HalloweenTime at DLR Info and Photo Superthread #3

[theworldneedscolor]

Pooh had a costume on, but Rabbit, Eyeore, Tigger did not. They had a Meet and Greet in front of the Pooh ride, and they were there until at least 11:45 PM, when I left the area.

Awesome, I will have to make sure to get a pic with Pooh! He's one of my favorite, such a cutie Was there a long line?

 

[Kilala]

Last time I tried to get a pic with Pooh me and other people had to wait over a half an hour before the characters showed up. So I left. I hope I can get a good pic with Pooh and his friends.

 

[Susiesark]

Awesome, I will have to make sure to get a pic with Pooh! He's one of my favorite, such a cutie Was there a long line?

The line wasn't too long at all, probably because it was so late and in the back of the park. But when we were almost to the front of the line, the characters left for a break. We waited an additional 10 minutes for them to come back out. Good thing is, there were a few Treat stops in Critter Country and by that time there were no lines at all, got our candy and came back around for seconds.

 

[Minnie Sue Oz]

Just had to post as I am sooooo excited We are down to just 16 sleeps to go!!! Can't wait to come over all the way from Australia................especially for Halloween! Going to the party on the 29th and the 31st. We will be doing the cavalcade and fireworks the first time and concentrating on the characters on Halloween night!

Thanks to everyone who has posted pics so far. It really helps build the excitement. Can't wait to see the fog over the Rivers of America and I think I will just have to find a way to bring those mickey and Donald mugs all the way home!!!

 

[tinkermell]

There were 6 of us total, and almost all were made by us except me. Giselle's dress was handmade by a seamstress, and Briar Rose's dress was made by a someone my friend knows, and mine was bought (but there are only a few in existence). Belle, Pochahontas and Meg made theirs.

Jessica, you all look so adorable!! Beautiful costumes!

 

[revwog1974]

Are people having fun at the Halloween parties and enjoying Halloween time at Disneyland this year? I'm hearing a lot of "it's so crowded" "there are too many people" "we can't see the fireworks" that I'm really worried. Those in addition to the discussions of how decorations are cut back from previous years I'm wondering if the Halloween party is going to be fun for us on Friday or if it's going to be too crazy and crowded.

 

[Kathymford]

Are people having fun at the Halloween parties and enjoying Halloween time at Disneyland this year? I'm hearing a lot of "it's so crowded" "there are too many people" "we can't see the fireworks" that I'm really worried. Those in addition to the discussions of how decorations are cut back from previous years I'm wondering if the Halloween party is going to be fun for us on Friday or if it's going to be too crazy and crowded.

This is my experience; the DIS is a wealth of information and you find many, many good tips. But I also find that either my standards are a lot lower than every on the DIS, or people complain about small stuff and forget to mention that they still had a good time. That's my 2 cents.

 

[Sherry E]

Are people having fun at the Halloween parties and enjoying Halloween time at Disneyland this year? I'm hearing a lot of "it's so crowded" "there are too many people" "we can't see the fireworks" that I'm really worried. Those in addition to the discussions of how decorations are cut back from previous years I'm wondering if the Halloween party is going to be fun for us on Friday or if it's going to be too crazy and crowded.

revwog1974 -

From everything I've been seeing and reading, people are still having a lot of fun with the season in general and at the party! The crowds don't surprise me. I thought that the party I attended last year was crowded - more so than I expected for a Monday night. I've thought that every Halloween Time season has been crowded over the last several years. I think this year - with the DCA makeover finished - there are more folks flocking to the parks.

You'll have a great time! And you must be sure to report back to us with your opinions and reviews!

As for the cutback on decorations - for you, since you have not done a Halloween Time trip before, you won't be affected by that because you won't have anything to really compare this year's decorations to. What you see (Main Street, the Jamboree/Ranch/Carnival/Round-Up thingy, the Dia de los Muertos display, etc.) you will enjoy! Be sure to take time to look at the cute Halloween-themed window displays along Main Street, too!

As for not being able to see the fireworks, that can be handled with the right timing and planning.

I do think that Disney is overselling the tickets and too many people are attending, and it doesn't help matters any that the Villains have become more exclusive to the party and less accessible in the daytime. These things combined will make for a more crowded party.

Overall, though, you'll have a wonderful time! I wouldn't worry about anything!

This is my experience; the DIS is a wealth of information and you find many, many good tips. But I also find that either my standards are a lot lower than every on the DIS, or people complain about small stuff and forget to mention that they still had a good time. That's my 2 cents.

Kathymford -

This is true, and sometimes hearing/reading the negative stuff can cause others to be worried unnecessarily, although I do think that people have every right to talk about crowds, about not being able to see the fireworks, about the lack of decorations, etc. These are not really small issues to many people who spend big bucks to go. For me, personally, it really bugs me that the decor keeps getting scaled back while the ticket, AP and hotel prices are incredibly high. I don't want 'less' of a Halloween season. I want 'more' of a season when the rates are so stratospheric! I want the full immersion.

But we discuss it all here on the DIS - the good, the bad, the ugly, the wonderful, the horrible, etc. People can choose to read the range of opinions or avoid reading anything. It's not just a DIS-oriented thing. It happens on any Disney-related discussion board.

I also think that some people may have expectations of these exclusive parties that are unrealistic - they think that the parties are going to mean low crowds, lots of walking room around the park with no strollers banging into their ankles, no lines for anything, anywhere, etc. That simply won't be the case at the rate Disney is selling tickets. Should it be the case? Should the park be noticeably less crowded for the price of an MHP ticket? I think it probably should. But is it likely that Disney will start selling fewer tickets so that the park is less crowded during the MHP? Nope. They will sell more MHP tickets in future years, if anything, and they will add a Christmas party into the mix too !

All in all, the MHP is a fun event - I think it may be worthwhile (if not mandatory) for a lot of folks, and not worthwhile for other folks - and both camps have very valid reasons for why they like/dislike certain aspects of the whole subject.

 

[figment_jii]

Are people having fun at the Halloween parties and enjoying Halloween time at Disneyland this year? I'm hearing a lot of "it's so crowded" "there are too many people" "we can't see the fireworks" that I'm really worried. Those in addition to the discussions of how decorations are cut back from previous years I'm wondering if the Halloween party is going to be fun for us on Friday or if it's going to be too crazy and crowded.

I thought the crowd at the Halloween party (while sold out) was very manageable. I didn't do the character meet and greets during the party, but I go to see the Cavalcade and the fireworks. The first Cavalcade had a crowd (at least down by Small World), but the second one (waiting on Main Street) was more or less one person deep in most places. So not much of a crowd. There were lines for the trick-or-treating, especially when it first started, but by the middle/end of the evening it was moving very fast and not too bad.

Now, the non-party fireworks on Saturday (9/29) was packed! The lines for the rides on Saturday were very long. So my feeling was that the parks were more crowded than expected for the non-party hours. The Halloween party was a lot fun!

 

[iKristin]

Looks like all days are sold out except the 26th, 29th and Halloween day!!

 

[Kilala]

I just got back from work and I just looked at that. Good thing I got my tickets for all 3 days I'm going. I'm glad people that went are saying that it's not too crowded.

 

[Goofy_Mom]

revwog1974 -


if anything, and they will add a Christmas party into the mix too !

.

I certainly hope not. I've seen the christmas parade and the fireworks before with regular park admission. I won't be paying extra to see them in the future. Unless Disney does something super fantastic for their Christmas party or the tickets are discounted for AP holders on the days that we're going, I think I'll be skipping the Christmas party, if it ever comes to pass.

I"ve read reviews of WDW's Christmas parties, usually they say do it once but not a "every trip" event.

 

[Sherry E]

I certainly hope not. I've seen the christmas parade and the fireworks before with regular park admission. I won't be paying extra to see them in the future. Unless Disney does something super fantastic for their Christmas party or the tickets are discounted for AP holders on the days that we're going, I think I'll be skipping the Christmas party, if it ever comes to pass.

I"ve read reviews of WDW's Christmas parties, usually they say do it once but not a "every trip" event.

Goofy_Mom -

I think it is almost a sure thing that there will be a Christmas party next year, and if not in 2013 then it will be held in 2014. I think that DLR was just waiting until DCA's makeover was complete to start in with the Christmas parties.

And...I think that you will not be alone in your feelings about buying a party ticket. I've suspected for a long time that if the Christmas Fantasy Parade and the Believe in Holiday Magic Fireworks are suddenly made to be party exclusives, because they are such longstanding traditions that people have become used to (unlike the Halloween Screams fireworks at DL, which were only accessible to the general public for one year prior to becoming an MHP exclusive), it could backfire. People simply may not want to buy tickets for a Christmas party to see 2 things they have already seen as part of general admission for years. That parade and those fireworks have been there for years.

So...what would the trick be that Disney has up its sleeve to combat that problem? They would either have to add something totally different into the mix and make it a party exclusive too (enter the Candlelight Processional, which is getting its 20-night 'test run' this year, to gauge how popular it is with crowds for possible future party status), just to lure folks to buy Christmas party tickets, or they would have to add in a totally new holiday parade and/or a totally new holiday fireworks show.

I think that's what will happen. Disney will see how the CP does this year (they are still working out the logistics of it), and if it's a hit they will make it a party selling point next year. If, for some reason, the CP is not a big hit this year, then they may create a new parade or new fireworks by next year to coax people to buy tickets.

One other option - though a less likely one - is to hold the party in DCA for its first year, and use an all-holiday World of Color and the long-rumored holiday overlay for TSMM as the selling points. They could even move the Candlelight Processional over to DCA, which was a rumor a long time ago. Then, after having the party in DCA for a year, move it over to DL. I don't think this will happen, though.

 

[theworldneedscolor]

Around what time should we get to the hub see the fireworks this Friday?

 

[I'm mikey]

Mickeys halloween party october 2nd

 

[dhorner233]

Mickeys halloween party october 2nd

Welcome back Mike!! Great picture! I hope you will be posting more!

 

[Kilala]

Beautiful photo

 

[Kathymford]

Kathymford -

This is true, and sometimes hearing/reading the negative stuff can cause others to be worried unnecessarily, although I do think that people have every right to talk about crowds, about not being able to see the fireworks, about the lack of decorations, etc. These are not really small issues to many people who spend big bucks to go. For me, personally, it really bugs me that the decor keeps getting scaled back while the ticket, AP and hotel prices are incredibly high. I don't want 'less' of a Halloween season. I want 'more' of a season when the rates are so stratospheric! I want the full immersion.

But we discuss it all here on the DIS - the good, the bad, the ugly, the wonderful, the horrible, etc. People can choose to read the range of opinions or avoid reading anything. It's not just a DIS-oriented thing. It happens on any Disney-related discussion board.

I also think that some people may have expectations of these exclusive parties that are unrealistic - they think that the parties are going to mean low crowds, lots of walking room around the park with no strollers banging into their ankles, no lines for anything, anywhere, etc. That simply won't be the case at the rate Disney is selling tickets. Should it be the case? Should the park be noticeably less crowded for the price of an MHP ticket? I think it probably should. But is it likely that Disney will start selling fewer tickets so that the park is less crowded during the MHP? Nope. They will sell more MHP tickets in future years, if anything, and they will add a Christmas party into the mix too !

All in all, the MHP is a fun event - I think it may be worthwhile (if not mandatory) for a lot of folks, and not worthwhile for other folks - and both camps have very valid reasons for why they like/dislike certain aspects of the whole subject.

I totally agree with what you're saying. And I love that we discuss it all here on the DIS. I would miss so much more if it wasn't for the DIS, but I would hate to think what some people are missing if the DIS completely discourages someone from something. Sometimes we (the royal we) tend to focus on the negative instead of really remembering what was great and fantastic.

 

[Kilala]

All the times I went since 2006 I have enjoyed ever MHP. I think one year I went 4 times to MHP since tickets were so cheap back then.

 

[theworldneedscolor]

We fly out tonight! So excited! Thanks for all the advice guys