Last year we went to MNSSHP on Oct 25 and we didn't buy our tickets until July. There was no problem getting them, we actually got them online on the Disney website and they came in the mail about 10 days later. Last year they had something like 8 dates, each week there'd be a weeknight and a weekend night. Ours was a Friday and it was kind of crowded in the trick or treating & face painting lines. But the parade and fireworks were awesome! We dressed up our kids but didn't wear costumes ourselves. It was fun watching everyone else's costumes too! We will go again this October but I think I'll pick a weekday that falls during the time we're there. And this time, I'm dressing up too!