Not So Scary Halloween...Advice Please

[seltzer77]

Hi All...I'll be attending the Not So Scary Halloween this September for the first time. I'll be by myself and am most interested in rides and photo ops that aren't generally available during the year.

With that said...any advice on a strategy? The Haunted Mansion will be in my plans, as well as a 7 dwarves picture...anyone who has done this before...what would you suggest?

Thanks in advance...

 

[DisneyPeachNJ]

You can line up for the more popular photo ops before the party officially begins. The longest line we saw was for Jack and Sally. If that's the priority, line up early. We had no issues with wait times for rides at all.

Also- go to the later parade! You can get a lot done while most people are busy with the first one.

 

[Delirium]

Not specifically to you, since you are touring solo, but for families with small children that might read this thread. Do not, under any circumstances, take your child to the park before 5 or 6 o'clock that day. To fully enjoy the party, you need a rested child when the party festivities start. I've seen it too many times where parents arrive with their children in hot or uncomfortable costumes around noon or shortly before or after. Those kids are spent before 7 o'clock, let alone by the time the parade and firweorks start.

In an ideal situation, the party should be done on a non-park day (i.e. don't have a regular park ticket for the day). You can get in as early as 4 o'clock with your party ticket, but I still think that's too early for small children in costume if you want to enjoy it.

 

[Delirium]

With the Dwarves, you'll want to be in line well ahead of time. Honestly, other than characters, which tend to habve long lines, you can get a huge amount of stuff done during a party. Ride lines are quite short because people with kids are trick or treating or the costumes everyone is wearing won't work well on rides like Thunder, Space, and Splash (things may blow off).

The Haunted Mansion is a must. The cast members are in full costume and it really adds to the experience. The parade is a must as well. I agree with a PP that the second one is the better option. Finally, stay until the end of the night. The park is virtually empty after 11 o'clock as all the families with exhausted children have left.

 

[seltzer77]

With the Dwarves, you'll want to be in line well ahead of time. Honestly, other than characters, which tend to habve long lines, you can get a huge amount of stuff done during a party. Ride lines are quite short because people with kids are trick or treating or the costumes everyone is wearing won't work well on rides like Thunder, Space, and Splash (things may blow off).

The Haunted Mansion is a must. The cast members are in full costume and it really adds to the experience. The parade is a must as well. I agree with a PP that the second one is the better option. Finally, stay until the end of the night. The park is virtually empty after 11 o'clock as all the families with exhausted children have left.

This is great...thank you so much! As of now, I plan on getting to the park earlier in the day (I have an annual pass), hit a few rides, and maybe around 5:30ish get on the dwarves line...

 

[ammag]

Are the meet and greets all over the park or mostly in certain areas? I am thinking of sitting in frontier land for the parade any disadvantage to this?

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Get there by 3:30. They usually let you in by 3:50, and you can get a lot of rides done in the time between 4 and 6:30, when you might consider lining up for your must-do characters. Your Halloween Party ticket lets you reserve Fastpasses between 4 and 7 also. You can set up a couple of fastpasses, but you may not need them. When we did the party on a Thursday and Sunday night, the rides were virtually walk on (we literally walked on Space Mountain at 4 pm). However, when we did the party on a Friday night, the park was significantly more crowded and the rides had waits (though they were lower than typical waits). Not a bad idea to line up some fastpasses for some of the bigger rides just in case.

I see what other posters are saying about going to the 2nd parade. It is a little less crowded. However, we loved the first parade so much that we wanted to see it again. Going to the first parade gave us the option of seeing it again or not.

Some of our favorite Halloween characters were Alice in Wonderland, Tarzan, Gaston, and Pooh and Friends in their Halloween costumes. The Princesses have their Princes with them too, which was really neat. Flynn Rider and Rapunzel were great with their interactions with the kids.

 

[turftoega]

Are the meet and greets all over the park or mostly in certain areas? I am thinking of sitting in frontier land for the parade any disadvantage to this?

The M&G are all over the park. Lots of people like watching the parade in Frontierland, others like the hub with the castle in the background, and there are things going on for the folks on Main Street that you don't get in other places. Grab a map (or follow the thread on here) to find out where the meets are as well as the candy trail locations.

I liked the above post about non park days. I want to make sure folks know that is very sound advice. Sleep in. Spend the day at the pool. Don't schedule anything big or major before 9AM the next day. Plan on closing the MK. It's an awesome experience and take full advantage. But plan on getting to see about half of the park. That way if you get to more, it's a bonus.

 

[Amunet]

Just wanted to say that the fall season is our favorite (thus far) at WDW

You will have an amazing time! Be sure to try seasonal goodies!

 

[Terra Nova guy]

I see what other posters are saying about going to the 2nd parade. It is a little less crowded. However, we loved the first parade so much that we wanted to see it again. Going to the first parade gave us the option of seeing it again or not.

I would recommend trying to see the first parade as well, if you can invest the time early in the night. I understand what PP have said about the second parade being less crowded (it makes sense), and I have seen this said many times before. But my last experience (Oct 2014) was completely the opposite. I passed on the first parade, even though I could have gotten a decent spot on Main Street about 30 minutes before, and tried for the second parade in Frontierland. I have never seen a parade so crowded; 5 or 6 people deep in Frontierland late in the party. I was shocked and disappointed that I had waited. I may have just hit an "off" night, but if I do MNSSHP again I will catch the first parade and maybe see it again on the second if not too crowded, because it really is a good parade.

 

[Missyrose]

Get there by 3:30. They usually let you in by 3:50, and you can get a lot of rides done in the time between 4 and 6:30, when you might consider lining up for your must-do characters. Your Halloween Party ticket lets you reserve Fastpasses between 4 and 7 also. You can set up a couple of fastpasses, but you may not need them. When we did the party on a Thursday and Sunday night, the rides were virtually walk on (we literally walked on Space Mountain at 4 pm). However, when we did the party on a Friday night, the park was significantly more crowded and the rides had waits (though they were lower than typical waits). Not a bad idea to line up some fastpasses for some of the bigger rides just in case.

I see what other posters are saying about going to the 2nd parade. It is a little less crowded. However, we loved the first parade so much that we wanted to see it again. Going to the first parade gave us the option of seeing it again or not.

Some of our favorite Halloween characters were Alice in Wonderland, Tarzan, Gaston, and Pooh and Friends in their Halloween costumes. The Princesses have their Princes with them too, which was really neat. Flynn Rider and Rapunzel were great with their interactions with the kids.

Just wanted to add that if you're planning to see the 7 Dwarfs, Jack Skellington or Capt. Jack Sparrow, you'll probably want to be in line earlier than 6:30, those lines build quickly .

 

[Overexcited]

We always hit the second parade because we are busy during the first, I haven't noticed it less crowded. Seems to me they are always crowded no matter which one you try!

 

[FeralCatRogue]

The Crone shows up near Gaston's tavern as well for MNSHHP, there are also special magic shots that day as well.

 

[Deb]

don't miss Hallowishes

 

[seltzer77]

The Crone shows up near Gaston's tavern as well for MNSHHP, there are also special magic shots that day as well.

Thanks...what is the Crone...and alcoholic shots, I assume?

 

[JacknSally]

Thanks...what is the Crone...and alcoholic shots, I assume?

The Crone is the old witch from Snow White... Magic Shots are photopass pictures with surprises in them.

 

[FeralCatRogue]

yep they add things post taking picture the ones for party they made it look like you were dropping an apple into a cauldron. Also, certain quick serve and restaurants will have special foods. Be Our Guest has a blood orange cupcake, Pinnochio's has pumpkin waffles, and some others.

 

[Princess_Nikki]

Hi All...I'll be attending the Not So Scary Halloween this September for the first time. I'll be by myself and am most interested in rides and photo ops that aren't generally available during the year.

With that said...any advice on a strategy? The Haunted Mansion will be in my plans, as well as a 7 dwarves picture...anyone who has done this before...what would you suggest?

Thanks in advance...

You have received great advice already so far, but my favorite go to website is www.easywdw.com.

always have GREAT crowd calendars and special event strategies, like MNSSHP.

 

[kittyab]

Have the tickets gone on sale yet?

 

[pixi3ness]

Unfortunately they aren't on sale yet.

As far as strategy goes, definitely grab either Jack and Sally or 7 Dwarfs early on in the evening. I went last year and took a very laid back approach to the entire event and that's what I'll be doing this year. I went on two different evenings, met Jack and Sally one night and the dwarfs the other while mixing in the less popular meet and greets, special snacks only available during the party, the dance parties and trick or treating. I didn't get on rides as much as I was more interested in the event than rides.

Last year there was a Photopass Photographer near the Memento Mori entrance taking magical shots where you'd have the hitchhiking ghosts in the photo with you.