MNSSHP - Worth it for toddlers?

[Cambribec]

We're going to be at Disney over Halloween (Oct. 25 - Nov 4th) and our kids will be 4.5 and 2.5 when we go. I'm debating whether or not to get tickets for the MNSSHP. Anyone have any experience going with kids the same age as mine? Is it worth it?

 

[thehappyhours]

We went when my girls were 6 months and 2.5. We were at the park all day before the party, so we ended up leaving after the first parade because they were exhausted. I want to go again but have a rest day before heading to the party. There is lots of fun stuff to do and if they can handle stating up late, I think it's a great idea

 

[kcpinwdw]

I love the Halloween party but "worth it" is totally subjective because mine won't make it until the end! We had a great time taking them at 15 months but we left after the first parade because they were DONE. I was disappointed the party starts so late this year, though, because I would have liked to try again at 3. I think with a solid nap we would make it much later. But I booked pirates and pals instead, so I am happy! MNSSHP is almost worth it just for the people watching alone, the costumes are amazing. I didnt dress up, though we dressed up the twins as Lilo and Stitch, but if I go back we will have a family costume.

 

[Thing 1]

We did not consider it with our boys as preschoolers because it was simply too late for them. Our oldest would have fallen asleep at 7:30 and been out for the night and the younger would have stayed awake all night but would need to sleep to noon the next day not to be a bear. We a waited til youngest turned 6 to consider it.

 

[disneypolybride2008]

i had the same question. our dd at 2 went to disney over the party time and i really wanted to go but once we were at disney she was up at 5am thrilled for the day and wouldn't nap in her stroller except one day mid week when the cool air on our animal kingdom day knocked her out, and she was exhausted by dinner at 5 and out as soon as we could get back to the room afterwards, 7 or 8pm she was out. i was glad not to drag her to the party. she did stay up til 12am on our travel night for our cruise though, but that was the first night, she was 21 months, and never got cranky and got up normal time the next morning, never cranky the next day, and we had her in bed normal time that following night, so that has me thinking for the next trip w/ our 13 month old and our dd who'll be 4 and 3 months old this time around, that if we go on the first or second night when she's all wound up it could work, but not later in the week when she's already off her schedule and exhausted by early evening. i'm still up in the air about it. we've been many times before the kids so we've seen and done it but it would be fun to see her have fun and the baby is pretty easy going so she could sleep in the stroller. DH just says it's too late at night for them.

 

[Jenna319]

Still can't decide if it is worth it to take our 1-year-old... Our only 2 options are 10/31or 11/1. There would be something so magical about Halloween in the magic kingdom but this is our travel day..

 

[KMK102015]

We are going in October. Do the adults dress up for MNSSHP?

 

[Ava]

We went last year with our girls, they were 5 years old and 16 months old. "Worth it" is always subjective, but we had a great time. It ended up being more crowded than I thought it would be for an end of Sept party, so we didn't get to do as much as I'd hoped, but honestly I felt like the parade and fireworks alone are almost worth the ticket. Definitely the best fireworks display I've ever seen. We also had an amazing interaction with Alice and the Mad Hatter - we dressed as Alice (DD5), the Queen of Hearts (DD1), and Tweedledee & Tweedledum (me & DW) - and got to meet Queen of Hearts. I would like to go back again when they're older, but knowing that will be difficult with school schedules, I'm glad we went when we did.

My one piece of advice - do not go to a park in the day time on your party day. We had a late breakfast at 'Ohana, then DW took DD5 to play in the arcade while the baby took a nap in the room and I ironed/prepped our costumes. We got a pizza from the food court for an early dinner in the room and got to the park around 5pm. We were able to stay through the 2nd parade (not the original plan, but we missed Alice on first stop and had to go back, so we ended up missing the 1st parade) and no one had a meltdown! My kids are more night owls than morning people anyway, but I think resting that day helped everyone stay in a good mood for the night.

 

[DSNY4ever]

No. We did a rest day and had ds (2) take a long nap, but he barely made it through the first parade (which was INSANELY crowded. He loved the dance parties, but he was exhausted and it was a super hot night. We don't let him eat much candy anyway and the candy lines were long. We loved seeing all the costumes and that was the highlight for us.

 

[Mshheaddoc]

I have kids that go to bed at 7-8p if not earlier every night. I am hesitant to go but we are going with 9 and 7 yo cousins so they will get more out of it that us. I'm planning going to the park for a few hours in the morning at rope drop bc my kids are morning owls and up at 5-6a then rest day at the resort until 3 and we will get ready.

 

[DisneyParkLover]

We are taking our 2 yo in October. I don't know if it is "worth it" for him, but he is free so why not? He can stay up as late as he wants and then sleep in the stroller while the rest of us enjoy the party!

 

[RachaelA]

My kids (a week shy of 1 and 3 at the time) took a super late nap that day and then made it until midnight. The baby took a power nap while waiting for the fireworks and then passed out on the walk back to the room (we stayed at BLT) after the party was over.

We also went when our oldest was 11.5 months and she passed out during the fireworks and we stayed for an hour and did stuff with her sleeping in the stroller and then headed out around 10:30.

 

[smurphs719]

Our 3 year old was so psyched to be there and excited about all things Halloween that he stayed up until the party ended. He usually goes to bed by 9, so it was pure excitement that kept him up, but a later afternoon nap helped. Taking him was actually a highlight of the trip for us!