HOTHS vs. MNSSHP

[squirk]

We’ve done Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party several times, but never Halloween on the High Seas. We are weighing the pros and cons of a 3-night October HOTHS cruise vs. a 3-night WDW visit including a MNSSHP.

Setting aside the price difference (the cruise costs about $1500 more), how do these two events/celebrations/whatever compare? MNSSHP is a single 5-hr. event in MK, and my understanding is that HOTHS, while having a dedicated trick-or-treat night, also has a Halloween theme running throughout the whole cruise.

I know that I am probably asking a heavily-biased group, given the forum, but for those who’ve done both, how do they stack up against each other?

Thanks much!

 

[dcassetta]

The MNSSHP party is a lot of fun, and I would guess that whatever day they celebrate Halloween on your cruise may be similar. Quite a few people dress up for the Halloween party, and there are parades and contests for both kids and adults. The ship is decorated in a Harvest festival/ Halloween theme, I love the pumpkin decals in the windows, and there's a Halloween tree with a storyteller and some other activities during the cruise. In addition to the ships trick-or-treating, sometimes groups of guests get together a cabin to cabin trick-or-treat activity. One of the best activities we've experienced on the Halloween cruise is the way they do the Nightmare Before Christmas. It's shown in the big Walt Disney theater, with special-effects, and a surprise ending.

 

[fhtpdw20]

I am assuming you are flying. I always fly in a day early and stay the night of debarkation to cushion possible airline slip ups on arrival and timing issues leaving. So how about just buying a MNSSHP ticket for park time before or after the cruise. It is cheaper than a day pass and can start your cruise off or extend the magic before you have to ease back to reality.

 

[squirk]

I am assuming you are flying. I always fly in a day early and stay the night of debarkation to cushion possible airline slip ups on arrival and timing issues leaving. So how about just buying a MNSSHP ticket for park time before or after the cruise. It is cheaper than a day pass and can start your cruise off or extend the magic before you have to ease back to reality.

Thanks for the suggestion. Yes, if we chose the cruise, we’d be flying into MCO the evening before embarkation.

We weren’t necessarily looking to do both events, but I suppose we could. Assuming that there is a MNSSHP the evening before embarkation, or the evening of debarkation, we would just need to figure out if we’d want to miss an additional day of school.

 

[Thnlk]

We have done both and I don't think you can compare them. We did win the costume contest on the Magic so that will alway be a fond memory for us.

 

[squirk]

We have done both and I don't think you can compare them. We did win the costume contest on the Magic so that will alway be a fond memory for us.

Thanks. Yeah, I was wondering if they were even comparable. Completely different milieus. I figured folks would have opinions, regardless.

 

[GarrettJD]

Having done MNSSHP several times and been on two HOTHS cruises, I would say that I enjoy both for different reasons but I overall prefer MNSSHP. I definitely think a HOTHS cruise is worth doing, but only if you think of it as a nice addition to the cruise rather than the main reason you are going on the cruise, or you may be disappointed. I love the suggestion of flying in the morning before the cruise and doing MNSSHP that night if possible-- that way you get the best of both!

Also, I enjoyed our 7-night HOTHS cruise more than the 3 night, just because it seemed like more of the guests on the 7 night cruise got into dressing up along with the themes than on the 3 night cruise, which added to the fun.

For me, MNSSHP pros and cons:
+ Parade and fireworks are my favorite at WDW and can't bee seen at any other time
+ Opportunities for many rare character meets and great photo ops with the characters while in costume
+ Only time that adults can wear costumes in the parks-- great photo ops in front of the castle and elsewhere
+ Short lines for most rides and attractions
+ Trick or Treat lines lighten up near the end of the event
- Parties can be very crowded
- Long lines for rare character meets and trick or treating
- Weather can play a huge factor, especially in September-- it can be HOT (too hot for heavy costumes) and some events can get rained out, especially the parade and stage shows

HOTHS pros and cons:
+ Events are spread out throughout the cruise although there is one designated "Halloween" Day
+ Nightmare Before Christmas Sing Along is a must if you're a fan, and Jack and Sally meet afterwards-- much easier to meet them on the cruise than at MNSSHP
+ Character dance party and trick or treating are fun
+ Good opportunity for professional photo ops in the lobby area
+ Adults only Halloween party/costume contest late at night in the dance club-- my wife and I won Most Disney on our cruise last year!
+ Most activities are indoors so weather isn't a factor usually
- Overall Halloween feel is not as strong as MNSSHP
- Character dance party/trick or treating is SUPER crowded and verging on a mad house
- Nothing that compares with the sheer spectacle of the parade and fireworks at MNSSHP.
- 3 night HOTHS cruises cram Halloween and Pirate night onto the same night, which makes the schedule feel crowded. (4 night and longer HOTHS cruises usually have Halloween and Pirate night on different nights, which I prefer.)

 

[squirk]

Having done MNSSHP several times and been on two HOTHS cruises, I would say that I enjoy both for different reasons but I overall prefer MNSSHP. I definitely think a HOTHS cruise is worth doing, but only if you think of it as a nice addition to the cruise rather than the main reason you are going on the cruise, or you may be disappointed. I love the suggestion of flying in the morning before the cruise and doing MNSSHP that night if possible-- that way you get the best of both!

Also, I enjoyed our 7-night HOTHS cruise more than the 3 night, just because it seemed like more of the guests on the 7 night cruise got into dressing up along with the themes than on the 3 night cruise, which added to the fun.

For me, MNSSHP pros and cons:
+ Parade and fireworks are my favorite at WDW and can't bee seen at any other time
+ Opportunities for many rare character meets and great photo ops with the characters while in costume
+ Only time that adults can wear costumes in the parks-- great photo ops in front of the castle and elsewhere
+ Short lines for most rides and attractions
+ Trick or Treat lines lighten up near the end of the event
- Parties can be very crowded
- Long lines for rare character meets and trick or treating
- Weather can play a huge factor, especially in September-- it can be HOT (too hot for heavy costumes) and some events can get rained out, especially the parade and stage shows

HOTHS pros and cons:
+ Events are spread out throughout the cruise although there is one designated "Halloween" Day
+ Nightmare Before Christmas Sing Along is a must if you're a fan, and Jack and Sally meet afterwards-- much easier to meet them on the cruise than at MNSSHP
+ Character dance party and trick or treating are fun
+ Good opportunity for professional photo ops in the lobby area
+ Adults only Halloween party/costume contest late at night in the dance club-- my wife and I won Most Disney on our cruise last year!
+ Most activities are indoors so weather isn't a factor usually
- Overall Halloween feel is not as strong as MNSSHP
- Character dance party/trick or treating is SUPER crowded and verging on a mad house
- Nothing that compares with the sheer spectacle of the parade and fireworks at MNSSHP.
- 3 night HOTHS cruises cram Halloween and Pirate night onto the same night, which makes the schedule feel crowded. (4 night and longer HOTHS cruises usually have Halloween and Pirate night on different nights, which I prefer.)

That is a very helpful compare/contrast. Thanks!

 

[crichardson11]

I second what GarrettJD said above.

We are big Halloween fans and planned a HOTHS cruise in October last year. After booking we decided to do MNSSHP the night before embarkation. The party was totally awesome in our opinion. We are not park goers so this was a treat for us in itself but the Halloween feel, the super short ride lines, special parade, fireworks and sanderson sisters show was amazing!

Our cruise was a 3 night and we loved our cruise but not our Halloween themed cruise. Aside from the tree in the atrium and a few portholes there were no other decorations. The dance party and trick or treating was a hot crowded mess. We did get pictures with Jack and Sally which was our main goal and I'm glad we did. But if you are cruising, cruise to cruise and not because it's Halloween themed in my opinion.

 

[MaleficentRN]

HOTHS is cute, but MNSSHP is better. And you get more candy.

 

[squirk]

Thanks, all. I’m getting the impression that HOTHS is nice, but not worth the premium I’d pay over MNSSHP.

You all also make a fair point - but for HOTHS, I would not consider a three-day cruise. I find them too short to get settled in and relax before you have to start packing up again.

 

[tlprice]

Our absolute favorite Disney event is MNSSHP. We did the MNSSHP the night before our HOTHS 7 night Fantasy cruise and I'm very glad we did. My daughter absolutely loves Halloween and was a bit disappointed by the HOTHS. It was super crowded, hot, hard to get to the candy areas, etc. If we had only done HOTHS she would have been really disappointed, but since we also did MNSSHP she was okay with it. Our best MNSSHP was when they did the Villains' Sinister Soiree in the castle. I wish they'd bring that back. It was fabulous!

 

[Tara D]

The HOTHS trick or treat is a hot crowded mess on the Dream class ships. People soup and mobs going everywhere. My kids were over it in ten minutes and they are normally hard core trick or treaters.

 

[hanscarlet]

We were on the HOTHS on the Magic and the show and games are a mess too. I was really annoyed they had everyone patiently waiting for the show to start and all kids were seated at the front while parents were in the back and then they announced that everyone had to get up and run around and play stupid, chaotic and crowded games. By the time the show started everyone was running around like a mess and then people were charging towards the stage to get seats and of course you had your jerk adults blocking kids.... the vibe pre show was great, relaxed and professional and then once people got the feeling they weren't going to see the show they freaked and there was a mob headed towards the stage for seats in the atrium. I was really disappointed on how this played out. Thankfully I saw the characters enter the back of Lumiere's so I knew enough to pull my kids to the front and told them to wait and sit while the games were still going on but other folks were not as fortunate. Next time I think I will just get a seat on the deck up and watch the 15 minute show from above and miss the chaos. The trick or treating still lasts about 45 min after the show so we felt relaxed doing that.