Not to be a negative Nellie, but the one thing different is that they let a lot more people get in, so parties are pretty crowded now too on top of being expensive. So maybe they are charging more due to supply and demand -- it's easy for them to fill these up. // Actually going to the MK is fun anytime, but I'm at the point where I would go during the day or do a party, but not both on a trip. I know many like the parties to see the special characters -- We're more just into doing the attractions. I was very surprised too at how crowded the supposedly less crowded second parade was and how long waits were for 7DMT. Even at the party, late in they day we had to wait for a full hour -- that was after the second parade. When I checked earlier lines were 90 minutes or more. Do note that rides for other lines weren't bad at all, we did actually ride everything we wanted (we had a list of just nine things or so). Also after that long 7DMT line we did two rides on space mountain, watched fireworks, and then shopped on Mainstreet USA (very busy) even when we left about an hour and a half after official party closing time. At the time, though, I wasn't sure we were going to get everything in we were hoping to do. The time between 4 and 6 with both regular park people and party people is a mod scene. We went to the castle show (Anna / Elsa) at this time and it was wall to wall people packed in like sardines. Somehow my mom got a table at Casy's Corner after this mob scene and sitting down there and having a hot dog was nice. That was our meeting place.
Most people don't seem to find any issue with the party crowds and Disney doing so many parties, but I feel like it's double dipping on Disney's part, getting admissions to the same park twice and would imagine that this is pretty profitable. It also means that regular days at the MK during party week are more crowded than they would be otherwise -- people who want to see nighttime stuff or stay late without an extra admission. I guess as a Disney stockholder I shouldn't complain, but I was disappointed with how crowded the party was as a visitor. I should qualify this too by saying we went pretty late in December, the week before Christmas week - and that is probably a more crowded time than earlier in the month. It was a sold out party, so would be a typical sold out party experience no more no less. I would imagine parties that don't sell out would be better.
