2017 DISNEYLAND RESORT HALLOWEEN TIME / MICKEY'S HALLOWEEN PARTY THREAD!

[rlp]

From last year's guide:

• Disney Pirate Pals - Donald, Pluto, Chip & Dale in pirate costumes. Maybe also Peter Pan, Wendy, and Captain Hook in the area near the Columbia/Mark Twain dock.
• Disney Princesses - I think these are mostly similar to ones you find during the day.
• Disney Villain - Some can be found during the day (e.g., Cruella, Evil Queen), while others are party exclusive (e.g., Malificent). This is one of the most popular M&G, but they do have to cut the line off during the parade.
• Friends from Aladdin - I think these are mostly similar to ones you find during the day, but it might be Prince Ali instead of Aladdin (Genie and Jasmine possibly).
• Jack Skellington & Sally - Same as during the day.
• Mickey & Minnie - Different costumes than during the day.
• Toy Story Pals - Didn't see these (not sure where they were or who was out).
• Winnie the Pooh and Friends - I think they had Halloween outfits, but I don't know if it's unique to the party.
• Star Wars Launch Bay - Same as during the day.

There were also characters at the Toontown Pre-Party. I recall seeing Mickey (Zorro) & Minnie (Candy Corn), Donald (Wizard) & Daisy (Cowgirl(?)), Goofy (Candy), Chip (Police) & Dale (Robber), and Pluto (Candy Corn Collar). Many of these characters were out at other locations during the party in different outfits.

Thank you!! Will they be on the Disneyland App? So no Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs? Do these all have lines for meet and greets? Sorry for the dumb questions, this will be my first Disney Halloween Party and I am somewhat new to Disneyland, just started going the beginning of the year. I live in CO so don't have super easy access to the parks....

 

[minnieralyks]

Are there always two parades? If so, is the first from IASW to the hub, and the second one back? How soon after the (first) parade are the fireworks? And last ... are there any projections on IASW for the fireworks, or only on the castle/hub?

Trying to figure out where to be that might be slightly less crowded.

Here is the map of the party from last year (from MousePlanet). The red dots show the parade route. The first parade runs from IASM to the beginning of Main Street and then vice versa for the second parade. The first parade is usually at 8:30, with fireworks being at 9:30. The parade ends about 5-8 minutes before fireworks start. Projections do display on IASM. I've not personally seen them from this area, but there is a Youtube video from 2 years ago showing this:

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Was wondering about the parade route as well! Also in regards to costumes, if my son wears a Groot or Rocket or Spider-Man costume will they allow the face mask for that costume? The eyes will be visible but it does cover the face. Starting to get ideas for the party! Thanks

How old is your son? The Disneyland website says that if he is 13 or under, he may wear a mask but it can't cover the entire face. He could try wearing it, the worst they could say is that he has to remove it. If he's fairly young, they may be more lenient on face masks.

 

[minnieralyks]

Here is the back of the park map from last year for anyone interested (thank you, Mouseplanet!).

 

[Jupiter Sprinkles]

Do you know a good strategy for short people? I am short and my 11 year old is definitely on the short side. If we find a curbside spot, will we be able to see the projections shown during the fireworks or are there any locations to view the fireworks that are better than others for short people? You sound fairly experienced in the Halloween party, do you have any sense on how often the Halloween fireworks get cancelled? Is it around a 50% chance or more? Hope you don't mind the questions and TIA!

If you don't mind being a little far away from the castle, we've stood up on the second floor of the train station and watched fireworks, parades, and the first castle lighting of the season and really enjoyed it and being away from the crowds. The sound is a little hard to understand sometimes, but keep in mind I am 50% deaf so I may but be the best judge of that. It's a spectacular view of all of main street and the castle at once and somehow feels like a "secret" to me because it's usually not very full. It's perfect because I am autistic and can't handle standing wall to wall people for long like the way main street gets packed in, but I really enjoy the shows.

 

[pennym]

Will the projections be on Tom sawyer island? I'd be tempted to watch from there if they were. ...because I've seen and recorded them from in front of the castle so would rather not spend the time sitting and waiting this time!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... Also in regards to costumes, if my son wears a Groot or Rocket or Spider-Man costume will they allow the face mask for that costume? The eyes will be visible but it does cover the face...

As the PP noted, if your son is 13 and under, he should be allowed to wear a mask that shows his eyes. However, the weather can be very warm at the parties (not too unusual to be in the 80's at night sometimes), so kids get hot real fast. We've seen lots of kids start out with masks, then later on the parents are carrying the masks. If the mask can be breathable fabric, that would help.

Thank you!! Will they be on the Disneyland App? So no Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs? Do these all have lines for meet and greets? Sorry for the dumb questions, this will be my first Disney Halloween Party and I am somewhat new to Disneyland, just started going the beginning of the year. I live in CO so don't have super easy access to the parks....

One way to start familiarizing yourself with the parks and with which characters are generally out and about nowadays is to keep checking the app (fun to do every day!) to see which characters are doing M&Gs. The list won't be exact, but it will give you a general idea of who is available. After a few days, especially after Halloween Time starts, you'll have a pretty good idea of which characters are out every day. If someone rare gets sighted, you'll usually see a DISer post about it in this forum.

 

[Doctor Who]

The pre party in toontown is a blast. It's kind of like a huge conga line through Mickey's House, Minnie's house Ect. Tons and tons of candy. We go for a ride on Roger Rabbit and then take a group photo over by the Fountain.

 

[figment_jii]

Thank you!! Will they be on the Disneyland App? So no Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs? Do these all have lines for meet and greets? Sorry for the dumb questions, this will be my first Disney Halloween Party and I am somewhat new to Disneyland, just started going the beginning of the year. I live in CO so don't have super easy access to the parks....

Things can change and they haven't announced any of the details about this year's party (yet). Unfortunately, no, Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs haven't made an appearance at MHP in the past (they've been out at MNSSHP in Florida). Whenever I've walked by, there have been lines for the characters during MHP, especially the party exclusive characters (e.g., the villians, Mickey & Minnie, etc.). Sorry, I don't recall if the MHP characters were listed in the App last year (I know some of the entertainment was, so it's possible that the characters might be).

 

[rlp]

If you don't mind being a little far away from the castle, we've stood up on the second floor of the train station and watched fireworks, parades, and the first castle lighting of the season and really enjoyed it and being away from the crowds. The sound is a little hard to understand sometimes, but keep in mind I am 50% deaf so I may but be the best judge of that. It's a spectacular view of all of main street and the castle at once and somehow feels like a "secret" to me because it's usually not very full. It's perfect because I am autistic and can't handle standing wall to wall people for long like the way main street gets packed in, but I really enjoy the shows.

As the PP noted, if your son is 13 and under, he should be allowed to wear a mask that shows his eyes. However, the weather can be very warm at the parties (not too unusual to be in the 80's at night sometimes), so kids get hot real fast. We've seen lots of kids start out with masks, then later on the parents are carrying the masks. If the mask can be breathable fabric, that would help.



One way to start familiarizing yourself with the parks and with which characters are generally out and about nowadays is to keep checking the app (fun to do every day!) to see which characters are doing M&Gs. The list won't be exact, but it will give you a general idea of who is available. After a few days, especially after Halloween Time starts, you'll have a pretty good idea of which characters are out every day. If someone rare gets sighted, you'll usually see a DISer post about it in this forum.

Good idea - thanks!

 

[ExcitedMama]

Hubby and I made sure to do the pre-party and lined up probbaly 30-40 minutes early and it was one of the best choices we made!
We got amazing photos and Mickey even made fun of my husband's costume prop - He was dressed as Link from legend of zelda video game and I bought this prop sword online and it was more like a child dagger size made of foam oam so it made for some epic pics and the interaction was fantastic! We got pics with goofy too and the lines moved very quickly and did the treat tails which go on forever there , soooo much candy and so much fun , it was our first party but it was amazing.

What exactly is the pre-party? Do you have to line up to get in? When does it usually start? Thanks!

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I am considering attending this party for the first time.

I don't think I will be able to attend in September. Do most of the October parties usually sell out?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I am considering attending this party for the first time.

I don't think I will be able to attend in September. Do most of the October parties usually sell out?

Almost all, if not all, of the parties have sold out over the last few years. It's like a domino effect. The first few parties take a little while to sell out (always the Gay Days party, Halloween itself, usually the UEA party, and Columbus Day, too); but, after that, the remaining parties start selling out more quickly because there are fewer parties for people to choose from. Basically, if you know that you want to attend and you know which date you want, then buy your ticket as soon as you can commit. You don't want to be hasty because the tickets are non-refundable, but you don't want to wait too long either. You'll have a fun time! (If you managed Expo, MHP will be no problem!)

 

[tinksdreamwishes]

Good point about the masks! I don't want to carry it all night! LOL. My son is 9 and gets nose bleeds from heat frequently. Our party date is September 29th. Never been to Disneyland in the beginning of fall season so I guess it will still be warm at night? Picking costumes is hard! Harhar. Trying to match with him is even trickier! Let the fun begin!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Good point about the masks! I don't want to carry it all night! LOL. My son is 9 and gets nose bleeds from heat frequently. Our party date is September 29th. Never been to Disneyland in the beginning of fall season so I guess it will still be warm at night? Picking costumes is hard! Harhar. Trying to match with him is even trickier! Let the fun begin!

September and October in Southern CA can be very warm. (The warmest weather for a party we've experienced was about 85' F at 10 pm. But we've also been to a party in the pouring rain. Ha!) We've found that costumes with layers work well. Make sure to have tissues handy for your son, just in case. We sat next to a family during Halloween Screams when their son had a nosebleed (on a very hot night). It gets very crowded, everyone is crammed in tight where the viewing is good, and they had no tissues or napkins. There was no way to get out to get to the restroom, either. On the bright side, he ended up looking more pirate-y, but it made quite a mess.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Good point about the masks! I don't want to carry it all night! LOL. My son is 9 and gets nose bleeds from heat frequently. Our party date is September 29th. Never been to Disneyland in the beginning of fall season so I guess it will still be warm at night? Picking costumes is hard! Harhar. Trying to match with him is even trickier! Let the fun begin!

Thinking about the whole Sept can still be warm thing I completely had to change my original costume. I'm going with a Disneybounding thing instead. (Well, it was a combo of warm weather and being the wicked witch but for the life of me I cannot bring myself to buy a pointy witch hat - I like pretty hats too much! So, I'm Disneybounding it instead of full-on costume, I feel like it gives me much more control over what I can wear while still feeling like I'm participating in the Halloween fun!)
ETA: also gave me a great excuse to buy a pretty hat on Amazon!

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Almost all, if not all, of the parties have sold out over the last few years. It's like a domino effect. The first few parties take a little while to sell out (always the Gay Days party, Halloween itself, usually the UEA party, and Columbus Day, too); but, after that, the remaining parties start selling out more quickly because there are fewer parties for people to choose from. Basically, if you know that you want to attend and you know which date you want, then buy your ticket as soon as you can commit. You don't want to be hasty because the tickets are non-refundable, but you don't want to wait too long either. You'll have a fun time! (If you managed Expo, MHP will be no problem!)

Thanks for the help! I had a good laugh at your expo comment. We've done lots and lots of MNSSHP over at WDW, so we are used to long waits for the special characters. Which is mainly what we are after.

I'm sorry to ask another question of you, but could you tell me which parties are the gay days and UEA parties?

We haven't pinned down October dates yet, the week of the 13th would have been bad for us so it is probably a good thing that is the only party I see that is already sold out.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I think Gay Days MHP is 10/06 and UEA MHP is 10/20. (UEA covers more ground since some people stay for more days, but that is the main date.)

 

[figment_jii]

I don't think I will be able to attend in September. Do most of the October parties usually sell out?

As PP have said, for the last several years, all of the parties in October have sold out before the date of the party. Some have lasted closer to the date than others, but all sold out eventually (there was usually one day in September that did not sell out in advance). You can see when the parties sold out in 2014, 2015 and 2016 in these posts. I'll also be tracking the sell out dates this year in the 2017 Calendar thread.

I'm sorry to ask another question of you, but could you tell me which parties are the gay days and UEA parties? We haven't pinned down October dates yet, the week of the 13th would have been bad for us so it is probably a good thing that is the only party I see that is already sold out.

Oct 9 (Mon): Columbus Day (some folks have a three day weekend)
Oct 6-8 (Fri-Sun): Gay Days (likely impact the 10/6 party)
Oct 19-20 (Thu-Fri): UEA Convention (likely impact the 10/20 party)
Halloween is also likely to sell out before the day of the event.

 

[Doctor Who]

What exactly is the pre-party? Do you have to line up to get in? When does it usually start? Thanks!

Yes you line up at the entrance to ToonTown. Last time we were there Mickey opened the gate and let us in. There was a long line, but it took no time at all to get in.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Thanks for the help! I had a good laugh at your expo comment. We've done lots and lots of MNSSHP over at WDW, so we are used to long waits for the special characters. Which is mainly what we are after.

I'm sorry to ask another question of you, but could you tell me which parties are the gay days and UEA parties?

We haven't pinned down October dates yet, the week of the 13th would have been bad for us so it is probably a good thing that is the only party I see that is already sold out.

FWIW if you're thinking about the Gay Days or UAE or close to Halloween party dates I'd grab those tickets ASAP, they've always sold out in recent years... The 10/13 party was the first to sell out this year and it sold out faster than we've ever seen a party sell out.