NOW I'M PANICKING...Just a few quick questions ..

[asfarrell]

Others have given great advice for going during party time. Just wanted to chime in and say MNSSHP party dates were announced a little over a month ago--they were early this year.

When you planned this trip were you trying to avoid MNSSHP party time entirely? Just wondering because your dates would have def. fell into the party time period and for several years now it's been before mid-September that the party event starts.

Well...we were booked for June, that had to be canceled and on a whim, just booked the end of September for my daughters birthday and flights are really cheap. The MNSSHP never even crossed my mind I also mentioned earlier, we had been before...NOPE my daughter just reminded me that was the Christmas party (ugghhh, getting old is hard...lol) So now I realize, castle only "lights up" for Christmas time'sh, no more night parade...got it. So to get my full MK fill, I think Friday at MK, latest BOG dinner they will let us do and then return Sunday night for MNSSHP...then I will feel like I got my MK hours and nightlife in...lol ...not crazy about the party but at least its night time

 

[asfarrell]

100 % agree with this! We went to MK on a Friday Party day last year in November (Christmas Party). The crowds were SO LIGHT all day long until about 4:00 - it was fabulous. We got way more done than we would have if we went on a non-party day/evening.

We made dinner reservations at Liberty Tree Tavern for 5:00, had a leisurely dinner and then walked out of the park around 7:00 - as long as you are leaving the park and not riding any attractions, you can totally stay for Dinner and then walk out at this time. It was an amazing day! I would absolutely do it again...

This would be the best option for us...if they will let us make dinner reservation around 5 and then leave, that would be perfect! I called Disney Dining, she didn't know the last time I could book.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well...we were booked for June, that had to be canceled and on a whim, just booked the end of September for my daughters birthday and flights are really cheap. The MNSSHP never even crossed my mind I also mentioned earlier, we had been before...NOPE my daughter just reminded me that was the Christmas party (ugghhh, getting old is hard...lol) So now I realize, castle only "lights up" for Christmas time'sh, no more night parade...got it. So to get my full MK fill, I think Friday at MK, latest BOG dinner they will let us do and then return Sunday night for MNSSHP...then I will feel like I got my MK hours and nightlife in...lol ...not crazy about the party but at least its night time

Ah ok I gotcha now.

That would make sense if you hadn't been before not realizing when the dates fall--cheap airfare is hard to pass up for sure and a prior cancellation always bites.

 

[asfarrell]

If you don’t want to spend the money for the Halloween party, I would rope drop MK on Friday until you have leave the park. Then do dinner at poly or GF then you can watch the fireworks from the beach.

BOG is on "the list' for this trip or else, it wouldn't be that big of a deal..lol

 

[asfarrell]

Do you have hoppers? Go to MK on a party day (it won’t be too crowded) then hop to DHS. I always go right after Thanksgiving and that’s what we do quite often on party days. It works out great

No hoppers, it was just supposed to be a quick, easy trip...if it weren't for BOG being a definite for this trip, it wouldn't even be that big of a deal....

 

[sharonabe]

This would be the best option for us...if they will let us make dinner reservation around 5 and then leave, that would be perfect! I called Disney Dining, she didn't know the last time I could book.

They will LET you make ADRs up til close to 6:00. The problem you'll have is actually GETTING one. That is prime time for party goers and day guests alike, and the competition for them is fierce.

BTW, you do know they have changed BoG to a prix fix dinner and changed the menu, right?

 

[Skippyboo]

You can eat at BOG for breakfast or lunch during the day. It’s will be a easier ADR to get than dinner at 5 pm since both the park people and the party people who can be let in at 4 are competing with you.

Dinner is also $60 bucks a head. So throw in taxes and tip, you are close to what the Halloween party itself would cost.

 

[OB1]

If you don’t want to spend the money for the Halloween party, I would rope drop MK on Friday until you have leave the park. Then do dinner at poly or GF then you can watch the fireworks from the beach.

I agree with Skippy. You can probably do more on FRI in reduced hours than all day SAT. A lot of folks will skip MK on a party night because the day is cut short. If fireworks are not a must do, then you are really well off.

 

[MomOTwins]

How about aiming for breakfast or lunch at BOG so you still get to see inside the castle and then plan a dinner at 7pm at the new character meal at Artist Point, or one of the monorail resorts? That way you can still enjoy your full time at MK on attractions right up until 6pm.

 

[focusondisney]

This would be the best option for us...if they will let us make dinner reservation around 5 and then leave, that would be perfect! I called Disney Dining, she didn't know the last time I could book.

A word of warning, be careful when you make the BOG ADR. The last few years, Disney has closed reservations for people without ADRs a little early, before the park’s official closing. They also have a separate listing for ADRs during the party. Make sure you book the regular dining ADR, not thru the party spot. The times available thru the party listing will require a ticket to keep. There is even a warning when you book that a party ticket is required for this ADR. And yet, every party season, there are posts from people upset that they won’t be able to keep the ADR. And, of course, blaming Disney.

 

[bumbershoot]

So to get my full MK fill, I think Friday at MK, latest BOG dinner they will let us do and then return Sunday night for MNSSHP...then I will feel like I got my MK hours and nightlife in...lol ...not crazy about the party but at least its night time

If you don’t want to do the party, I wouldn’t do the party. It’s expensive and not the normal nighttime stuff.

But nor would I pay as much as the party costs to sit and eat at BOG, especially now that the cost is so ridiculous.

 

[Winchester24]

We went this past October on a Thursday night and had an amazing time. I would definitely spend the money to go on a party day and not attend the party. We rarely close a park and often left by 7 or so anyway. I think the crowd was at a 3 the day we went (we had party tickets that time) and it was relatively quiet all day.