HalloweenTime at DLR Superthread #4

[Priory]

Well, I just made reservations for Mystical Spirits of the Blue Bayou for 10/31. It sounds like way too much fun I couldn't resist! It is a bit pricey, BUT...

I already had regular dinner reservations at Blue Bayou on the night before, anyway. Dinner for 3 at BB by itself can be nearly $200 after tax & gratuity. So, cancelling this reservation eases the pain of the Mystical Spirits price tag a little.

This reminds me, gratuity IS included in this price. I saw it on some breakdown of fees I clicked. I can't remember if tax was included too. I noticed the gratuity because I made the mistake of tipping on A couple of gratuity-included things at WDW. Of course if the service is exceptional, I suppose extra tip could be appropriate, but it's not required for those pricing this out.

 

[Vala]

Both included, tax and gratituity. I just checked my breakdown in the reservation site.

 

[mom2rtk]

Someone mentioned characters mingling at dinner. Does it actually say that? All I know is if they take some of the best villains offline to be part of this dinner, I'm not going to be very happy about that. I was looking forward to meeting Dr. Facilier this year, and I think it's now a foregone conclusion he'll be gone from the regular party. But if they remove others, I'm going to be very unhappy.

They are absolutely not above doing that, because that's exactly what they did last year at the Villains Soiree at MNSSHP.

Of course, it would help immensely to know for sure if that's the case. I might begrudgingly go ahead and book this to save our Halloween experience, but of course by the time we know for sure what they are doing, it will all be sold out.

 

[stephanie22]

My son will be a stormtrooper too at MHP we have the Disney ST costume which blackouts his eyes. I bought him a ST hat to wear at the party, I found it on amazon for a really good price. I told him he won't be able to wear the helmet at the party, but will be wearing it at home to trick or treat on Halloween night. He's 4 and is excited to wear the hat with his costume.

Thank you, the hat is a great idea!

 

[mommy2mrb]

Can't believe it...I just booked Mystical Spirits at Blue Bayou on 10/2!!!

Going to surprise my DD with this! It is pretty cool as this trip is to celebrate my birthday and my late husbands birthday and what would of been our 18th wedding anniversary. My DH LOVED New Orleans so I know he would of had a kick out of doing this!

Even with taking time out of the party, feel that it will be worth the $$$ dinner's not cheap there, getting time with the characters, the lithograph and seating for HW makes it easy to pay the $$$!

 

[haileymarie92]

Can't believe it...I just booked Mystical Spirits at Blue Bayou on 10/2!!!

Fiancé and I will also be there on 10/2!!

 

[mommy2mrb]

Fiancé and I will also be there on 10/2!!

Fun! see you there!

 

[keishashadow]

While there is no way to know for certain until the first party, I expect there will be actual seats (benches or folding chairs) located in the north spoke of the hub.
Even when part of a VIP Tour, Disney uses the description "Priority/Preferred/Reserved Viewing" rather than "seating". WOC tends to be standing, but other viewing areas (PTN, F!, Fireworks) usually have chairs.

seats would be a definite bonus for us

You should still be able to get a spot up front.
The BB seating (and I assume it will be seated) is likely to be in the usual VIP seating at the north spoke of the hub (the walkway leading up to the partners statue).

thanks for the description, now I need to look @ map to try & figure it out

Someone mentioned characters mingling at dinner. Does it actually say that? All I know is if they take some of the best villains offline to be part of this dinner, I'm not going to be very happy about that. I was looking forward to meeting Dr. Facilier this year, and I think it's now a foregone conclusion he'll be gone from the regular party. But if they remove others, I'm going to be very unhappy.

They are absolutely not above doing that, because that's exactly what they did last year at the Villains Soiree at MNSSHP.

Of course, it would help immensely to know for sure if that's the case. I might begrudgingly go ahead and book this to save our Halloween experience, but of course by the time we know for sure what they are doing, it will all be sold out.

yes, and it was well worth it but far less expensive pp since not a full meal. After I informed DH how much he shelled out for it, shocked me by saying he doubts he'll forget the experience. I understand what you are saying re removal of characters from the standard event but the parks have always had some sort of VIP event offerend to enhance one's experience.

Even thought the gratuity is included is the DL offering, it's still going to take some doing to work it into our trip budget. I'll just scale back somewhere else that trip, as always. Thrilled at least the CS meals @ DL are amazing in quality vs majority of lame offering @ WDW. Other than BB now all CS for us...where there's a will, there's a way kwim?

btw, @ WDW's event, you were asked to remain seated until the characters came to you, then you could get a picture. we never felt rushed, there were tons of different characters, many face who would interact with to your heart's content.

While I'm thinking about it, have a question re these shirts. they are our 'go-to' MNSSHP costume when it's ridiculously humid in Orlando vs the hot pirate garb. Nice and cool, but not sure if they would pass the DL smell test re 'violent'.

 

[Metalliman98]

Here is a great review/article about the Happiest Haunts Tour from last year - http://www.laughingplace.com/w/articles/2014/09/18/happiest-haunts-disneyland-tour-review/. It will tell you exactly what happened and what the perks were. I don't know if anything will change this year, but we'll find out soon.

Just booked the tour for 10/5. CM mentioned going over to DCA and back to Disney, and mention ToT, HMH, and Matterhorn (?) as tour rides, though subject to change. Surprised that SM:GG wasn't included, though maybe she just didn't mention it.

Edit: Forgot to mention she said the step off times for the tour were 4 and 4:15, which I suspect will be the step offs for most dates with MHP.

 

[Self-Rescuing Princess]

What characters are they saying may be at the BB?

 

[HopLow1968]

I have no problem with VIP type experiences. I don't even have a problem with "paid event within a paid event", but I do have a problem with selling a paid event, then adding a paid event within that event and stripping things from the first event to give to the second event. I have a problem with that because people have already paid money for the first event.
After paying $600 for our tickets, I was presented with the fact that there will be 3 MHP parties out of the 5 days we'll be there. So either leave the park early (despite paying $600) for the majority of days we will be there, or shell out more money. Ok, I did - I spent $300 to get us MHP tickets for two nights.
And now we can expect to lose an unknown number of villains as well as the good spots for the fireworks, or shell out another $300.

I don't mind paying extra for extra things. I do mind paying extra to avoid having what I've already paid for taken away.
The dinner sounds fun, the extra entertainment (villains and such) sound really fun, and the reserved fireworks seating sounds really really fun (especially if there is a paint the night viewing as well).
But I can't justify the price, as well as the huge loss of time at the party. Looks like they're also saying that its advance payment. So to reserve it is to pay for it - so I'd need to come up with $300 today. Sadly, I'll skip.

 

[Priory]

What characters are they saying may be at the BB?

All they've promised explicitly is Facilier. Also Cadaver Dans and some Pirates (more entertainment than characters, really). There
May be more. I don't think it's a full blown villain fest like WDW.

 

[pudinhd]

We have already decided we are not doing the BB event add-on. I don't mind missing Dr. Facilier, but I am now wondering if the Cadaver Dans will be floating along the Rivers of America. I also wish DLR would provide really rare characters during MHP. You can see Cruella, Captain Hook, Evil Queen during the day if you are in the right spot at the right time. I would rather see Oogie Boogie, Shan Yu, Gaston, Mother Gothel, Ursula, Syndrome, Lotso... I made myself stop the list and decided not to start on rare non-villain characters. They keep raising the prices and I don't think it would be that hard to let us meet special characters when spending a lot of money for a short party.

 

[Comicbookmommy]

Anyone know how to book infants for the BB Halloween package? When I go online to book (including my infant) it tries to charge me adult price for him. So I called the Disney Dining site and she said she didn't know what to do, but to go ahead and book for FOUR and call a special number about what to do about my infant. I'm worried they won't allow us in if there's a capacity issue and my baby would count towards that (as you know it'll be booked solid). But I most definitely am not paying 150 for an infant. I'm already upset I need to pay 150 for my 5 year old who only eats bread at restaurants like this.

 

[Avery's mom]

Anyone know how to book infants for the BB Halloween package? When I go online to book (including my infant) it tries to charge me adult price for him. So I called the Disney Dining site and she said she didn't know what to do, but to go ahead and book for FOUR and call a special number about what to do about my infant. I'm worried they won't allow us in if there's a capacity issue and my baby would count towards that (as you know it'll be booked solid). But I most definitely am not paying 150 for an infant. I'm already upset I need to pay 150 for my 5 year old who only eats bread at restaurants like this.

We also booked for 4, plus we have a 22 month old - who I did NOT pay for (we have 5 total). There is no reason to pay for your infant, even though it is capacity controlled. All they need to know is that an under-3 is attending. When the CM calls you to get your main entree orders, mention again that you have an infant as well. In fact, I would even send an email to Disney Dining so you have a paper trail that you did inform people that you have an infant. That is what I am planning on doing - so I hope that it works for both of us!

 

[stephanie22]

We have already decided we are not doing the BB event add-on. I don't mind missing Dr. Facilier, but I am now wondering if the Cadaver Dans will be floating along the Rivers of America. I also wish DLR would provide really rare characters during MHP. You can see Cruella, Captain Hook, Evil Queen during the day if you are in the right spot at the right time. I would rather see Oogie Boogie, Shan Yu, Gaston, Mother Gothel, Ursula, Syndrome, Lotso... I made myself stop the list and decided not to start on rare non-villain characters. They keep raising the prices and I don't think it would be that hard to let us meet special characters when spending a lot of money for a short party.

I agree with you 100% I'd live to see any of the characters you've mentioned, except for lotso.

 

[mummabear]

have no problem with VIP type experiences. I don't even have a problem with "paid event within a paid event", but I do have a problem with selling a paid event, then adding a paid event within that event and stripping things from the first event to give to the second event.

This

I don't mind paying extra for extra things. I do mind paying extra to avoid having what I've already paid for taken away.

Exactly, in fact I am now emailing DLR, this is the straw in them already removing so much from Halloween time.

All they've promised explicitly is Facilier. Also Cadaver Dans and some Pirates (more entertainment than characters, really). There
May be more. I don't think it's a full blown villain fest like WDW.

And "Friends from the other side" whatever that means but I interpret it to be other characters.

 

[Speechphi]

I'm hoping that the BB experience will be similar to a character meal: you can stand in line to meet characters in the park, if you find them, or you can pay to have them come directly to your table. And considering it's a 3 hour event at BB, you would be missing out on character time in the parks. So it would make sense to have other villains. But like a character meal, their appearance at BB doesn't necessarily mean they're not in the park. At least that's what I hope happens!

Heck, they're marketing MHP with having photo ops with villains. And they better not mean Capt Hook & Cruella only! You can meet Capt Hook easily on any day, Cruella is out quite often, and so is Evil Queen (even though we haven't met her yet).

If it weren't for the fact that there are 5 of us (so BB + MPH is over $1000 for ONE evening!), and we're going back at Christmas I might be able to justify it. Although, with the attitude ds has been showing lately...maybe I'll just take the 2 dd's next year & leave the boys at home

 

[mummabear]

Yay BTRBBQ is open until 4:30 for lunch on the 29th

I'm hoping that the BB experience will be similar to a character meal: you can stand in line to meet characters in the park, if you find them, or you can pay to have them come directly to your table. And considering it's a 3 hour event at BB, you would be missing out on character time in the park

Chances are that if they have them tied up for 3 hours at BB they wont be available at the party. No one who was part of the Villians soriee at MNSSHP last year was available otherwise (even the characters who had been previously announced that they would be meeting with their Princesses)

 

[Sith]

I have no problem with VIP type experiences. I don't even have a problem with "paid event within a paid event", but I do have a problem with selling a paid event, then adding a paid event within that event and stripping things from the first event to give to the second event. I have a problem with that because people have already paid money for the first event.

I agree with this completely, even though I did give in to temptation and make reservations. I'm weak...

And considering it's a 3 hour event at BB, you would be missing out on character time in the parks.

I did consider this before making reservations. But, it's not as if we'll be stuck inside the BB for 3 hours missing the party. The event is only 2:45 from the time they begin seating until the end of the fireworks. We had planned on camping out in front of the castle to get hopefully a front row viewing. That right there would have cost us 2 hours of party time. I would rather spend that time at an awesome dinner/show/who knows, while my hopefully awesome seat is being saved for me.
It's still expensive, though...

Here is an itinerary from the DLR website:
Guest check-in on the day of event starts at 4:00 PM at Blue Bayou Restaurant. Guest seating begins at 7:00 PM, and dinner is served at 7:30 PM. Guests will be escorted to the reserved fireworks viewing area at 9:00 PM, and Halloween Screams Fireworks will take place at 9:25 PM. The premium experience ends at 9:45 PM. Guests are then free to explore the rest of Mickey’s Halloween Party.

but I am now wondering if the Cadaver Dans will be floating along the Rivers of America.

I am doing the BB event, but I still hope to see them on the RoA. The Cadaver Dans singing Halloween songs on the foggy water is one of things that sold me on the MHP in the first place.

The first MHP is 23 days away. A lot of people purchased their non-refundable tickets just over 6 weeks ago. Yet, there still seems to be a lot of mystery about what we'll actually get. DLR needs to figure out what they will/ won't have, and let people know. Making changes this late in the game, especially ones that can take away from the experience we thought we paid for, is not cool.