HalloweenTime at DLR Superthread #4

[nikerbokers]

Bought our 10/29 party tix on Friday! We usually go on the 31st but finances prevented us from being able to purchase them before selling out. No matter to us, we will still have a wonderful Halloween week at DLR.

 

[Abbey1]

My local Costco just got these pumpkin pretzels in. They had them last year too and they are seriously so delicious! I'm starting to see Halloween things pop up everywhere now!

 

[unveilmyeyes]

I'm sure someone has kept track, but I've never really noticed an exact number being mentioned. Hopefully someone will let us know if they kept track. I know that a lot of the rides are walk-ons or almost walk-ons (because a lot of guests will be focused on the party-specific or Halloween-specific things). Other rides, such as Haunted Mansion Holiday and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, will still have lines (but lines that are probably better and a bit shorter than they would be in the daytime). Also, if you see a long line for POTC, don't let that deter you -- the line for POTC (even when it looks hideously long) moves pretty quickly, even in the daytime during non-party hours.

thanks for reply! really hoping to hit jungle cruise, POTC, and a couple of the mountains was just curious what else to expect. hopefully i'll get a chance to find out!

 

[gottalovepluto]

I tried searching the thread but didn't see this (I'm always challenged on mobile sites lol), sorry if someone already posted it... According to the Disney Visa Rewards Fall 2015 issue there will be some sort of Halloween carnival. As I've never been I have no idea how this compares to years past. "Stop by Big Thunder Ranch to meet your favorite Disney Villains at the Halloween Carnival and try the candy-corn-flavored cotton candy in yellow, orange and white like the traditional Halloween treat."

 

[Kilala]

I noticed on Thursday when I went to the doctor there is a big Halloween store opening up on Chapman and Yorba. I will be going there to get me some gloves for my Demeter costume on Thursday. I will also take photos in Wal-Mart and Target if I find any Halloween things and food

 

[haileymarie92]

I tried searching the thread but didn't see this (I'm always challenged on mobile sites lol), sorry if someone already posted it... According to the Disney Visa Rewards Fall 2015 issue there will be some sort of Halloween carnival. As I've never been I have no idea how this compares to years past. "Stop by Big Thunder Ranch to meet your favorite Disney Villains at the Halloween Carnival and try the candy-corn-flavored cotton candy in yellow, orange and white like the traditional Halloween treat."

Interesting... I think they probably have incorrect information though. Erin confirmed that there will not be a halloween carnival this year

 

[gottalovepluto]

Interesting... I think they probably have incorrect information though. Erin confirmed that there will not be a halloween carnival this year

Wow, fail Disney Visa or fail Disney social relations! Sigh. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what does or doesn't pop up!

 

[kappyfamily]

Quick question on parking. I know it comes with the ticket. How does that work, you just show the MHP ticket to the parking attendant? Or is there an actual pass that comes with the ticket?

Also we were planning on going to CA at 9am the morning of the party then onto DL at 3pm. Am I able to get free parking as early as 9am do you think?

Thank you!

 

[AussieCaribou]

I am very sad about the loss of the Carnival -- and especially about the loss of the pumpkin carvers (who were there even before there was a Carnival), and possibly the loss of the goats in Halloween scarves at the Ranch.

As for the pre-party... I wouldn't count that out just yet. I don't fully trust Disney, even though they claimed via email that there would be no pre-party. We may still see a pre-party pop up somewhere, even if not in Toontown or at the Ranch.

Here I go being Debbie Downer again -- -- but sadly, no... I don't think Tower of Terror will get a Halloween overlay. They always throw ToT into the mix when listing off things to do for Halloween Time -- simply because it is a scary ride. At one time there used to be some Halloween décor inside, before boarding, but I think that's been gone for a long time.

Are you by any chance looking at the Australian version of the DLR website? On the one I am looking at, it only says "Drop in for ghostly encounters and hair-raising thrills at The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror." I know that sometimes the descriptions and wording can be slightly different on the Australian version of the site (and the calendar dates sometimes appear earlier too).

Hmm...maybe it was the Aussie version of the website. When I go there now, it just dumps me on the US site but that's not the one I was looking at before. So maybe the Aussie site did have more and then was taken down for 'spoilers' or something? I guess we will have to wait and see.

Can't believe that there wont be pumpkin carvers. I figured that they would be someplace else in the park...not that they had been removed. eeeppp.

 

[Sherry E]

I tried searching the thread but didn't see this (I'm always challenged on mobile sites lol), sorry if someone already posted it... According to the Disney Visa Rewards Fall 2015 issue there will be some sort of Halloween carnival. As I've never been I have no idea how this compares to years past. "Stop by Big Thunder Ranch to meet your favorite Disney Villains at the Halloween Carnival and try the candy-corn-flavored cotton candy in yellow, orange and white like the traditional Halloween treat."

Thank you for mentioning it -- it's always better to mention something than not mention it, just in case -- but not only has that Disney Visa newsletter already been discussed here in the thread (in fact, I posted a link for it on a previous page!), but Erin confirmed in the Parks Blog that there is no Carnival -- which we knew as soon as I found out that the different elements of the Carnival would be missing last month, but it was nice to have her confirm it, officially.

I stated a while back that the Visa newsletter has been wrong in the past. Last year they indicated that FastPasses would be available for Haunted Mansion Holiday during Halloween Time -- and there were no FPs for HMH during Halloween Time.

Also, a couple of years ago, in the newsletter for Annual Passholders, the incorrect start date for MHP was printed! So, even when something is in print, it cannot be counted on.

Erin also said that the Villains would be at MHP -- so no official photo spot for the Villains this year (during the daytime), but I would not be shocked if a couple of the regular Villains are out in the daytime (like Cruella).

Wow, fail Disney Visa or fail Disney social relations! Sigh. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what does or doesn't pop up!

I don't think that too much is going to pop up beyond what's known. There is no Carnival, no characters in Halloween costumes outside of MHP, no pumpkin carvers, no official Villains photo spot outside of MHP, no Pirates League, less Halloween décor on Main Street (meaning less or no orange bunting and lamppost décor), and nothing in DCA.

What will be there is the Dia de los Muertos display (which takes 5 minutes to look at), the Halloween Tree (another 5 minutes), the faux pumpkins on Main Street (in the windows and on balconies) and around the hub, Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, Haunted Mansion Holiday and Mickey's Halloween Party. There could be some surprises, but I suspect that if there are they won't be too significant.

Quick question on parking. I know it comes with the ticket. How does that work, you just show the MHP ticket to the parking attendant? Or is there an actual pass that comes with the ticket?

Also we were planning on going to CA at 9am the morning of the party then onto DL at 3pm. Am I able to get free parking as early as 9am do you think?

Thank you!

You show your MHP ticket to the parking folks -- at least, that's how it worked in the past, as I recall. I have heard mixed stories about when people were allowed to park. It might be pushing it to try to park at 9 a.m. when you can't get into DL with the MHP ticket until 3 p.m., but some people have said they've been able to park all day, while others have said that they can't. You might want to call Disney before going and double check with them about how early you can park with the MHP ticket.

Hmm...maybe it was the Aussie version of the website. When I go there now, it just dumps me on the US site but that's not the one I was looking at before. So maybe the Aussie site did have more and then was taken down for 'spoilers' or something? I guess we will have to wait and see.

Can't believe that there wont be pumpkin carvers. I figured that they would be someplace else in the park...not that they had been removed. eeeppp.

I don't think there are any Halloween overlays coming to Tower of Terror. It's just something they throw in to any Halloween Time description because it fits that 'scary' category -- never mind the fact that it's available all year long!

I'm sad about the pumpkin carvers because it seems like it would have been easy enough to set them up elsewhere, in either park. It may also mean that there will be no egg decorators around Easter, and no Jingle Jangle Jamboree during the holidays.

View attachment 120602 My local Costco just got these pumpkin pretzels in. They had them last year too and they are seriously so delicious! I'm starting to see Halloween things pop up everywhere now!

Pumpkin Pandemonium is taking over! In just a couple of days we will be done with August, and fall is right around the corner. As usual, in this last phase of summer our temperatures in SoCal are climbing. This is what usually happens -- as summer begins to wind down, the weather heats up. I was saying on Facebook today that I am usually good about what I drink throughout the year -- mainly just water and black coffee all year long, with only a few exceptions sprinkled in here and there -- but I have been desperately craving lemonade lately and I finally caved in and got some. The heat made me do it!

That said, I am ready to be done with this heat. I am tired of being uncomfortable. I can't wait for cool breezes and fall aromas wafting through the air.

 

[Geemo]

View attachment 120602 My local Costco just got these pumpkin pretzels in. They had them last year too and they are seriously so delicious! I'm starting to see Halloween things pop up everywhere now!

My Costco starts getting Eggnog just before Halloween.
I go to Costco in the morning, I'll have to look for the pretzels.

Geemo

 

[Oswald23]

Erin also said that the Villains would be at MHP -- so no official photo spot for the Villains this year (during the daytime), but I would not be shocked if a couple of the regular Villains are out in the daytime (like Cruella)

I know there will be villains during the night. But don't you think they will do a real photospot during the party nights? I can't imagine them roaming around during a night everybody wants to meet them. What are your thoughts on that?

 

[Sherry E]

I know there will be villains during the night. But don't you think they will do a real photospot during the party nights? I can't imagine them roaming around during a night everybody wants to meet them. What are your thoughts on that?

At the party there will be photo spots for all the characters. I think the Villains are supposed to be concentrated in Town Square, but in the past sometimes they have had, for example, Captain Hook at the same location where Jack Sparrow can be found. There's just not going to be an official Villain photo spot in non-party hours/in the daytime, as there has been in previous years. I think that you might see someone like Cruella or the Queen of Hearts posing for photos in the daytime, but not at a designated Villains spot, if that makes sense.

​

I've been posting links to blogs about the assorted Halloween Time decorations that are sneaking into DLR's shops and Main Street store windows (I've shared links to both MiceChat/MiceAge's installments as well as to Mint Crocodile).

Today, MiceChat has another piece featuring a bit of Halloween Time, but this quote is important to note:

"Guests should dial back their Halloween Time expectations this year as the on-going 60th Anniversary celebration will take priority with the Diamond Celebration decorations and entertainment running instead of traditional Halloween decorations and shows. Still, popular offerings including Haunted Mansion Holiday, Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, and the Mickey Jack-O-Lantern in Town Square will all return by the upcoming start of Halloween Time."

Don't even get me started. I've already expressed my annoyance at the lack of Halloween Time fare being offered for the Halloween Time season...

Anyway, here is the link to the full article -- http://micechat.com/109948-summer-ends-disneyland/ -- which shows some cute decorations inside the Penny Arcade/Candy Palace area.

​

 

[mom2rtk]

So during the 50th anniversary did they cut back on seasonal stuff like this?

Too bad they didn't dial back their ticket prices when they dialed back the seasonal décor.

And just an FYI for October people who aren't following the thread on dining issues. I finally was able to book RBT Fantasmic for 10/24. Since they don't show any dates between then and the 30th, it appears there will only be that one Fantasmic between Sunday the 18th and Friday the 30th.

Still waiting on the calendar to be updated. Only posted through the 12th so far.

 

[Sherry E]

So during the 50th anniversary did they cut back on seasonal stuff like this?

Too bad they didn't dial back their ticket prices when they dialed back the seasonal décor.

Well, conveniently, DLR did not have an official Halloween Time "season" in 2005, so there was not a lot in the way of decor. What they did in '05 was to restart the Halloween party, which had been 'on hiatus' since 1996!!! So, the party began anew in 2005, but it was held in DCA. Haunted Mansion Holiday was going on over in DL, but no Ghost Galaxy.

In 2006 Disney suddenly decided to give the fall season a name and give the Halloween party some context, and thus began "Halloween Time."

For some stupid reason I skipped going to DLR during the year of the 50th. I've been there for every other noteworthy anniversary year but I missed that one. From what I have seen in photos, it appears that the holiday season involved more décor during the 50th -- but the Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks were shelved. It's a Small World Holiday was running, of course.

However, in the last 10 years there has been a significant increase in holiday/Christmas décor in both parks and in the hotels... which is what has me worried. There is more to put up for the holidays than for Halloween Time -- even in a "good" year for Halloween décor and events!!! -- so if there is more to put up, there is more to not put up this year, while the focus is on the 60th anniversary.

 

[jammyjam25]

Sherry I was at Target last night wandering the aisles with a friend and before I even knew what happened I had a box of pumpkin spice Frosted Mini Wheats in my hand!

They're currently sitting in my cupboard awaiting a test testing...I figured I should at least wait till September 1 before diving headfirst into fall flavors.

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry I was at Target last night wandering the aisles with a friend and before I even knew what happened I had a box of pumpkin spice Frosted Mini Wheats in my hand!

They're currently sitting in my cupboard awaiting a test testing...I figured I should at least wait till September 1 before diving headfirst into fall flavors.

You've got one day to wait, and then you can jump into full fall mode!

That reminds me -- let me take a quick peek at the daily Spotted on Shelves update....

Hershey's Candy Corn bars are bigger now, apparently - http://www.theimpulsivebuy.com/wordpress/2015/08/31/spotted-on-shelves-8312015/.

 

[mom2rtk]

Well, conveniently, DLR did not have an official Halloween Time "season" in 2005, so there was not a lot in the way of decor. What they did in '05 was to restart the Halloween party, which had been 'on hiatus' since 1996!!! So, the party began anew in 2005, but it was held in DCA. Haunted Mansion Holiday was going on over in DL, but no Ghost Galaxy.

In 2006 Disney suddenly decided to give the fall season a name and give the Halloween party some context, and thus began "Halloween Time."

For some stupid reason I skipped going to DLR during the year of the 50th. I've been there for every other noteworthy anniversary year but I missed that one. From what I have seen in photos, it appears that the holiday season involved more décor during the 50th -- but the Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks were shelved. It's a Small World Holiday was running, of course.

However, in the last 10 years there has been a significant increase in holiday/Christmas décor in both parks and in the hotels... which is what has me worried. There is more to put up for the holidays than for Halloween Time -- even in a "good" year for Halloween décor and events!!! -- so if there is more to put up, there is more to not put up this year, while the focus is on the 60th anniversary.

Thanks for that rundown Sherry.

I think if the 60th décor was the issue they would have moved it back to DCA this year. I think they just wanted to save some of the cost of decorating the park. Bummer to start seeing some of these suspicions confirmed.

I'll be curious to see what they do for Christmas. Will they still put the garlands over Main Street? Will the floats from PTN even fit under the garlands?

And of course it will be fascinating to see if anything that's gone this year will return next year.

 

[Oswald23]

At the party there will be photos spots for all the characters. I think the Villains are supposed to be concentrated in Town Square, but in the past sometimes they have had, for example, Captain Hook at the same location where Jack Sparrow can be found. There's just not going to be an official Villain photo spot in non-party hours/in the daytime, as there has been in previous years. I think that you might see someone like Cruella or the Queen of Hearts posing for photos in the daytime, but not at a designated Villains spot, if that makes sense.

I misunderstood your previous post (I think). Last couple of years the villains had a photo spot at Town Square with 3 villains in a row. Erin mentioned something like it in her Halloween Blog. I was confused with your post, but we think the same. Something like this will return

Thanks

 

[Sherry E]

I misunderstood your previous post (I think). Last couple of years the villains had a photo spot at Town Square with 3 villains in a row. Erin mentioned something like it in her Halloween Blog. I was confused with your post, but we think the same. Something like this will return

Thanks

Erin mentioned the Town Square location in regards to the party -- not to the daytime events. Her quote was: "Disney Villains will appear in Town Square on Main Street, U.S.A., during Mickey’s Halloween Party. Unfortunately the “Conjure a Villain” tent will not be open this year."

In the last few years, the official Villains photo/meet spot for Halloween Time in the daytime (in other words, not at the party) was the Conjure a Villain tent at the Halloween Carnival. Prior to that the Villains had been stationed in the Small World Mall area. Before that, they were over in DCA. However, I think that last year there may have been a random Villain or two or three out and about in Disneyland, like Cruella in Town Square or something. But that Town Square location was not advertised as the non-party meet/photo spot for Halloween Time season.

At the actual party, the Villains are at Town Square, as Erin mentioned. While there is no Conjure a Villain tent this year, I expect that there will probably be at least a Villain or two meeting guests in DL -- unannounced -- during the daytime, while the majority of Villains will appear only at the Halloween Party.

In other words, I think that you'll see most of the Villains at the actual party, but a few 'regulars' may show up somewhere in the non-party hours and days, even if Disney does not officially announce a non-party meet area.