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

[6Smiles]

I'm always watching this board

Hi iKristin thought you could use a snack Figured you must be getting hungry watching the board and all.

Kris

 

[funatdisney]

 

[tzeitel]

I have a question - sorry if it is something that has been discussed pages ago - are fireworks and F! done weekdays during October?

We are going 23-28 and was wondering if this is still considered off season enough for them to be on only on weekends. We get there on a Sunday but not sure how long we will last since we are driving overnight on the 22nd - we might be a little loopy by the time the good stuff starts

Oh, another question - this will be our first time doing the Halloween party and was confused about the tickets. Do we need to have park tickets and the party tickets or just the party tickets? If just the party tickets I figured we could do something else during the day and then go to DLR just for the party.

 

[iKristin]

lol funny, I could use a snack It's what happens when you work on computers aaaaall day long. So I keep Disboards open usually all day in the background hehe

 

[Sherry E]

I have a question - sorry if it is something that has been discussed pages ago - are fireworks and F! done weekdays during October?

We are going 23-28 and was wondering if this is still considered off season enough for them to be on only on weekends. We get there on a Sunday but not sure how long we will last since we are driving overnight on the 22nd - we might be a little loopy by the time the good stuff starts

Oh, another question - this will be our first time doing the Halloween party and was confused about the tickets. Do we need to have park tickets and the party tickets or just the party tickets? If just the party tickets I figured we could do something else during the day and then go to DLR just for the party.

tzeitel - I was waiting to see if any of our other regulars would answer.

Okay, let's see - as for the party tickets....the party will start at a certain time - for example, 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. Something like that, depending on which day you are going (a Friday or whichever weekday they offer as an option). DLR will most likely do what they did last year and let guests in a few hours early. So if your party night has a start time of 7 p.m., they will probably let you in at 4 p.m. (that could change this year but I'm guessing it will be a similar set-up). The 6 p.m. party nights will probably allow guests in at 3 p.m.

So, therefore, if you can do without going into Disneyland park earlier in the day and just go in when they let you in for the party (3 p.m. or 4 p.m.-ish), you won't need an extra ticket. All you will need to get into the party inside DL is the party ticket itself.

Of course, if you want to go and hang out in California Adventure earlier in the day, you will need a ticket - but you can probably just get a one-day/one-park ticket for that and then use the party ticket to get into Disneyland later in the day.

As for fireworks - the Halloween Screams fireworks will most likely be a party exclusive again, so that you will only be able to see on party nights.

Now, they did run other (regular) fireworks on Saturdays and Sundays last year (the party was held on Fridays and Tuesdays and on Halloween).

I don't recall if the non-Halloween fireworks ran on the other nights of the week - hopefully someone else will remember that.

When you say you are going on "23-28," do you mean October? September is still kind of considered off-peak. October is a different story now (though it used to be considered off-peak). At this point, we are not even sure if Halloween Time (as a season) is going to begin on September 16 (seems too early for this year), September 23rd (that's my pick for the start date) or September 30 (I think the party will start on this day, but not the season in general). Once it hits October, the crowds pick up and the hotel rates go up - indicating peak season!

 

[mvf-m11c]

I don't recall if the non-Halloween fireworks ran on the other nights of the week - hopefully someone else will remember that.

RDCT was running on Saturdays and Sundays (except Halloween day on Sunday) during the month of October last year. The weekdays were not showing the fireworks last year.

F! was still performing on Saturdays and Sundays only.

 

[6Smiles]

Thanks for all the information for us newbies, I had the same questions and am very happy with the info as my plan is unfolding nicely.

Now just watching for the party dates ... I know we have awhile before they caome out

 

[funatdisney]

Sorry guys. I was out for the day. Went to..uh..Disneyland!

DH and I went to buy the Bambi pin, and we had great fun looking at all the pins with the different film clips from the movie. The very last one (after visiting three of the pin stores and WOD store) had a clip with Thumper and Bambi! My DD is going to love this Christmas present.

Anyway, Sherry is, of course, right on with her response. I bet they keep the Party starting times at 6pm for a weekday party and 7 pm for a weekend party. Although in the first couple of years, the Party did start at 6:30 and 7:30.

 

[Minnie Sue Oz]

Hi all!

Wow, it feels like forever since I have posted!

I am soooooo happy to have found this thread! I had been very active last year as we spent Christmas at DL and are now planning the big Halloween trip. We sure are excited to be going back again and because Halloween is not celebrated down here in Australia, we are super excited!!!
We purchased annual passes for the Christmas trip as we were in Anaheim for 3 weeks! Turns out this was a great thing as they will still be valid in October so we won't need to purchase tickets!!!
So, I will be sticking around and counting down with great anticipation!
Now, am off to finally start the big TR as the Photopass CD has finally arrived!!!

Sue

 

[Sherry E]

RDCT was running on Saturdays and Sundays (except Halloween day on Sunday) during the month of October last year. The weekdays were not showing the fireworks last year.

F! was still performing on Saturdays and Sundays only.

Thanks, Bret, for clarifying that! That was the main thing I couldn't recall - whether or not the regular, non-Halloween fireworks (RDCT) ran on other weeknights besides Saturday and Sunday and besides the Halloween party nights last year. But I guess they did not. That's funny because in 2009, not only did the general public get to see Halloween Screams as part of the DL entertainment, but they ran HS fireworks every night during the entire Halloween season (not just Saturday and Sunday). What a difference a year made!

Thanks for all the information for us newbies, I had the same questions and am very happy with the info as my plan is unfolding nicely.

Now just watching for the party dates ... I know we have awhile before they caome out

You're welcome, Kris! Yep, I think that we have at least until May. Last year we found out some info via the Disney Parks blog in May-ish. And then the rest of the info trickled in slowly over the next couple of months. And then the cool Halloween Time mini site (with graphics and sounds and fun stuff) that we were all waiting for didn't show up on the DLR website until literally like a week before the season started! Only a week! Also, the Disneyland News website is a good resource (where all the good press releases like the one I quoted in Post #1 of this thread come from).

Hi all!

Wow, it feels like forever since I have posted!

I am soooooo happy to have found this thread! I had been very active last year as we spent Christmas at DL and are now planning the big Halloween trip. We sure are excited to be going back again and because Halloween is not celebrated down here in Australia, we are super excited!!!
We purchased annual passes for the Christmas trip as we were in Anaheim for 3 weeks! Turns out this was a great thing as they will still be valid in October so we won't need to purchase tickets!!!
So, I will be sticking around and counting down with great anticipation!
Now, am off to finally start the big TR as the Photopass CD has finally arrived!!!

Sue

Hi, Minnie Sue Oz!! You must make sure to hop over to the Christmas Superthread (Part 2) and let us know how the Christmas trip went - and share some photos there if you can!

I'm so glad to hear you are making a Halloween Time trip! You will find that Halloween Time is not as all-encompassing as the Christmas season is at DLR. There are not as many decorations and little touches here and there as are there during the holiday season (just in case you go in expecting the same kind of all-over-the-resort type of experience). But it's still really cool and it's a very fun time! Some folks prefer Halloween over Christmas because it's more of a novelty.

Keep an eye on the first post of this thread - it directs you to Kristin's Q&A post and Liza/funatdisney's Halloween party information post (general party information - not specific to any year). Belle Ella's Table of Contents in Post #2 will guide you to all kinds of photos in different categories.

Also, I have some links to cool Halloween blogs and Trip Reports in the first post, as well as other useful Halloween Time information/threads. I will update that first post with new info when it comes in.

And when you get your Christmas TR finished or at least a good part of it is underway, let me know and I will add a link to it on Page 1 of the Christmas Superthread!!

 

[tzeitel]

Thanks for the info Sherry E We will be there in Oct. - we had always lived on the east coast but now we are closer to DLR than to WDW and nothing will stop me from seeing the Haunted Mansion all done up NBC style

I think we will take that half day before the party to hang out at the pool or go shopping at DTD. If we spend all day at DLR we would be too tired to really party that night

 

[mvf-m11c]

Thanks, Bret, for clarifying that! That was the main thing I couldn't recall - whether or not the regular, non-Halloween fireworks (RDCT) ran on other weeknights besides Saturday and Sunday and besides the Halloween party nights last year. But I guess they did not. That's funny because in 2009, not only did the general public get to see Halloween Screams as part of the DL entertainment, but they ran HS fireworks every night during the entire Halloween season (not just Saturday and Sunday). What a difference a year made!

Yea what a difference from 2009 when they showed HS all the days during October and last year it was only exclusive for MHP ticket holders only. It was so popular in 2009 that the streets were so crowded that it almost seems like New Ears Eve at DL. Luckily I didn't go to DL that year when HS made its debut. At least they showed the popular RDCT firework show on those days during October. It would be bad if they didn't show any fireworks during those nights.

 

[Curiouser&Curiouser]

I keep checking the DL website to see if dates get posted. I know it's way tooooo early, but can't blame a girl for being obsessive. hehe

I don't want to start planning in case they mess with the party dates, but I guess I could just always change hotel dates (but possibly miss out on good rates).

Eight months away and I'm already excited!! Maybe I can sneak in a late spring trip to ease the panic.

 

[iKristin]

Last year it was August before we had Halloween dates It'll be a long while

 

[Minnie Sue Oz]

Last year it was August before we had Halloween dates It'll be a long while

Oh my....................August

I will have worn out a space in the carpet from pacing by then!!!

But thanks for letting us know. At least I can now concentrate on the first part of the trip. Have to appease DH who likes DLR, but is just not as into it as me and the DD!!! So, we decided to do a Mexican Riviera cruise first to keep him happy ( and so I can spend as many Halloween moments in the park as possible!!! )

At least we can all count down together........................always more fun to have friends along!!!

 

[Sherry E]

Oh my....................August

I will have worn out a space in the carpet from pacing by then!!!

But thanks for letting us know. At least I can now concentrate on the first part of the trip. Have to appease DH who likes DLR, but is just not as into it as me and the DD!!! So, we decided to do a Mexican Riviera cruise first to keep him happy ( and so I can spend as many Halloween moments in the park as possible!!! )

At least we can all count down together........................always more fun to have friends along!!!

Minnie Sue Oz - Don't know if you saw my reply to you above, but be sure to pop over to the Christmas Superthread and let us know how the DLR holiday trip went - with photos, if you can!





I just wanted to clarify about the dates, so no one is confused - we had the start date for Halloween Time (the season) in late May or early June of last year. I think it was late May. (And I found out the start date for the Christmas season in July.) Heather Hust Rivera (on the Disney Parks Blog) revealed it in one of her responses to comments about the Halloween Party moving into Disneyland. The season start and end dates will probably not be that hard to figure out early (though not this early) because Disney will have those set well in advance - they probably know them now - and they leak them out in different ways, if not on the DLR website.

The 'official' announcement of the season start date - meaning when Disneyland Resort puts it up on its own website - didn't come until their Summer season was over or almost over (which is in August). Summer ended on 8/29 last year, in DLR season terms. But we already knew what the start date for Halloween Time was well before that.

Also, sometimes D News (official Disney source) sends out an e-mail (I think they do it only a few times a year) and that will show season start dates in it too. That's how I found out the Christmas season start and end dates in July - from D News.

The Disneyland News website (and official Disney source) will post press releases about things. See Post #1 of this thread for the press release from last year.

It's just that you won't see the Halloween season start dates on the actual Disneyland Resort website until August, and the Halloween mini-site will not come out until probably a week or two before the season begins. We will find out the start dates to the season way before that, though, because they will trickle out in other arenas.

As for the Halloween party, we may or may not find out the dates for that in advance. It depends on if there are any special early blogs or articles about it that mention it. But the tickets go on sale for advanced buyers first (like AP holders and Disney Visa holders, DVC members, things like that), before they go on sale to the general public, and there may be press releases and blogs about that, so we could possibly have the party dates as early as May or June. I think the party dates are more subject to change or be bumped around, whereas I think DLR already knows when the season itself will be.

In any case, the places to look for the official Disney information are the Disney Parks Blog, the Disneyland News website, sometimes D23, and any e-mails you may get from D News or Disney Destinations.

The Disneyland Resort website will actually probably be the last place to post information! But check any of those for news.

 

[iKristin]

Yeah the ticket dates for the party are the last thing I plan for my trip. Hotel is first (check), airline is second (not yet check), transportation is third (not yet check) and then spending money and all the little details and then trick or treat party I've gotten it down to a pattern haha

 

[TheColtonsMom]

Yeah the ticket dates for the party are the last thing I plan for my trip. Hotel is first (check), airline is second (not yet check), transportation is third (not yet check) and then spending money and all the little details and then trick or treat party I've gotten it down to a pattern haha

I have almost the same list except I moved airline tickets up to first now because of having to end up changing my hotel reservations due to when I could get the right flights...that fiasco ended me up at the not so quality Inn at Christmas.

 

[iKristin]

Aw yeah I have to do airlines second because Jetblue doesn't have my flights on sale until usually March/April.

 

[TheColtonsMom]

Aw yeah I have to do airlines second because Jetblue doesn't have my flights on sale until usually March/April.

I have already been watching the flights. We have to fly Frontier this time since I have a $400 credit voucher due to getting bumped at Christmas last year and they just put up the flights for October but I want them to go down!