I'm so CONFLICTED! Do we pay extra for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party?

[Edelweiss]

Hi DISers,

We are in the final stages of planning this trip. I think we are going to go ahead and purchase the SoCal CityPass and get our tickets for Disneyland. We are staying exactly 5 days. Now with the CityPass we can do Disney PH for 3 days, Universal for 1 and Sea World for 1. However, I was thinking about paying extra for the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party that will be offered one of the days we are there?

Is it worth the extra$$?

Please help!

Thanks!

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

How old are your kids? I've done MNSSHP with a 3.5yr old and a 6 yr old, and the preschooler was definitely too young to really enjoy it. He liked getting a huge bag of awesome candy (and they give out GOOD candy), and liked seeing everyone in costume, but the lines to meet characters were really long, and there weren't many of the preschool-friendly rides open. He zonked out by the time the fireworks and parade happened, too. The 6 yr old, on the other hand, loved staying up late, and had the patience to wait in line for the characters. She was drooping by the time the parade hit, but didn't fall asleep until we were leaving the park.

It is definitely more for the older kids, and I think it is a lot of fun, but it was way more crowded than we were expecting. I'd love to go back when DS is older, but I think we'll skip it until he's at least 8-10 yrs old.

 

[FreshBakedDisney]

We're annual passholders and skipped the event last year because of the cost, but we're going for it this year. The event I think is just too unique to miss. There's a special parade, costumes, candies, specialty treats. I'm gonna go bananas

 

[whoever]

I would go. I enjoyed it the 2 times I went.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Just to clarify (in case anyone needs to do a search for related threads), MNSSHP is at WDW and Mickey's Halloween Party (MHP) is at DL.

To the OP, we've gone to MHP for the last several years and have enjoyed it very much. The fireworks are amazing -- a real highlight of the party -- and the whole atmosphere is really fun.

 

[goofyfan13]

I struggled with this question as well. We ended up springing for the tickets and will be going to the Halloween Party during our visit.

Here was our thought process:
- Probably won't be back to Disneyland for 4+ years, so Halloween at DL will probably be once in a lifetime experience for my family

- We fly in on the 25th at noon. The halloween tickets grant park entrance at 4 pm, so it saves the price of a regular park ticket that day and it get's us into the park. I'm not spending double on that day or skipping DL entirely on our first day.

- My kids are 9, 8, 5 and if they found out they could have trick or treated in DisneyLand, I'd be blackballed by my own family.

Note - Number 3 was the kicker

 

[wiigirl]

I would go. I enjoyed it the 2 times I went.

 

[rosanab1031]

I struggled with this question as well. We ended up springing for the tickets and will be going to the Halloween Party during our visit.

Here was our thought process:
- Probably won't be back to Disneyland for 4+ years, so Halloween at DL will probably be once in a lifetime experience for my family

- We fly in on the 25th at noon. The halloween tickets grant park entrance at 4 pm, so it saves the price of a regular park ticket that day and it get's us into the park. I'm not spending double on that day or skipping DL entirely on our first day.

- My kids are 9, 8, 5 and if they found out they could have trick or treated in DisneyLand, I'd be blackballed by my own family.

Note - Number 3 was the kicker

Great reasons to go! I am going for my first time TODAY!!! YAY!!! But we weren't able to get costumes together It's just me and my bf going.

 

[Meriweather]

We are 2 adults and go when ever we can.....both at DLR and WDW
So fun!

 

[Moodyzblu]

It's definitely one of those "gotta try it at least once" things. We've done both parties at WDW and last year at DL and while we had an "ok" time .. we probably won't do it again, only because of the cost. But surely check it out .. the fireworks are some of the best I have ever seen !