Halloween MNSSHP? Drive or Bus??

[River Country]

I will have a car and this is also my arrival day. Not sure how much time my DD 8 will have to relax since we have a 630 AM flight from NJ, all depends when the room is ready. So here is the question since Halloween is a Saturday night and this party will be sold out eventually what does everyone recommend? Drive and park at MK or take the bus? I am staying at OKW. I have been to MVMCP but this is a first for MNSSHP. Any thoughts on this will be helpful

 

[Robo]

Bus.
It's MK.

 

[Terra Nova guy]

I don't know if you have any option to change your plans now, or if you even want to, but I will just tell you my story. I also attended MNSSHP on my arrival day last October. I regretted it. Not the party itself, just that fact that I did it on arrival day. Our room at POR was not ready until 3pm (we spent the day in MK while waiting for the room). By the time we got back into the room, unpacked a little, got costumes ready for the party, had supper, it was nearly 8pm by the time we got to MK. Plus my girls (14 & 7) were exhausted by 10:00 after the early flight and really did not enjoy the party as much as I hoped. I would like to do the pary again, but never on arrival day. Some of it depends on your room, which is down to luck if it is ready or not. I had hoped the room would be ready early so we could prepare for the party and be at MK early, but it didn't work out that way. Just a thought...

 

[Jenna319]

Wow thanks for sharing your experience Terra Nova guy, I am arriving on Halloween with a 1 year old in tow, and was considering MNSSHP on Halloween. I never even considered the room not being ready, as our little one will definitely need a nap. Definitely going to look into the 11/1 party instead!

 

[BigMommaMouse]

Another vote for Bus.

 

[LiquidSunshine]

Another vote for the bus.

 

[HatboxHaint]

Took the bus at 4-pm ish on a Friday night last Oct (early Oct) from CBR to MK. It took forever to finish all the CBR stops and was packed to the gills with people in costume and ECVs and Strollers and tired people trying to get back to their hotel rooms from a day at MK. Oh the humanity!! We would have saved time in car and we took our car the rest of that vacation because of that experience.

The front of MK and mainstreet was just chaos with guests leaving pre-party and partiers coming in and the sky was sweating (Florida afternoon showers/mist/spit). Crazy!!! We only went to the park to hit a few rides before 7pm party-start ahead of our ADR at GF. AND Don't even get me started on the Resort Monorail from MK to GF near the 7pm party start..

 

[GarrettJD]

Bus, and I would agree to not do the party on arrival day if possible.

OKW will likely offer some Halloween activities at the resort on Halloween night, so I would probably do that and try to turn in early and go to the 11/1 party instead.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Took the bus at 4-pm ish on a Friday night last Oct (early Oct) from CBR to MK. It took forever to finish all the CBR stops and was packed to the gills with people in costume and ECVs and Strollers and tired people trying to get back to their hotel rooms from a day at MK. Oh the humanity!! We would have saved time in car and we took our car the rest of that vacation because of that experience.

The front of MK and mainstreet was just chaos with guests leaving pre-party and partiers coming in and the sky was sweating (Florida afternoon showers/mist/spit). Crazy!!! We only went to the park to hit a few rides before 7pm party-start ahead of our ADR at GF. AND Don't even get me started on the Resort Monorail from MK to GF near the 7pm party start..

Okay, in fairness if it had talent forever to) all the bus stops, you'd all still be there Guests trying to get to their rooms on a 4-ish bus would have left after the parade, so maybe not so tired after just a few hours in the park?

 

[mickey1968]

I disagree on the bus. The only times that I have had any problems with buses are after MNSSHP. "Oh, the humanity" is an understatement! Waiting for two or three buses only to have to stand packed in like stinky sardines, when you are exhausted and hot. I don't think the boat or the monorail trip across the lagoon could be anywhere near as bad. This year I will either have a rental car or will walk to the Contemporary and get a cab after the party.

 

[River Country]

Thanks for the replies. I can't change now for I already purchased my Halloween tickets we won't stay until midnight anyway. Just the parade and fireworks some trick or treating and a pic with jack and Sally

 

[minushka72]

I vote to Drive. I took my 2 kids last October and while it was not Halloween night, I was by myself with the 2 kids for the first time. (DH is usually with us but could not go on the trip this time.) Arriving at 5pm, we had parking just past the disabled parking area (I believe it used to be the AAA Diamond parking area for MK). We left at 11:45pm to avoid the rush and my DS (age 8) walked just fine. DD (age 4) was in the stroller.

 

[HatboxHaint]

Okay, in fairness if it had talent forever to) all the bus stops, you'd all still be there Guests trying to get to their rooms on a 4-ish bus would have left after the parade, so maybe not so tired after just a few hours in the park?

I've got TALENT forever! Yay!!! Ok it didn't take "forever" but it starts to feel like a long time when you are packed in the bus with all those people and you are still making stops inside the resort at CBR to take on more.

Have you ever done MK with multiple kids and stayed from rope drop til past 3PM parade on a HOT early Oct day? Unless you run marathons or do crossfit then you are probably whooped like a dog and ready for a nap.

 

[cgattis]

I always take Disney transportation to all the parks, even though I have my car. And we've done all sorts of parties multiple times. But the lines after MBSSHP this year were absolutely insane, and I would definitely consider driving next time.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Thanks for the replies. I can't change now for I already purchased my Halloween tickets we won't stay until midnight anyway. Just the parade and fireworks some trick or treating and a pic with jack and Sally

A lot of people will leave after the fireworks, so you will still have packed buses. That being said, I would still take the bus. Yes, it is a pain at the end of the night, but so is trying to go with the herd and get back to your car. There is nothing easy about getting out of MK after fireworks, unless you are staying at the CR and can walk.

My daughter (now 8) and I have done MNSSHP the last couple of years and taken the bus. The buses were not crowded at all when we left because we got on a 3 pm bus to get to the park by 3:30 and get in line. Lines for buses were terrible both times when we left, but at least we didn't have to hoof it back to our car, and I didn't have to try to drive after a very long day.

 

[verleniahall]

Thanks for the replies. I can't change now for I already purchased my Halloween tickets we won't stay until midnight anyway. Just the parade and fireworks some trick or treating and a pic with jack and Sally

Just an FYI - Jack and Sally are POPULAR. The line started forming at 4PM when we went last year, and some people were in line the WHOLE PARTY and didn't get a photo with them. They are HARD to get. So if you are planning on that, you need ot be in the parks as soon as you are able to get in line

 

[DisneyWorld4Ever]

I will have a car and this is also my arrival day. Not sure how much time my DD 8 will have to relax since we have a 630 AM flight from NJ, all depends when the room is ready. So here is the question since Halloween is a Saturday night and this party will be sold out eventually what does everyone recommend? Drive and park at MK or take the bus? I am staying at OKW. I have been to MVMCP but this is a first for MNSSHP. Any thoughts on this will be helpful

I would drive, we have been quite a few times and always drive. So much easier. The buses are going to be packed.

 

[midnightlouise]

I would definitely drive. We've been to MNSSHP and MVMCP a number of times, and we always opt to drive after the first year of waiting forever for a packed bus after MNSSHP and then standing all the way back to the resort. Especially since we usually stay at one of the bigger moderates and we're inevitably always the last stop lol. No thanks!

 

[FeralCatRogue]

I've always used a bus because it got me closer to the entrance then the tram did it seemed.

 

[River Country]

A lot of mixed reviews here. I know about the popularity of Jack and Sally I got Sandy Clause at last years MVMCP at 11:30 but I only waited 40 minutes for him. IDK what I am gonna do yet