HalloweenTime at DLR Superthread #4

[Gypsybear]

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....

 

[2tinkerbell]

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.

 

[pattyduke34]

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!

 

[zanzibar138]

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

 

[yeheyprincex2]

At this time of year in 2013, the former Halloween Superthread was pretty hoppin' as we were all waiting for dates and info to trickle out, and lots of Halloween newcomers were abuzz with questions and excitement to help plan for their trips. I don't mean that everyone was popping in and asking me questions only. I mean that everyone was chatting and interacting, asking and answering questions! (The previous Halloween Superthreads have had 300,000+ and 200,000+ views!)

Eventually we segued into some awesome discussions (to keep our Halloween-ish mood going in between bits of news from DLR!) about weird, unexplainable events that we had experienced -- and some were quite chilling -- as well as the fun Halloween-themed TV specials and creepy old TV shows or TV movies we liked to watch (Twilight Zone, Thriller, Night Gallery, Trilogy of Terror, etc.). Does anyone who participated last year remember that? DIS'ers Lucrezia and seobaina had some great stories!

This year -- and it must be because I let the former Superthread get quiet for a while, and it lost its steam and momentum -- I know there are lots and lots of new people heading to DLR for their first Halloween Time/October/September visits...and yet, this thread is fairly silent. I think that everyone is pretty much off in other threads or elsewhere, asking and answering questions and excitedly discussing plans.

I was told by one of my Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread followers in 2013 that, on the WDW side of the board, the threads that are dedicated to certain single months basically take on the role of temporary Superthreads (because there are no actual year-round, ongoing Superthreads dedicated to one topic over there), and those month-specific threads are where all of the discussion takes place. So it was confusing at first when she realized that the December Check-In thread on the DLR side of the board was just the place to announce trip dates and hotels, and that the Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread was where all the action was happening! It's a bit different on the DLR side of town.

I guess that a lot of the WDW Halloween Time first-timers this year are maybe in that same boat -- they are accustomed to the "month threads" on the WDW side of the board and that's where they are comfortable on this DLR section of the board. I can understand that. I'd probably do the exact same thing if I ventured over to the WDW side of the board, which would be unfamiliar territory for me! I suppose I just wonder if it was necessary for me to start a new Superthread, with a new first-page layout and all of that. It may not have been a big deal to just stick with the old thread.

Well, it's not time for a mini-Theme Week Countdown yet (that probably wouldn't start until late July/early August, as I am trying to time it to begin within the same week -- if not on the same day -- as when I start the massive 3 1/2-month Countdown/gift card giveaway in the Christmas/Holiday Superthread, because its easier for me to keep track of the Countdowns and remember them that way), so hopefully we will have more people joining in by then!

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 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.

 

[tksbaskets]

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??

 

[figment_jii]

I'm new to this Backstage Pass Newsletter as an AP holder. How often does it get published and sent??

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/

 

[SusanMatt]

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.

 

[zanzibar138]

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.

I can't wait! It's one of the things I'm most excited about on this trip (and there's a lot to be excited about)

 

[mikana876]

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.

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.

 

[Cheshirecatty]

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.

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.

 

[mikana876]

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.

Glad to hear it!! I hope I feel the same way

 

[figment_jii]

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.

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.

 

[mummabear]

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.

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.

 

[yeheyprincex2]

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.

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.

 

[Cheshirecatty]

Glad to hear it!! I hope I feel the same way

I hope you do too!

Just go in with an open mind, and enjoy it for what it is.

I think you'll find some elements of it are so fun!

 

[cinderbellasmom]

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.

 

[laura&fam]

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.

 

[Vala]

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.

 

[sgrap]

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!

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!