ToTP - Candy vs. Characters vs. Rides

[Tablefor5]

So for those who have gone before..what would you concentrate on first?
I hear the lines for Characters can be long so would you say to try and hit those first? Then worry about treat stations and rides?
Is there a good "PLAN" you have tried to stick-by to make the most of the characters etc...
Thanks
I know...so many questions but with the little kids this time I want to have a good "plan" in place...even if it doesn't completely happen that way.

 

[imjen]

If you want pictures with characters, definitely do that first thing! We weren't really planning on that but last year my youngest wanted to meet the princesses which were back by the pier and the line was super long. I think we waited 30-45 min, switching off with her while the others rode rides nearby. Otherwise, lines for rides and treat stations are pretty quick throughout the night.

We like to do a couple treat stations and then ride a couple rides nearby and go back and forth like that. Treat stations go especially quick even if the line looks long. They usually have 2 cm's manning it and they are quick to scoop out the candy and move it along. You can get a bunch of that done quickly on the trick or treat trails. There's 3 or 4 stations set up along the way on those and hardly anyone in there. I think one was by Brother Bear last time.

Another thing we enjoyed was the music and dancing at the stage area near The Muppet's 3D. Lots of fun lights, music, and some characters dancing in there with the kids too. This is our 3rd time going so you know we love it! We haven't seen the parade at the end as we have been too tired to stay that late, so not sure how that is.

 

[silence]

QUESTION regarding the princesses.......

Were they in normal attire or dressed up for the event? We have breakfast at Ariel's planned for our trip, so we will skip their line unless they are dressed up special....

 

[imjen]

Hmmmm, I don't remember for sure. I'll have to see if I can find pictures tomorrow. I don't remember if they're saved to a cd or on one of the computers. I'm so bad at printing them out. I know many of the characters are dressed up for sure though, just can't remember specifically on the princesses.

 

[CrazyDuck]

Is there a good "PLAN" you have tried to stick-by to make the most of the characters etc...

For character interaction I NEVER go to the characters that freely roam around the parks!!! Never Never!!! It's always a mob scene!!! If you want good photo ops with the characters do a character breakfast. I will also go where their is an organized line for the meet and greet like Mickey's/Minnie's House, or the one with Pooh, and Tigger. These places it is nice and organized! On my next trip I'm going to check out the Visa Meet and Greet in DCA too. We'll see if that is worht the time!

 

[JadeDarkstar]

i was gona ask that same thing lol

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

The princesses were in thier usual ball gowns.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

i was gona ask that same thing lol

 

[beauty222]

I would definitely do the characters first! Last year we went straight to Mickey and Minnie and we were SOOO glad that we did. We were the second people in line and by the time the characters got there the line had to have been about 45mins long.

There is plenty of candy and the lines weren't long at all. Also the lines to most of the rides were walk ons.

 

[eduk8r26]

I'm going with an almost-12-year-old girl and her friend. All she is interested in is how much candy she can score. She's already talking about all the candy she would buy next year with the gift card she could get by going to DL on her birthday. (We have AP's.) Character pictures don't interest her at all.

 

[Tablefor5]

Thanks for all the info...So do you get a map indicating where and who the characters are? And where the candy stations are set up?
You guys are all sooo awesome here. I hope the questions are bothersome, but I figure firsthand experiece is always best =)

 

[beauty222]

yeah they give you a map and a bag for the candy when you walk in. It will tell you where everything is.

Alicia

 

[Tablefor5]

For character interaction I NEVER go to the characters that freely roam around the parks!!! Never Never!!! It's always a mob scene!!! If you want good photo ops with the characters do a character breakfast. I will also go where their is an organized line for the meet and greet like Mickey's/Minnie's House, or the one with Pooh, and Tigger. These places it is nice and organized! On my next trip I'm going to check out the Visa Meet and Greet in DCA too. We'll see if that is worht the time!

Yah-we aren't banking on this to be our only character interaction. We have a Breakfast scheduled and figure to wait for the PFF for the girls. But since it's our last night and by chance there was someone we hadn't seen yet we would try to get the photo then.
It was mentioned that the Princess Gals are in their gowns, what about Mickey & Minnie? My girls (& I) will be Minnie's (red and white traditional) so it would be super cute if Minnie was also in her standard dress-but I suppose a Halloween Minnie would be just as cute Otherwise I could also have the girls wear their dresses to Breakfast!

 

[imjen]

Yah-we aren't banking on this to be our only character interaction. We have a Breakfast scheduled and figure to wait for the PFF for the girls. But since it's our last night and by chance there was someone we hadn't seen yet we would try to get the photo then.
It was mentioned that the Princess Gals are in their gowns, what about Mickey & Minnie? My girls (& I) will be Minnie's (red and white traditional) so it would be super cute if Minnie was also in her standard dress-but I suppose a Halloween Minnie would be just as cute Otherwise I could also have the girls wear their dresses to Breakfast!

Mickey & Minnie were definitely dressed in Halloween attire. Not their usual garb. There's a picture here of them in the parade http://allears.net/dlr/tp/dca/mht.htm There's pics and info on this blog I found too http://www.disneyfrontier.com/2007/11/03/mickeys-halloween-treat/

Also, for anyone looking forward to the candy, we thought it was ok but definitely not the "good" stuff. Small pieces of pretty standard Halloween candy. Nothing I was oogling over. LOL In fact we threw some out, there was just too much to pack and it wasn't worth shoving into carry-ons and stuff. ;-) It was along the lines of laffy taffy, now n laters, individual starbursts, tootsie rolls, and mini choc. bars. They did give out full size kissable bags at a couple stations.

 

[Sherry E]

I'm going with an almost-12-year-old girl and her friend. All she is interested in is how much candy she can score. She's already talking about all the candy she would buy next year with the gift card she could get by going to DL on her birthday. (We have AP's.) Character pictures don't interest her at all.

She will have to use the gift card ON her b-day. That is one of the stipulations in the fine print of the Birthday Free ticket offer - the Fun Card has to be used and spent on the actual birthday.