How do you tour MNSSHP?

[lexmelinda]

Calling all MNSSHP veterans............What your strategy when you get there? Do you start in one land and work your way around? Should I try to have a plan or just wander around and soak up the magic? Thanks for the advice!

 

[Lindy Loo]

I would love to get some tips too............... anyone ???

 

[JadenLayne]

LOL I just posted a post asking just about the same thing so I'm very interested too!

 

[revelstoke]

We had a plan last year and it worked wonderfully but we still felt as though we missed alot...but we knew without the plan we would have missed alot more! In fact this year we are going back twice...

one day we have planned to do all the dance parties, villian meet and greet, character meets and trick or treat stations & of course the parade and the fireworks...

The other is filled with our favorite rides (and the parade and fireworks again because they are AWESOME)

The unfortunate part is that many of the activities are planned to run concurrently (for obvious reasons like keeping crowd levels down and distributed evenly throughout the park)...pick your favorite land or lands and map out your activities around them -- for example they have a treat trail in adventureland and tomorrowland, a dance party in tomorrowland and ariel's grotto...so choose but avoid criss crossing the park and wasting time...because it will FLY by...be sure to throw in your favorite rides b/c they are walk on you will have little or no wait!!

good luck!

 

[lexmelinda]

Lucky! I wish we had two days to go but MNSSHP is only offered once during the week we're there so we've gotta make the most of that one night....Sept. 29th. Anybody who's been there in Sept....is it a capacity crowd? Did you get to see/do everything you hoped?

 

[Tink9748]

I to would like any suggestions.

 

[TravelGrl]

My LTT ressies are for 4:55 PM on the MNSSHP.
If we are done by 6:30, what will be available to us since the party will not have officially started till 7PM?

 

[CrazyforDisney]

Subscribing...i am going sept 15th.

 

[sandybobandy]

Ditto! We're going October 2nd. Can't wait!

 

[Eljay]

Do they hand out some sort of schedule of events?

I am definitely going to try to get there this year. Last year, I watched the awesome fireworks from the dock at Narcoosee's and swore I would try to be there this year!

Any suggestions for a more adult MNSSHP experience? Ohhhh, maybe I can get my pic taken with my idol, the Wicked Snow Queen! So evil, yet sooooo glamourous!

 

[lexmelinda]

Suggestions needed....bumping............

 

[dm220]

bump up

 

[Suzanne74]

Okay - I am not a veteran by any means but this was our planned strategy last year after researching the DIS like crazy. It worked out great..

It was myself, DH and dd who just turned 4 at the time.

Morning - SLEPT IN, ate breakfast at the resort, went swimming, took short naps and then started getting ready at 3pm. Was on the bus to MK by 3:30pm and arrived minutes before 4pm.

Special maps were given and everyone (including adults) gets orange MNSSHP bags. We went right to Liberty Tree Tavern to eat (we had 4:20 ressies) and were seated almost immediately. Great character interaction with their costumes and masks, most servers had ghoulish make-up on and it was great. The food is very Thanksgiving style and the place is rustic. It gets you in the mood!!

If you do not have ressies to eat, I would suggest eating a CS meal before 6pm since they close almost everything including the CS joints from 6-7pm and there is no time to eat later. Find out from a CM when you area entering the park, what "land" you will be escorted to at 6pm and then anytime you have before that - go to another land and try and get some rides in. Years before Tomorrowland was the land you had to stay in from 6-7pm (while they get the park Halloween ready) but last year it was Adventureland to Liberty Square. Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Toontown were off limits during set up.

So right before 6pm, we jumped on Peter Pan's flight. When we came off, all of Fantasyland was closed and we were escorted into Liberty Square. We then went on Haunted Mansion to start our MNSSHP adventure. I am not sure if Splash or Thunder were open from 6-7pm as dd did not want to do them. They had the HM dune buggy right by the Riverboat loading area and a picture of the highjacking ghosts nearby so we did some great photo ops. We then went over and rode Aladdin's carpets and Pirates of Caribbean. By then it was almost 7pm (when most nonDisers were arriving ) so we heading over to the Fantasyland from Liberty Square. It was sectioned off but by 6:50pm there was no one there so we headed into Fantasyland but the rides were still closed. DD went into Pooh's Playland and at 7pm on the dot, here comes Pooh, Tigger, Eyore and Piglet and CANDY!!! We were first for pics and then ran over to the carousel as dd wanted to do that first. Then we headed straight for Toontown before it got too crowded. The face painting is right before Toontown with no line yet so we all had our faces painted in less than 10min (those girls are quick!) and into Toontown for LOTS and LOTS of candy. Every character was in their area (Goofy by barnstormer, Minnie in her gazebo, Mickey in his garden and Donald by his boat (sprinklers off!) The Little Einsteins were all by the train station but we didn't know them yet (they are now DD's favorite)

We then went thru the Alice and Wonderland Trail which is from the Toontown Train Station to Tomorrowland. This was great. The Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts, Rabbit and Alice were wondering back and forth. Queen tried to take dd's candy and dd pulled hard back. Candy givers were all in cards - it was fun. We entered Tomorrowland and went straight to the Raceway with about a 5min wait. Then we hit all the candy spots in Tomorrowland, went on Buzz and then went to the Noodle Station to sit have some drinks, eat some of our candy and hold a table for the fireworks. GREAT fireworks!! Right after that we walked thru the Noodle Station to reserve seats for the 2nd parade. We were right by Casey's and it was a great spot. We all took turns doing bathroom breaks and the CM's were getting the crowd singing and dancing before the parade started. Parade was incredible!! Then we went straight to Adventureland and did the walk over there (forget the name but it is right by the Jungle Cruise.) We saw Rafiki, Buleu, Tarzan, Jane etc... Then we were passing by Aladdin's carpets and Aladdin and Jasmine were together for pics. DD loves them so she was very excited to see them together. We then went to Pirates again (dd's fav) and then wanted to end the night at Haunted Mansion at midnight. We started walking over there thru Frontierland thinking we would stop by Ariel's Grotto danceparty but as we were walking by Diamond Horse, we saw Woody, Jessie and Bulls-eye inside with like 4 other people - that's it! We went in and spent 15min in there and they had dd belly laughing. It was great. Then we ran over to HM at 11:55 and rode on there with some great people (you know the crazy ones that stay at the park until absolute closing!) Everyone was howling and having a blast. Make sure you take the time to look around the outside of the mansion before the ride. You may see some "real" ghosts. After that we took our time and enjoyed the near empty park, the music, the pumpkins and special effects of the castle and main street. We probably didn't leave the park until 12:30am and dd slept until 10am the next day!

So that was our night - it was the best time we had ever spent at Disney. I would love to go back this year but we are waiting until next year. The only things we didn't do was Ariel's Grotto dance party and watch the show in front of the castle. We could have forgone some rides to see these but the lines were so short, it was worth it. We definately felt that we got our admissions worth but I can see how people entering at 7pm and not really knowing what to do will get caught up in the crowds and not get a lot done.

Whew - so here are my pointers...

Take the morning off
Go in at 4pm, eat CS and look over the MNSSHP map they hand you, it shows everything. Make a gameplan. Then go straight to rides in lands that will close from 6-7. Then at 6pm, ride the rides in the sectioned off area from 6-7 - get your free photo then too.
At 6:50 or so, head to Fantasyland, ride any rides you may want and then head to Pooh's area for photo and then go quickly to Toontown (before the crowds come in as this is the most popular place for MNSSHP)
Get in as much candy and rides as you can until the Fireworks.
Do 2nd parade, it is much less crowded.
Don't expect to do it all and try and loosen up and have fun. It is a great time!!!

Whew - I need to go to bed - hope this helps!!

 

[lexmelinda]

Wow! I'm tired after just reading but it sounds like you had a lot of fun. Thanks for the great tips...that was like a mini trip report of MNSSHP. Thanks for taking the time to write it down for all us newbies.

 

[pixie dust 112]

Thanks so much for the info!!! I'm so excited. We're doing our first MNSSHP in September!!!

 

[Lanie]

Does the Headless Horseman run before the second parade, or just before the first?

And thanks a lot for all the info, I can't wait to be there!!!

 

[HappyHappy]

Suzanne74: I printed your post to use as a model strategy. Thanks so much. PS:I am impressed. I can't remember what happened last week.

 

[sconnell]

Ok, I'm so exctied. We are going Sept 29th! It will be Me, DH, DD4, DS2 and our friends, mom, dad, ds4, dd2. We have ADR's at LTT at 6:20. This is our First MNSSHP. DH & I have done MVMCP twice, but without kids and before the DIS. lol.
That sounds like a great plan, does anyone else have any suggestions with small children?

 

[beattyfamily]

Does the Headless Horseman run before the second parade, or just before the first?

And thanks a lot for all the info, I can't wait to be there!!!

He rides before both parades.

 

[Goofy4]

Does the Headless Horseman run before the second parade, or just before the first?

And thanks a lot for all the info, I can't wait to be there!!!

We noticed the CM's holding back the crowd for the Headless Horseman before the 2nd parade -- but then we blinked and we missed him So, I'm assuming that he rides before both.

Other suggestions:

Not all of the "non-major" attractions will be open. If you want to see the Tiki's, the Hall of Presidents and the like, you'll need to get than done before 6 (I believe).

Getting a jump on the crowd in Fantasyland is a good idea. We went to see the Country Bears around 7pm and when we came back outside, the place had emptied out. So being behind the crowd might be a good strategy as well.

If you should be eating at 6 in a closed land, rumor has it that they won't kick you out. So, you could be first in line when the area opens back up. It's been said that some attraction actually stay open or open early (in the "closed" area), but I can't confirm that.

Here's some DISer pictures: http://www.wdwinfo.com/photopost/sh...i=mnsshp&what=allfields&name=&when=&whenterm=

And another thread on the subject:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1145321

Enjoy!