Villians Sinister Soirée

[cgattis]

I get your point. But it is also true that you will have now paid two admission prices ($70 and $99) and have to choose between which adventure you want to pursue: the Dwarves or the Villians. If you pay both prices, you should be able to get both experiences. If you cannot, then it is fair to say that the $70 you are paying for the base party is not being fully rewarded. So perhaps the VSS should be held once a night, and should begin about a half an hour before the base party ends, and extend to an hour after the base party ends. That way, you would get the full run of the park for the entire length of the base party (except for the last half hour), and would get a 90 minute VIP party. You would then get to do everything you want on the same night, which for nearly $700 for a family of four, is not asking too much.

iTA. When I read the blog and it said "make the soirée your last stop of the night," that's exactly how I pictured it. Called to book and learned that I was paying for a lot of party time I wouldn't get to use, so declined to cough up the extra $$$. Yes, it looks fun, but I consider pulling the villains after tix were sold a "bait and switch" and I'm a little bitter about it.

 

[JimmyV]

Problem being, the soiree would then lose it's exclusivity and that's a big draw.
It's because they took those characters out of the party line up that the soiree is popular- it sure isn't due to the food.

Not so. People would pay for the easy access to the Villains, thus freeing up their time during the base event to do other things. There are lots of people here reporting that they spend a good hour to an hour and a half in lines to see characters during the base event. If you paid extra for 90 minutes of easy access to those characters, then you would skip the hour and a half lines and do other things. Like Trick or Treat. Or, (here's a novel idea) ride rides! Or go to dance parties. Or stage shows. The simple truth is, there isn't enough time afforded in the base event to do everything that is offered, if you also plan to wait in hour long lines for characters. So you take 300 or so people a night and sell them an after hours opportunity to meet characters over dessert. Add in some "only at the Soiree" Villains. It's not as if there aren't enough to go around. Those 300 people would then get to do whatever else they wanted during the base event. You don't think that this would be "exclusive" enough to sell out? To the contrary. They could double the price and it would still sell out.

 

[cgattis]

We didnt think so, but as you know.... everyone has a different opinion

I totally thought so when we met them at DTD. Thought it should've been way bigger and rounder. But his "friend" ;and Sally's) did an amazing job, so it was a ton of fun.

 

[ShannonMB]

See, if I were Head Mouse For A Day, the VSS would be an almost entirely "after hours" event so that the people who paid $70+$99 would get to enjoy the entirety of the $70 event and then would make their way to the $99 event when everyone else was heading to the exits. Both admission prices would be utilized to their maximum capacity. And as for the Villains Character meal during the Halloween season? It astonishes me that this hasn't already been done. People were selling their first-borns for seats at the Star Wars character meals in May. Convert the Crystal Palace into a Villains dinner from 4:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. and they could charge whatever they wanted for it and it would sell out every night.

I'm in for all of it!

The 11:45pm seating is about as close to after-hours as you could really get, no? We prefer the earlier, only because Nana is coming with us and she turns into a pumpkin by midnight.

 

[patrickpiteo]

Number 2 hands down.

We have attended the 2012 and 2013 parties. We mainly go for the parade, trick or treating, and the rides with no lines. While we watch the Villains Mix and Mingle we have never tried to get in line to meet them. We do not like standing in line for characters and much prefer character meals to meet characters. We really like the Villains though and have wanted a Villains character meal for ages.

We have already have our tickets for MNSSHP on 10/16 and this morning got the Soiree for three adults. We chose the later one since that gives us much of the party to do what we want (we will probably watch parade in the reserved area but then not stay for fireworks and just watch those from wherever we are in the park) and then have the Soiree after we are done with the party and rides.

Sounds a lot like our plan

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I don't think the majority argument applies to this event. There's a max of maybe what, 500 people/night that can experience the soiree? That isn't anywhere near a majority of MNSSHP guests, so how can the desire of the majority be the driving factor?

Because if the MAJORITY of MNSSHP-goers were SO upset by these changes that they elected NOT to buy a MNSSHP ticket, Disney couldn't make enough from only the soiree without charging a prohibitively large amount.

That's my point about this -- the number of people so bothered by these changes (and understandably so for some!!) that they will NOT buy a ticket to MNSSHP at all -- is going to be well in the minority. That's what matters to Disney.

 

[cakebaker]

Not so. People would pay for the easy access to the Villains, thus freeing up their time during the base event to do other things. There are lots of people here reporting that they spend a good hour to an hour and a half in lines to see characters during the base event. If you paid extra for 90 minutes of easy access to those characters, then you would skip the hour and a half lines and do other things. Like Trick or Treat. Or, (here's a novel idea) ride rides! Or go to dance parties. Or stage shows. The simple truth is, there isn't enough time afforded in the base event to do everything that is offered, if you also plan to wait in hour long lines for characters. So you take 300 or so people a night and sell them an after hours opportunity to meet characters over dessert. Add in some "only at the Soiree" Villains. It's not as if there aren't enough to go around. Those 300 people would then get to do whatever else they wanted during the base event. You don't think that this would be "exclusive" enough to sell out? To the contrary. They could double the price and it would still sell out.

I have no problem with them doing just as you suggest- I wish they would. But it's working for them just as they did it, so I don't see them changing it. I still think that the idea that you can do something no one else can without paying for it adds a great deal of value to these events tho.

 

[JimmyV]

The 11:45pm seating is about as close to after-hours as you could really get, no?

True. The comments about eating in to the party time of the base event really only apply to the early seating. IMO, they should split the difference and have the event only once per night. The early seating really does make one choose between two experiences. The later seating does not.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Number 2 hands down.

We have attended the 2012 and 2013 parties. We mainly go for the parade, trick or treating, and the rides with no lines. While we watch the Villains Mix and Mingle we have never tried to get in line to meet them. We do not like standing in line for characters and much prefer character meals to meet characters. We really like the Villains though and have wanted a Villains character meal for ages.

This is us exactly.

 

[lugnut33]

My idea for Disney to get more money out of people next year is to offer two or three more separate ticket experiences during the event. For example, have another villains location set up in Tomorrowland and another in Frontierland. Make all three $129 each, or you can buy a special badge that gets you into all three in one night for $350. Also, there could be special premium trick or treat lines for those that upgrade.

Since everyone is OK with Disney making as much as they can, and people will gladly line up to buy whatever they put out there, they why not continue to offer more and more ala carte experiences. Essentially buying a MNSSHP ticket just gets you through the front gate and then you upgrade from there.

 

[Jennasis]

Because if the MAJORITY of MNSSHP-goers were SO upset by these changes that they elected NOT to buy a MNSSHP ticket, Disney couldn't make enough from only the soiree without charging a prohibitively large amount.

That's my point about this -- the number of people so bothered by these changes (and understandably so for some!!) that they will NOT buy a ticket to MNSSHP at all -- is going to be well in the minority. That's what matters to Disney.

Many people bought their tix before the soiree was announced.

 

[Restrasz]

I for one am hoping they get all the kinks worked out of the party by the time we go in October! I plan to have an unforgettable time! Ruth

 

[ShannonMB]

True. The comments about eating in to the party time of the base event really only apply to the early seating. IMO, they should split the difference and have the event only once per night. The early seating really does make one choose between two experiences. The later seating does not.

Except that it's nice to be able to *choose* to forego some of the other party stuff to do this earlier if you are traveling with older folks or little people or people generally in their prime who like to sleep at Disney. I've seen lots of folks calling to change to the later party for the very reason you offer.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Many people bought their tix before the soiree was announced.

Absolutely -- I'm thinking more about what they'll do next year. This year it's guinea pig time...

ETA: I'd suspect they'd give out refunds despite the "non-refundable" fine print for those who put up a big stink about the changes. I'd bet this is a very small number of people. NOT a judgment on the validity of their feelings, just a guess on stats on this one. Again -- as I always say -- could be TOTALLY wrong..

 

[DisneyRobin]

Number 2 hands down.

We have attended the 2012 and 2013 parties. We mainly go for the parade, trick or treating, and the rides with no lines. While we watch the Villains Mix and Mingle we have never tried to get in line to meet them. We do not like standing in line for characters and much prefer character meals to meet characters. We really like the Villains though and have wanted a Villains character meal for ages.

We have already have our tickets for MNSSHP on 10/16 and this morning got the Soiree for three adults. We chose the later one since that gives us much of the party to do what we want (we will probably watch parade in the reserved area but then not stay for fireworks and just watch those from wherever we are in the park) and then have the Soiree after we are done with the party and rides.

Everything you wrote is exactly what I was thinking! The only difference is we are 2 adults with 3 kids.
We love the party for the trick or treating, ride with short lines and the parade. We never wait in lines for characters - just meet them at character meals.
We also got the tickets for the Soiree at 11:45 so we won't miss the regular party and we'll probably skip the special viewing area for the fireworks but look forward to the VIP parade viewing and the soiree with villians and desserts.

 

[Jennasis]

May be the moral of the story is never buy tux for the first party? Give them a few to get their heads out of their butts?

 

[Luvchefmic]

I for one am hoping they get all the kinks worked out of the party by the time we go in October! I plan to have an unforgettable time! Ruth

You will because I have it all planned out...just follow me for other posters this is a dear friend of mine and she, her daughter, and I are going together. She can tell you I thought we were nuts initially due to that price and waffled back & forth. Just don't call her Ruthie and don't call me Ruth and all is good in our world !

 

[aaarcher86]

Because if the MAJORITY of MNSSHP-goers were SO upset by these changes that they elected NOT to buy a MNSSHP ticket, Disney couldn't make enough from only the soiree without charging a prohibitively large amount. That's my point about this -- the number of people so bothered by these changes (and understandably so for some!!) that they will NOT buy a ticket to MNSSHP at all -- is going to be well in the minority. That's what matters to Disney.

These changes were announced months after tickets went on sale, and only just before the first MNSSHP. A lot of people didn't have the luxury of making a fully informed decision.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Because if the MAJORITY of MNSSHP-goers were SO upset by these changes that they elected NOT to buy a MNSSHP ticket, Disney couldn't make enough from only the soiree without charging a prohibitively large amount.

That's my point about this -- the number of people so bothered by these changes (and understandably so for some!!) that they will NOT buy a ticket to MNSSHP at all -- is going to be well in the minority. That's what matters to Disney.

But the fact is that the majority of WDW visitors are first time guests, and they won't know any differently in order to be bothered by the changes. They will likely only know what they are getting this year,.not what their same ticket could have gotten them last year.

The fact that they don't know differently doesn't change the fact that Disney is offering less. IMO, it just seems like WDW is trying to take advantage of that.

An interesting question - did DLR do this with their Halloween party this year? With so much of their business being local business and less first time guests, I think the reaction would be much different there as their guests are far more likely to know what exactly is being taken away.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Absolutely -- I'm thinking more about what they'll do next year. This year it's guinea pig time...

I'm quite tired of being Disney's paying guinea pig..that's a big part of my issue.