Hello, Halloween peeps -- I hope everyone is having a lovely not-quite-summer-but-it-feels-like-summer weekend.
I suppose I don't need to remind anyone here of the fact that Halloween will be in exactly 5 months and -- even better -- the Halloween Time season at DLR will be in full swing in just about 3-1/2 months! That doesn't sound so far away at all!
I wanted to pop in and give additional comments on or reply to some of the posts that have come in over the last few days.
But first...two points of interest:
1) As my usual Disneyland Resort visiting schedule doesn't involve summer (way, way too hot for me), I don't know if there were patriotic decorations on Buena Vista Street in 2013. Does anyone here know? Did anyone visit DLR from Memorial Day through July in 2013? Cheshirecatty? Figment_jii?
In any case, I know there is patriotic bunting on certain BVS facades this year, right now, based on what I saw in photos the other day. Some of it looks like the typical red, white and blue draping that Main Street gets. Some of it had a different kind of vintage-ish look to it.
This made me wonder...could some bright orange bunting be making its way to BVS for Halloween Time? I never thought that the thing I would be excited about for Halloween Time would be some simple orange bunting on Buena Vista Street facades, but let's face it -- those of us who have experienced Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort for while now know that California Adventure has been sorely lacking in Halloween Time décor and details since the demise of Candy Corn Acres several years ago.
Duffy in a pumpkin costume -- on Paradise Pier, by Ariel's Grotto -- is not sufficient enough Halloween-ishness in DCA for me.
There is no reason at all for DCA to be lacking Halloween décor. Buena Vista Street is just perfect for some vintage signs and knick-knacks that say "Happy Hallowe'en" (like what you would find in the Scare-dy-Crow Shack at the Halloween Carnival/Roundup or even in Main Street window displays).
If we were to go one step further, why not put up some "movie posters" around Hollywood Land, advertising various "monster" movies of the golden age (maybe even some made-up titles starring Disney character)? Maybe there is a licensing issue that prohibits it?
But why are the most "obvious" characters that could work within a Halloween context in DCA -- the Monsters Inc. characters -- not utilized more for Halloween Time-specific daytime activities? There has got to be some way to fit the Monsters into a specific Halloween concept, aside from just a photo spot at the MHP!
And...now that the Toy Story characters have made a direct connection with Halloween via their Toy Story of TERROR special that aired last year (and there is a holiday special coming this year), will those characters be more prominently involved in something Halloween-ish this year? Come on, Disney -- don't waste time! TSMM has been running for 6 years now! Strike while the iron is hot! Bring on the Halloween overlay of TSMM that was talked about 6 years ago! Do it! It's time!
...Or, at the very least, put the orange bunting up on Buena Vista Street. Bring on the bunting!; and
2) I notice that, on MiceChat, a lot of what they discuss over there involves hypothetical scenarios and "how would you change..." this or that (A Bug's Land, Tomorrowland, Toontown, DCA, a third gate concept, etc.). They discuss a lot of those types of things for fun, but they are things that will probably never happen in anyone's lifetime, and things over which we have no control or say.
One such thread that is on their forum now involves the subject of whether or not it is time for the Big Thunder Ranch/festival area (a.k.a. Halloween Carnival and Jingle Jangle Jamboree, for those autumn and winter visitors!) to go...or to be made over into something else. (Most of them want to keep the BBQ and maybe the petting zoo, but get rid of mostly everything else.)
The first thing I thought when I read their thread was, "Oh no! Thank goodness that's not happening! If we were to lose the Big Thunder Ranch and festival area we would lose the Halloween Carnival/Roundup, and that is a huge part of the Halloween Time season!"
You see...I am always thinking in terms of how things will affect Halloween Time and/or the holiday season at DLR!
Halloween Time cannot afford to lose anything else from its array of decorations and offerings. We've already lost things over the years and we cannot lose anything else! We don't even have the masked floral Halloween Mickey at the entrance to DL anymore. (Hopefully no one at Disney is paying attention to that MiceChat thread and getting any funny ideas! Keep the Big Thunder Ranch/Halloween Carnival/Jingle Jangle Jamboree/Springtime Roundup/All-American Roundup, etc., Disney!) If we were to lose the Halloween Carnival/Roundup, what would that leave us with outside of the MHP? Well, we'd still have the Dia de los Muertos display...and the pumpkins on Main Street...and Haunted Mansion Holiday...and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy...and Duffy in his pumpkin costume in DCA.
Yep -- we need to hang on to that Halloween Carnival as long as we can!
I think some of us are still trying to recover from the 24-hour event!
I have it in my notes to finish posting the HMH 2013 photos...so those will be coming (I promise!).
Once the dates are announced (or really anything is announced) I suspect this thread will get lively again. There have been a few other Halloween threads around lately, but not to many yet. Hopefully, now that Memorial Day weekend is over, we can start thinking of Halloween!
figment_jii --
Maybe I am just trying to
not think about the upcoming hot summer (when it has already been too hot this spring!) and am trying to focus on speeding ahead to September! I am hoping for a fluke "cold snap" this summer -- and a cold snap for SoCal in June-July-August would be, like, 60 degrees! We've already had weather over 100 degrees so far this year -- that is summer enough for me!
Hi, Sherry & all!
My family just returned from our first DL trip 4/26-5/3. We caught that miserable first (sand)blast of the Santa Ana's. Brutal. Anywhoo, we bought APs vs. a 5+1 day parkhopper. Hubby & I try to get away and do a trip together each fall for our anniversary. In spite of 6 park days, between refurbs, closures, and dodging the heat we left feeling like there was a lot undone. Within a week of our return we spotted some great airfares so we pulled the trigger and set our dates to return for 9/27-10/4. The goal is to stay at the Grand Californian to get that lovely resort feel. (We're really not the park commando type.) Depends largely on finances & how the summer goes. The Halloween/fall offerings are interesting even tho we don't particularly get into Halloween. I'll be honest, we're really on the fence about whether to go back to California or change our plane tickets & jump on a cruise. Thinking about crowds + possibility/probability of that brutal heat again....I'm just not sure. So, for those who've been at the end of September into the first days of October, how does it compare crowd-wise to late April into early May? The Halloween party, are a lot of attractions open? Is it akin to what's open for the early hour? I read here that most parties sold out last year. We did a few sold out hard ticket events at WDW in years past so I'm curious how the volume of tickets to reach sold out compares. IMO, WDW way over sells their hard ticket events. I'm hoping DL doesn't do the same. I'm thinking our best bet would be during the week.
Hello and welcome,
sweetpee_1993!
I am sorry it took me a while to reply, and I think that
figment_jii gave you most of the info you need (thank you, figment_jii!). I will throw out some additional comments.
I totally agree about dreading the brutal heat. September
can be brutal -- and sometimes even early October can be brutal. I have experienced both of those scenarios. It doesn't mean that it necessarily
will happen -- I have also experienced rain in September and October. But I am a heat hater anyway -- anything over 75 degrees is hot to me, and I'd prefer to keep the temperatures at a nice, reasonable 72 or 70 degrees (which, in the sun at DLR, would still feel several degrees warmer than that anyway and no one would be shivering!). I am absolutely miserable and on the verge of getting ill when it climbs up into the upper 80's and beyond. I usually have a terrible headache and am nauseous the day after being in the harsh sun at DLR.
Personally, just in my opinion, I feel that DLR oversells its tickets for Mickey's Halloween Party. I think there are too many people at the parties given that it is an exclusive event. That's not to say that it is hideously crowded like New Year's Eve or anything. It is probably manageable to a lot of people, like figment_jii said, but the last MHP I went to was pretty busy. I didn't really notice a lack of people.
As for crowds -- DIS'er
deejdigsdis just completed a trip report of her October 2012 trip, and she is currently working on a TR for her April trip of this year. She observed that the crowds in the parks during her October 2012 trip seemed bigger than the crowds during her April 2014 trip. I was only there on one day in April this year, but it was a day during Spring Break -- and I felt that the crowds were lighter than expected. I would agree with deejdigsdis that the October crowds were probably bigger than they were on the day I was there in April.
One good thing is that if you do decided to head to DLR for late September/early October and it turns out to be really hot, the GCH lobby is usually nice and airy. It's a nice place to rest with a cool beverage (maybe some tasty lemonade?)!
The first weekend in October is going to be very busy in DLR because it's Gay Days weekend (10/3-10/5). It's not going to be Christmas week crowds, but it's certainly more than the typical weekend crowds. My instinctive answer is the the weekday crowds will be comparable, but the weekend crowds are higher in Sep/Oct as folks come into see the Halloween decorations and fewer APs are blocked.
At MHP, most of the rides are open, but not all. Question #13 of the MHP FAQ on the first page of this thread list the rides that were not open last year during the party hours. In general, enough of the rides are open that I don't think you'd feel like you're missing out on that many rides. All of the "big" rides are open (e.g., Space, Splash, Matterhorn, Star Tours, Indy, PotC, Haunted Mansion, Small World, most of Fantasyland, Big Thunder, etc.).
Disneyland is smaller park than Magic Kingdom, so fewer people are needed to make it feel crowded. That being said, I think DL does feel "busy" on a sold out night, but the crowds are manageable. It's certainly does not feel as full as it does on a typical Saturday night in the summer. The rides aren't going to be "walk-on" for the most part, but it's not wall-to-wall guests either.
figment_jii --
Is it my imagination, or did the Gay Days event last a day or two longer last year? I could be totally wrong, but I thought I remembered looking at their website and seeing an extra official day added into the mix, whereas this year seems like a shorter event.
Gay Days usually seem to end up taking place right around when the first or second MHP occurs -- and I have often thought that the combination of Gay Days with the start of the MHP added to overall larger crowds in the parks earlier in the day (a lot of people head to DL for the first night of MHP).
But this year -- we assume -- the MHP will probably begin on 9/26 (or
will it?
), or even on Tuesday, 9/30, at the latest. So maybe the crowds will kind of thin out a bit for the MHP
and for Gay Days if the starting night of the MHP is not taking place right before or on Gay Days weekend?
Either that, or the Gay Days coordinators have been clued into the MHP dates, and maybe they know something we don't know (like a different start date than what we expect for the MHP).
I don't know. I am just thinking aloud, and running possible scenarios through my mind.
What's the weather usually like in October?
Newsiemj --
I have lived in SoCal my whole life. I've seen all sorts of weather take place in October (and September, November and December too!). It can be very unpredictable, as
Cheshirecatty very accurately stated. To me it seems like, when I was a kid, October was always the month in which we could expect loud, strong wind and the beginning of cool, crisp temperatures. It was suddenly "jacket weather." (
Also, side note: I have noticed some of the most spectacular sunsets in October too!)
Then, gradually, over time, October began getting warmer and warmer -- or the "summer" heat would just hang around a lot longer than it should and we'd have heat waves in October. I recall a nasty heat wave in early October about 6 years ago (I was at DLR that week). The next year I was there in October and it was hot, but not nearly as hot as it had been in 2008. Still, it no longer felt like "jacket weather" to me as it had when I was younger.
I think it was in 2012 when rain fell on a couple of Mickey's Halloween party nights, interfering with the MHP events.
October could be windy and cool, gloomy and drizzly, hot/dry/windy (leading to wildfires), sunny and hot but not windy, or overcast.
If I were to guess, just based on how the last few years have gone, I would expect the first half of the month to be very warm and dry this year. The second half of October will probably be when it starts to slowly cool down a wee bit, and that's when we might see some drizzle move in at some point. It probably won't be cold, per se, but there might be a drop in temperature from what I anticipate will be happening in the first half of the month.
My fiance and I are coming down to California from Canada for our honeymoon in October, we have set aside one day for Disneyland (Tuesday the 14th). I have been once when I was very little and she has been a few times, but neither of us in the past 15 years or so. What are the crowds like during this time? I figured Monday (you guys call it Columbus day I think?) would be busier, so that is the shopping day at the outlet malls.
I am hoping they will have a party planned for this day but if they don't I have left open a few other evenings so we can always come back.
But if they do have one on the 14th it will be great as we will definitely be making the most of our day. I was planning to do the regular admission during the day and also buy tickets to the party so we can stay into the evening. Do you just get a bracelet to put on so they know not to kick you out during the party transition time?
Kilale --
Welcome! Thank you for joining us!
figment_jii gave you great answers, so I won't say much more other than that I agree that I don't think there will be a Halloween party on Columbus Day and there will likely be an MHP on Tuesday, 10/14. Disney could
possibly decide to have a party on Wednesday, 10/15 instead, if they throw in a couple of Wednesdays again, but more than likely 10/14 would be the party night.
Well, because it's Southern Californian weather
, it can be
very unpredictable!
We go every October, 1st or 2nd week, and we've had
everything from
very warm/hot, to breezy/cool, or even chilly(and everything in between).
We have found, in our experience, one just never quite knows what the weather will be---it can be maddening
!
The key is to bring/dress in,
layers! We usually plan on nice warm days, and cool downs in the evenings, as soon as the sun goes down, and throw in a jacket for "just in case".
When we do this, we have always been dressed appropriately for what ever may come!
Cheshirecatty --
Maddening is right! The weather really is all over the place from September - December. I will say that it's fine to look at averages -- and that's what many people want to see -- but the last few years of weather (from the end of summer through the end of the year/start of winter) have been so odd that I don't know if averages will help much right now.
To me, it seems that weather in SoCal is gradually changing overall, on a grander scale -- but not in the same ways it is changing in other states, obviously. Sometimes the heat waves are worse. Sometimes the rainstorms are worse. Sometimes the wind is ferocious. Sometimes we have colder weather than usual.
Just picturing in my mind the freak rainstorm that soaked my friends and me in September 2007, in comparison with the massive, horrible heat wave of September 2010 is bizarre -- it almost doesn't seem like those two events happened in the same state, let alone in the same month of 2 different years.
We're so excited to be going back to DLR again this year (we went for our first time this last Oct)...now we're going again in September. I'm just waiting for tickets to MHP to go on sale....
Gypsybear --
Welcome!
It won't be long now. June is tomorrow, and even if the MHP tickets don't go on sale until July, we will at least find out the dates of the MHP before the end of June!
I have a surprise trip planned for my DD's birthday. We are arriving early Sep 30th and leaving late Oct 2. Staying at the DLH. I am waiting for the party dates to be announced.
So far this is what I am thinking:
9/30
Arrive, check into hotel (knowing the room won't be ready)
Our flight gets in around 8:30am and I have booked a shuttle service
I am thinking that if we can make it to the hotel by 10:30 we could do Goofy's Kitchen - especially if the Halloween Party is that night. We would then hit the parks around noon
Halloween Party with a light dinner - counter service
10/1
DD's birthday breakfast at Surf's Up
Late Lunch/early dinner at Carnation Cafe'
Park day
10/2
Park day
If I don't do Goofy's Kitchen on 9/30, I am thinking of doing the early entry park, come back and check out and do Goofy's Kitchen.
The other option is to do early entry and then have breakfast at Riverbelle Terrace, come back to the hotel to check out and store our luggage and then hit the parks again.
We need to leave the parks around 4:00pm for our shuttle ride back.
If there is no Halloween party scheduled when we are there, I am thinking we will have dinner at Goofy's Kitchen. For some reason this is my DD's favorite. However, she has mentioned that she wants to try Surf's Up because of Stitch and Mickey Mouse. I think my DD will just be thrilled no matter what happens.
Since my DD will not know of this surprise trip until the morning of 9/30 on the way to the airport, I need to come up with an easy costume idea. So far, I am thinking that we will be Mouseketters. I can easily do shirts with our names on them, black pants or grey pleated skirts, and we can pick up mouse ears in the parks that day.
Thoughts or ideas are welcome.
Edited to add: Do you think that we will miss the big Gay Day crowds? And do you think the Halloween Party will be busy. My DD is neurologically compromised and has difficulty if things are very crowded - however, with that she survived the 2014 Tinkerbell 1/2 Marathon weekend just fine.
2tinkerbell --
It looks like your post got overlooked in the shuffle of pages -- I'm so sorry about that!
Hopefully you are still out there, following along!
First off, I must say that your DD has good taste! Goofy's Kitchen is my favorite too -- and a longstanding tradition. I love it there. I tried Surf's Up, and I must admit that the character interaction is wonderful at Surf's Up -- so much so that I had a hard time eating because the characters were so attentive -- and I love that Mickey, Stitch and Daisy Duck are there. I still like Goofy's better, but I think you'll really enjoy Surf's Up. It usually gets very good reviews from people on this board, for the most part.
I think there will be an MHP at some point during your trip -- most likely on 9/30. I don't
think that will be one of the weeks when they decide to have a random Monday night party instead. Of course, they could always switch things up on us and do something unexpected, but I think that 9/30 is a good bet.
I think the Mouseketeer costume idea sounds great, and really cute!
I think you will miss the bulk of the Gay Days crowds. Most of the Gay Days folks will probably arrive on Friday, 10/3, or maybe late on 10/2.
If there is an MHP during your trip, it would probably be a bit crowded in spots, but no worse than a regular crowded day in the parks. There will be a good number of people there, but it probably won't be too unmanageable. If your DD did okay during the 1/2 Marathon weekend I think she'd be okay at the MHP.
I know it is starting to get close...I think I had better start going through my pictures and get ready for the countdown!! This trip will be an Adult only trip...I am soo excited for this and with us celebrating my birthday it is going to be great... I am soooo hoping for cool weather... Sherry E, Like you I do not like hot at all!
pattyduke34 --
You're not kidding! I have had it with the heat already! It's not even summer and I am already over the heat! Too much, too soon!
One of the only good things about summer for me is the fresh, juicy fruit. This is the best season of all to chow down on those delicious pineapple spears that are sold around DLR -- they are messy and sticky, and they leak all over everything, but man, are they tasty and refreshing on a warm day. Yum!
You're heading back to DLR for both Halloween Time and the holiday season this year, aren't you? It's a great way to celebrate your birthday, fall, the coming holiday season -- all of it!
We have a mini-Countdown coming up here in the not-too-distant future, and then we have the major, massive Countdown/gift card giveaway coming up in the Christmas/Holiday Superthread (and you were the only one who contributed to every single theme that I threw out at you guys last year!). Keep all of your Halloween Time and holiday photos handy!
I think it will start picking up once dates have been announced.
I sure do appreciate all the effort you've gone to putting this thread together, and I'm sure it won't go to waste
For me personally, I kind of forget about Halloween as it's not really celebrated in Australia. I also HATE anything gory or suspenseful (I would never consider going to Universal Studios or Knotts for Halloween
). I only like 'cute' or 'elegant' scary
zanzibar138 --
Thank you again for the kind words! It means a lot.
I am with you -- I am not a Universal or Knott's person when it comes to Halloween (especially Universal, where it is just off-the-charts crazy, and chainsaw-wielding maniacs are chasing after people). I don't like things jumping out at me and then chasing me down. I really don't like gore, blood and guts (somehow I manage to sit through the carnage on
The Walking Dead on TV, but I have my eyes covered half of the time).
I also won't do the (very popular) Los Angeles Haunted Hayride. That is full of people "pretending" to be crazy and bloodthirsty, chasing after the hay wagon in the hills, at night, grabbing at people's arms and ankles and all of that. Not for me. Besides, we have enough "real" crazy people running around in L.A. It would be too easy for life to merge with "art" and one of them ends up in the Haunted Hayride "cast." Yeah...not for me.
Rob Zombie has a Halloween-themed Haunt event (called The Great American Nightmare) that was a big hit last year. It takes place at the L.A. County "Fearplex" (where the L.A County Fair is held prior to Halloween season). There are 3 or 4 different staging areas with different themes. It is supposedly everything that you and I hate -- gore, crazed lunatics chasing people around, overall mayhem.
Yeah... I'll pass. But a lot of people
love those kinds of things, so I can't deny that there is certainly a huge market for it.
I am happy with a nice, whimsical, safe, fun, non-scary Halloween -- done Disneyland-style!
I have noticed the DLR threads are a bit slower than the WDW threads. But there is a lot of great info on this thread and have loved reading all the info.
We have now finalized our dates for 9/24-9/26 park days. I'm sure it will all pick up as we get closer to the Halloween events. I'm really looking forward to our trip and experiencing our first Halloween Disney events. My boys are 2 & 3 so Disney is the perfect place to celebrate.
yeheyprincex2 -
I agree! I think your boys will have a great time. Halloween Time is really a fun, festive time of year in Disneyland. As soon as you set foot on Main Street you will see bursts of orange everywhere, from the bunting to the pumpkins, to the retro window displays. And the pumpkin carvers at the Halloween Carnival are true artists! Their work is amazing!
Sherry's quote: In the meantime, I continue to check the mailbox for the Backstage Pass newsletter (for AP holders), in hopes that there will be another "big reveal" of season-related dates like there was last year! Sadly, the Backstage Pass newsletter is not reliable in its arrival and I never know when or if I am going to get it at all!
I'm new to this Backstage Pass Newsletter as an AP holder. How often does it get published and sent??
TK --
As
figment_jii said,
Backstage Pass is rather inconsistent. People have reported getting 3 in a year. I think it used to be 4 times a year a long time ago. Now, if we're lucky, we may get 2 in a year. The thing is, the one that came out last year in May had the dates of Halloween Time and the holiday season printed in it (because the next
Backstage Pass that would come out after that one would be the holiday issue -- well past the Halloween season and the start of the holidays).
So I think that Disney already has all of the Halloween and holiday-related dates lined up and ready to publish, but for some reason they drag it out and don't want to reveal them until after a certain point.
So far, no
Backstage Pass where I am.
The Backstage Pass Newsletter seems to be published on an inconsistent basis. I would say it is generally published 2 times per year (summer and winter).
The last edition was published for the Holidays. You can view it on the Disneyland AP website, by clicking on the link for the Newsletter (right side, under More Options).
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/passes/today/
figment_jii --
They are definitely skimping on the number of issues they release each year -- there used to be more, in the old days!
We're here. We're lurking!
...well, I am.
Ok, here's a question. What does everyone think of the Haunted Holiday overlay? I think I'm going to miss the regular Haunted Mansion.
SusanMatt --
I'm glad to know you're still there, in the (sort of) lurk-o-sphere!
This may sound odd, but I love Haunted Mansion Holiday more than I do the actual
Nightmare Before Christmas movie. I was not necessarily a huge NBC fan at first -- which is odd, as I love both Halloween and Christmas -- but I like the thorough overlay in the Haunted Mansion, and I love the freshly made, large gingerbread masterpiece on the ballroom table each year. (During the holiday season they even put a hidden Mickey on the floor, off to the side.)
I grew up with the regular Haunted Mansion, of course, so it's strange that I actually look forward to HMH.
There are definitely people in both camps -- the ones who love HMH and have always loved it, and the ones who have always disliked it and will probably continue to dislike it. There are also some who didn't like HMH at first, but ended up liking it over time.
I actually don't thinking going to like it
And I'm sad that the haunted overlay will be the way my boys first remember it. The original is my favorite ride in the park, and I was never really a fan of the movie Nightmare Before Christmas.
mikana876 --
I hope that you can enjoy it a little bit, even though it will be very different from the version of HM that you're used to. Maybe the gingerbread house/graveyard on the ballroom/dining room table will be of interest to the kids?
Hi Susan(You lurker, you)!
We actually really, really like the overlay!
We also love the the original, but we think it's fun that we can enjoy the Haunted Mansion two different ways!
At first, we hated the overlay(we had only seen "Nightmare Before Christmas" once, and weren't fond of it), but it has slowly grown on us over the years, and since we love the music, we now look forward to the overlay.
Cheshirecatty --
That's exactly one of the things I appreciate about it. I love that there can be two different versions of it in a year, and that they are so different.
I think that the difference between regular HM and HMH is more vast than the difference between regular It's a Small World and IASW Holiday -- mainly because the story of the HM basically changes with the NBC overlay. In the case of IASWH, while the overlay is thorough and detailed, the holiday celebration seems like more of an extension of the regular IASW -- the dolls are celebrating the season. It doesn't seem like a whole new story was created.
I'm in the same boat as Cheshirecatty (perhaps to a slightly lesser degree). The Haunted Mansion is one of my favorite rides at DLR and at first I wasn't a big fan of the overlay. I think it stemmed from the fact I didn't really like the movie either (I didn't hate it, but I don't really like it either). Overall, the overlay uses the characters from the movie (mostly Jack and Zero, but a few others as well), but it doesn't re-tell the movie (if that makes sense). Over time (and I admit, it took more than one ride), it's grown on me and now I like it as much as the original HM. There are elements of the original HM that I like better and there are a few elements of HMH that I like better than the original. So, my advise is to go with an open mind and maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised and you'll end up liking it too.
figment_jii --
Good advice! That's really all anyone can do, is go in with an open mind and hope to enjoy it.
I have read other reports from people who said HMH has grown on them too. They started out not caring for it and now they enjoy it.
As I mentioned above, I actually like HMH a lot more than I like the NBC movie, but, like you, I don't hate NBC. I look forward to HMH every year, whereas if NBC is on TV I can skip it here and there. I don't need to stop and watch it.
Love love love it and I am not an NBC fan. With the overlay it is my favourite ride in the park, without it I think it's just ok.
mummabear --
I think the overlay is so detailed, colorful and thorough -- there is always something interesting to notice or see.
I have seen the original HM ride plenty of times so I am looking forward to the holiday version. Jack is also one of my sons favorite Disney characters so I am also looking forward to watching him experience the ride all decked out. My only problem is knowing he is going to want to ride over and over again.
yeheyprincex2 --
If your son loves Jack, this will certainly be the ride for him! He may very well want to ride it over and over!
There is a lot to see and look at in the ride.
I'm 50/50- love the original but my daughter's first trip was the 2012 MHP so she's never known different plus Sally is one of her favorite characters (and so is Sally in Cars)- so much so that she named her dog Sally! So, I enjoy watching her enjoy it but really I prefer the original.
cinderbellasmom --
I love that your daughter is a fan of all the Sally characters! That is so cute! Has she ever seen the
Peanuts characters? I am wondering if Sally from
Peanuts would be a favorite as well.
I like the 'classic' HM but I also enjoy the overlay. My kids seem to be less terrified of the overlay though. Having to wait with one while the others ride isn't very fun.
On a completely different topic, I currently have an entire 7 days booked at a hotel just so that we can go to MHP. Once they announce the dates I'll cancel all but one or two of the nights. I feel a bit guilty, but don't see another way to be sure to have a room on the one or two nights I need it.
Hi,
laura&fam!
I'm glad to see you joined in on this thread -- I don't think I've seen you around since the last Halloween thread (when you had come back from your trip and your first MHP)!
Well, hopefully the MHP dates will be announced within the next couple of weeks, at the latest, so you'll be able to cancel those other hotel nights before it gets to be too late. If you were cancelling one week before arrival, that might be different, but cancelling months in advance should be okay, I would think.
I'm with you on the hotel reservations, I've done a similar thing. I'll be coming for at least 10 days, but I got to make sure I have at least one party, the usual Soda Fountain Halloween pin release and the expiration of my AP taken into account. So a piece of cake.
I've been to WDW earlier in May. Can you believe it was actually my first time seeing the Haunted Mansion without the overlay? Granted Paris has Phantom Manor, but that's nothing like the Haunted Mansion. I was very, very impressed and liked it a lot. But my heart will still be with the Christmas overlay.
And welcome,
Vala!
I was wondering where you were, and if you were going to join in on the new thread! We definitely need your feedback, input and advice too!
We are new first-time AP holders
and are trying to decide if we want to go again during October. Of course we would love to catch a MHP. We homeschool, so I have a lot of flexibility as to when we could go. My questions are:
1) When is the best time in October to go to catch a MHP and avoid crowds from Gay Days, Utah break, etc?
2) I am looking on the AP webpage for making hotel reservations, and it only goes out to August. Do you have to call to get hotel reservations at this point for October?
3) We booked our last stay through Orbitz, so I can't remember how the Disney site works with hotel reservations . . . do you have to pay up front, or just make the reservation and pay at the actual trip time?
4) I know I saw the answer to this somewhere, but now I can't find it: best guess for days of MHP are Tuesdays and Saturdays?
5) Are some of the days of MHP less crowded than others historically?
Thanks!
I found one of my answers . . . the hotel rate calendar only goes out so far, but you can put in dates for October and then get a quote.
Any helpful tidbits for a first-time AP holder would be great!
sgrap --
I think that
crystal1313 answered most of your questions.
Tuesdays and Fridays are the main days of the week for the MHP, but if history repeats, there should be an extra Monday party thrown in somewhere, as well as a possible Wednesday or Thursday. I think it largely depends on how many party nights there will be this year, and if they go with 13 again or fewer.
Almost all of the parties sold out last year and the year before. I think the only party that didn't sell out until the last second was the one right before Halloween. So there should be the same number of people in the park on a Tuesday, Friday or any other night if the party is sold out, and if the same number of tickets are sold to each night.
However, there are people who say that Tuesdays seem less crowded to them. We think that could be because locals leave the party earlier on an early weeknight, if their kids have school the next day -- whereas on a Friday night they can stay out later. There is a certain logic to that, so it makes sense.
The last MHP I attended was a fluke Monday night party, and it seemed pretty busy to me. None of the parties will feel empty, or like you have lots of empty space to roam around, but crowds tend to congregate in certain areas more than others at different points throughout the night.
I would avoid the first and second weeks of oct for Gay days and CHOC walk. We went during the CHOC walk weekend last year and while we thought the MHP was not very crowded (on a fri) that Saturday was crazy crowded!! Typically MHP are Tuesdays and Fridays. I think as it gets closer to Halloween they have more parties.
If you're only booking hotel through Disney they only charge the first night rate when booking. Then you can pay payments or pay the rest of the bill at check in.
We had a blast at the MHP last year and plan on going again. You can check out my trip report in my signature. I would keep an eye/ear out for when the tickets go on sale. AP can buy before the general public.
Crystal --
Oh yes, CHOC Walk. I forgot about that. I've never been there directly over a CHOC Walk weekend to witness the crowds.
Thank you so much for putting that together! I had read it, but then couldn't seem to come up with the answers when I went back. Of course, in the mean time I have!
This is an awesome thread and I appreciate all of your work!
sgrap --
Thank you for the kind words -- I'm glad you finally found what you needed! I just wanted to make sure nothing was being overlooked!
it may have been mentioned earlier in the same thread but when are the Gay Days at Disneyland ?
I'll be in California from Oct 13th till Nov 5th so i'll try to avoid them and go to Universal Studios or Knotts instead lol
msep003 --
figment_jii gave you the info already, but I wanted to say welcome!
Will you be planning to attend either the Universal or Knott's Halloween-specific nighttime events? Or just go to the parks in the daytime? If you are looking for the best nighttime event (of the more horror-specific variety), people say that Universal's is the best for many reasons!
OK-we're newbies as we've visited Disneyworld 16 times, and now that my fear of flying is gone, we're making our first ever trip to Disneyland. Our California dates are Oct 4-10. We were planning Disneyland from 10-4 thru 10-7 and touring other areas from the 7-10, but have decided to flip the dates due to Gay Days and an event we want to attend in Hollywood on the 4th.
We are veterans of the Halloween Party in Florida. For those who have done both, how different are the 2? Do many adults dress up(we do)? What events are different? Any tips would help.
I also want to throw in that I proposed to my wife at Disneyworld in 1994, we married in 1996. I am reproposing this trip, with a vow renewal in Florida in 2016.
kydisneyfans --
Welcome!
How awesome that you're going to re-propose on this trip! Congratulations!
figment_jii gave you the link for her great comparison between
MNSSHP and the MHP, which is a big help for WDW vets heading to DLR's Halloween party for the first time.
Here is another interesting comparison of the WDW party vs. the DLR party -
"Halloween Party Throw Down: Disney World vs. Disneyland"; The Disney Food Blog; posted on August 3rd, 2012 by Kim.
Also, here is a link to
Frequently Asked Questions About Mickey's Halloween Party, which will fill you in on all kinds of details.
Here are links to the sorts of things you can expect to see in Disneyland during Halloween Time (although I am still adding to it -- it is not complete yet), and
in California Adventure.
This post outlines some things you can enjoy without attending Mickey's Halloween Party.
Here is a link to the Halloween-themed treats and menu items that can be found during Halloween Time.
Here is a link with Other Halloween-related things to do for Halloween season.
I'm glad to hear that for most people the Haunted Mansion overlay grows on you, and you like it. Haunted Mansion is one of our two favorite rides in the park. We try to do it and Pirates at least twice a day. So, as another person who isn't a big fan of Nightmare a before Christmas, I was not looking forward to them trying to ruin my ride.
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I believe Gay Days are Oct. 3rd - 5th. I'm looking forward to being there for at least one of them.
SusanMatt -
I love Pirates -- one of my all-time favorite rides, for sure! I used to be terrified of it -- along with Haunted Mansion -- as a child, but now I love it.
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