HalloweenTime at DLR Superthread #4
- Thread starter Sherry E
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Comicbookmommy
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Sherry E
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I guess it depends on who you are and where you are. I live almost 40 miles away from DLR. To people who don't live in this area -- or people who are driving long distances on road trips! -- it sounds like I'm really close. But DLR is in another county. If I were to get on buses and go down to DLR and come home, it would take about 3 hours each way! It's not exactly right next door. And it only takes 45 minutes (by car) when traveling at a time with no traffic, which can be tricky in SoCal. No one that I personally know -- meaning my personal friends -- would want to drive almost 40 miles and 45+ minutes at the end of a long, tiring day at DLR. They may do it if they have to, but they don't want to. It was exhausting to drive home even when we were younger and doing day trips to DL. It was hard to stay awake in the car, and keep each other awake. Now that we're all older, we get tired even sooner. So, in that context, from the perspective of someone who is sort of local but not really local, 45 minutes/almost 40 miles is just far enough away to make it a pain to come back home at the end of the night. It is much easier to stay in a hotel. I can't always stay in a hotel, of course, so sometimes the day trips are necessary -- but it is a pain, because at the end of a long day that 45 minutes can seem like 2 hours!
Let us know if your travel agent provides any insight. I don't know if all travel agents get wind of seasonal dates/special event dates in advance, but some of them do.
I don't put much stock in what the telephone CMs at DLR say, which is why I am not fully banking on the "8/28" Haunted Mansion closure that the MiceChat person was told this past week, but I am curious to find out what a totally different CM would say if I called. I don't even want to mention to the CM that 8/28 was mentioned by anyone. I don't want to mention any date. I just want to ask "When is Haunted Mansion closing for the holiday overlay" and see what kind of answer is given. I wonder if a second telephone CM would also give the 8/28 date, or if they would now say 8/24.
I've always said that I am pretty sure that someone at Team Disney Anaheim has had the dates for the rest of the year figured out since January or February -- especially this year, when so much of the focus is on the Diamond Celebration events, requiring the post-summer schedules to be mapped out to accommodate Paint the Night and Disneyland Forever on or around party nights.
It's frustrating even for those of us who are 'sort of' locals to not have party dates. Money is not a free-flowing thing for me. So, I have to be choosy about which MHP date I attend, and I need to know in advance how much $$ to come up with for tickets. I can't just buy tickets for multiple nights. I had been planning on trying to do the Halloween night party because it's a weekend and I'd like to actually attend a party on Halloween night for once. But that is also always the most expensive night (no discounts), and I don't know how much this year's tickets will cost. Also -- especially if anything new or different is happening with the party -- being there on opening night may be necessary. Being a mod here, while also manning this Halloween Time thread and potentially sitting in on podcasts and what not, it's good to stay informed and up to date about what's happening, so that I can explain about it here -- and that could require being there on the first night of MHP. But, what will the prices be? Will I be able to afford two parties?
Also, because I am supposed to have jury duty in what I think will be the opening week of Halloween Time, I want to know the official start date of the Halloween Time season so I can plan. if opening day ended up being 9/11, then I could head to DLR for the start of Halloween Time and it wouldn't interfere or clash with jury duty. However, if Halloween Time is starting on some odd day like a Tuesday or Wednesday of the following week (9/15 or 9/16), I will know that it will conflict with jury duty and I will have to determine when or if I can get to DLR, or try to postpone jury duty, or whatever.
Having the dates of the season and the party would be beneficial to everyone, for a variety of reasons -- but certainly for the people who have to travel really long distances, book flights and hotels, save money, etc.!
Interesting. I typed it in and got the same thing you got. I was wondering how in the heck they came up with the 8/24 closure date, but now I see.
I have to say, though, that I would not rely on the DLR website this far out. I have seen things change on that site over the weeks (like when I have been monitoring it for holiday season event schedules) -- even well inside the 6 week time frame. One time the website showed no Winter Castle Enchantment Lighting on certain nights...even though the Enchantment Lighting was happening every single night of the season. It was a mistake, or an oversight, but people saw it and were convinced that the Lighting would not be happening for most of their trips. There have also been times when it looked as if It's a Small World Holiday was not happening on certain days/nights, even though it was open every day and night.
And then, of course, there is the mysterious "8/28" closure date for HM that the telephone CM at DLR gave to the other person in that same MiceChat thread.
So, I don't know. All I have to say is, it's a good thing that we will probably be finding out the official dates pretty soon (though not soon enough), because I really don't trust the DLR website! Lol.
I do wonder what the hold up is with Universal and Knott's. I know that Knott's had a setback when one of their regular Halloween Haunt actors passed away, but they should certainly be announcing something by now. The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride person said on their Facebook page that their theme (and hopefully dates) will be announced tomorrow (Mon., 7/13).
What a fun week of Halloween activities you will have (once all the details get squared away)!
I'm certain that someone in the planning offices of Team Disney Anaheim knows and has the schedule. I just don't know when they actually release it to the Parks Blog and other media, or what their reasoning is for holding back on the details if, indeed, the party is happening this year (which I'm sure it is).
I forgot to mention in my reply above -- in that same MiceChat thread, there is one MiceChatter who keeps saying things like "Since the Halloween season starts on September 11th..." and "I'm sure the Haunted Mansion will shut down on the 24th to open up as Haunted Mansion Holiday on September 11th, the day Halloween season begins." Either no one is catching that he/she keeps claiming that the Halloween season begins on 9/11, or they don't care -- but no one is questioning it! I am waiting for someone to say "Where did you read that the Halloween season is starting on September 11th, when Disney has not posted any dates or announced anything? A 9/11 start would be breaking the tradition of when Halloween Time usually starts (second Friday after Labor Day)!"
Why is no one asking that person where the information came from? Just because some things are going to be available for delivery from Floral & Gifts as of 9/11, it doesn't necessarily mean that the season is officially starting then. I want to know how he/she knows!
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I noticed that as well, when I was searching MiceChat for halloween info. That same person was originally guessing the 11th, saying things like "I'm thinking ..." and "I'm betting ..." with the reasoning of it being the second week in September, rather than the second Friday after Labor Day. Then their posts just sort of stopped mentioning the guessing part
I'm not putting my money on anything until Disney announces it
bigb83
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The last time Labor Day was on the 7th in 2009 it started on the 25th...the third Friday after labor day. I too tried entering the dates of the HM ride closure and got the same thing...Aug 24th til Sept 11th...the deliveries starting on the 11th too...not saying it's a sure thing but signs are pointing that way
2010 brought about a lot of changes - the party was moved from DCA to DL, the decorations at DCA went away, and the party was renamed to "Mickey's Halloween Party."
Every year since 2010 the Halloween Time schedule has been exactly the same: HM closes the Monday before Labor Day, Space Mountain closes the Monday after Labor Day, both open on the start of Halloween Time which is the 2nd Friday after Labor Day, and MHP starts exactly 2 weeks after Halloween Time begins.
Who knows, maybe they're changing it up again this year and for the years to come. But the last 5 years have followed that schedule.
I too see it on the official calendar now. It's interesting . . . Sunday the 23rd and the 24th have no schedule information for either day - everything says "Schedule Unavailable." It's as if they posted these days for the sole purpose of showing that HM is closing on the 24th.
Metalliman98
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With the delay in announcing the dates, and the apparent late closure of HM......maybe Halloween time is going to be shorter this year because of the 60th? Like. maybe only during October, with fewer (and later) MHP dates? If they're really trying to maximize the 60th stuff that makes sense.
JessieD
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This is what I've been thinking
Sherry E
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I noticed that as well, when I was searching MiceChat for halloween info. That same person was originally guessing the 11th, saying things like "I'm thinking ..." and "I'm betting ..." with the reasoning of it being the second week in September, rather than the second Friday after Labor Day. Then their posts just sort of stopped mentioning the guessing part
I'm not putting my money on anything until Disney announces it
I agree. I know that -- especially at a time when information is at a minimum, and people want to grab on to any kind of solid date -- if a CM on the phone says something, people can be too quick to buy what that CM said, even though the phone CMs know less than we do! And the same goes for the DLR website and calendar -- something appears and it's too easy for people to say, "Okay, that's what's happening!" But I am being cautious and even skeptical at this early stage, because I have seen with my own eyes how things change on the calendar even inside of a 6-week timeline.
Now, if today were August 17th and the calendar was showing HM down for refurb on August 24th, obviously I would believe it. But it's only July 13th -- and while we are technically at the 6-week point for details to be showing up for August 24th, it's still far enough away that something could suddenly change.
Let us not forget that just a few days ago, the DLR website said for MHP, "September 2014 to October 2015"... which made no sense. So it's not as if incorrect info never appears on the DLR website.
Also, I should point out that one of the Parks Blog writers -- not Erin, but a different one (Pam) -- reported last year that Haunted Mansion Holiday would stay open until January 6th of this year... when, in actuality, it closed several days after that (it was down as of 1/12, if I recall correctly). So they can and will sometimes give out incorrect info.
But I really think a few of us should call DLR and ask "When is the Haunted Mansion closing for the holiday overlay" and see what each one of us is told. I want to see if other phone CMs are telling people the "August 28th" date that the MiceChatter was told last week, or if now they are all saying 8/24.
As BobearQSI said, a lot changed in 2010, and the schedule has remained consistent for the last 5 Halloween Time seasons. It could very well be that this year will start a new pattern of beginning Halloween Time earlier than usual (meaning one week ahead of when it would normally start) because the late Labor Day is throwing things off-kilter! If they are adding in extra party nights this year, then I can see a need to start Halloween Time earlier than usual.
It's hard to say what will happen. I've always thought that, given the popularity of the season, a 9/18 start date sounded too late. And, in my mind, 9/11 still seems too early -- it's even earlier than when WDW's Halloween festivities begin, which never happens! So, I don't know. My guess was always that the official start date would fall on a day somewhere in between 9/11 and 9/18, but that some things might soft open a couple of days early, like what happens for the holiday season. Also, Haunted Mansion Holiday stayed open a little bit longer into this past January, shutting down for overlay removal later than usual -- which made me wonder at that time if HMH would be opening a little bit later than expected this Halloween Time season.
As for the Floral & Gift deliveries on 9/11... that doesn't mean much more than the fact that DLR is transitioning from one season to another and the gift baskets, etc., reflect that transition. And some of their holiday season/Christmas items are going to be available for delivery on October 30th, but we know for a fact that the holiday season is not starting on 10/30 -- and probably will not start for at least 12 days after that. It's just that they are beginning the transition from Halloween Time to the Holidays at that point.
It is weird. I don't know how the DLR system works, but it could be that with each passing year it automatically defaults to a certain date until someone changes it. I see that happen here -- or, rather, on our sister site, wdwinfo. Sometimes it will just default to a certain date -- in fact, wdwinfo has been set at 9/11 for a Halloween Time start date for months and months, even though no one actually knows the start date. Last year Halloween Time began on 9/12, so it's like the wdwinfo system just reset itself to the date that it thought was most likely! It's possible that, because last year HM closed on 8/25, the DLR system is automatically defaulting to 8/24 on its own, and will need to be manually changed if 8/24 is not the date. Again, though, I have no idea how it works -- I just know that that kind of thing can happen.
Well, if HM closes on 8/24 for the overlay installation, Halloween Time could start on 9/11 or within a few days after that date. I think that, if anything, more party nights would be added in -- but they might start closer to when Halloween Time starts, instead of the usual 2-week delay between the season start date and the party start date.
Initially I thought that Halloween Time could start later than usual this year because Haunted Mansion Holiday stayed open a bit longer this past January, and because the focus of the 60th anniversary seems to be on the nighttime entertainment -- entertainment which is also going to still be going strong during the holiday season in Nov-Dec. Having at least 14 party nights -- and probably more -- would interrupt the schedule of the new nighttime events on at least several nights.
So, I am out of guesses at this point!
I've applied logic, reason and historical patterns to my guesses and analyses, and at this rate I think that Disney will end up doing whatever I think they're NOT going to do. I think they will do the opposite of what I expect, just to annoy me! I just hope that we get an answer to this mystery this week!
asianway
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Must be shaking off the SDCC jetlag. Nothing about July 17 either, yet Andy Castro just posted a pretty complete list of happenings on his blog.
Oswald23
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I think it´s becoming more likely that there is something going on with the parties. Worst case no parties at all. Maybe Halloween lay over but no parties and the same evening entertainment every night. Unlike WDW there is no real tradition with parties in CA. I hope I´m wrong but I´m thinking this could be possible.
Sherry E
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I think there will be parties and there will be Halloween Time -- it would be pretty misleading for Disney to have left references to Halloween Time and Mickey's Halloween Party up on the DLR website this whole year if they were not planning on offering those things in some way (whereas they took down the reference to Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks, as that is not happening this year). The Halloween party has been happening yearly since 2005, in one park or another, so it's pretty much a tradition at this point. The 60th may be a big deal to a lot of people, but some folks will just go there wanting to celebrate Halloween and the Holiday season. So there will have to be something in the parks for those people.
Sherry E
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Well, I never fully trust anything 100% with Disney, as told by CMs, Parks Blog writers or as posted on the actual DLR website!!
As I always say, never say never with Disney. Just when we think they're going to turn right, they veer left. Just when we think they're going to do one thing, they may switch it up and do another. I think that money will ultimately be the driving force, and there is too much money to be made on Mickey's Halloween Party, especially if they add in more nights. It's too big of a hit for them to not have it this year. I just don't know how they will strike the balance between the 60th anniversary nighttime entertainment and the Halloween parties, short of moving MHP back to DCA -- which doesn't seem likely at this point (unless Disney has been planning a top secret return to DCA for the party, and it has miraculously not leaked out to the rumor mills).
I have to admit that when I first saw the subject of her blog, I was thinking, "What about the Magic of Disney Parks Storytelling: Haunted Mansion Holiday?"
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Oswald23
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Well, I never fully trust anything 100% with Disney, as told by CMs, Parks Blog writers or as posted on the actual DLR website!!
That being said. The thing that triggers me is that they avoid all the guests (Most likely from this forum
) questions about Halloween, even delete them. That's so crazy in my humble opinion.
Minnie Loves Mickey
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Disney makes a lot of money from these parties, I doubt they will not have them.
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