Halloween at DL

[VictoriaAndMatt]

Sherry I'm feeling a little bad for even posting the Al Lutz info on here. It's turned into quite the thing. Hopefully, Disney will release the official schedule soon, and we will see what exactly we are up against. Thanks for being level headed and patient through the whole thing.

I have another dumb question...................who can buy MHP tickets? I thought they weren't on sale yet?

As the pp said tickets went on sale for AP & Disney Visa holders a while ago.

 

[gkrykewy]

I have another dumb question...................who can buy MHP tickets? I thought they weren't on sale yet?

Annual Passholders, Disney Visa cardholders, and Disney Vacation Club members can all order tickets now. We just bought tix for 10/1 today. Here's a link will all the currently available info:

http://allears.net/dlr/tp/dl/mhp.htm

 

[mvf-m11c]

We just bought tix for 10/1 today.]

Looks like I will see you down there during MHP, I also have my tix for 10/1.

 

[Diznygrl]

Sherry I'm feeling a little bad for even posting the Al Lutz info on here. It's turned into quite the thing. Hopefully, Disney will release the official schedule soon, and we will see what exactly we are up against. Thanks for being level headed and patient through the whole thing.

I'm glad you posted it, because it's a nice heads-up if it turns out to be true. Like Dsny1mom said, it is very unlikely that Disney is going to broadcast on their blog, "Come on over to DL on Halloween Party nights because we won't be checking wristbands and you can watch the fireworks for free!" It's probably something they planned on keeping hush-hush, leaving everyone to discover it for themselves once October got here. This way we can confront them about it early on and ask them if it's true (Dsny1mom's letter). If it is, the longer we have to express our displeasure to Disney in the hopes of convincing them to change their plans come October 1st.

 

[zeitzeuge]

I hope that they allow people without wristbands to stay and at least enjoy the fireworks, walk around, etc. We'll be there the entire weekend and we're not worried about the attractions since we'll be riding all day friday, saturday and sunday. Plus, we don't care about the trick or treating and the character meet/greets. All we wanted to see was the halloween fireworks and were irritated that we would have to pay 50+ bucks to do so. If we wouldn't have to do that, it would save our group of 8 people a lot of money and hassle.

 

[dsny1mom]

1st off thank you, VictoriaAndMatt, for posting the info from the other site so those that don't read it are in the loop. You shouldn't feel bad for helping others.

If the Halloween Party information would have been posted on a thread on a fan site by some regular Joe as their thought or opinion I personally would have just ignored it. However Al does have good sources and as I said before he doesn't post rumor unless he clarifies that the info is a rumor.

Every single person has a choice as to how they want to deal with this. There is no right or wrong method. Some may want to take a wait and see stance others, like myself, want Disney to share with me what the situation really is. Are these parties mix in events or exclusive events with a wristband needed to be inside DL after the party starts? If these are not mix in events then how will Disney get nonwristband guests to leave? Will they sweep the park? Will CMs be looking for wristbands on everyone throughout the park (especially in front of the castle in the HS viewing area) or just catch the cheats at attractions ,treat stations, or Meet and Greets?

Mix in might not seem like a big deal, but if you want to get anywhere near a good viewing spot for HS it will be a huge deal. Mix in folks won't be able to do anything inside DL except eat shop and view HS. The mix in folks will be camping out in all the decent spots (while those that paid will be going on attractions, visiting treat stations and going to meet and greets) forcing those that actually paid to be there into lesser viewing spots or not being able to even get to see HS.

I REALLY believe that the concept of a mix in will NOT be included in any official announcement from Disney. Not even Disney is good enough to spin that concept without current ticket holders asking for a refund and severly hurting ticket sales going forward. I mean really, what could they say? "The Halloween parties are exclusive for riding attractions, visiting treat stations and the meet and greets but if you are in DL before the party starts you will be allowed to stay to dine, shop, enjoy the special atmosphere and see HS without paying!" Um good luck, Disney, not issuing refunds and getting people to buy tickets with that concept.

Unless people contact Disney and let them know what they have heard and how a mix in will not be acceptable, Disney will have no incentive to change any current mix in plan. There was a HUGE letter and email campaign form those that are furious that HS can only be viewed at the hard ticket parties. Perhaps the mix in concept is Disney's way of trying to appease those people. If Al hadn't brought this up in his update then those who attend would not have known that the event was a mix in and just would have thought Disney oversold the parties. There is little possibility of a refund if the party is overcrowded, with wristband wearers or cheats, once you are at the party.

Personally *I* am not alright with the parties being mix ins, if that is infact what they are. I am not about to waste my precious time in DRL waiting in a line to argue that the party is not what was advertised and to ask for a refund. I chose to get the details in advance, get my refund before I arrive and spend those two nights of my Oct visit enjoying myself at DCA, DTD, or DLH rather than being stressed out at City Hall. Therefore *I* chose not to simply take a breath and wait. My reasoning for contacting Disney now is listed above and pretty darn valid, IMHO.

dsny1mom

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Frankly the mix-in information has me rethinking our entire vacation. Because of our schedules we planned to go to a Friday party. Now I think it will be nothing but a chaotic mess.

Now that FD has opened for WDW, I'm looking towards a Florida vacation again. It's a pity that DL doesn't have their act together like WDW.

 

[BELLEDOZER]

I've made the decision that while I will be down in DL Oct 2 to 10, I'm not going to attend either MHP events that will be happening while I'm down there. I've told the kids that I will still purchase some candy for them to enjoy when I return home, and they are fine with it. It sounds like a chaotic mess to me, and while I'm not fond of crowds, I don't agree with DL allowing non ticketed guests into what was supposed to be an exclusive event, if this indeed what they are planning to do. I would rather take the money I would have spent on the 2 MHP's that I would have attended, and instead surprise the family when we go to DL in Feb/11 with dinner at Goofy's Kitchen.

 

[Disney Dreams]

...Unless people contact Disney and let them know what they have heard and how a mix in will not be acceptable, Disney will have no incentive to change any current mix in plan....

My guess would be that the decision to do it "mix in" style is a result of people doing exactly what you suggested - except in the opposite. MANY people were upset about not being able to see "Halloween Screams" unless they buy a party ticket. Maybe Disney got so many complaints that the powers that be decided, "Well, only folks with wristbands can go on attractions and enjoy the treats and have character photos, but what if we let people stay so they can see the fireworks (and spend money shopping and eating) if they are already in the Park?"

There are people wanting it to be a closed event and others wanting it to be open. I would bet Disney has received lots of complaints about the exclusive fireworks.

If, that is, any of this actually happens,
Dreams

 

[dsny1mom]

Frankly the mix-in information has me rethinking our entire vacation. Because of our schedules we planned to go to a Friday party. Now I think it will be nothing but a chaotic mess.

Now that FD has opened for WDW, I'm looking towards a Florida vacation again. It's a pity that DL doesn't have their act together like WDW.

I understand how you feel.

Personally I am going to give DLR some time to validate that the parties will be exclusive and find out how they will make sure only ticket holders will be in attendance before I ask for a refund.

In all fairness DLR hasn't dealt with a hard ticket event of this magintude at DL in some time. They haven't been doing this type of paid private event regularly inside DL for years and years the way WDW has at the MK. Then when you throw in a very *unique thinking* group of some APs, that feel the private parties are a slap in their faces and they are entitled to see HS and will do whatever they need to do to do so, you have even larger problem with having hard ticket events at DLR than you do at WDW.

dsny1mom

 

[dsny1mom]

My guess would be that the decision to do it "mix in" style is a result of people doing exactly what you suggested - except in the opposite. MANY people were upset about not being able to see "Halloween Screams" unless they buy a party ticket. Maybe Disney got so many complaints that the powers that be decided, "Well, only folks with wristbands can go on attractions and enjoy the treats and have character photos, but what if we let people stay so they can see the fireworks (and spend money shopping and eating) if they are already in the Park?"

There are people wanting it to be a closed event and others wanting it to be open. I would bet Disney has received lots of complaints about the exclusive fireworks.

If, that is, any of this actually happens,
Dreams

Yep. What you say above is one of the points I made in my post at 2:50PM.

If they want it to be a mix in, so be it. I just want a refund for the exclusive party I paid for that they will not deliver. I can attend the mix in if I so chose. I will be inside DL all day that day so I can camp out in front of the castle from 6pm on and see HS for free.

dsny1mom

 

[BELLEDOZER]

Just a thought, but if one of the major issues with the MHP, is the fireworks, who says that they couldn't hold them every night during Oct (weather permitting), therefore making them available for everyone, except during the MHP nights, and reducing the complaints regarding this whole mess. They would no longer be exclusive except during the MHP events, and would give everyone a chance to see them. It would reduce the crowds during MHP to a manageable level, and since people could view them anytime, would not be inclined to try to sneak in during the MHP. Just half a thought.

Trish

 

[Belle Ella]

Just a thought, but if one of the major issues with the MHP, is the fireworks, who says that they couldn't hold them every night during Oct (weather permitting), therefore making them available for everyone, except during the MHP nights, and reducing the complaints regarding this whole mess. They would no longer be exclusive except during the MHP events, and would give everyone a chance to see them. It would reduce the crowds during MHP to a manageable level, and since people could view them anytime, would not be inclined to try to sneak in during the MHP. Just half a thought.

Trish

This is what a lot of us are hoping! Fingers crossed. And in a way, it would still be 'exclusive' to the MHP guests on those nights if it's not a mix-in event. Just not exclusive in the way that nobody else gets to see them. Just exclusive meaning they don't have to share on their nights.

My hope is that if this was the case they could do them in September for a few dates as well. I would love to see them, but it wont make a difference to me one way or another.

 

[dsny1mom]

Just a thought, but if one of the major issues with the MHP, is the fireworks, who says that they couldn't hold them every night during Oct (weather permitting), therefore making them available for everyone, except during the MHP nights, and reducing the complaints regarding this whole mess. They would no longer be exclusive except during the MHP events, and would give everyone a chance to see them. It would reduce the crowds during MHP to a manageable level, and since people could view them anytime, would not be inclined to try to sneak in during the MHP. Just half a thought.

Trish

My guess is they decided to offer HS only during the party times to boost sales of the parties. I was at DL last Oct for a full week and the hords of locals coming in just to see HS every single night were insanely huge.

The plan to get them to pay backfired. Many of those locals shot off emails and letters to DLR letting them know how angry they were about having to buy a party ticket to see HS.

Disney gets considerable entrance media revenue from the locals, especially APs.

My next guess would be they changed their minds about keeping the parties purely exclusive and figured none of the paying guests at the parties would ever know the exclusive event turned into a mix in. Hence still getting the ticket sales while not alienating the locals.

Problem for Disney is Al Lutz let the cat out of the bag.

Now those that paid for or were willing to pay for tickets to the *exclusive* parties are voicing the same dissatisfaction the locals were but for the opposite reason.

It's a real pickle that DLR has gotten themselves into. It will be very interesting to see how it all ends up.


dsny1mom

 

[dsny1mom]

This is what a lot of us are hoping! Fingers crossed. And in a way, it would still be 'exclusive' to the MHP guests on those nights if it's not a mix-in event. Just not exclusive in the way that nobody else gets to see them. Just exclusive meaning they don't have to share on their nights.

My hope is that if this was the case they could do them in September for a few dates as well. I would love to see them, but it wont make a difference to me one way or another.

I have no problem if DL decides to show HS nightly and for the parties. Problem with that is HS is one of the big draws for people to purchase tickets at the price they are asking. If DL makes HS a non exclusive party show then their sales will likely drop signifigantly.

I bought two nights worth of tickets, because I want to see HS. If they remove HS from the exclusive status as they advertised I will want a refund. I will then see HS 5 nights during my visit vs the two nights at the parties and will have a nice dinner at Napa Rose with my party savings.

I too would LOVE for them to start HS in Sept as we will also be at DLR for the first 5 days of official Halloween time!

dsny1mom

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry I'm feeling a little bad for even posting the Al Lutz info on here. It's turned into quite the thing. Hopefully, Disney will release the official schedule soon, and we will see what exactly we are up against. Thanks for being level headed and patient through the whole thing.


As the pp said tickets went on sale for AP & Disney Visa holders a while ago.

VictoriaAndMatt - no, don't feel bad at all! Thank you for posting this message to me. I really appreciate it! If you hadn't posted the Lutz info, I would have posted it myself! It's definitely worth discussing. Speculating and hypothesizing are always fun things to do about all subjects on the DIS - weather, logos, etc. It was certainly newsworthy, and I thank you for posting it, as a matter of fact, because it gave our little super thread a kick! I've been with it since the beginning, through slow times and busy times, and this is a busier time as we approach the HalloweenTime season!

Yes, the official schedule will be released soon - probably through the Parks Blog but maybe through D23, which is where it came from last year in mid-July. It will simply just a kind of itemization of the things that DLR has in store for HalloweenTime, i.e., the Halloween Round-Up, HMH, SMGG, Candy Corn Acres (if there is one this year), spooky treats and merchandise, etc., etc., and we will be able to tell by how Halloween Screams is addressed in this synopsis/agenda if it is an MHP exclusive or not. The language they use should tell us. Otherwise, it's entirely possible that Heather at the Parks Blog may post one of her updates which could essentially say what Al said, give or take a sentence and reworded a bit, without the dig at AP holders at the end, of course!! Either one of those forms of HalloweenTime info is what I would consider an "official" word.

I just want to keep this thread from being a debate thread and maintain the upbeat vibe we have achieved thus far, and continue to share news and info, answer questions, show photos, etc.

 

[Disney Dreams]

...I disagree on waiting to see what Disney says on this subject....

But, at the moment, there is nothing for them to comment on except something that was posted on a 3rd party site, by a non-Disney representative, who is writing about what he has been told by others. If you were Disney, why would you waste your time acknowledging anything said in such a manner?

As a Park visitor, why adjust your plans or get upset about something that has not even been published by Disney? If I told you 9 months ago that I have heard from a reliable source that Captain EO from the 1980s was going to return, would you plan a trip around it until Disney announced it? I certainly would not.

... Al never puts up info on his site that hasn't been checked and triple checked from more than just one reliable source. If Al puts something in his update, that isn't quailfied as a rumor, then what Al is saying **is** what the current plan is 99.99 times out of 100. That's not to say Disney will, in the end, stick with their current plan, and that's why emailing NOW is the smartest thing to do.

But that is EXACTLY why there is no point in emailing Disney "NOW" (as you put it). Al is reporting what he has heard from a variety of sources. He is NOT Disney. He is not reporting on behalf of Disney. Things could have changed today in a meeting, or tomorrow, or never. But why get worked up about something that is not yet fact? Imho, the smartest thing to do is plan a Disney visit on facts directly from Disney, but that's just my view.

Seems to me the main reason "uninvited guests" would be staying around on MHP nights would be to see the fireworks, if they can't ride rides, collect treats, or get in picture opportunities....

I cannot even count how many times I have gone to Disneyland and never gone on a single ride. Some of my best Disney days consist of wandering through the shops, sitting at the Rivers of America enjoying the view, the music, and people watching, taking photos, and simply soaking in the aptmosphere of the Park. I can think of a LOT of reasons (as an uninvited guest) to stay around Disneyland on an evening in October without being allowed to ride a ride, collect treats or get in picture opps.

I won't address the title of "uninvited guests" except to say that if it is a mix-in, anyone with a valid park ticket on that day is "invited."

...For $260 I expect exclusivity of evey inch of DL during the official party hours.

...There was no mention of this being a mix-in when I laid out my money. If they had told me nonticket holders would be allowed to stay in any part of DL I would not have purchased the tickets.

...If they can not assure me that the Halloween party will be the excluse paid for event they advertised and that I paid for I will ask for a refund then and there.

Hmmm.... can you show me please where is said that the party IS exclusive? Thanks.

I also brought up the scenario that some CMs may not even be checking wristbands as the night progressed....

WOW! You wrote to Disney and told them that you are anticipating that their staff will not be doing their paid job 3 months from now? Seriously? Ummm.... that's rather harsh, don't you think? That's akin to emailing a restaurant 3 months in advance before you go for dinner and bringing up the scenario that their servers may not wait tables for those with reservations later in the evening. Why would you think 3 months prior to something happening that the people working that night won't be doing their job? I just don't understand.

I don't know if you work, and if you DO, if you supervise people, but how would you react to someone writing to you asking if your employees will be doing their jobs when at work?

...others, like myself, want Disney to share with me what the situation really is.

Then why not give them a chance to tell you, instead of reacting to third-party information?

...Not even Disney is good enough to spin that concept [mix-in] without current ticket holders asking for a refund and severly hurting ticket sales going forward. I mean really, what could they say?

"Park guests with special Halloween event tickets will have exclusive access after 6pm to attractions, treat stations, and character meet 'n' greets." Easy.

...If they want it to be a mix in, so be it. I just want a refund for the exclusive party I paid for that they will not deliver. I can attend the mix in if I so chose. I will be inside DL all day that day so I can camp out in front of the castle from 6pm on and see HS for free.

So, since you said you aren't interested in the attractions, photos, or treat stations, I am curious why you paid $260? For a fireworks show?

 

[mom4princesses]

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/dis...il?name=MickeysHalloweenPartySpecialOfferPage

Don't miss out on:
Exclusive viewing of the boo-tiful Halloween Screams fireworks spectacular
Exclusive access to nearly all Disneyland Park attractions, including all the Halloween-themed attractions such as Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy and Haunted Mansion Holiday

 

[dsny1mom]

But, at the moment, there is nothing for them to comment on except something that was posted on a 3rd party site, by a non-Disney representative, who is writing about what he has been told by others. If you were Disney, why would you waste your time acknowledging anything said in such a manner?

As a Park visitor, why adjust your plans or get upset about something that has not even been published by Disney? If I told you 9 months ago that I have heard from a reliable source that Captain EO from the 1980s was going to return, would you plan a trip around it until Disney announced it? I certainly would not.


But that is EXACTLY why there is no point in emailing Disney "NOW" (as you put it). Al is reporting what he has heard from a variety of sources. He is NOT Disney. He is not reporting on behalf of Disney. Things could have changed today in a meeting, or tomorrow, or never. But why get worked up about something that is not yet fact? Imho, the smartest thing to do is plan a Disney visit on facts directly from Disney, but that's just my view.


I cannot even count how many times I have gone to Disneyland and never gone on a single ride. Some of my best Disney days consist of wandering through the shops, sitting at the Rivers of America enjoying the view, the music, and people watching, taking photos, and simply soaking in the aptmosphere of the Park. I can think of a LOT of reasons (as an uninvited guest) to stay around Disneyland on an evening in October without being allowed to ride a ride, collect treats or get in picture opps.

I won't address the title of "uninvited guests" except to say that if it is a mix-in, anyone with a valid park ticket on that day is "invited."




Hmmm.... can you show me please where is said that the party IS exclusive? Thanks.


WOW! You wrote to Disney and told them that you are anticipating that their staff will not be doing their paid job 3 months from now? Seriously? Ummm.... that's rather harsh, don't you think? That's akin to emailing a restaurant 3 months in advance before you go for dinner and bringing up the scenario that their servers may not wait tables for those with reservations later in the evening. Why would you think 3 months prior to something happening that the people working that night won't be doing their job? I just don't understand.

I don't know if you work, and if you DO, if you supervise people, but how would you react to someone writing to you asking if your employees will be doing their jobs when at work?


Then why not give them a chance to tell you, instead of reacting to third-party information?


"Park guests with special Halloween event tickets will have exclusive access after 6pm to attractions, treat stations, and character meet 'n' greets." Easy.


So, since you said you aren't interested in the attractions, photos, or treat stations, I am curious why you paid $260? For a fireworks show?

There most certainly is something for Disney to comment on. I asked if the party would be a mix in or not. They need to give me an honest reply as they did not advertise the party as a mix in. Yes I would respond to any concern a guest would have, that's good customer service.

The reason I choose not to wait and ask these questions now is if they hear from enough party goers they may rethink the mix in if that is the plan. If a mix in was never in the plans no foul no harm. I will not be altering any of my plans until I get an answer I feel confident is the whole story regarding mix in vs exclusive.

This is the first time I have ever emailed Disney and asked about anything. I am not willing to wait and see what they do or do not release about the exclusivity of the parties. IMHO if Disney doesn't know people are unhappy about a mix in for a party they stated would be exclusive they won't see any reason to change that plan, if it is their plan.

I won't show you were Disney said the party would be exclusive as mom4princesses already did.

Yes I mentioned that a lack of checking wristbands as the evening progressed is being mentioned on internet sites. So what? I didn't accuse CMs of not doing their jobs I asked what the standard would be.

Yes I work and I am the supervisor. If I recieved a call asking me if my employees would be doing their jobs I would want to know what lead to them asking that question and then I would releave any concerns they had. Again good customer service.

Yep if they don't mention that HS is exclusive for party goers that purchased tickets going forward then I will know for sure they renigged on their claim that HS would be exclusive to party guests. I'd much rather let them know now as a party guest how I feel about it and give them the opportunity to readjust their plan if it is to renig on their advertised claim.

I paid the price to enjoy DL and HS without the teaming masses of people that showed up last year to see HS. If DLR intends to let those teaming masses in for the parties without them paying then they can refund my money.

What I find most interesting is why you or anyone else is so concerned that other people are asking Disney to clarify if the parties will be mix ins or exclusive as they previously stated. So why is it that you are so concerned that I have asked for the clarification now as oppossed to waiting?

dsny1mom

 

[AmyPond]

I'm confused. Why do you want a refund? Because more people will be joining you for the fireworks? There are so many good spots to see them, I don't see what the problem would be.

I really don't think you could get a refund anyway as typically the fine print will say something about "all things subject to change" blah blah blah or whatever.