A few misc. questions regarding Halloween on the High Seas

[DIS_MIKE]

So my cruise countdown is now 15 days away and I'm trying to get myself prepared along with no surprises. I've been trying to find old itineraries to get an idea, but I was just looking to clarify some things, so thank you in advance. I'll be doing a 4-night out of Port Canaveral.

I've read that Pirate night occurs on the same night as the Halloween festivities aka Mickey's Mousequerade Party. So if you want to dress up as a pirate and something else for Halloween, you'll obviously need to bring two costumes or just be a pirate for the entire day. Looking at an old itinerary and it looks like the Mousequerade occurs before dinner which at least gives those planning on dressing up as pirates time to change.

Is the trick or treating just for kids? I saw a photo of bags similar to those given during MNSSHP left in the rooms before the party (similar to how its done with the pirate bandanas).

Again, looking at an old itinerary. Has anyone attended "Halloween isn't just for Kids?" I'm guessing it's an adult-themed dance party.

Masks are not permitted but can be worn during photo opportunities?

Is The Nightmare Before Christmas only shown on the night of the Mousequerade? I definitely don't want to miss it but I think I'll have to really plan and prioritize things on this cruise because a lot will be happening.

 

[southerngirl528]

Great questions, Mike! I'm not much help, but I'm betting that grownups can trick or treat as well! We are just taking pirate costumes and if on our cruise that is an (early) Halloween one as well has Halloween the same day as Pirate night, we are just going to be all day pirates I guess!

Per the email l got re: Halloween, masks are not entirely forbidden but apparently can just be worn for "photo ops". At least that's what I understood. I know there is an adult costume contest as part of the Halloween celebration as well.

Hopefully others will have more details for you! It's getting close to sail away!!

 

[Cdreyer60]

I was looking at Navigatiors from last year’s 4night HOTHS sailings online. Seems like Halloween was on day 2 and Pirate on day 3. Check them out on Disneycruiselineblog.com

 

[DCLPrincess]

Trick or treating is not just for kids. We're 2 adults and they left bags in our room, which we used. Halloween is not just for kids was an adult costume contest and it was hysterical, definitely go watch it. On our cruise they did the nightmare before Christmas sing and scream twice but it was a 7 night. That was also great plus after we met jack and sally with about a 10-15 minute wait versus the park which can be an hour wait.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

Trick or treating is not just for kids. We're 2 adults and they left bags in our room, which we used. Halloween is not just for kids was an adult costume contest and it was hysterical, definitely go watch it. On our cruise they did the nightmare before Christmas sing and scream twice but it was a 7 night. That was also great plus after we met jack and sally with about a 10-15 minute wait versus the park which can be an hour wait.

That is very helpful and I'll be sure to catch the costume contest for adults. Park M&G wait times for Jack and Sally can be intense sometimes. So much easier to catch them on the cruise. Thank You!

 

[Laughfreely]

They don't want you walking around with a full head mask for safety(obstructed vision) but my son in law wore one to the adult party and pirate night and had lots of fun .

 

[closetmickey]

Nightmare Before Christmas was offered twice on our 2 night last year. And yes- everyone is invited to trick or treat!

 

[ElenaRN]

Is this a new rule? We were on a HOTHS cruise in 2016. Hubby was Kylo Ren and I was Captain Phasma. We both had our masks on for a while just walking around and noone said anything to us.

We were on a 4 day and Prirate night and Halloween night were 2 different nights. We boarded on Oct 31st but they put off the Halloween party stuff until Nov 1. And Pirate night was the night after.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

We were on a 4 day and Prirate night and Halloween night were 2 different nights. We boarded on Oct 31st but they put off the Halloween party stuff until Nov 1. And Pirate night was the night after.

That’s good to know given that I’ll also be doing a 4 day cruise. Maybe DCL does them both on the same day for the 3 nights.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

That’s good to know given that I’ll also be doing a 4 day cruise. Maybe DCL does them both on the same day for the 3 nights.

Exactly.

 

[nearlyfallinstar]

4 night cruises have Halloween and pirate night on separate nights.

On our 4 night, NBC and the meet and greet was on the first night (which wasn’t Halloween night). It was at 10:30pm with the meet and greet afterwards at around midnight.

Masks are not supposed to be worn when you are walking around, but can be used for pictures.

Halloween Isn’t Just for Kids is also a costume contest.

 

[southerngirl528]

Is this a new rule? We were on a HOTHS cruise in 2016. Hubby was Kylo Ren and I was Captain Phasma. We both had our masks on for a while just walking around and noone said anything to us.

I actually called DCL about the masks thing a while back after there were some posts about it. And I got an email last week (I am sailing on Sept 8th) from DCL about Halloween festivities and it specifically said masks could only be worn for photo opps and not while walking around.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I actually called DCL about the masks thing a while back after there were some posts about it. And I got an email last week (I am sailing on Sept 8th) from DCL about Halloween festivities and it specifically said masks could only be worn for photo opps and not while walking around.

DCL has their rules. Whether or not the cast members choose to enforce them is another story.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I think it was 2 years ago, maybe 3?, I was on a 4-night in September that held Pirate festivities and Halloween festivities on the same day. I’ve sailed every September for the past 6 years. They only did it the same night that one year. We were all perplexed by it, actually. Fellow passengers also didn’t like the mish-mash of theming so I think enough feedback clued Disney in that it was NOT the thing to do. There was much debate about just staying Pirate or at what point in the day would be ideal for a wardrobe change. It was chaotic.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

I think it was 2 years ago, maybe 3?, I was on a 4-night in September that held Pirate festivities and Halloween festivities on the same day. I’ve sailed every September for the past 6 years. They only did it the same night that one year. We were all perplexed by it, actually. Fellow passengers also didn’t like the mish-mash of theming so I think enough feedback clued Disney in that it was NOT the thing to do. There was much debate about just staying Pirate or at what point in the day would be ideal for a wardrobe change. It was chaotic.

Thanks for the input. It really does sound like a mess and I'm glad Disney has again listened to the feedback and changed what it needed to satisfy guests' needs and expectations.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I think it was 2 years ago, maybe 3?, I was on a 4-night in September that held Pirate festivities and Halloween festivities on the same day. I’ve sailed every September for the past 6 years. They only did it the same night that one year. We were all perplexed by it, actually. Fellow passengers also didn’t like the mish-mash of theming so I think enough feedback clued Disney in that it was NOT the thing to do. There was much debate about just staying Pirate or at what point in the day would be ideal for a wardrobe change. It was chaotic.

It's quite likely that the weather played a part in that decision. On our 4 night Dream cruise they switched Halloween and Pirate days due to a bad weather forecast for the original Pirate night (not favorable for fireworks).

 

[ElenaRN]

I actually called DCL about the masks thing a while back after there were some posts about it. And I got an email last week (I am sailing on Sept 8th) from DCL about Halloween festivities and it specifically said masks could only be worn for photo opps and not while walking around.

I didn't realize that, wasn't trying to break the rules. I know at MNSSHP you can't wear masks. Looking back now it seems strange that I didn't assume the same rules would apply to DCL.

 

[southerngirl528]

I didn't realize that, wasn't trying to break the rules. I know at MNSSHP you can't wear masks. Looking back now it seems strange that I didn't assume the same rules would apply to DCL

No worries, ElenaRN!!! I never though you were trying to break the rules at all.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

It's quite likely that the weather played a part in that decision. On our 4 night Dream cruise they switched Halloween and Pirate days due to a bad weather forecast for the original Pirate night (not favorable for fireworks).

I’ve done that 4-night Dream the 3rd week of September every year since 2013. The itinerary is always: embarkation —> Nassau —> Castaway —> at sea —> the end. In 2015 the itinerary was varied from the get-go. It wasn’t a change made in the days or weeks leading up to sailing. It was something we all had discussed at length all along because we prefer having an at sea day to take the sting out of having to say goodbye to Castaway Cay. We were curious as to how they might switch up the theme nights. No idea why it was changed that particular year. In 2015 our itinerary was: embarkation —> at sea —> Nassau —> Castaway —> the end. Normally Pirate night is Nassau night then Halloween night is Castaway night. That leaves the final night, at sea night, open for setting suitcases out by 10:30. I think on the modified voyage the driving factor in the double theme day was the move of Nassau day. Fireworks are on Nassau night. They couldn’t push the Halloween festivities to Castaway night because everyone needed to be packing up to put bags out for debarkation. Looking back at pictures & notes I see we all wore our Halloween costumes on Nassau night (we had a pretty big group that year). There was no themed festivities noted on the at sea night. That’s where we were all scratching our heads. If the itinerary was dictating Pirate night on the 3rd night when we left Nassau, why didn’t they move the Halloween night to the 2nd night when we were at sea all day? I don’t want to say it all caused a big kerfluffle or anything but I remember the combined nights being a heavily discussed topic amongst us and with fellow cruisers. I think if it HAD been a last minute itinerary shift we all might’ve figured Disney had their hands full and didn’t give the theme schedule much consideration. But the varied itinerary was always scheduled that way so we felt that the theme night planning should’ve been thought out better than it was. Thankfully, 2016 & 2017 we’re back to the normal itinerary with the theme nights back on their own respective nights. No clue for this year as our little group elected to do a 7-night this year. Next year we are back on the 4-night, though.