HalloweenTime at DLR Superthread- 9/14-10/31; Mickey's Halloween Party starts 9/28!

[Sherry E]

Sherry, I say go for it (easy for me to say, lol)! When you get a good deal like that, it's pretty difficult to pass it up, even if it's just for a couple nights. Are these PIN offers only for pass holders?

So my vote is for you to book it, but I can also see why you're hesitant. There will aways be more offers. Good luck with your decision!

Traci

Yep, I tend to agree. I don't see how I could possibly pass the PIN code up - especially since I don't even have to book 2 nights if I don't want to. Many offers have a 2-night minimum requirement. This one will allow me to just book a one night room if I choose, which would be good for an MHP night.

Oh, AND I should point out that I can book two rooms at this PIN code. So if I had any friends who were planning to visit DLR between 10/16 and 10/31, I could book a second room for them at the same rates.

Normally, I don't have all of this activity going on in one year. I'm too old for all of this! This seems to be a freakish year where, all of a sudden, everyone I have ever known suddenly plans to come to town or wants me to join them somewhere. So it is throwing me into a tailspin, trying to figure out where I will come up with $$$ for all of this action!

And my Catalina Island visit next month is a one-time only free birthday offer, so I can't pass that up (it's like the equivalent of the Disney 'get in free on your birthday' offer from 2 years ago). They won't be running the free birthday promo past April of next year. However, I will have to spend $$ once I am on the Island.

Traci, you asked about the PIN offers and if they are for AP holders. No, this particular PIN offer is not an AP holders offer. Actually, these rates are even better than some AP rates I have seen or used in the past.

What I did to get the PIN was - and I recommend this to everyone who is serious about staying on-proeprty but needs a better rate than the crazy rates shown on the DLR site - create a My Disneyland account on the DLR website. Then, I pulled up the hotel offers and plugged in the dates I wanted at the rates they are currently showing for those dates.

Once I plugged in dates and the rates came up, I clicked the tab that says "Save" at the bottom of the offer. Once you save it, it will automatically save to your My Disneyland account.

Then, the key is to leave the saved offer in your account. Don't book it. Don't book any hotel room on the DLR site at all. Leave the offer there. After a few days or a few weeks/months (the time frame differs), once DLR sees that you are NOT booking the hotel room at their crazy prices they send out a PIN code offer with the better rates.

Not only did this "Saved Offer" trick work for me last year, but it has also worked for several other DIS'ers! So I just saved another offer for October a few days ago and already they sent me the PIN!

Try it if you really want to stay onsite but need a rate like what I was offered!

 

[MattsPrincess]

It's looking like I *may* be joining this group. DH's deployment got cancelled, so we were going to go with my parents in august, but dad can't get the time off work. So, now we're thinking we'll finally do our Halloween trip. It will be our 3rd, and most likely final trip. I'll update once we have more solid plans. Until then, i'm keeping my fingers crossed for some pixie dust to come my way.

 

[Sherry E]

It's looking like I *may* be joining this group. DH's deployment got cancelled, so we were going to go with my parents in august, but dad can't get the time off work. So, now we're thinking we'll finally do our Halloween trip. It will be our 3rd, and most likely final trip. I'll update once we have more solid plans. Until then, i'm keeping my fingers crossed for some pixie dust to come my way.

MattsPrincess - I forgot to say to please feel free to always join this group whether you are making a Halloween trip or not, but I'm so glad to hear that it's possibly in the cards for this year! I remember very well that last year, you were on the fence about whether to do HalloweenTime or Christmas time, and Halloween Time was the plan for a while...until your plans changed to a holiday trip.

I know you and your DH had a wonderful time at DLR for the magical holiday season last year, and I think you will have lots of fun for HalloweenTime too!

While it would be very sad for it to be your final DLR trip, I think it would be great if it were a Halloween trip to kind of wrap it all up for you.

 

[SarafinaPink]

Wow, I hadn't really thought about going to DL during Halloween, but after reading the thread and especially seeing the pictures, I think I'll be buying tickets to the party for sure! Now it's just trying to decide when (probably a Tuesday since it's a 10 min trip from work and I'll just leave early that day) and what costume to wear!

Also, bf wants to go, but is NOT a costume guy. Will he feel out of place, or is there a good amount of people in regular clothes?

And, do we need to buy tickets early or is it something that can wait awhile? We will be pretty flexible as we are local and have no October plans.

 

[Sherry E]

Wow, I hadn't really thought about going to DL during Halloween, but after reading the thread and especially seeing the pictures, I think I'll be buying tickets to the party for sure! Now it's just trying to decide when (probably a Tuesday since it's a 10 min trip from work and I'll just leave early that day) and what costume to wear!

Also, bf wants to go, but is NOT a costume guy. Will he feel out of place, or is there a good amount of people in regular clothes?

And, do we need to buy tickets early or is it something that can wait awhile? We will be pretty flexible as we are local and have no October plans.

SarafinaPink - Welcome!

I think Tuesday would be an excellent day to do the party. Not only will it be close to where you work, but I also think that Tuesday night parties have lighter crowds than the Friday night parties or the party on Halloween. This year I would actually prefer to do a Tuesday for the lighter crowds but I think I will have to end up with a Friday.

I did not go to the Halloween Party last year for its first year in Disneyland but I have gone when it was in DCA. I found that there were lots of guests who were not in costume at all. I didn't wear a costume and I didn't feel out of place in the least bit. It was probably about 50/50 - half in costume, half not in costume. I think a lot of folks go to the party spur of the moment so they don't have costumes with them. While you will see a lot of guests in a variety of costumes, you will not feel strange in regular clothes.

The tickets go on sale to the general public on July 1. Currently, however, if you have an Annual Pass, a Disney Visa or a Disney Vacation Club membership you are able to buy tickets early by calling the main Disneyland ticket phone number and get a bit of a discount.

As to whether or not you need to buy the tickets right away, I don't think so. I think a Tuesday night party will be much less likely to sell out quickly, if at all. Usually the nights that sell out first - though not necessarily right away - are the first night (which will be 9/30) and Halloween night, and then the other nights slowly sell out after that. I wouldn't wait until the very last minute to get a ticket, just in case, but I don't think you have to buy them immediately.

 

[bbangel]

Still, how can I pass up a good PIN code for the hotels during HalloweenTime? Better yet, I don't even have to book more than one night if I don't want to - the PIN is good for 1-night stays and above. So, technically, I can still save the 'big' trip for the holiday season and plan a short Halloween trip to fall on a night when the MHP is taking place - probably 10/18 is what I would choose - stay overnight at one of the DLR hotels, spend some time in the parks the next day and go home.

If you end up there on Oct. 18 you can meet up with me for the party. Does that help?

Actually since you know you want to go for at least a day during the Halloween season and you only have to stay one night to get the deal, I would say go for it! (I'm a Disney enabler )

 

[Sherry E]

If you end up there on Oct. 18 you can meet up with me for the party. Does that help?

Actually since you know you want to go for at least a day during the Halloween season and you only have to stay one night to get the deal, I would say go for it! (I'm a Disney enabler )

Oh we are all co-dependent enablers here! Woo hoo! Love me some enabling!

That would be so fun to meet up! I will definitely let you know if 10/18 looks like the chosen day for me. I tend to want to do a Tuesday like the 18th because I feel like there will be lower crowds. My idea for which date I want to the party, however, keeps changing. I thought I might end up with Friday, 10/21 instead, though, for a few reasons (including friends' schedules). And initially I really wanted to do the party on the first or second night it takes place...until I got the PIN code that is only good for the second half of the month. So I have to heed the call of the PIN code!

It very well may be the 18th!

 

[OregonMickeyLover]

So is anyone else praying like crazy that they don't do the rumored POTC refurb during Halloween? There is nothing more Halloween at DL than pirates, and next to princesses and the occassional buzz costume, pirates are very popular. It is our entire families favorite ride, and we will be soooo disappointed if they close it during that time. It seems to me it would make more sense closing it during the Christmas season, but not Halloween!!!! Please join me in crossed fingers and toes, prayers, and pirate happy dances, that POTC doesn't close during Halloween!

Traci

 

[Sherry E]

So is anyone else praying like crazy that they don't do the rumored POTC refurb during Halloween? There is nothing more Halloween at DL than pirates, and next to princesses and the occassional buzz costume, pirates are very popular. It is our entire families favorite ride, and we will be soooo disappointed if they close it during that time. It seems to me it would make more sense closing it during the Christmas season, but not Halloween!!!! Please join me in crossed fingers and toes, prayers, and pirate happy dances, that POTC doesn't close during Halloween!

Traci

I agree it that closing it during HalloweenTime is bad. Closing it any time is bad, but I think it will be felt more during Halloween. I hope that something changes and they don't do it. But I'm guessing it's a major fix-up that needs to be done, and DLR needs a big block of time to do it. It's not a quick fix sort of thing, and they need POTC to be done before the crowds descend next year and everything is finished at DCA.

Also, if the refurb has anything to do with a leaking roof that was plaguing POTC a few years back, they may have only patched that up temporarily and need to give it a permanent fix before rainy season sets in, late this year and early next year. We got some heavy bouts of rain this past Winter which probably didn't do the POTC roof any favors. That's my hunch about that they may be fixing.

They can't take a big block of time out of the super-popular holiday season to fix it because that's when they get a big surge in attendance and it's more likely to be raining intermittently during that time, so they would have to have it fixed before then. I'm sure DLR doesn't want to close POTC for so long but they may not have a choice.

POTC is one of my 2 favorite rides at DLR, so even though I could see it closing during the holidays with less impact because there will be lots of holiday stuff to see and do, that is when I am going for a long trip to DLR so I would be really annoyed if POTC closed down then! I don't want it closed during the holidays either - but it's going to have to close at some point, and people who are going during whatever time that is will be upset. It's just that it's a ride that seems to fit so well with Halloween that it's really bad timing!

 

[Sossy]

After delaying my DH's first trip several times, it looks like we are going in mid/late sept and that means Halloween time! Excited to celebrate my birthday at the decorated parks, and want to splurge at some point.

With POTC probably down, that leaves Fantasmic seating, WOC dinner, and tours. I've been reading about the Haunts tour, but am a little concerned about how that would play out. Does anyone think (or know) if it will still include TOT with all of the construction at DCA? Also, does the tour take place every day? One previous report said that year it was weekends in Sept, then every day in Oct. Officially, we probably won't know until it can be booked in Aug, but I'd like to plan some sooner than that!

TIA and I love reading/ seeing pics in this thread!

 

[Belle Ella]

BUT, yesterday I received a PIN code for October (everyone make sure to try the "Saved Offers" trick on the DLR website that I have spoken about on the DIS before - it works!). This PIN is not nearly as awesome as the rate I am using for the PPH later in the year, but it's still too good to pass up.

This PIN I received is only good for bookings between October 16 - October 31. That's a very narrow, 2-week window. $163 for the PPH, $247 for the GCH and $186 for the DLH. I have to book the room by July 20 if I decide to use it.

It's a sign Sherry, you just have to use it! I'd probably do the same if I got one. I'm really, really down about not getting another Halloween or Christmas trip in this year. Both were awesome last year, but I didn't even get to experience the "real" Halloween Time. Do it! Do it! Do it!

Maybe if I can get a cheap enough room somewhere I can still sneak in the quickest of trips now that I can do the payment plan for my AP renewal at the end of the year. Who knows. I try not to think about the Halloween and Christmas season right now or else I might cry.

 

[ipdenc]

Hi Guys! I hope you can help me...... awhile back I had read somewhere a Disney number you could call to purchase your Halloween Tickets for Disney Visa Card Members....... anyone know where I can find the number???

TIA

 

[Sherry E]

Hi Guys! I hope you can help me...... awhile back I had read somewhere a Disney number you could call to purchase your Halloween Tickets for Disney Visa Card Members....... anyone know where I can find the number???

TIA

ipdenc - The phone number is 714-781-4400. The tickets go on sale to the general public tomorrow. But you can pre-order on that number today with an AP, a Disney Visa or a DVC membership!

 

[hsmamato2]

I've got a Catalina Island trip (the free birthday offer they have going on this year and next)

what is this offer?

 

[Sherry E]

what is this offer?

hsmamato2 -

Here is my thread about it (from over in the SoCal section of the board). The first post of that thread has the bulk of the info, and then the rest of it is either photos or discussion about Catalina Island.

Basically, this Catalina Express free birthday round-trip boat offer is the equivalent of the 'get in free on your birthday' offer that the Disney Parks did 2 years ago, except there are no substitutes/alternate choices for it as there were with Disney. It's round-trip boat fare or nothing. The offer is good until April 30, 2012, I believe, and it started on May 1st of this year.

It's a great idea for a day trip or a weekend trip!

 

[Belle Ella]

I'm going back through my photos to see if I have any more to add from last year. After that, hopefully I can finally get to doing some more updating to the ToC

 

[Chereya]

Someone refresh my memory: do you call in for Priority Seating 90 days prior or did it get changed to something closer to your arrival date?

 

[Belle Ella]

It depends on what you're calling for. I believe it's still 30 days for WOC picnics and then 60 days for everything else. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[specialks]

I posted a question on the MHP thread, but no response yet, so I am posting here...
For those who have done the MHP, what do people do for dinner? Any tips/recommendations for what to do for dinner while we are "attending" the party?

 

[Belle Ella]

I did it! I finally had time to finish the photo links for the ToC through this page. If for some reason anyone ever notices their own posts that are not listed in the TOC and should be please PM me so I can fix it - please do not post about it here or else I may not see it.