MNSSHP - Would you go again? (Had bad experience 2 yrs ago, reluctant to try again)

[jhammond3966]

2 years ago we went to MNSSHP with our kids (then 5 and 7). We did costumes, got some fun pictures, wasted time doing a few trick or treating stations, a few rides, parade and fireworks, then they were wiped by that point and we headed back to BLT. .... BUT it was packed, way more than i expected for a "limited hard ticket" event, there were LOTS of single/non-family 20-30 somethings there that were incredibly rude, shoved my kids out of the way to jam themselves in front of us at the parade when my wife went to the bathroom, then berated her when she tried to get back behind the rope with us and argued very rudely that they "paid a lot to be there" and were "pretty sure they would at least remember the parade and our kids wouldn't" this who cares if our stupid kids could see the 1st parade. Ruined the evening for my wife. To their credit, the cast members nearby intervened and made them get back behind us, but my wife had already taken off crying by that point. She sucked it up and we moved on for the kids (who thankfully were young enough to be oblivious to what was happening). Hallowishes was great though.

We are coming back to WDW in late October and I am trying to map out our park schedule so I can figure out ADRs to book in a few weeks. I originally swore that we would not do MNSSHP again. But... MNSSHP is on 3 of our 5 full park days, leaving only Saturday night and Monday night without a party, which sucks for planning purposes and means the non party nights will be far more crowded than normal. setting all other scheduling considerations aside, as there are many, I started thinking about trying MNSSHP again but with a different game plan (no trick or treating, skip the 1st parade and hope the kids and my wife will make it to the 2nd parade time, do more rides during the parade, and still see awesome Wishes, but maybe from Fantasyland instead). Then I started reading the blogs and people's posts to see if our experience was an anomaly. Looks like it wasn't. Seems like the party has become a "party" for 20-30 somethings to go to during Halloween season and others have had similar bad experiences. Now I am reluctant to go again. So I am looking for the feedback and experiences of others here for guidance.

QUESTION 1: Who else had similar bad experiences with the different crowd this event seems to draw? If so, what did you experience and would you try it again? AND what night of the week were you there?

QUESTION 2: Wait times for rides during the party? We did so few rides, I didn't get a feel for the wait times during the party at all. Part of the sales pitch is "limited ticket" event and a hope for shorter lines, but sounds like that has not been the case at all. What do you remember? Worth it for shorter lines or not at all?

QUESTION 3: Is it worth even doing if part of my plan is to skip the parade to hopefully benefit from shorter ride lines during that time? The Parade was cool, but chews up so much time to get a spot, wait, wait, wait, then you essentially have to head to the hub to stake out a spot for the fireworks. So it seems like most of my $250 night was spent on the Parade and HalloWishes. Would you pay to go to the party and not do the parade?

QUESTION 4: If you went with elementary school age kids, what suggestions do you have that made it work/better for your family?

NOTE: we are not character meet and greet people and won't be doing any of those character things that are only at this party.

All of your collective experiences, input, wisdom, and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Babs Johnson]

I found ride lines to be relatively short during the whole of MNSSHP, especially so during the parades, and even more so during the last hour. Except 7 Dwarfs Mine Train. That had a longish line until about 1130pm.

To your QUESTION 3. It's DEFINITELY worth doing if you intend to skip the parade and fireworks. We just went for rides, rides, and more rides (and some trick or treating) and found it to be a great value. But we are two adults with no elementary age kids.

 

[Delirium]

We were last there in '13 , but are going back this year. My recommendations

• Avoid the trick or treating. Simply not worth it.
• Do it on a non-park day. We've seen kids in costume early in the day which means their parents paid for both a regular park day and a party day. That is waaaaay too much for a kid. Make a commitment to stay until midnight and you will find light crowds the last hour for rides.
• Do NOT skip the parade (but do the second one). The parade and Wishes are special.
• If you want to have your kids in costume, make sure they are comfortable. Princess dresses and things like Buzz Lightyear costumes are NOT comfortable and should be avoided.

 

[Tomh]

We love the Halloween Party. We've been fortunate enough to go twice now. The parade, and the fireworks are amazing. As the PP suggested, do NOT do it on a day that you are using a park ticket. Plan a day when you aren't going to the park, and enter at 4:00. Sleep in, and take it easy in the morning so that you, and more importantly the kids, have the energy to keep going until closing at midnight.

We like to watch both parades, but usually watch from Frontierland, where the crowd usually isn't as thick. It makes getting a spot in the hub area for Hallowishes a little more challenging, but it is doable. Trick or Treating, I would say if you see a short line, hit it up, especially on the way out of the park. Last time, we took the pathway from the Fantasyland Train Station over towards Space Mountain on our way out of the park, and there were a number of CM's stationed there handing out candy, and they would give hands full. We were leaving the park anyway, DS got a mad big sack of candy going through there!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

For context, I have been the last two years, both times it was just me and DS, 4 and 5 at the time. In 2014 I was there the second week of September (Friday night party), 2015 was the last week of October and I did two parties (Sunday and Tuesday, if I remember correctly). I'm positive one of the October parties I went to last year was sold out, and I think both might have been.

Question 1: Maybe I'm just oblivious but I've never experienced anything in terms of the bad/negative behavior that you reference. In fact, my experiences have been total opposite. Our MNSSHP's have been among the best family-friendly events we've even done and have given me and DS such great memories. DS talks about it constantly.

Question 2: Outisde of 7DMT, wait times are very very low for pretty much the whole party. I found this to be the case both years, even the sold out parties. This is actually my secret love of the party, can cover so much ground in terms of rides.

Question 3: Absolutely. I'm not a big "sit here and wait for the parade" kind of guy. Our party plan is to ride rides and do some trick-or-treating as we go. If we happen to be somewhere near the parade, we'll stop and watch it, but I'm not going to spend a lot of time trying to get a prime spot. Both parties last year we literally walked up to the new hub area (where they used to do FP+ for Wishes) and had a decent view. Of course we were back a bit, but it was fine. Second parade can pretty much be a walk-up, especially around Town Square.

Question 4: Both me and DS have dressed up the last two years. It's such a fun and unique way to experience the MK. Our pictures are priceless. We hit every Photopass photography we see. I do tend to think Tuesday is the best night to go, generally speaking.

It's kind of a waste of $ but I really enjoyed doing two parties last year. One night we dressed up and did more trick-or-treating than rides and made it a point to watch the fireworks from the hub. Second night we didn't dress up and just hit the rides hard, didn't stop for either parade or fireworks (although we happened to be in Fantasyland when they were going off and had a great view). It was also nice that I didn't feel the need to really push him and stay up all night (which just asks for trouble the next day at my son's age). I did feel the October parties I went to last year felt more "packed" than the September one the prior year, because I'm sure it was. But I've kind of learned how the crowds operate at the parties (eg, very hub focused) and tend to go the other way. A big difference from your party two years ago and now is the new hub - it's tremendously easier to get around now, especially at a party!

Whatever you decide, I hope you have a great trip. We will definitely be back for a party at some point this year.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I love the Halloween party! I've never encountered rude guests like that, and I'm sorry they ruined the night for you, but I don't think it's the norm.

I would not do a park the day you go to the party. We plan to sleep in the day of the party and just go when we can get in at 4:00.

The only ride that seems to ever really have a line during the party is Haunted Mansion.

I would also watch at least one of the parades, the second one should be less crowded.

 

[keishashadow]

OP we've been going to the parties forever, with & without kids in tow.

Never an issue with hooligans as you describe. Have seen people of all demographics and many large groups in coordinated costumes (which imo, large groups tend to clog things ups, can be an issue party or not).

Not sure 'when' you will be attending but the October has become a very busy month in the world. We travel for MNSSHP and F&W events usually the 1st week, last year the 2nd.

Try to avoid Columbus Day and the weekend events for lower crowds.

Usually a thread here with hints as to touring and Kenny the Pirate's site should still have up detailed info from last year that would help with planning.

 

[jhammond3966]

OP we've been going to the parties forever, with & without kids in tow.

Never an issue with hooligans as you describe. Have seen people of all demographics and many large groups in coordinated costumes (which imo, large groups tend to clog things ups, can be an issue party or not).

Not sure 'when' you will be attending but the October has become a very busy month in the world. We travel for MNSSHP and F&W events usually the 1st week, last year the 2nd.

Try to avoid Columbus Day and the weekend events for lower crowds.

Usually a thread here with hints as to touring and Kenny the Pirate's site should still have up detailed info from last year that would help with planning.

We are going towards the end of October (October 20-26) with Tuesday, October 25th as the night we are considering trying MNSSHP again. To be super honest, my wife and I are going to go to F&W one evening without the kids and we had planned on going to F&W that Tuesday and MK evening on Monday night for (hopefully) Wishes and nighttime MK, but Tuesday is EMH evening hours at EPCOT and with that Monday night will probably be much better than Tuesday night at EPCOT. We are rope drop people as we can get so many rides in early and the kids are fresher early than they are if we try to make it until close at MK (for shorter lines). So part of this indecision is (Option 1) MK on Monday evening with the kids (but also a crowded non party day at MK) and then crowded EPCOT for us on Tuesday OR (Option 2) less crowded EPCOT for my wife and I on Monday night, then paying for MNSSHP on Tuesday night to get an evening MK visit in during our trip. See, it's really all about me selfishly wanting a less crowded evening at F&W with my wife and trying to decide if I am willing to pay for and put up with MNSSHP to get that (on top of paying for the kids to go to Lilo's Playhouse for a night too). We can certainly suck it up and do F&W on the Tuesday EMH night though. Or do I pay $400 for 2 of us to do the F&W Premium Package and only use it one night? $270 for 4 to go to MNSSHP vs $400 for F&W Premium Package?

QUESTION 5: How busy is MK on the few non-party nights? A Monday non-party night? Has anyone done that? All the crowd predictions put MK crowds on non-party nights at a 7/10 (the highest for any park, any day during our trip). Makes sense why it would be a lot more crowded on those non-party days. Is 7/10 non-party night as crowded as MNSSHP?

 

[vinotinto]

It would be helpful to read through last year's threads. There's a lot of reports in there and first hand info on the parties. They were very crowded, with some speculating that the limit of tickets had been raised.

Here is the official thread from last year, live reports started around page 130:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/official-2015-mnsshp-thread.3383728/page-130

Here is another thread from last year that focused on the early parties:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/mnsshp-2015-be-prepared-for-chaos.3447861/

 

[keishashadow]

you're likely hitting 'hell week'. Locals off school, it is a zoo as to crowds in all the theme parks, especially at MNSSHP & HHN.

jmho but pm EMH isn't a huge issue @ Epcot, even during F&W. It's going to be crowded but nowhere what you'd hit on the weekend there

 

[Bethmsu]

I don't think I would pay for the party for an entire family unless I was interested in doing the things that really are party specific. That being said at the party last year we ran around trick or treating and later I thought....I could have just got some candy at the store and saved the time! Especially because we all ate some and took the majority to work.

I think arriving at rope drop is a better way to see things and enjoy short lines. I would do it on days there is a party so it's even less crowded. Then, if you have park hoppers...zip over for just wishes one night.

 

[FeralCatRogue]

I've been 3 times 2 in early october 1 on halloween the crowds are worse the later you go I've seen. Halloween thought felt less busy then last years early october trip though. I'm not big on rides nad mainly go to see costumes and just have fun. I will say that my complaint with them has always been lack of special merchandise. Was unable to get it on oct 2nd last year when it had only gone on 2 weeks.

 

[kittyab]

We enjoyed the party on our last visit. What we did was, we ate dinner at Pecos Bill's and grabbed a spot for the parade.

We had a interesting experience when we tried to get a spot for the Hallowishes. We moved to the open area in front of the castle and we had a family scream at us to move. They wanted to be the back by the planters. We moved over since they would not stop screaming. Then someone else moved into that spot. We heard them scream at them.

This did not stop me from coming back.

 

[HopperFan]

Been doing two parties a year for the last decade.

We have never encountered issues with older guests although we have experienced rude young children who were encouraged to cut the candy and character lines. Most the parties we have been to seem to have a great many more adults than young children and those guests have mostly been in costume and enjoying the party. Disney is for all ages and has become a popular destination for all adult groups. With F&W and Halloween Parties at the same time ... big draw for adults.

I will say that last year I felt the parties were more crowded than ever with longer lines for rides and all the party activities. Both parades were packed and we decided to do the midnight Hocus Pocus show both nights to try to avoid the crush earlier in the night. I would expect the same this year and due to last year thinking about only going once or maybe not at all. Just from your post and the expectations of what you would do at the party added to going during a very crowded time, I would say it sounds like a waste of money for you. I anticipate you would be disappointed.

 

[bbak30]

Our first trip in 2010 had me NEVER wanting to go back to WDW. I just found the people rude and the entire experience very frustrating. I was very annoyed with the rude people on the buses as well.
So I had to adjust my expectations and have since fallen in love with WDW.

I would recommend trying it again. We had a blast in October of last year. We went to the second parade and that may have helped. We didn't see the Hocus Pocus show though. I have learned to let things like that roll off my back though. I hated that I spent so much of my first trip being annoyed at things I couldn't control.

And different people have different perspectives. I was reading a post from someone that went to MNSSHP on the same day as us and said it was terribly crowded and encountered very long lines for candy. We felt the opposite. There were definitely a lot of people there, but I did not come across a long line for candy at all. And we hit them all. However, I expected some wait time for each.

 

[HappyGrape]

No we aren't going this year
Thunder mountain is under renovation. There isn't other attraction in MK that we would love to do multiple times
The candy trails had very long waits and the 75% of the candy wasn't anything DS would eat
Characters waits are insane - Event Lotso was 30 minutes
it's very packed, hard to walk from one point to another
the parade is awesome - but the price too high for one parade
magic photos are fun and waits not too bad

 

[Evoga]

I am in the camp of not going to the Halloween party again due to having being numerous times over the years.

It used to be worth every dollar as the crowds were low and you could trick or treat whenever you wanted to. Now I find it too busy and not worth the premium price.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

Thank you for posting this.
We are going in September with our 4yo and our instinct was to hold off on attending Mnsshp until she's a bit older, mainly because she probably would not like the villains/spooky things at the moment. I would love to attend at some point, but I am definitely thinking we should wait a bit (just seems right for our family)

Have a great trip, whatever you decide!

 

[jhammond3966]

Thank you for posting this.
We are going in September with our 4yo and our instinct was to hold off on attending Mnsshp until she's a bit older, mainly because she probably would not like the villains/spooky things at the moment. I would love to attend at some point, but I am definitely thinking we should wait a bit (just seems right for our family)

Have a great trip, whatever you decide!

I would wait if I was you. Positives of MNSSHP is that the Parade is awesome, it's really cool, as are Hallowishes.... BUT... HalloWishes isn't unit 10pm (compared to regular Wishes on a non-party night in Sept which would probably be at 9pm - better for your 4yo.) People seem to love the special characters you can only meet at MNSSHP, but most are villans/spooky (other than 7 Dwarfs). Honestly, other than the cast in different uniforms, the rest of the Halloween decorations are up every night so it's not much different on a non-party night (maybe they light it differently?). I am still torn because even with a 7 and 9 year old, even they can't go that late into the evening to make much use of short lines in the last hour (11pm-midnight). I'm not sure it would be worth the money until she's a bit older. My daughter was 5 when we went 2 years ago and that was probably the youngest I would take a kid (no stroller, a little more stamina, etc.). If you have any reservations, I would wait. That said, DEFINITELY do rope drop and MK on each and every party day morning. Seems like so many people go to the other parks on party days and the crowds were so so so light those mornings, got so much done in those first 2-3 hours. Just get the hopper pass and skip MNSSHP. My two cents. She is going to LOVE WDW at 4 years old. Girls that age and princesses are awesome to watch them experience. You will have a great time.

 

[jhammond3966]

I don't think I would pay for the party for an entire family unless I was interested in doing the things that really are party specific. That being said at the party last year we ran around trick or treating and later I thought....I could have just got some candy at the store and saved the time! Especially because we all ate some and took the majority to work.

I think arriving at rope drop is a better way to see things and enjoy short lines. I would do it on days there is a party so it's even less crowded. Then, if you have park hoppers...zip over for just wishes one night.

I definitely agree about arriving at rope drop on MNSSHP days, we did that twice during our trip in 2014 and it was AMAZING! Lightest crowds of any time I had been to MK (at least in recent years).