HalloweenTime at DLR Superthread #4

[Vala]

Um...no...I said "they keep the page" in reference to 2tinkerbell question about the print at home tickets. I suppose if you bought the ticket at the ticket gates and were already issued one of the credit card sized tickets, that you probably got to keep, but it's just a regular park ticket (so nothing Halloween(ish) about it).

Sorry, our heat wave is getting to me. I could have sworn there was a "didn't" in your post.

 

[figment_jii]

Sorry, our heat wave is getting to me. I could have sworn there was a "didn't" in your post.

No worries! I've done things like that before (used the wrong word and it completely changed the meaning of the post!). I wish the hard tickets had something Halloween on them, but alas, they were the usual tyvek ticket (I think I ended up with Snow White, one of the Cars, and Donald or something like that last year).

 

[2tinkerbell]

Thanks for the information. I was hoping they were a Halloween designed tyvek type ticket that you exchanged your email for at the Ticket Booth and they scanned as you enter Disneyland.

I had to talk to Disney Travel about another issue and I got some other information. I can call on July 30th and have the tickets added to our package, which is being delivered to the hotel. So, I have a couple of options: e-ticket or adding it to our package.

 

[whjensen]

My growing teenage boy has been excited about the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ. I seem to remember this shifts over for Halloween. Am I completely wrong and it keeps serving the bbq fare?

 

[zanzibar138]

My growing teenage boy has been excited about the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ. I seem to remember this shifts over for Halloween. Am I completely wrong and it keeps serving the bbq fare?

The restaurant remains the same. I believe it is the area where the petting zoo is etc that gets a Halloween makeover (please excuse me if this is not a good description - I've never actually been to this area of the park ).

 

[figment_jii]

Thanks for the information. I was hoping they were a Halloween designed tyvek type ticket that you exchanged your email for at the Ticket Booth and they scanned as you enter Disneyland.

I had to talk to Disney Travel about another issue and I got some other information. I can call on July 30th and have the tickets added to our package, which is being delivered to the hotel. So, I have a couple of options: e-ticket or adding it to our package.

Unless there is a pressing reason to add it to the package, I would probably just opt to order the tickets and go the eTicket route. For some, they like having everything together, but I like having the tickets (okay, granted it's a paper copy) in my hand! One less thing to have to worry about if sometime goes wonky with the package.

My growing teenage boy has been excited about the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ. I seem to remember this shifts over for Halloween. Am I completely wrong and it keeps serving the bbq fare?

Big Thunder Ranch BBQ serves the same food regardless of the season. Some of the decorations on the stage and the small show change for the season. I believe the colors are more autumn-based during Halloween and I remember hearing one of the singers sing Ghost Riders in the Sky during HalloweenTime.

The Petting Zoo also gets some Halloween theme, especially the little cottage/house across from the goats (near where Woody/Jessie usually meets). The Jamboree is actually in the area just past the petting zoo area. That's where Conjurer a Villain and the other Halloween Carnival activities were located last year.

 

[2tinkerbell]

Unless there is a pressing reason to add it to the package, I would probably just opt to order the tickets and go the eTicket route. For some, they like having everything together, but I like having the tickets (okay, granted it's a paper copy) in my hand! One less thing to have to worry about if sometime goes wonky with the package.

Thanks for the advise. I think I am going to go the e-ticket route. I worry too much and like to have it in hand. Also, I can print it out and give to my DD as part of her itinery folder that she is getting on the way to the airport.

 

[figment_jii]

Thanks for the advise. I think I am going to go the e-ticket route. I worry too much and like to have it in hand. Also, I can print it out and give to my DD as part of her itinery folder that she is getting on the way to the airport.

How old is your DD? I ask because I would consider giving her a copy of the ticket (maybe with the bar code crossed out or something to render it void) and then keep all of the tickets together in one place. I always worry that if things are in multiple places, I might forget about them.

 

[zanzibar138]

Thanks for the advise. I think I am going to go the e-ticket route.

I just had to comment about how the meaning of E-ticket has changed since the early days of DL

 

[figment_jii]

Oh...the 2014 Halloween Vinylmation has been announced!
http://disneyparksmerchandise.com/vinylmation/vinylmation-halloween-2014-grave-digger-eachez/

 

[2tinkerbell]

My DD will be 28 on October 1st. She is neurologically compromised, but, she is a rule follower and a keeper. She does much better at keeping track of things when we travel than I do. She is also better with maps and directions. I will give her the folder of our boarding passes, email confirmations, e-tickets, photopass + voucher, and budget sheets along with the tip envelopes and her own daily $ envelopes. She will have it all figured out and arranged appropriately by the time we get to the airport. In fact, it is known that I follow behind and let her do everything. I am just "Mom, wallet." When we are at restaurants, she computes the tip and adds the bill and I just sign.

The budget sheets are how much I have budgeted a day for food and snacks. I purchase 2 meals a day along with 1 snack within my budget (which I take into account Character meals, etc.) I also purchase all the water you want/need. This works very well for us when we travel. She will keep track of the expenditures for the day. I also give my DD $20 a day for whatever she wants above what I purchase. She keeps track of her expenditures.

On the plane she will figure out what attractions she will want to go on and have a schedule written out of when she is to be at Surf's Up, MHP, etc. She will have figured out where she most likely wants to eat outside the ADR's that I've made.

She will be super excited about MHP. I have printed out the post that has the 30 questions and the answers so she can read up about it.

 

[figment_jii]

My DD will be 28 on October 1st. She is neurologically compromised, but, she is a rule follower and a keeper.

Sounds like you have a good plan in place! I couldn't tell if 'DD' was an older child/adult or a small child, so I thought it would be worth mentioning.

 

[laura&fam]

The Petting Zoo also gets some Halloween theme, especially the little cottage/house across from the goats (near where Woody/Jessie usually meets).

When are Woody/Jessie typically there? Since we'll be dressing up as Toy Story characters it would be fun to get a photo with them. If we head over as soon as we enter the park 3 hours before the party do you think we'd have a good chance of seeing them? My family, DS in particular, isn't big on the character meets so I don't have much experience with them.

 

[ashleysev]

I am sick of summer and am looking forward to fall and to Halloween Time!!

ME TOO!

This summer has been awful and I'm ready for it to be over.

 

[figment_jii]

When are Woody/Jessie typically there? Since we'll be dressing up as Toy Story characters it would be fun to get a photo with them. If we head over as soon as we enter the park 3 hours before the party do you think we'd have a good chance of seeing them? My family, DS in particular, isn't big on the character meets so I don't have much experience with them.

I honestly don't know...they're not among the meet and greets that are listed on the Times Guide (from what I remember). I know I've seen them (not usually together), but I don't remember specifically when or how often.

 

[Sherry E]

Update to my post from last week:

On ticket opening day, I bought 8 tickets with my Disney Visa. I was able to get the visa discount of $56 (or whatever it was). I bought my remaining 4 tickets today (before general tickets are released)--I was able to buy them with no issue, my price was the pre-buy price of $63.

So you can buy more that 8 tickets before the general tickets are released, but you can only get the special price for 8 of them. And you can only buy 8 a day, so you have to wait til the next day to buy more.

If anyone was wondering or cared

Swtonscrappn --

Thank you for reporting back about this. I appreciate it! While I knew about the 8-ticket limit, I wasn't sure if it actually meant that no more than 8 tickets could be purchased at a discount in a single transaction (but maybe another purchase on another day would yield the same discounts), or if it meant that no more than 8 tickets would be discounted, period!

It's good to have clarification on exactly how it works!

It depends on what you plan to order...the Monte Cristo is pretty similar, but I think the rest of the venue is different enough that you could enjoy eating at both. Otherwise, maybe a late lunch or early dinner at Carnations? They're pretty good and very different from BB and CO. You could go big and eat at Big Thunder Ranch BBQ (if they're open); that should keep you pretty full until well into the party!

Otherwise, I like the idea of a late breakfast, early dinner and then snacking during the party. There is always all of the candy from trick-or-treating (gotta make room on the bag to get more candy, right?) and the usual Disney snacks (pretzels, ice cream, popcorn, churros, sweets from the Candy Palace, etc.).

figment_jii --

Carnation Café is exactly where my friend and I ate before the TOTP (when it was still held in DCA). It worked out nicely, timing-wise, though CC was very busy.

Going to a Downtown Disney eatery (Earl of Sandwich?) or even a restaurant at one of the hotels (like Storytellers or PCH Grill) before the party might not be a bad idea.

Thanks! It looks like I will be choosing the e-ticket option.

When you print out your tickets, are they designed so that I can scrapbook them later? Do they keep them when you enter the park?

Okay - I've got to stop. I think I am beginning to over plan.

2tinkerbell --

I wish the MHP tickets (the actual small, rectangular versions) were Halloween-ized! It seems to me that, even though I had an e-ticket the last time I went to the MHP, a CM at the gate gave me an actual ticket to hold on to after I handed over my e-ticket. That seems to happen for some people and not for others. But it was not anything fun and Halloween-ish, as figment_jii indicated -- at least not from what I can remember.

As I plan this trip things activities have been added/ taken off the itinerary.
so far I have: 3 day hopper passes with MHP for Sept 26

Sept 23 arrive, maybe half day at a park
Sept 24 Start day RD at Disneyland, late character breakfast, dinner at Cafe Orleans
Sept 25 Start day RD at DCA, WOC, lunch or dinner at Carthay Circle
Sept 26 MHP(thinking maybe a beach during the morning for a few hrs, or hotel pool)
Sept 27 leave for San Diego (maybe beach)
Sept 28 Legoland
Sept 29 beach day or half day at a park Dont know
Sept 30 Leave for home
Trying to get my DH to stay in Anaheim area since we are no longer going to San Diego zoo, but he loves San Diego
Trying to figure out how to best use the three day hoppers

yeheyprincex2 --

I think that if you do go to the beach on your MHP day, make sure to allow enough time to de-sand everyone and even to rest up if anyone is tired. I know that sometimes a few hours at a beach can be tiring, with all of that sun.

On 9/23 and 9/29 -- When you say maybe a half-day at a park, do you mean an actual park, or either Disneyland or California Adventure? If you have 3-day Hoppers, you'd only be able to use them on 3 days (not half a day here and half a day there), so I am guessing the dilemma is in which one of those days to use as a half-day.

I would keep 9/24 and 9/25 as Park Hopping days, of course. If you have time to get into one park or another on 9/23, then you might as well go with that...unless you want to park hop before the MHP, earlier that day (and you skip the beach).

But...if you go to the beach before the MHP, then you don't need to go to the beach on 9/29, so you could skip going into DL or DCA on 9/23 and use your third Hopper day for half a day on 9/29.

I'm sure I'm not helping at all. I'm just kind of sounding it out and repeating it so I understand what the choices are!

My growing teenage boy has been excited about the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ. I seem to remember this shifts over for Halloween. Am I completely wrong and it keeps serving the bbq fare?

whjensen --

As others have already said, the actual food at the BBQ does not change, with the exception of, perhaps, some fall-inspired desserts added to the menu (maybe a more autumnal version of their cobbler or something).

The Halloween Carnival is the current incarnation of what was formerly known as the Halloween Roundup (which is located adjacent to the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ). There is still a portion of it called the Halloween Roundup, but it basically flows into the Halloween Carnival and I tend to think of the whole area as one big hotbed of Halloween fun.

The Carnival includes various Halloween-themed crafts, games and treats, as well as character pumpkin carvers/artists and the Conjure a Villain tent (in which you can meet only one Villain at a time). Characters wearing Halloween-ish attire can be found at this location as well.

Last year, Pirates League could also be found at the Carnival. This year, I'm not sure if it will be there or not.

Also, Billy Hill and the Haunted Hillbillies used to perform at the Carnival, but I don't know who will be there this year.

If you stroll from the Carnival over to the petting zoo area, you will find cute animals in Halloween scarves and various "Pumpkin People," such as the "Roy Rogers and Dale Evans" pumpkin figures. You will also find the Scare-Dy-Crow Shack, which is basically not much more than a cabin to display more Pumpkin People and many Halloween-themed knick-knacks and pictures!

Read more about the Halloween Carnival -- Here.

See photos of the Carnival and Roundup -- Here and Here and Here.

The restaurant remains the same. I believe it is the area where the petting zoo is etc that gets a Halloween makeover (please excuse me if this is not a good description - I've never actually been to this area of the park ).

zanzibar138 --

Correct -- the food remains the same (with maybe a seasonal dessert or two added in place of the summer desserts).

There are some fall/Halloween decorations around the actual dining area too, but it all kind of blends in to the Carnival and the Roundup/petting zoo. Except for the tables at which people are sitting and eating, the whole area sort of looks like one big Halloween-themed festival, from the Carnival to the Roundup, to the petting zoo and the Scare-Dy-Crow Shack.

....Big Thunder Ranch BBQ serves the same food regardless of the season. Some of the decorations on the stage and the small show change for the season. I believe the colors are more autumn-based during Halloween and I remember hearing one of the singers sing Ghost Riders in the Sky during HalloweenTime.

The Petting Zoo also gets some Halloween theme, especially the little cottage/house across from the goats (near where Woody/Jessie usually meets). The Jamboree is actually in the area just past the petting zoo area. That's where Conjurer a Villain and the other Halloween Carnival activities were located last year.

figment_jii --

That's the Scare-Dy-Crow Shack -- that's where all of the retro Halloween pictures and pumpkin knick-knacks can be found, along with the Saloon Girl Pumpkin Person, the Card-Playing Pumpkin People and the Cowboy Pumpkin People.

I have only seen Woody and Jessie outside of the Shack, but my hunch is that the Shack is kept as is (a.k.a. empty, except for the décor) so that the characters can go inside and pose with guests if it should start raining. I think that's what happens with Santa too -- on days when there is rain or a threat of rain, Santa goes inside the Cabin to pose with people, but he sits outside on most other days.

....She will be super excited about MHP. I have printed out the post that has the 30 questions and the answers so she can read up about it.

2tinkerbell -

I hope the questions and answers are helpful and interesting to her!

ME TOO!

This summer has been awful and I'm ready for it to be over.

ashleysev --

Thank goodness I'm not the only one who feels this way! I know that so many people love summer, and I feel guilty when I say that I hate it and want it to go away (not that I can do anything to speed up its departure)!

I know that we haven't even seen the worst of our "summer heat" in SoCal yet -- it is still coming -- but I have been miserable with what we've already had, and I am ready for fall! Not that fall will be much cooler right away, but at least it is heading in the right direction and it means that Halloween is rapidly approaching!

I honestly don't know...they're not among the meet and greets that are listed on the Times Guide (from what I remember). I know I've seen them (not usually together), but I don't remember specifically when or how often.

figment_jii --

I don't remember specific times either. Woody seems to be there in the afternoon (at one point in time, that area was called Woody's Halloween Roundup -- pre-Carnival, etc.). Jessie seems to be hit or miss.

 

[figment_jii]

I don't remember specific times either. Woody seems to be there in the afternoon (at one point in time, that area was called Woody's Halloween Roundup -- pre-Carnival, etc.). Jessie seems to be hit or miss.

I should clarify that Woody/Jessie are not Halloween specific characters, even when the little house becomes the Scare-Dy-Crow Shack (I never knew it had a name!). They aren't in Halloween attire. I've seen them out in that area during the non-Halloween season, so I think their meet and greet is independent of the Jamboree area activity/overlay.

 

[Newsiemj]

Are there any good quiet spots during MHP that I can take my kiddo for a sensory break if he needs it? I have a few spots during regular hours, but I know things are different during the party.

 

[figment_jii]

Are there any good quiet spots during MHP that I can take my kiddo for a sensory break if he needs it? I have a few spots during regular hours, but I know things are different during the party.

I think most of the quieter spots during regular park hours are still going to be okay during MHP. There are some differences, due primarily to treat trails and/or dance parties, but you should be able to find some. If you tell us which specific locations you tend to go we can probably identify whether it'd still be similar or if it's markedly different during the party.

 

[Sherry E]

Newsiemj --

To answer the question you just posted in the October check-in thread, the schedule for October of 2013 can be found HERE (to give you an idea of what to expect this year). And remember, on MHP nights Disneyland will close earlier.

These are Dates/Days/Events to remember for Halloween Time/September/October at DLR.

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