Halloween Party with a Toddler?

[Peaseblossom36]

We have a trip planned for early September and I would love to do a Halloween party. Our one year old (will be 19mo on the trip) is usually in bed around 7, and Florida is an hour ahead of us. If you attempted an after hours event, how did it go for you?

While we’ve been to childrens farms and the zoo, she has never been any where with as much stimulation as Disney will be. While at home we flex when we need to and she is very good with change, we generally keep to a routine. I think she would have fun, but I’m also not sure that a vacation is the best time to try something like this.

 

[erin1715]

I was just doing a search on the exact same question so I’m here for advice/experience too. Our toddler will be 3.5 when we go end of august. I’m debating getting tickets for MNSSHP which I think gets us into the park at 4?

Also, if I decide to forego the halloween party and just get a regular park ticket, are the park crowds any lower on party days?

 

[Peaseblossom36]

I was just doing a search on the exact same question so I’m here for advice/experience too. Our toddler will be 3.5 when we go end of august. I’m debating getting tickets for MNSSHP which I think gets us into the park at 4?

Also, if I decide to forego the halloween party and just get a regular park ticket, are the park crowds any lower on party days?

Yes, you can enter at 4 with the party ticket. From what I’ve read in the past crowds tended to be lower at MK on party days since it closed earlier but who knows how things will be now

 

[Her Dotness]

I wouldn't recommend paying what the MNSSHP costs for a child so young. Not until the intensity from pent up people eager to get past a year-plus of no Disney subsides, for sure.

The MK starts to get crowded at around 3:00 from people wanting to get first parade-watching spots along Main Street--even though that parade doesn't start till 8:15. Literally, they start staking out spots that early. Obviously, I don't know that will still happen as this was the case pre-covid, but as crazy-crowded as the MK was when we were there in mid-November, I wouldn't be surprised but what it'll be like that or worse.

Between 4:00 and 6:00 with people coming in for the party and CMs trying to round up and escort out the non-partygoers, it can get mobbed--and only gets worse from there. Literally shoulder-to-shoulder from Town Square up Main Street to the Hub with CMs clearing a path along the shopfronts and directing traffic across the Hub--that kind of worse. Consequently, we used to get our party wristbands shortly after 4:00 and head straight through Tomorrowland to Fantasyland, Liberty Square and Adventureland, hiding out back there until time for the shows to begin.

The atmosphere gets charged, too, from all the excited people milling about which could be scary for a young child. All the costumed people might be too much for her, also. I refer to the party atmosphere as Disney on steroids.

Truly, I'd wait to do one of the after-hours parties until she's around 4 or 5. I think you'll be able to stay longer and will all enjoy it so much more then.

 

[k5xs]

Unless you can get a toddler to get rested up during the day, I'd be reluctant to try taking him or her to the Halloween party. Unless you can stay until closing, I would see the price as high for limited time. Plus the lighting is dark (may not be an issue with your kids), and the parade can be pretty spooky even in a Disney kind of way.

Don't get me wrong, we LOVE the party and always go, but I would be concerned about a toddler's reaction. YMMV.

But there IS lots of candy, and most of what is presented is bright and colorful.

 

[LiveLikeJack&Sally]

I’m sure you will get varied answers, but our toddler (21 months at the time) was fine when we took her in 2019. We actually went to the first party in August of that year and it was quite busy, however the first party has lots of bloggers there to report on the very first MNSSHP of the year so we expected it to be busy going in. We did not do any other park that morning and probably didn’t get to MK until about 6 PM. We made sure that she had a long nap that day, and she actually ended up taking another smaller nap in the stroller before the stage show/fireworks started in the evening. She had no issues with the parade being too spooky or the fireworks being too loud. Her and DS8 (who was 8) had a great time. Of course the trick or treating was a hit as well.

 

[nancipants]

I think it depends on how rigid your toddler’s schedule is. Mine wakes between 6:30-7 and usually goes to bed at 7:30. If we push him past 8:30, he goes crazy. Unfortunately, we can’t depend on him sleeping late in the morning or taking an extra long nap. We will be going on a Disney cruise this summer and I want to see if he’ll stay up for one of the shows, but fully plan to leave in the middle. We don’t plan on trying a party until he’s 5 or so.

 

[Welderman72]

I would try. You are on vacation, the Halloween party is so much fun.

 

[erin1715]

You’re all kind of talking me into waiting. Like I said, our daughter will be 3.5 when we’d go and she does tend to get scared easily so even though it’s a fun party, I think some elements might scare her. She’s also a kid that needs her sleep and is in that stage right now of growing out of naps but actually she could probably use one, but if she takes one then bedtime takes hours.

One of the reasons I was considering it is because we may only do 1-2 park days in our august trip and the Halloween ticket is $109 for our dates. Isn’t that about the same as a regular park 1-day ticket anyway?

 

[Haley R]

My ds just turned 2 and we’re planning on trying the party but we live an hour away so I feel like it’s less stress for us. We can kind of go whenever and go to the parks often. He’s normally in bed around 7:30 pm at home but at Disney he always naps way later and stays up until 9ish

 

[Peaseblossom36]

Thanks everyone! I think I’m leaning towards skipping it this time. I don’t think she would find it scary, but I’m not sure about the timing. At home she sleeps from ~7-7 and then naps for 1.5-2 hours, but I have no idea what that will translate to on vacation. And looking at dates we would have to do the night before we leave, and since we’re planning on driving

Maybe next time!

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

Our first MNSSHP was with a 3.5 year old and a 10 month old. We had a lazy day, arrived to the park around 5 or 5:30, and I think both kids stayed up until around 10pm (which due to time zone changes, was really only about 30 minutes after bedtime) and we adults watched the Hocus Pocus stage show while the kids slept in strollers. We had a blast. The highlight for my 3.5 year old was getting candy and a dance party with characters, but other than that, he mostly just enjoyed the usual MK stuff. For Boo Bash we took my daughter the day before her 3rd birthday and my son was 5.5. That one was stressful, planning naps, worrying if the kids would stay up long enough to get our money's worth (they did, but the oldest, who didn't nap, ended up getting really cranky). With it being back to the MNSSHP start time, I'd try it with a toddler if it is something the adults want to do. Ages 2 and under are free, so you can always watch shows or parades or do rider swap after your little one falls asleep.

 

[MamaMermaid]

We are semi-locals and have never done it... too expensive for him to fall asleep during. We are thinking next year when our son will almost be 6.

 

[DeeBee3]

From how you describe your routine, I would not spend the money on the party. We took our 6 year old back when it was before covid and we all loved it, but we did not stay until closing. We did go in early as they let you in at 4. Back then, they were letting DVC in at 2pm. So, we just made that day a "no park' day and went in early to MK.

However, it would have been much more enjoyable if everyone was able to stay up past 9pm. My daughter could do it now at almost 9, but still it would be a stretch. We all go to bed early in our house. Everyone has a different schedule.

Also, we had our 2 year old with us (on the trip), and we left her at the hotel with grandma to have a proper dinner and bedtime. That's the only way we would have gone to the party. For us, taking a 2 year old would not be worth it.

Our experience was that the party was fun and we loved the different character interactions, but it was VERY crowded. More crowded than when we were at the parks during the day.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

We didn't plan on doing a MNSSHP when we were there with our 20 month old but we were actually pixie dust sprinkled with some by a CM when we were about to leave the park and I was SO GLAD we did it! Even though our daughter was usually asleep by that time at night we had SO MUCH FUN! This was obviously pre-COVID but she got to meet the whole Pooh gang and I still have the cutest video of her going around hugging each one...except Eeyore who played it up. It was truly a magical time! At one point she fell asleep in the carriage and that was absolutely fine. We had a GREAT time even though we hadn't planned for it with a nap during the day (though at some point she probably did have a nap in the carriage in the shade).

 

[Peaseblossom36]

I think it depends on how rigid your toddler’s schedule is. Mine wakes between 6:30-7 and usually goes to bed at 7:30. If we push him past 8:30, he goes crazy. Unfortunately, we can’t depend on him sleeping late in the morning or taking an extra long nap. We will be going on a Disney cruise this summer and I want to see if he’ll stay up for one of the shows, but fully plan to leave in the middle. We don’t plan on trying a party until he’s 5 or so.

That’s very similar to our schedule! We’ve never pushed her later (SHE’S pushed herself later a few times ). At this point we don’t even need an alarm because she’s up at 7 on the dot and we can never really count on a nap.

Have fun on your cruise! We did one pre-baby and loved it. I can’t wait until we can take her.

 

[kevtlas]

We did MNSSHP when our girls were 1 (also 19 months) and 3. We were stationed in Europe at the time and did the party at Disneyland CA (9 hour time difference) they both lasted longer than us.