No one needs an MHP ticket to do the Happiest Haunts Tour. You just need your regular park admission, and you need to pay for the tour itself. The party is a separate event from the tour. If Disney were offering the Ultimate package again, it might be a different story.
I forgot to post this yesterday, but I'm sure you guys already saw it:
"Top Ten Favorite Items for Halloween 2015 at Disney Parks" -- Disney Parks Blog; posted on September 1st, 2015 by Steven Miller, Merchandise Communications Manager - http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...ite-items-for-halloween-2015-at-disney-parks/.
And then, today, we have:
"Top 9 Disney Parks Recipes for Fall" -- Disney Parks Blog; posted on September 2nd, 2015 by Pam Brandon, Disney Parks Food Writer -- http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/09/top-9-disney-parks-recipes-for-fall/.
The Fall foods shown in today's Parks Blog are some of the usual items you will find. I don't see anything new -- yet. I'm sure there will be at least a couple of blogs between now and next month with info on new food items.
This blows my mind -- not only are Pumpkin Pandemonium and Candy Corn Chaos sweeping the nation as individual entities, NOW we have a weird hybrid of the two: Pumpkin Spice Candy Corn!!!!!!! - http://www.theimpulsivebuy.com/wordpress/2015/09/02/spotted-on-shelves-922015/.
Pumpkin Pandemonium/Halloween Hoopla/Fall Fever/Candy Corn Chaos/Caramel Apple Confusion continues into the afternoon!!!
New! Kellogg’s Limited Edition Halloween Themed Froot Loops, Apple Jacks, and Krave Cereals -- http://www.theimpulsivebuy.com/wordpress/2015/09/02/spotted-on-shelves-kelloggs-limited-edition-halloween-themed-froot-loops-apple-jacks-and-krave-cereals/.
I have to say -- I love the boxes/package designs. Good job, Kellogg's!
Also, ABC Family released its 13 Nights of Halloween lineup - http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/09/02/abc-familys-17th-annual-13-nights-of-halloween-programming-event-airs-october-19-31/457052/.
Sherry, it's out first Halloween experience! We are so excited...even if I'm a bit bummed to see things, like the carnival that I was looking forward to, not be there. We've been twice at Christmastime.
You will find that it is a lot different than the holidays, but still fun.
The loss of Carnival itself would be fine if the individual elements of it were relocated around the parks, but that's not what's happening. The pumpkin carvers have been there for the better part of a decade -- long before the Carnival -- so it is disappointing that Disney didn't feel they were important enough to bring back and set up somewhere this year.
Sorry to ask for help but I keep scanning this thread and I see lots of references to what will be missing this year (compared to prior years) but I can't find that actual post. I know there is no character costume parade (because of PTN). And I saw the carnival area is gone. I'm going on the first night and have a big group with me - bigger than I usually like hitting the parks with - so I'm trying to stay on top of this.
I'm also doing PhotoPass for the first time during Halloween. Are there special magic shots like they do aw WDW during Halloween?
Anyone else there on the 25th? I am seriously so excited about my girls' costumes!!!
There is no need to be sorry about asking for help!

We're here to help. This thread is here to provide help. You did the right thing in just jumping in and asking!
I'm not sure which "actual post" you're talking about -- we have just been discussing the different things that are not returning as they come up. I found out about the Carnival in July. The Carnival involves several things, all of which are not happening this year, including: pumpkin carvers; Pirates League; Conjure a Villain; characters in Halloween costumes appearing in the daytime; Halloween crafts and games; Halloween-themed entertainment, etc.
The actual Halloween Party is losing the Cavalcade.
The Halloween decorations (which were limited to begin with) are expected to be scaled back even more this year. The giant Mickey pumpkin should still be there in Town Square, but there is expected to be little to no orange bunting draped on Main Street's facades, nor will there be the usual Halloween lamppost decorations (at least, according to MiceChat).
I am going to assume that the Halloween version of the Mad T Party is not returning to DCA this year, and DCA has almost nothing else in the way of décor, short of some things that appear in the shops. Right now Main Street has some Halloween window displays and in-store displays.
I don't think there are any special Magic Shots just for Halloween Time (unless there is something new this year), but there will be special Halloween borders, as well as lots of photo spots around MHP.
Hi, we'll be there Oct 13-17 and plan to go to MHP one night. I imagine we'll do it on the 14th. We haven't seen PTN yet, so it is high on our to-do list. Should we see PTN during the party? Will the parade crowd be less on party nights? Or should we do PTN on a non-party night? I've been to many MHSSHP at WDW, but I've never attended the MHP at DL.
I think that I, personally, would aim for seeing PTN on a non-party night, and just stick to the Halloween party-specific things during MHP. Your priorities may be different, though. If you want to meet and get photos with characters, a lot of them are only available at the party itself, so you might want to focus on that, and also on seeing Halloween Screams, the Cadaver Dans, etc.
The MHP should involve fewer people in the park than there would be on a normal day, but I would bet that there will still be a lot of people waiting for PTN. In fact, a lot of people may skip seeing PTN on other nights because they expect low crowds at the MHP, only to find out that there are still a lot of people waiting to see it at MHP!