MNSSHP - Sunday night or Friday night (in October)

[mmbrad02]

We are taking a Disney cruise October 7-11 and dabbling with the idea of adding MNSSHP before/after our cruise. Parties are offered on 10/6 and 10/11. October 6 is a holiday weekend (Columbus day) and October 11 is, well, a Friday night. If you were picking one based potentially on crowds, which would you go with? Or do you think by that point the crowds will be about the same so its just fair game?

 

[Best Aunt]

You might find this thread helpful: https://www.disboards.com/threads/o...ty-a-frightfully-festive-celebration.3729471/

People ask that kind of question on that thread all the time.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

We are taking a Disney cruise October 7-11 and dabbling with the idea of adding MNSSHP before/after our cruise. Parties are offered on 10/6 and 10/11. October 6 is a holiday weekend (Columbus day) and October 11 is, well, a Friday night. If you were picking one based potentially on crowds, which would you go with? Or do you think by that point the crowds will be about the same so its just fair game?

You probably want to double check the calendar - Columbus Day is 10/14/19 this year.

My personal opinion is that the party cost variations and dates with/without AP/DVC/military/CM discounts have more and more of an impact on crowds every year.

I went to a late Sept Friday night, lower cost, AP discounted party last year and it was quite crowded - to the point I was grumbling along with many others last year about party crowds. Two weeks later we went to the Friday night party Columbus Day weekend which was a higher price point ticket with no discounts and it was a night/day experience - this particular party was so much better crowd wise despite the holiday weekend. Both Fridays, both great weather, two weeks apart - the only difference was cost. The Thursday night party right before our second party was cheaper and had discounts - reports from that party both here on the DIS and people we met around the resort that weekend sounded pretty bad crowd wise.

I was somewhat scared of the Columbus Day weekend Friday party going in, but it turned out to be a great evening.

I can't prove that ticket cost was the ultimate influencer, but it sure seemed that way.

 

[nkereina]

My initial thought was that the Sunday night would be better (holiday weekend or not), but PP's experience above is interesting. If the difference is negligible, my vote would be to go to the party after your cruise so its something to look forward to when the cruise is over. Helps ease the pain of leaving the ship!