Oh no! Next week is a school and public holiday!

[di$neyf@n]

I just told DH and he is not thrilled at all. Oh if only I hadn't wanted to do the Halloween party. We usually plan our trips around school holidays. I hope this will not be a bad experience for our family. More people means more smokers (especially while waiting for the parade) and more worry for me about our son who has health issues and me getting migraines from the smoke. I hope we don't wind up back in the hospitol with him. (he has trouble breathing if he inhales smoke then panics thinking he is going to stop breathing altogether) If the tickets were refundable I just wouldn't go now. I am afraid the crowds will be more than he can handle.

I was thinking if there is a limited number of tickets for the party it wouldn't be so crowded but now I don't know. I need to come up with a plan. Maybe I can look into the aquarium that is near there? He just got his costume today too and is excited about it. I hope it all works out.

Has anyone been to this party on the 31st before? Is it really crowded and are there special shows during it?

 

[Rachie B]

did you not know when you booked ?

halloween is always around oct half term

hope your son will be ok...

 

[di$neyf@n]

No I had no idea! We live in Germany and the kids go to an American school.

At least the forcast for Dec. when we go again is good. No school holidays until around the 20th and we will be home before then. Sigh. I am just going to have to come up with a really good plan and keep his mediction nearby.

 

[Ware Bears]

Unfortunately it will be busy because it's holiday time for France and much of the UK. If it's any consolation, we've never been to DLRP outside of school holiday time and have never had a problem with anyone smoking near us, but maybe we've just been lucky.

I guess Central Plaza/Main Street is going to be the busiest place to wait for the parade, if you avoid waiting there hopefully it will be a little less crowded.

There is a review in the Trip Reports section from Totally Angelic in 2005.

Hoping you will still go and have a great time.

 

[joolz1910]

It would be such a shame if this spoilt your enjoyment of the trip. I don't like crowds either but I'm sure it will all add to the atmosphere. You are so lucky to be doing Halloween - I'm sure you will have a great time, regardless of the amount of people who are there. There is always a quiet spot to be found, wherever you go, to get away from everyone. I hope you have a great time.

 

[marcus.ka]

We have been there the same time two years ago and we never saw the park so growded. During this time France, the UK and Germany do have school holidays and in France and Germany the 1. November is a Bank Holiday.

We never had waiting times of less then 60 minutes for POTC to only give one example. But although the park was growded it was a great time to be there. And the Halloween night was fantastic. It was great to see so many people dressed up and to be in the park until midnight.

For the Halloween night the park was also very crowded as only Disneyland Park was open. We have only done some attractions on this eventing as there were waitingtimes of 30 minutes for PM and 60 minutes for BTM.

We had a great week but we would never go again during the last week of October as almost whole Europe had school holidays.

 

[PJackson]

Oh my goodness Disneyfan I think it will be very busy - really sorry! Didn't someone recently post about the Halloween party that their friend had gone and it was really badly organised and sooo busy as a result there were scrums and people running around wildly etc?

I really hope it's not too bad for you and they have it all under control this year.

As Diane said, there is always a quiet place somewhere you can find for you all.

As for smoke, tbh we went just before Halloween season and it was quiet in the parks and people still smoked next to us. On our first day, standing for the parade we had a fab spot until a lady came next to us and starting chainsmoking! I was annoyed as I had both my DD1 (3.5 yrs) and my DD2 (5 months) there. Fortunately she moved!!!

I really hope it works out OK for you

 

[ruthiebabie]

I have to second what the others say - we did the Halloween party last year and it was rammed with people both during the day and the night.I think you need to accept that it will be busy and plan your time accordingly. The busiest places on the night of the party were getting in (one mad scrum with no regard for kids - ours got pushed and shoved around) - might be worth considering grabbing a buggy (not sure what age your son is) just to give him some protection from those around him when queuing to get in.Main Street and the central plaza were very busy and certainly in the hour or so leading up to the ghost ship parade and during the parade on the night of the party so again avoid those areas.Fantasyland was busy but bearable - the area round Phantom Manor very crazy and around BTM too.

 

[mandy5796]

oh no i'm getting a bit worried now!!! doesn't sound very magical!!! as for the smoking i'm hoping it won't be too bad as i'm currently pregnant and the smell of smoke sets of my severe morning sickness!! so people will hopefully move sharpish when i start wretching and vomiting on them!!!! ha ha ha lol

 

[Rachie B]

oh no i'm getting a bit worried now!!! doesn't sound very magical!!! as for the smoking i'm hoping it won't be too bad as i'm currently pregnant and the smell of smoke sets of my severe morning sickness!! so people will hopefully move sharpish when i start wretching and vomiting on them!!!! ha ha ha lol

we found giving evil looks and huffing puffing worked well they soon got the hint and moved !

i notice you are in Pembs i am from pembs too ,lived there til i was 23,now in Bridgend

xx

 

[Torchy]

We were thare last week and the sunday was mental as the parks closed at 10pm. Majority seemed to be local. Tuesday was so quiet we got to stay on POTC four times, and the average queues across the parks were about 15 minutes.

On a positive note, on Sunday there were extra CMs patrolling the parade route and anyone smoking in the crowds were moved on, in some cases forcefully. They also moved adults so kids could get a view. In the Studios the CMs were actively stopping people smoking, pointing out the smoking areas. I'm a smoker but at DLRP I only smoke well out of the way of other people, most others seemed to as well.

 

[di$neyf@n]

Thanks for all the comments. I am going to try to make the best if it. Even though my kids are older, they aren't pushy and just give up if people push them out of the way. (my fault as I have brought them up to not be rude)

We usually plant ourselves places long before the show/parade time starts so hopefuly this will still work. I am more worried about DH losing his temper as he has low tolerance for crowds. If anyone pushes our kids or me... he is over 6 ft tall and weighs more than 200lbs. I just don't want him to loose his temper and get us kicked out. At least we are prepared for the madness.

I am planning lots of meals and if we don't get to many rides we should have better luck in Dec.

we found giving evil looks and huffing puffing worked well they soon got the hint and moved !

We have tried this on a few occasions and they either didn't get it or didn't care.

The busiest places on the night of the party were getting in

I thought even though the party doesn't start till 8pm at 5pm you can get your band if you are already in the parks?


This may be the first time we use the lockers so we have all our stuff already in the park so we don't have to leave during the day.

might be worth considering grabbing a buggy (not sure what age your son is)

He is 16 so I don't think this would work

Hoping you will still go and have a great time.

Have to go. The HP tickets are non refundable and this will be our last chance to see the Haloween decorations

Anyways I will let everyone know how it goes after we get back.

Thanks

 

[Ware Bears]

This may be the first time we use the lockers so we have all our stuff already in the park so we don't have to leave during the day.

Unfortunately you'll have to pop out of the parks to use Guest Storage (the lockers have been out of action for years) but at least it'll be easier and quicker than going back to your hotel.

Anyways I will let everyone know how it goes after we get back

Yes please .......... also remember that this is the first year that there have been MNSSHP parties at DLRP so maybe that will mean there will actually be less people than other years at the party on 31st.

 

[di$neyf@n]

Thanks Ware Bears for letting me know those lockers don't work. I guess we will just have to have everyone carry a backpack with their costumes. I really want to avoid leaving and coming back if we can.

 

[PJackson]

You seem to have a 'plan' so hopefully it will all work out for you Hope you do enjoy it