MNSSHP--never been, should we go?

[PHamrick]

We are considering a quick trip to FL in October. We would come down the Wednesday before Columbus Day (October 4th) and go to the parks on Thursday and Friday. We are then going to drive up to Gainesville for the Florida/LSU game (GO GATORS!!!). Anyway, we were thinking about doing MNSSHP for a couple of reasons, but still aren't sure. Our kids will be 6 and 8 in the fall. They've been to the parks several times, but never for an "event". We LOVE Halloween. Like, weirdly obsessed with it (have already started talking about costumes). We would go to the party on Thursday night when I assume crowds would be lower. So what are my hang-ups?

1. If we rested most/all of the day, would the kids be able to stay up late enough to make it worth it?

2. How different is it really?

3. Would it make going to a different park (probably EPCOT) the next day harder b/c we'd be exhausted?

4. Assuming we don't make another trip to Disney for a couple of years after this, would they "age out" of MNSSHP? Meaning if they are tweens by the time we consider doing this again, would it not be as much fun for them?

5. Are there any special items that are only available during the party? Souvenirs, I mean?


FWIW, my kids are great travelers. They've been out of the country several times and have taken some longer trips. That being said, I know you can't speak to MY kids stamina or endurance, but I'd love to hear your experience.

Any advice or experience you have would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ErinsMommy]

Basing off of MVMCP its very much different and so much fun to have the park less crowded, most rides have shorter wait times and the parades/treats are bonus!

 

[BrianL]

If you love Halloween you will love it, no question. The atmosphere is amazing and there is so much to enjoy. The parade is great and the fireworks better than the usual ones. And if all the Halloween stuff isn't enough, ride lines are generally very short. It's great!

Also, there is party specific merchandise and usually a special SOTMK card you can only get wt the parties, a new one every year.

 

[imthegoose]

You absolutely should go. I've been to it 3 times and it's the best event. It's the best Disney parade and fireworks that they have. The rides have little to no wait. The characters are in costume. I'm hoping to go again this year if they start the event early enough in Sept.

The first time we went, we rode Splash mountain 4 times in a row without having to get out of the flume.

I say you go. No question!

 

[bnhonest]

To answer your questions based on my family's experience:

1) Yes, especially if you got a late start or took a little easier on yourself during the day. We did AK the day of the party, headed out about 2:00 to head to the party at 6:00.

2) It's very different, IMO. There is a unique stage show featuring Hocus Pocus and a good handful of Villians. The parade is unique and awesome and also features villians. The fireworks are way better than any ordinary night. There is just a cool feel to the park. Also, after you're done with the party stuff, most rides are walk-ins or very low waits. Oh, not to mention the unique character meet and greets.

3) It's a late night and you will want to sleep in the next day. So maybe choose a park you can tour with a late arrival or do in a half day.

4) Like I said, the Halloween feel is so cool. Who ever really out grows Halloween? I would think teenagers would have as much fun as little ones. Heck, a lot of grown ups come to it dressed in costume. I think it's great for all ages.

5) As a previous poster mentioned, there is unique merchandise, but I'm not sure if that stuff is available in the stores during regular hours or not. I know we picked up a CD with songs from the MNSS parade and the fireworks show. We play it at home on Halloween.

I've been to the Christmas parade and the Halloween parade and the Halloween parade is way better, in my opinion. If I were making the trip when this parade was going on, I'd pay the extra money every time.

 

[Raeven]

We are considering a quick trip to FL in October. We would come down the Wednesday before Columbus Day (October 4th) and go to the parks on Thursday and Friday. We are then going to drive up to Gainesville for the Florida/LSU game (GO GATORS!!!). Anyway, we were thinking about doing MNSSHP for a couple of reasons, but still aren't sure. Our kids will be 6 and 8 in the fall. They've been to the parks several times, but never for an "event". We LOVE Halloween. Like, weirdly obsessed with it (have already started talking about costumes). We would go to the party on Thursday night when I assume crowds would be lower. So what are my hang-ups?

1. If we rested most/all of the day, would the kids be able to stay up late enough to make it worth it?

2. How different is it really?

3. Would it make going to a different park (probably EPCOT) the next day harder b/c we'd be exhausted?

4. Assuming we don't make another trip to Disney for a couple of years after this, would they "age out" of MNSSHP? Meaning if they are tweens by the time we consider doing this again, would it not be as much fun for them?

5. Are there any special items that are only available during the party? Souvenirs, I mean?


FWIW, my kids are great travelers. They've been out of the country several times and have taken some longer trips. That being said, I know you can't speak to MY kids stamina or endurance, but I'd love to hear your experience.

Any advice or experience you have would be greatly appreciated!

1. You can get into the party at 4 so if you rested until then I think that would work.

2. The fireworks and parade are totally different, there's a stage show, shorter lines, people in costume, and characters in costume or ones you can't always meet out. I think it has a very different feel from your average day there.

3. If you stay until midnight it might make it harder to get up in the morning you'll probably want to aleep in a little.

4. No, I'm an adult and love it. We love Halloween a lot too and I don't think I was ever at an age where I "aged out" of Halloween. My sister is a teen and still loves Halloween too.

5. I think so I know there's snacks and maybe an exclusive pin. The souvenirs you can probably buy during the day too though.

We've done Mnsshp twice and Mvmcp once and definitely prefer the Halloween party. Love the atmosphere during it and the fireworks and parade are my favorite. If you go in at 4 pm you can also make 3 fps before the party even starts and lines will be short during it too. There's also an earlier parade and a later one so if your kids get really tired you could leave after the first parade and Hallowishes.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

1. If we rested most/all of the day, would the kids be able to stay up late enough to make it worth it? We haven't been with younger kids, but I'd certainly try to stay as late as possible. Crowds get much better as the evening goes on.

2. How different is it really? The two major differences are the parade and the Halloween show (I didn't think the fireworks were that much different). The parade was fun but at least for the first one SUPER crowded and difficult to find a spot. The headless horseman was pretty cool. Our daughter (who was in her late teens at the time) LOVED the Halloween show (Hocus Pocus Villain show) - I'm not a huge fan of shows but really liked this one as well. Our daughter liked it so well that she watched both the first and second shows.

3. Would it make going to a different park (probably EPCOT) the next day harder b/c we'd be exhausted? Probably. I think we slept in the next morning.

4. Assuming we don't make another trip to Disney for a couple of years after this, would they "age out" of MNSSHP? Meaning if they are tweens by the time we consider doing this again, would it not be as much fun for them? We are huge Halloween fans as well and when we went our kids were both late teens and really enjoyed it.

5. Are there any special items that are only available during the party? Souvenirs, I mean? There are but we didn't purchase any.

A couple of additional thoughts. We went on Halloween, October 31, 2015, and had a great time, with lots of people (including us) in costumes, some of which were very elaborate. However, that was before Disney implemented the new costume rules so not sure if adults are even allowed to wear costumes now. It was much more crowded than I expected, though that primarily impacted the parade, Hocus Pocus/fireworks, character meet and greets, and trick or treating lines. Trick or treating lines were really long and we didn't take advantage except for a short time during the second parade. We wanted to visit Jack & Sally and went over to their location about 4:15-30 I think (about 30 minutes before they were supposed to start the meet & greet) and there was already a long line. We were told it would be at least an hour line once Jack & Sally started meeting and we didn't want to wait that long so didn't. The rides were largely walk-on, except for 7 Dwarfs, although Pirates had a pretty lengthy line at a few times during the night, as did the Haunted Mansion. I guess my take away is if you are going to sort of enjoy the atmosphere and ride the rides then it is very good experience, but if you are going for the parade/show, character meets, or trick or treating then expect crowds and line.

I would also say that while we really enjoyed it I'm not sure we would do it again simply because it is super expensive.

 

[PHamrick]

[A couple of additional thoughts. We went on Halloween, October 31, 2015, and had a great time, with lots of people (including us) in costumes, some of which were very elaborate. However, that was before Disney implemented the new costume rules so not sure if adults are even allowed to wear costumes now. It was much more crowded than I expected, though that primarily impacted the parade, Hocus Pocus/fireworks, character meet and greets, and trick or treating lines. Trick or treating lines were really long and we didn't take advantage except for a short time during the second parade. We wanted to visit Jack & Sally and went over to their location about 4:15-30 I think (about 30 minutes before they were supposed to start the meet & greet) and there was already a long line. We were told it would be at least an hour line once Jack & Sally started meeting and we didn't want to wait that long so didn't. The rides were largely walk-on, except for 7 Dwarfs, although Pirates had a pretty lengthy line at a few times during the night, as did the Haunted Mansion. I guess my take away is if you are going to sort of enjoy the atmosphere and ride the rides then it is very good experience, but if you are going for the parade/show, character meets, or trick or treating then expect crowds and line.

I would also say that while we really enjoyed it I'm not sure we would do it again simply because it is super expensive. [/QUOTE]


Thanks for all of your info! If you have time, a few more questions:
--We are planning on going October 5th. Do you think it would be as crowded? I assume 10/31 is the most crowded day of all the parties.
--How long did the line get for 7DMT? We've ridden it, but could also get fastpasses if we come in at 4.
--I can't believe the Jack and Sally line was already that long! I was sort of hoping to see them, but that line might make me rethink that! Any tips for getting to meet them?
--Have you ever done the photopass for Halloween? I'm interested in their magic shots

Thank you so much!

 

[PHamrick]

You absolutely should go. I've been to it 3 times and it's the best event. It's the best Disney parade and fireworks that they have. The rides have little to no wait. The characters are in costume. I'm hoping to go again this year if they start the event early enough in Sept.

The first time we went, we rode Splash mountain 4 times in a row without having to get out of the flume.

I say you go. No question!View attachment 217173

I love the picture! I hope you get to go! It's great to know that people will repeat the event. I bet the weather will still be pretty warm too. It's been almost 20 years since I last lived in FL, but I remember those warm early Fall days!

 

[StanH]

We went last year for the first time and really enjoyed ourselves. We would do it again in a minute. The characters, people in costumes, candy giveaways, short lines for rides were all awesome.

 

[Accident]

I would go at least once. The trick or treating is something you'll remember, it's a villians night with parade and fireworks just for the party, hocus pocus for the stage show.. MK with halloween background music and lighting.. It will be a nice way to do MK different and it's halloween, costumes, trick or treating, lots of extra character meet and greets if that's your thing...

 

[Elsaalltheway]

Ugh sometimes I hate my computer. I had a huge post and it disappeared. So I'll try again.
So last year was my first year at the MNSSHP and I loved it, even though all but an hour was rained out it was still good and the cast memebers tried their hardest to make sure we had a good time. Because the downpour most if not almost all the rides were closed because of them being outdoors. We were able to go to a few indoors and they also moved some candy stations indoors. The candy lines were LONG because that was almost all there was to do. The first show was cut down by ten minutes, the fireworks went on as did the parade. Between three of us we walked out with seven bags of candy. Even though there were rivers of water running through the park it stayed pretty crowded and people tried to make the best of it. The weather is unpredictable, but I'm going to book it again when I go in OCT. I had a great time and with eight hours in the park it equals 10 an hour for candy, a parade, a show, fireworks and smaller lines on rides. Oh heck yeah its worth it. I know the price will go up, but for me totally worth it and I'm over 40.

 

[mdb78]

We went last year and it was our 1st time. Before going, we figured it would just be a one time thing to experience, but we loved it and had so much fun that we're planning on going again this year!

 

[Sparkly]

I'm really excited to do this for the first time in September! I'll be solo for that evening so I should get tons done.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

[A couple of additional thoughts. We went on Halloween, October 31, 2015, and had a great time, with lots of people (including us) in costumes, some of which were very elaborate. However, that was before Disney implemented the new costume rules so not sure if adults are even allowed to wear costumes now. It was much more crowded than I expected, though that primarily impacted the parade, Hocus Pocus/fireworks, character meet and greets, and trick or treating lines. Trick or treating lines were really long and we didn't take advantage except for a short time during the second parade. We wanted to visit Jack & Sally and went over to their location about 4:15-30 I think (about 30 minutes before they were supposed to start the meet & greet) and there was already a long line. We were told it would be at least an hour line once Jack & Sally started meeting and we didn't want to wait that long so didn't. The rides were largely walk-on, except for 7 Dwarfs, although Pirates had a pretty lengthy line at a few times during the night, as did the Haunted Mansion. I guess my take away is if you are going to sort of enjoy the atmosphere and ride the rides then it is very good experience, but if you are going for the parade/show, character meets, or trick or treating then expect crowds and line.

I would also say that while we really enjoyed it I'm not sure we would do it again simply because it is super expensive.

Thanks for all of your info! If you have time, a few more questions:
--We are planning on going October 5th. Do you think it would be as crowded? I assume 10/31 is the most crowded day of all the parties.
--How long did the line get for 7DMT? We've ridden it, but could also get fastpasses if we come in at 4.
--I can't believe the Jack and Sally line was already that long! I was sort of hoping to see them, but that line might make me rethink that! Any tips for getting to meet them?
--Have you ever done the photopass for Halloween? I'm interested in their magic shots

Thank you so much![/QUOTE]
The 7 Dwarfs line were an hour or more when we checked. I doubt they've gotten much better but folks who went last year might have more insight.

October 5 should be better than October 31, since Halloween is supposedly the most crowded Halloween party.

I've read that people get in line an hour or so before Jack & Sally appear and are near the front, but of course you are still waiting an hour if you do that. Don't think there is a good solution.

No info on the photopass.

 

[TandLMommy28]

We've been four times. It's our favorite thing at WDW. This year is the first year we AREN'T going, because we want to try some new things instead but we will miss it. We've been going since my oldest two were three and five and they've always made it to midnight just fine (but they are night owls). We always take it easy that morning and take a nap in the afternoon before going.

As far as outgrowing it? Hubby and I were down there without kids this fall for our anniversary cruise. We stayed on property the night before the cruise and there happened to be a party that night. We went. No kids. Had a wonderful time!

 

[DrBanner]

We went for the first time this past October and we are absolutely planning to go this year. We did the MVMCP and this was way more fun. It was neat to see all the kids dressed up for the night. Also it was a lot of fun and we received a lot of candy from all the trick or treating spots. We are actually going to go a week where we can get 2 nights in this time.