been figuring on will still be intact, as that's a Friday. And actually it will mean that they have altered the schedule a wee bit from last year. I could be wrong, but I don't think there were any Tuesday TOTP dates last year. And even if there were, there were also a few extra days added in in the weeks closer to Halloween. I remember seeing a Wednesday and or a Thursday somewhere on the schedule last year, right before Halloween. This year would be slightly different. And the TOTP prices will likely be much higher this year than they were last year, so I can't wait to see what the prices are. (Somewhere, people at TDA are hastily scrambling and figuring out what to charge for the DL version of the TOTP so they can lock in those numbers in time to release the tickets for sale soon!!)



In any case, Jazz - you will probably be able to avoid the whole pre-TOTP madness inside DL (people packing into the park to get stuff done before the park closes for the TOTP) because it looks like it won't start until 10/1. So as long as they start Halloweentime when we expect them to - 9/24 - and the fireworks and whatever other entertainment start on that same date like they did last year, you should be able to get the full Halloweentime experience, minus the TOTP!!

 

[Belle Ella]

In any case, Jazz - you will probably be able to avoid the whole pre-TOTP madness inside DL (people packing into the park to get stuff done before the park closes for the TOTP) because it looks like it won't start until 10/1. So as long as they start Halloweentime when we expect them to - 9/24 - and the fireworks and whatever other entertainment start on that same date like they did last year, you should be able to get the full Halloweentime experience, minus the TOTP!!

That would sure be great for me! I'm a person who like to do one entertainment thing a day (fireworks, fantasmic, parade) so I don't spend all day camping out to get my preferred spots. I would never be able to experience the entertainment if it was only for TOTP guests on certain nights.

The idea that guests would be be forced into WOC or no nighttime entertainment at the time is just a little saddening. Especially with WOC shaping up to be a planners nightmare. If WOC isn't supposed to hold as many viewers as they previously anticipated how could they reasonably handle DL kicking everyone out early with that being their only option for the night or else nothing. DCA would be a madhouse. It's not big enough, especially with part of it shut down i order to show WOC.

Unless there's something I'm missing here.

I'm not seriously pulled into the whole WOC hype. I'm sure it will be a great show, but I would take Halloween entertainment over it in a heart beat since Halloween stuff is only once a year and WOC is all year. Does that make sense? It's why I was so disappointed that the DEP was taken away for this summer when I made my original July plans. It was the biggest reason I wanted to go in the summer since I knew I would have the opportunity to see WOC any other time I chose to go. I have a feeling most people who plan October trips go because of Halloween, not WOC, no matter how hard they push WOC on us.

It sounds like it's going to be a loose-loose situation in a way no matter what because obviously TOTP is going to have to be somewhere.

HAHA. OK, so I have a lot of thoughts running through my head and I'm not good at putting them into words that are cohesive. I hope any of my ramblings made sense.

 

[Tablefor5]

Ohh, I am so with you on this one...My dates are 9/28-10/2, give-or-take if things need to be changed_like dates back or forward depending on DLR schedules. I have a few "fluff" days on either end of my dates so when we know the schedule I can plan better. I was also worried about F!...we missed it last time and CANNOT miss it again this year!!! Not worried about not catching the fireworks if they are playing nightly...and WoC is something that can be penciled in and possibly viewed if timing is right. I will do ToTP this year if it's at DL!!!

Dear Disney, Can you please hurry-up the schedule for HalloweenTime at DLR. I understand that you guys were caught off-guard and put too many "treats in your bag" for the Fall festivites...we, as dedicated Disney Lovers, forgive you....However, some of us (ME,ME,ME) have a tendency to plan and like all my little pumpkins in a row. This uncertanity is driving me bonkers!!!!
Thank You!

 

[Sherry E]

So the mystery (one of many) remains as to whether or not we will even see this in DCA this year:

(By the way, I have NO idea where that picture above came from in my collection of photos! I thought I had posted everything that was even remotely Halloweentime-ish from DLR - the good ones, the fuzzy ones, the dark ones, and everything in between - but somehow I seem to have certain photos saved on the PC but not on Photobucket, and I have some on Photobucket that are not on my PC, and still others that I left out of my TR but I have them on the photo CDs somewhere, etc., etc. I have a couple of other dark shots from the 2008 TOTP, but Photobucket keeps telling me I am nearing my bandwidth limit "for the month" and will start fresh with new bandwidth on the 17th of this month, so I am afraid to edit and 'auto-fix' any other dark shots on Photobucket until after the 17th, or else ALL of my photos here will be invisible until after that if I reach my bandwidth limit!!)

Well, this is going to be a very interesting Halloweentime season:

1. Higher prices for the TOTP tickets.

2. A whole new landscape for the TOTP - changing it from DCA to DL will cause it to have a different 'look' and layout than what it has had before.

3. Probably more tickets sold to the TOTP because DL is a bigger park. More treat stations around DL.

4. Possibly not much - if anything - in the way of Halloween decor in DCA at all.

5. World of Color mayhem.

6. Most likely nightly fireworks at DL, but the general/non-TOTP attending public will not be able to see them on TOTP nights.

7. People will be kind of 'nudged' over to DCA to see WoC on TOTP nights if they choose not to attend the TOTP and want some kind of nighttime entertainment.

8. People not at all interested in WoC will possibly be jamming into DL at night on the non-TOTP nights.

9. DL will likely close hours early on the Friday and Sunday of a holiday weekend - Columbus Day - to allow for the TOTP!

10. And will Halloweentime start on September 24th, as we expect it will? Will Disney pull a fast one and start it one week later later - or maybe even one week earlier than normal (like they did in 2007)?



Oh, and by way, Jazz - your thoughts are very well put together and cohesive!! I think we all enjoy your posts!!

 

[MelXThree]

OK I just wanted to say that everybody told me planning a DLR trip is SO much more relaxed than planning a WDW trip and after reading about all this drama I'm thinking they are all wrong

Now I have no idea what we are doing or where we are going We planned to come in October because we thought it would be slower Geez....I think drama follows me

 

[Belle Ella]

It's normally not this nuts. WOC has thrown a wrench into everyone's plans, regardless of what Disney thinks!

 

[Sherry E]

MelXThree -

I agree with Belle Ella. It's normally not this nutty or dramatic. It seems like with as much planning that's gone into WoC, things should have been better thought-out, but it sounds like Disney is now all bewildered and backed into a corner over the number of folks that can be held in the viewing area and how to manage the crowds waiting to see WoC, and it also seems a lot like they are kind of forcing WoC on people who may not really want to see it just yet. There is also the closure of Aladdin, which was a good way to get people off the street that will no longer be available as of August, and the closure of Paradise Pier each night, leaving several rides and many shops, etc., totally inaccessible.

And then there is the issue of the TOTP suddenly moving over to DL, which leaves all the folks who were not interested in the TOTP or in WoC out of luck, with no real place to for nighttime entertainment and ride enjoyment.

So it's all new territory - it will probably be a madhouse this Halloween season. That's my guess. I don't think this coming October will be slower, unless it's like mid-week, nowhere near a weekend. Hopefully not too crazy, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is. And as long as the major work continues at DCA over the next couple of years, there will probably be more wrenches thrown into the plans here and there, and more bugs to work out until they get it all sorted through.

In the meantime, it's kind of fun to speculate and discuss what may or may not happen - there is a lot of speculation and discussion on these boards about lots of topics, so I guess Halloweentime is no different! While we are waiting for more photos to be posted here, we chat!!

But in general, yes, from all accounts, DLR is soooooo much easier and more relaxed to plan for than WDW!!

 

[iKristin]

So do you really think they would close DL early every night for TOTP?? Cause I already booked my trip and I will seriously cry if I can't stay every night

 

[Sherry E]

So do you really think they would close DL early every night for TOTP?? Cause I already booked my trip and I will seriously cry if I can't stay every night

I guess so - just on those 3 nights each week - Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays - that the TOTP is being held. But it is a little different than last year in that there were other days added in last year, like a random Thursday and a Wednesday somewhere. This year might be set at only 3 days a week. I stil have a hard time grasping that DL would close several hours early on Friday at all, given what a busy night that is, and especially the Friday and Sunday of Columbus Day weekend. That seems unusual to me. They want their holiday weekend business, but if they cut hours on that Friday & Sunday and make it so people cannot be in DL unless they attend the TOTP, that will exclude a lot of folks. But...again, I tend to think that Disney assumes that if people are shut out of DL at night because they don't want to go to the TOTP, they will mosey over to DCA to see what World of Color is all about.

Now if things actually work like that is anyone's guess, but I bet Disney thinks it will work like that.

Oh when will this mystery be solved? We all wanna know!!! Hurry up, Disney, and give us the full scoop!!