Happiest Haunts Tour - yay or nay?

[DontSpamMe]

We did the tour yesterday. It was the first tour I've ever done so I have no reference point. We enjoyed it. It seems we spend so much time rushing in the parks it was nice to stop and smell the flowers for a bit. The pace of the tour seemed slow but our guide was an excellent narrator and story teller. It was neat to walk through the parks listening to the different music played during the tour. Every stop we made had benches to sit on or railings to lean against which helped a lot.

For the fireworks. You get a primo spot in front of the castle on the elevated curb behind the regular guests. We've done the first in front of the castle at 630pm wait and this spot was superior. My tip would be to get there at 815pm. Try to get something at the rope that separates the VIP bench seating and the Happiest Haunts Tour area. This area seems to be the most elevated. It did seem like those that got spots nearer the turkey leg cart didn't have as good a view, but that curb is a huge help regardless.

It was fun. Glad we did it. And will probably do other tours in the future.

A guide did say a Christmas tour was coming for the holiday season.

 

[Lisa24jks]

I did this tour the past weekend and i really enjoyed it! (This was also my first tour of any kind at Disneyland.) Our tour guide really knew his stuff (and I also had a great conversation with a different tour guide while I was waiting in the garden). Even though the pictures make me look like an oompa loompa in the blacklight, it was still very cool to see Phineas and Gus, two of the hitchhiking ghosts. (They told us that Ezra isn't there because he's too tall for the room, and it's too risky to damage him if they try to get him in and out every year.)

The fireworks spot was GREAT. If you want the best spot, definitely get there on the earlier end of your window and move towards the center as close to the VIP tour section as you can get. I was a bit off form that, but still very pleased with my spot. I'm generally not the type to camp out for fireworks because I'd rather be doing other things in the parks than sitting on the ground for hours, so this was absolutely the best view I've had in a VERY long time. (And Halloween Screams is such a good show, IMO.) (@skellinton - you will get a great view of Zero no matter where you are if you decide to keep your tour scheduled, and if you move closer to the center, you'll get a great view of Jack as well)

So yeah, it's a bit pricy, but this was a weekend where I chose to really treat myself because I'm a spooky season kind of person, so it was worth it for me. (I realized that as often as I go to Disney, I have barely spent time there during Halloween because we're usually doing family vacation or HHN during this time of year. So since we aren't doing either of those in Sept/Oct this year, I went ALL OUT this weekend.)

 

[skellinton]

Ty for review. We decided to keep the tour, we go on Thursday. We keep trying to switch to Friday , but no luck yet

 

[sophy1996]

We enjoyed the tour, and the reserved viewing area is probably the best view of fireworks we’ll ever have at DLR. There was a problem with where they told us to wait to check in for the show—they told those of us there early to wait on the other side of the walkway, and then when they were ready to check-in they said we would have to go in behind those in the same side of the walkway as check-in, but we protested until they properly let us in in the order we arrived.

 

[Cluelyss]

Ty for review. We decided to keep the tour, we go on Thursday. We keep trying to switch to Friday , but no luck yet

Were you ever able to switch?? What did you think of the tour?

 

[Cluelyss]

We enjoyed the tour, and the reserved viewing area is probably the best view of fireworks we’ll ever have at DLR. There was a problem with where they told us to wait to check in for the show—they told those of us there early to wait on the other side of the walkway, and then when they were ready to check-in they said we would have to go in behind those in the same side of the walkway as check-in, but we protested until they properly let us in in the order we arrived.

Where is the “correct” place to line up??

 

[GenGen22]

Where is the “correct” place to line up??

I would like to know as well.

 

[sophy1996]

Where is the “correct” place to line up??

They ask you to meet at the Turkey leg cart no earlier than 8:30. (Turkey Leg Cart is approximately where black X is below.). We were at loose ends so went over before 8:30. We were pointed to the rail across the pathway through the hub.



But when it came time to check in, they were going to take the people on the closest rail first.



So I guess in their minds the “correct” place was the closest rail, even though we were specifically pointed to the other rail.

 

[Cluelyss]

They ask you to meet at the Turkey leg cart no earlier than 8:30. (Turkey Leg Cart is approximately where black X is below.). We were at loose ends so went over before 8:30. We were pointed to the rail across the pathway through the hub.

View attachment 797407

But when it came time to check in, they were going to take the people on the closest rail first.

View attachment 797408

So I guess in their minds the “correct” place was the closest rail, even though we were specifically pointed to the other rail.

Appreciate the clarification! We’ll make sure to be on the “right” rail!

 

[sophy1996]

Appreciate the clarification! We’ll make sure to be on the “right” rail!

If they point to the far rail, maybe question it. But also keep an eye on whether people are lining up consistently. It’s kind of jumbled because they don’t let people stand by those rails to view the fireworks so a CM kept clearing people except those of us waiting for tour viewing.

 

[Cluelyss]

If they point to the far rail, maybe question it. But also keep an eye on whether people are lining up consistently. It’s kind of jumbled because they don’t let people stand by those rails to view the fireworks so a CM kept clearing people except those of us waiting for tour viewing.

Thank you!!!

Once inside the viewing area, are the best spots far right? (When facing the castle)

 

[sophy1996]

Yes, far right, up next to the rope that divides the area from the VIP tour benches in the center.

 

[Cluelyss]

Yes, far right, up next to the rope that divides the area from the VIP tour benches in the center.

Thank you!!

 

[skellinton]

Were you ever able to switch?? What did you think of the tour?

We were not able to switch, but we kept our Thursday tour. The tour was just ok. They had technical difficulties with the communication things so we left 20 minutes late which was annoying, they could have taken our photos with the ghosts during that time I thought, the tour didn’t run any longer so I don’t know if we missed stuff or if they just hustled us along. We also had an unnecessary “15 minute” break. Everyone from the tour came back after 10, but our tour guide disappeared for 20 minutes. The viewing spot was fantastic, but it was very confusing on where to line up. It was absolutely not where we were told it was during our tour. Also not where we told by the plaids, but we figured it out and it all worked out fine.