First MNSSHP - Oversold?

[cvjw]

Sadly, this has been going on for a while. We have been lucky enough to attend a Halloween party every since 2001. We could not believe how crowded the late September party was that we attended Last year.

The lines for candy were the largest we had ever seen. The line for the candy trail behind space mountain was out by the goofy roller coaster. We just gave up.

It was hard to get a good place for the second parade, which in prior years was so easy.

We came to the conclusion that Disney must be selling more tickets to the parties than they used to.

We are officially done with the parties, which is so disappointing for our family.

 

[dlavender]

Good advice. I actually stopped into guest relations before leaving the park that night. I am usually pretty easygoing about managing experiences and expectations (and we visit every year, so we don't worry too much about missing things). But I felt that this event was very far from what was advertised.

It was a bummer because we had looked forward to the party the whole trip - it was on our last night. We ended up exhausted, frustrated, and let down - not how we wanted to feel as we left WDW.

If you don't mind sharing, what did Guest Services tell you when you spoke to them that night?

 

[dlavender]

I’m thinking about doing that. We had a great rest of our trip but felt the party was a waste of money for us as passholders. I wish the show had happened today so I had more information

I encourage you to do it, for the benefit of yourself and others. We all know they charge a premium for everything. They have to keep up with their end of the bargain or else they aren't delivering the premium experience that they are charging for.

$90/ticket is nothing to scoff at, especially after spending $400-$800 on an AP....

 

[SarahC97]

I wish Disney released numbers for party attendance - I'd be interested in knowing how many more tickets are sold each year. I've gone to sold out parties every year for the last three years and never experienced what some are describing in this thread. That's a major disappointment, especially because the price goes up each year.

 

[greg9x]

). But I felt that this event was very far from what was advertised.

I really don't remember if ' low crowds' is advertised.
More of a thing I got from the boards of people saying walk on rides and diminishing crowd as night wore on.

I mean there WERE walkon rides like Flying Carpets and Under the Sea... But popular rides were more... BTMR and Splash were 10-15 minutes, even though line was long it moved fast due to no FP line. Space Mountain was 20ish. Didn't try for 7DMT, guess it was down for part of the evening.

2nd parade view wasn't great, but not horrible. And headed straight to Castle stage for Villains and got good spot for it.

My main issue was getting from place to place though the crowds.
Otherwise I think everything advertised was available.... Just not as easy as expected.

Guess that's the problem with taking everything said here as fact.

Edit: Just re-looked over the advertisement, and don't see anywhere that says or implies that there would low crowds or lines.
So, while the crowds sucked... Most everything advertised was available.

 

[Erik the Red]

This worries me.

I knew there must be a reason why they are kicking non-party guests out an hour earlier this year.

So they can make more room for all those extra people they plan on cramming in this year.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Agree. My guess is they are selling more tickets each year to see how high they can go before sales start to fall off. They've added more party nights and will max those out as far as they can. At some point, people like OP will no longer see the value and quit going. Unfortunately, there will always be new people to fill in the gap, so I wouldn't expect them to ever go back to selling less.

I would also guess they are gradually ramping up the max # of tickets. People who went in the early days have been saying that for a long time. They could get to a point where word on the street is that it has become too crowded for the price you pay. Then attendance would go down. No idea of they're there yet or not.

I have been saying this for years. Each time I have gone has been more and more crowded. It used to be my favorite thing in all of Disney World but after last year I said no more. We are done shelling out money for MNSSHP. I'm not surprised at all to read these reviews this year. It is so unfortunate.

 

[Dean1953]

A big part of the appeal of MNSSHP is the lower number of people attending, versus regular crowds at MK. Disney also pushes this in its advertising of MNSSHP. Why can’t they keep a running total online of the number of tickets sold to date at each Party night and what the sell out figure is (if the sell out figure varies from Party to Party). I know that they won’t do this but is would be a great benefit to its customers.

 

[MIAMouseketeer]

Edit: Just re-looked over the advertisement, and don't see anywhere that says or implies that there would low crowds or lines.
So, while the crowds sucked... Most everything advertised was available.

I will say the Disney Jr Dance Party was not what was advertised. It was 92 degrees outside when the party started and they held it in a tent with no circulation. It was a sauna! It was cooler to be outside in the sun that in that tent. The characters were Doc McStuffins and Timon. None of the current Disney JR characters. It was a half assed done section without any thought put into it

 

[StacyStrong]

I have a hard time interpreting comments on here at times. Some people have reported having a blast at the party. Others saying they have to leave because it's so crowded. I see wait times at 15-20 minutes and think that's not crowded at all. I just wonder if it's about expectations going in. Not that either view is less valid.

But lol at complaining about the party because it's hot. I mean okay. I think it's way too early for halloween, but that's because I'm a purist. August is too hot for you to go to the park? Go in October... No one is forcing anyone to go to a party in the heat lol (or on opening day) Idgi. The only other option is to not have those parties and then people would be complaining there aren't enough of them! (And they would have to go later in the year, which...lol they can choose to do either way)

 

[MIAMouseketeer]

I have a hard time interpreting comments on here at times. Some people have reported having a blast at the party. Others saying they have to leave because it's so crowded. I see wait times at 15-20 minutes and think that's not crowded at all. I just wonder if it's about expectations going in. Not that either view is less valid.

But lol at complaining about the party because it's hot. I mean okay. I think it's way too early for halloween, but that's because I'm a purist. August is too hot for you to go to the park? Go in October... No one is forcing anyone to go to a party in the heat lol (or on opening day) Idgi. The only other option is to not have those parties and then people would be complaining there aren't enough of them! (And they would have to go later in the year, which...lol they can choose to do either way)

Who complained that it was hot? Yes it was hot, but I knew it would be and Disney can’t control the weather

 

[StacyStrong]

That’s too bad. I think that the rant was going to cover the overselling of the event, coupled with the heat by starting the first party a week earlier than last years party, which was also a weeks earlier than the previous year. He said that it took him half of Saturday to recover from Friday night. Hopefully, he can get it off his chest on the board. Otherwise, I’m sure it will be covered next week.

Who complained that it was hot? Yes it was hot, but I knew it would be and Disney can’t control the weather

 

[Dean1953]

My two Parties are October 25 & 28. Not that it will be fall weather but at least I won’t hear the term “sauna” used in any of the descriptions of those Party nights. The first night wouldn’t be my first, tenth or 30th choice as a Party night. There are those that had to go that night because they couldn’t go at a later date. The weather does matter.

 

[MIAMouseketeer]

My two Parties are October 25 & 28. Not that it will be fall weather but at least I won’t hear the term “sauna” used in any of the descriptions of those Party nights.

They still need to bring in fans to the Disney jr area. It’s abiut 2/3 enclosed and no circulation.

 

[Dean1953]

I was looking forward to checking it out with my son. Unless things change, I can scratch that off my list.

 

[StacyStrong]

My two Parties are October 25 & 28. Not that it will be fall weather but at least I won’t hear the term “sauna” used in any of the descriptions of those Party nights. The first night wouldn’t be my first, tenth or 30th choice as a Party night. There are those that had to go that night because they couldn’t go at a later date. The weather does matter.

Right, I understand people "had" to because they couldn't go later, but that isn't Disney's fault or something they can control. So its weird if that's a complaint of the party.

Though it did seem like they had some characters indoors from what I understand?

I definitely understand complaining about lack of circulation/fans in a tented area though. That's just poor planning.

 

[StacyStrong]

FTR, I'm not saying anyone's feelings about the party are invalid. If it was too crowded for someones money then it was too crowded. That's a valid opinion/complaint.

I just think the weather issue is a Florida in August issue and not a party issue.

 

[Love Tink]

I really don't remember if ' low crowds' is advertised.
More of a thing I got from the boards of people saying walk on rides and diminishing crowd as night wore on.

I mean there WERE walkon rides like Flying Carpets and Under the Sea... But popular rides were more... BTMR and Splash were 10-15 minutes, even though line was long it moved fast due to no FP line. Space Mountain was 20ish. Didn't try for 7DMT, guess it was down for part of the evening.

2nd parade view wasn't great, but not horrible. And headed straight to Castle stage for Villains and got good spot for it.

My main issue was getting from place to place though the crowds.
Otherwise I think everything advertised was available.... Just not as easy as expected.

Guess that's the problem with taking everything said here as fact.

Edit: Just re-looked over the advertisement, and don't see anywhere that says or implies that there would low crowds or lines.
So, while the crowds sucked... Most everything advertised was available.

I believe you are taking the expression "as advertised" too literally.

WDW is too clever to offer specific promises, but it sells expensive tickets to this event based on the expectation of a special experience. This experience was far from special (in my opinion) due to the overcrowding, which made everything difficult including trick or treating, buying a snack, using the restroom, meeting a character, seeing the parade, taking a photo, riding a ride, or simply making our way around the park. It was not fun. In fact, it was by far the most stressful, "unfun" hours of our two-week visit.

My thoughts are not based on "taking everything said here as fact." They are based on 40-some years of a love affair with Disney parks, and many years of wonderful visits where Disney has reminded me again and again how much they care about the guest experience. This party was a rare exception to that precedent and I - just as I happily express my pleasure when they do things well - feel no guilt about being honest about being let down this time.

 

[Erik the Red]

Over-crowding is a very valid point, especially for an event like this.

I'm going on Tues. Oct 2nd. I hope it won't be crazy busy that day.

But I kinda wish now that I had read these reviews before buying my ticket.

 

[SarahC97]

Over-crowding is a very valid point, especially for an event like this.

I'm going on Tues. Oct 2nd. I hope it won't be crazy busy that day.

But I kinda wish now that I had read these reviews before buying my ticket.

If it makes you feel any better, Tuesday parties are usually recommended for lower crowds - at least from what I've seen and experienced.