HalloweenTime at DLR Superthread #4

[PenguinoMF]

What is everyone's opinion on having to go to multiple parties to see everything?

I ask because we have gone to WDW for the past 2 years and we did 2 nights each time and I feel like 2 nights is allows time to experience more. Plus WDW rarely sells out compared to DL so we don't buy them until we get down there in case the weather is terrible.

We are planning on going out to DLR this year and will probably be there for 2 parties based on past party dates. I figure I have to buy tickets in advance because they do usually sell out and I'm trying to decide if 2 parties is necessary. We are 2 adults with no kids, we will want to see the fireworks and parade, meet characters, and usually save trick or treating for the last hour or so. It seems like there is less to do so is 2 parties necessary or worth it?

 

[figment_jii]

What is everyone's opinion on having to go to multiple parties to see everything?...We are 2 adults with no kids, we will want to see the fireworks and parade, meet characters, and usually save trick or treating for the last hour or so. It seems like there is less to do so is 2 parties necessary or worth it?

I usually go to two MNSHHP when I'm in WDW and last year was the first time I went to two MHP. I was glad that I did. There is a suprising amount of things to do and see. The Cavalacade and fireworks will take up a chunk of time and the there are the meet and greets, dance parties, and trick-or-treating. I would do two parties if you have the chance because then you can do things at a more relaxed pace and not feel like you have to rush from place to place.

 

[Jennafoo]

What about an MHP one night, and then the combo HH Tour/MHP on another? I am currently considering doing a Wednesday night party (assuming there's one the week I'm there; there was last year) and then the tour/party combo on Friday. Friday, incidentally, is my birthday.

Theoretically, I could do party Wednesday, party Friday, and tour Saturday. (The tour might be nice on a crowded Saturday night, because you go right on some rides.) But that would be at the expense of some other things, like Fantasmic or Mad T. I'm interested in those, though not as much as I am the Halloween stuff...

 

[figment_jii]

What about an MHP one night, and then the combo HH Tour/MHP on another? I am currently considering doing a Wednesday night party (assuming there's one the week I'm there; there was last year) and then the tour/party combo on Friday. Friday, incidentally, is my birthday.

Theoretically, I could do party Wednesday, party Friday, and tour Saturday. (The tour might be nice on a crowded Saturday night, because you go right on some rides.) But that would be at the expense of some other things, like Fantasmic or Mad T. I'm interested in those, though not as much as I am the Halloween stuff...

What time does the tour start on Saturdays? When I looked up last year's schedule, it looks like the tours started at 6:00/6:15 pm on non-party nights. It was about 3.5 hours long, so you would finish up around 9:45 pm. That would be too late to make it to Mad T Party (assuming it ends at 10:00 pm), but you would probably be able to see the second Fantasmic showing (if there is one at 10:30 pm).

 

[Swtonscrappn]

What time does the tour start on Saturdays? When I looked up last year's schedule, it looks like the tours started at 6:00/6:15 pm on non-party nights. It was about 3.5 hours long, so you would finish up around 9:45 pm. That would be too late to make it to Mad T Party (assuming it ends at 10:00 pm), but you would probably be able to see the second Fantasmic showing (if there is one at 10:30 pm).

When my dh and I took the tour last year (I think it was a thursday), I could choose from a 4pm or a 4:15 departure. It was done at sundown (around 7ish).

 

[Swtonscrappn]

We are heading back for Halloween this year!! Oct 19-22nd...short short trip on the end of a business trip. It will be me, my dh, my brother, my bff, and several of our work associates.

[/URL][/IMG] These are our costumes from last year.

This year Im going as the Queen of Hearts and my dh will be Han Solo. Dont' know yet who everyone else will be.

 

[dolphingirl47]

What is everyone's opinion on having to go to multiple parties to see everything?

I ask because we have gone to WDW for the past 2 years and we did 2 nights each time and I feel like 2 nights is allows time to experience more. Plus WDW rarely sells out compared to DL so we don't buy them until we get down there in case the weather is terrible.

We are planning on going out to DLR this year and will probably be there for 2 parties based on past party dates. I figure I have to buy tickets in advance because they do usually sell out and I'm trying to decide if 2 parties is necessary. We are 2 adults with no kids, we will want to see the fireworks and parade, meet characters, and usually save trick or treating for the last hour or so. It seems like there is less to do so is 2 parties necessary or worth it?

I did two parties in 2011 and that worked great. During the first party I concentrated on the characters and Trick or Treating and taking in all the clever detail. During the second party, I did a combination of rides and characters. During both parties, I watched the fireworks.

Corinna

 

[mikana876]

DS-5 is going to be Mickey. I'm going to be Minnie and DH will be Goofy. DS-9 doesn't yet know what he's going to be. He wanted us all to be frozen characters but the rest of us don't. So he's kind of pouting about it right now.

 

[Jennafoo]

When my dh and I took the tour last year (I think it was a thursday), I could choose from a 4pm or a 4:15 departure. It was done at sundown (around 7ish).

Was this on a party night?

 

[Vala]

That's a good question! My instinctive answer is that the characters do not dress up at the character meals for HalloweenTime. I don't recall hearing or seeing any photos of folks with Halloween costumed characters last year.

Definitely no. Plaza has a couple of Christmas touches during Christmas time. But my last 5 Halloween visits there had no special costumes.

 

[Nonsuch]

What is everyone's opinion on having to go to multiple parties to see everything?

I have done 2 parties. The Halloween fireworks have many effects near the castle, so I devote a couple hours during my first party to saving a good viewing spot. Fireworks can be cancelled, so 2 parties also give 2 chances view them.

 

[Sherry E]

I love the fun photos people have been posting!



I didn't have time to get in here yesterday to comment but, as Vala said, there are definitely no characters in Halloween garb at character meals during the Halloween Time season. (I'm not sure what happens on Halloween night, though?)

The only characters you will find wearing any kind of Halloween attire outside of Mickey's Halloween Party, during daytime hours, should be at the Halloween Carnival/Roundup (I think the costume-clad characters were removed from Town Square a couple of years ago)!

As fun and festive as the Halloween Time season is, it is really not as "big" of an event on an overall scale or scope as the holiday season is at DLR, so there will be many aspects of DLR that are left ignored and non-Halloween-ified (which is not a real word, but you get the idea!).

Even during the holiday season, the characters in holiday garb at Plaza Inn seem to be hit or miss. I have seen photos of the characters at Minnie & Friends during November or December, and sometimes they have little holiday accents on and other times they don't.

​

As to PenguinoMF's question about attending multiple MHPs -- Personally, I have always thought I needed 2 nights to really enjoy all aspects of it. I would like to devote one night to the "entertainment" portion of the party and hitting a few rides, browsing some shops, etc., and then maybe another night for character meet & greets and hitting the treat trails. But I would probably also need one full night just to walk around and take photos.

I know that Kilala -- who participates in this thread -- loves attending multiple parties, and will be doing that again this year.

On the other hand, I know that MHP first-timer, Lucrezia, bought tickets for 3 parties last year and ended up not using one set, as I recall. She went overboard at first, thinking she would need 3 nights, and then later realized it was a bit much.

I think that, for many people, one party will be fine -- and some people don't even really need the MHP to enjoy Halloween Time. For others, they might need 2 or 3 MHP nights.

​

 

[Vala]

No costumes on Halloween night either. I've done Goofy's Kitchen a couple of years ago.

I've always done two parties too. And last night I still didn't get half of what I wanted done. Okay, part of the reason for that was that I went with different people both nights, so I had to do some things twice.

 

[Swtonscrappn]

Was this on a party night?

No...I was worried that the tour would conflict with my party time So we did it on a non-party day.

 

[Kilala]

I will let you guys know how many parties I will attend when the dates come out. I what to go on the first Friday since that is the cheapest Friday. I will be also going on Halloween night too.

 

[ArchOwl]

I just wanted to pop in and say thank you to everyone who contributes such great information on this thread. I am planning a Halloween visit this year and it will be my first time going to one of the parties. I am very excited! I can't wait until they release the dates.

 

[Sherry E]

I just wanted to pop in and say thank you to everyone who contributes such great information on this thread. I am planning a Halloween visit this year and it will be my first time going to one of the parties. I am very excited! I can't wait until they release the dates.

Welcome aboard, ArchOwl!

We do have some awesome contributors here! I'd been having a harder than usual time getting people to join in and start participating (unlike last year at this time, when we had a lot of activity happening and all sorts of discussion about various things), but fortunately it seems that things are picking up!

Did you check out the MHP Frequently Asked Questions on page 1? That was one of the main things I wanted to get onto page 1 before other things, but I still need to fill in more details (and more photos) in some of the other posts on that page. Time has not been on my side!

I haven't been to an MHP in a while, and I had fully intended to go last year before plans got derailed, but it helps fill out the whole Halloween Time experience for me when I go. I can easily enjoy Halloween Time without the MHP (which I did, last year), but I think the MHP is a good enhancement/complement to it.

 

[momof6princesses]

It's the last week of June and we can all hope the Monday surprise is dates for MHP! Fingers crossed.

 

[Sherry E]

It's the last week of June and we can all hope the Monday surprise is dates for MHP! Fingers crossed.

momof6princesses --

Agreed! We don't even have the official start date of Halloween Time yet, let alone any MHP dates! I think that the Disney Parks Blog wasted a great opportunity on the only Friday the 13th for the rest of this year by not announcing the MHP dates, but who am I to question their lack of good timing?

We will have to find out something MHP-related between tomorrow and June 30th, I think. Those are two Mondays, and two chances for "surprises" to be revealed on the Parks Blog!

I was just pondering over in the Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread about when a Monday "surprise" might reveal a possible holiday season event. Christmas in July seems like a good time to do it, but as it's been stated before... if it makes any kind of sense it probably means it won't happen!

 

[momof6princesses]

momof6princesses -- Agreed! We don't even have the official start date of Halloween Time yet, let alone any MHP dates! I think that the Disney Parks Blog wasted a great opportunity on the only Friday the 13th for the rest of this year by not announcing the MHP dates, but who am I to question their lack of good timing? We will have to find out something MHP-related between tomorrow and June 30th. Those are two Mondays, and two chances for "surprises" to be revealed on the Parks Blog! I was just pondering over in the Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread about when a Monday "surprise" might reveal a possible holiday season event. Christmas in July seems like a good time to do it, but again... if it makes any kind of sense it probably means it won't happen!

Ugh, totally missed that the 30th is a Monday! Great at the rate DL has been going with Halloween time they will put it off until the last second, June 30th, sigh. Well let's just hope for something Halloween Monday.