Need some help from experienced park goers to make the most of a day at WDW

[Ohmymonty]

Hey all!

Here's the deal: My boyfriend has been on a hunt for a Mickey hug since he was a kid and hasn't been able to get one over the last 30 years due to one crisis or family emergency or pandemic..etc, etc. He thinks he's cursed. I'm trying to break it. It's a whole thing. Just the recent examples: I took him to WDW in November 2021 and his dog dies the day we leave (I know, right?) and though we got to meet Mickey, we were masked and there were no hugs since we had to stay distanced. Fast forward and the mask mandate is removed from Disney Cruise Line and character meet and greets were announced to be coming back everywhere, so we book a cruise in April 2022, only to find that hugs returned everywhere except the cruises.

Brings us to today: We have a cruise booked for 10/21 out of Port Canaveral. Hugs are back at parks and cruises and I wasn't going to chance him not getting a hug in case something changes on the boats, so we're flying down a little early to spend the 20th at WDW. I got him all psyched up about spending the day at Magic Kingdom, only to discover the park closes early for MNSSHP. He was totally deflated that we wouldn't get the whole open to close with Enchantment fireworks.

Now, I'm hoping someone can help me out here. I'm no expert on the parks. Can anyone offer any insight or answers to any of the questions below? Do you have any advice to make this trip extra special for him? I figure if I knock it out of the park, the curse has to be broken, right?

1. Is the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party worth it? I saw some videos of the party, but it does seem kind of expensive...
2. Haunted Mansion is his favorite ride. Are they doing anything at MNSSHP for Haunted Mansion that might blow his socks off?
3. Are there no end of night firework shows going on at Hollywood Studios right now? Thought we might try HS instead of MK but I want his day to end with a bang, you know?
4. We have old Magic Bands from our Nov 2021 trip, but are the new Magic Bands + worth it to give him a little extra something? If so, do we both need Magic Band+ or will just giving it to him be magical enough?

 

[RoseGold]

If your goal is fireworks and a hug from Mickey, a party ticket would accomplish that. Just go to the town hall Mickey when you get admission in the evening, before the actual park close. You could also do this at Hollywood and Vine in HS with Halloween Mickey.

There is nothing special about Haunted Mansion except that lines might be shorter. Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe it will move faster with out G+ in play, but DAS might be in play, so maybe not.

There are no fireworks at HS now, not even the little Star Wars ones they did during Covid.

You can Youtube some videos on the new bands. My 2019-20 bands didn't pick up my Haunted Mansion ride photo in June, and I was disappointed. I'd buy at least some kind of new magic band to make sure you get that photo.

Another idea is to do Epcot, Garden Grill/Mickey photo op and close with Harmonius, a far superior firework show IMO. This would have the advantage of GOTG, which is incredible.

 

[Fulcrum]

I can answer three of those questions.

1. MNSSHP is absolutely worth it. Though the last time I attended the event was in 2018, it was probably the single best night I have ever had at WDW. There were a bunch of rare characters to meet, ride overlays (I specifically remember Space Mountain, which had different music and it seemed a lot darker, and Pirates, which had live actors throughout the queue), unique food options (there was a cool Haunted Mansion doom buggy dessert that I got at Aloha Isle in Adventureland), a great parade and fireworks shows (the latter of which, HalloWishes, sadly no longer exists), and relatively low wait times for attractions. Of course there is also the trick-or-treating. It was an amazing experience.

3. HS does not currently have any fireworks. Fantasmic is supposedly having cast rehearsals now, but who knows when that will resume. D23 is in September so maybe Disney will announce something then.

4. Personally I would not consider purchasing the new MagicBand+ to be worth it. Other than lighting up and interacting with the 50th statues, they don't really do anything. Plus they need to be charged. I think the older ones look better too, so if you wanted to buy new ones I would buy the standard ones. If not then the ones from 2021 should work.

 

[JodyK]

Are the actors outside HM back for MNSSHP this year?

 

[MadderAdder]

Are the actors outside HM back for MNSSHP this year?

Yes! Madame & the Butler… In front of the Haunted Mansion or in the queue (not a typical meet and greet; they are just out where you can see them)

 

[Ohmymonty]

Another idea is to do Epcot, Garden Grill/Mickey photo op and close with Harmonius, a far superior firework show IMO. This would have the advantage of GOTG, which is incredible.

Just wanna make sure I understand you correctly. You're saying Harmonius is better than the halloween firework show? I'd been told good things about it in the past, but I've yet to have a good experience in Epcot, so I never stayed for the night shows.

Do you get motion sick? Both my boyfriend and I got ill on Mission Space and Avatar Rite of Passage, so we were assuming the guardians ride would be off the table for us.

I can answer three of those questions.

1. MNSSHP is absolutely worth it. Though the last time I attended the event was in 2018, it was probably the single best night I have ever had at WDW. There were a bunch of rare characters to meet, ride overlays (I specifically remember Space Mountain, which had different music and it seemed a lot darker, and Pirates, which had live actors throughout the queue), unique food options (there was a cool Haunted Mansion doom buggy dessert that I got at Aloha Isle in Adventureland), a great parade and fireworks shows (the latter of which, HalloWishes, sadly no longer exists), and relatively low wait times for attractions. Of course there is also the trick-or-treating. It was an amazing experience.

3. HS does not currently have any fireworks. Fantasmic is supposedly having cast rehearsals now, but who knows when that will resume. D23 is in September so maybe Disney will announce something then.

4. Personally I would not consider purchasing the new MagicBand+ to be worth it. Other than lighting up and interacting with the 50th statues, they don't really do anything. Plus they need to be charged. I think the older ones look better too, so if you wanted to buy new ones I would buy the standard ones. If not then the ones from 2021 should work.

Since I'm not a regular park goer, how low are "relatively low" wait times? Since we're heading onto the cruise the next day, the trick or treating seemed like a wash since we'll already have access to all the food we could possibly eat. The trick or treating candy is just regular MARS candies, right? Not like anything special or hard to find?

Ooh, I have heard great things about Fantasmic. My immediate thought was to wait until D23 to see if they'll announce it opening. And if so, maybe we end the day at Hollywood Studios to watch that instead of paying for the party. But then I worry if they don't announce it opening and I wait until then to decide, that the MNSSHP tickets would be sold out for the 20th. It seems like the demand is fairly high, especially towards the end of Oct.

 

[DL1WDW2]

You can save money and not buy the magicbands since you are only going to a theme park for one night…
What time does your flight arrive?
Do you have your resort reservation for one night?
It’s fun to enter the MK and just people watch the families as they arrive in costume . The MNSSH party is worth the price . I think entry is 2 hours before the party begins . Maybe consider substituting the Magic Bands and the regular admission price to go to the Party!
Otherwise you need to make a theme park reservation , etc…
I love some of the special photo pass pictures only available during the party. I usually don’t buy the package but purchase one on Main Street before I exit the event!

 

[Ohmymonty]

You can save money and not buy the magicbands since you are only going to a theme park for one night…
What time does your flight arrive?
Do you have your resort reservation for one night?
It’s fun to enter the MK and just people watch the families as they arrive in costume . The MNSSH party is worth the price . I think entry is 2 hours before the party begins . Maybe consider substituting the Magic Bands and the regular admission price to go to the Party!
Otherwise you need to make a theme park reservation , etc…
I love some of the special photo pass pictures only available during the party. I usually don’t buy the package but purchase one on Main Street before I exit the event!

Our flight arrives the night before around 7 ish. We're not staying on property, but will be close ish.

If he can find his old magic band then I think we'll definitely use the old ones since they're only a year old. If he can't find his, I suppose we'll buy one magic band+. But I'm sure it's around here somewhere...

We initially thought we weren't gonna do a photo pass when we went in November so I bet we'd do it again for this. Do you know if a photo pass for the day will also cover the party? Or does it also have its own photo pass?

 

[Fulcrum]

Just wanna make sure I understand you correctly. You're saying Harmonius is better than the halloween firework show? I'd been told good things about it in the past, but I've yet to have a good experience in Epcot, so I never stayed for the night shows.

Do you get motion sick? Both my boyfriend and I got ill on Mission Space and Avatar Rite of Passage, so we were assuming the guardians ride would be off the table for us.



Since I'm not a regular park goer, how low are "relatively low" wait times? Since we're heading onto the cruise the next day, the trick or treating seemed like a wash since we'll already have access to all the food we could possibly eat. The trick or treating candy is just regular MARS candies, right? Not like anything special or hard to find?

Ooh, I have heard great things about Fantasmic. My immediate thought was to wait until D23 to see if they'll announce it opening. And if so, maybe we end the day at Hollywood Studios to watch that instead of paying for the party. But then I worry if they don't announce it opening and I wait until then to decide, that the MNSSHP tickets would be sold out for the 20th. It seems like the demand is fairly high, especially towards the end of Oct.

Just wanna make sure I understand you correctly. You're saying Harmonius is better than the halloween firework show? I'd been told good things about it in the past, but I've yet to have a good experience in Epcot, so I never stayed for the night shows.

Do you get motion sick? Both my boyfriend and I got ill on Mission Space and Avatar Rite of Passage, so we were assuming the guardians ride would be off the table for us.



Since I'm not a regular park goer, how low are "relatively low" wait times? Since we're heading onto the cruise the next day, the trick or treating seemed like a wash since we'll already have access to all the food we could possibly eat. The trick or treating candy is just regular MARS candies, right? Not like anything special or hard to find?

Ooh, I have heard great things about Fantasmic. My immediate thought was to wait until D23 to see if they'll announce it opening. And if so, maybe we end the day at Hollywood Studios to watch that instead of paying for the party. But then I worry if they don't announce it opening and I wait until then to decide, that the MNSSHP tickets would be sold out for the 20th. It seems like the demand is fairly high, especially towards the end of Oct.

I remember waiting 10-20 minutes at most for attractions, even the ones with the overlays. However, this year I’ve heard that Pirates and Haunted Mansion have been 30-40 minutes (posted, not actual) at certain points during the event, so it could be different now but it also depends on the day. Most are walk-ons, maybe a couple will have actual waits but even then it’s shorter than a typical day in the park. Regarding the candy, you’re correct, it’s just typical Mars. Other than the a la carte food offerings, there isn’t anything special.

Even if Fantasmic does come back, I would still attend the party rather than go to Hollywood Studios. Even if you get Genie+, you’ll have to wait standby for most of the top attractions at HS because they fill up quickly and the earliest bookings can be late in the day. You’ll spend a lot of time waiting in queues. If I had one day, I would maybe check out some resorts, eat there (Geyser Point at WL and Grand Floridian Cafe + Citricos at GF are three of my favorites), and then go to MNSSHP. It’s a perfect balance.