Hard Ticket Parties a waste of money???

[KAT1811]

I know that there are a lot of people out there that really love the special parties WDW has invented but . . . to me it seems like a lot of money for what I feel is a glorified EMH night. $200+ more than I already paid for admission for a few hours? I mean the candy at MNSSHP is fun but why charge so much for the "parties" and not EMH? I mean we spend a lot of $$$ in WDW in the two weeks we are there. Not to mention all the additional money we spend on souvenirs, dining, the other times we visit the World, etc.

I truly do not mean to insult anyone who absolutly loves them. To each his own. I am just curious as to everyone's feelings and opinions in regards to the parties.

[KAJUNKING]

we have gone to the mnsshp the past 2 years in a row and we were going to skip this year but we just decided to go ahead and go this year, to me its worth every penny, the decorations, parade, and fireworks plus no lines in mk makes it worth it for us

[threeh]

We are going this year on Nov 1st to MNSSHP. We've been to others and really had fun. This trip we are getting the 5 day disney military salute passes so it was cheaper to get MNSSHP tickets than a 1 day ticket ( we are staying 7 days). I have been to other parties and always enjoyed the MK being less crowded. I guess that is what always made it "worth it"??
:mickey:

[Belster]

The way I feel is if I am going to go there during a time that there is a special event then I should exxperience it at least 1 time with my family. We love MNSSHP but did contemplate going to it again this year because of the money...after much discussion decided to go because it is a special experience to see the park in a different way...I want my family to take advantage of that while we can.

It really is up to the individual. Think about why you would want to go...is it for you or just to say you went. If it is just to say you went or because you feel like you have to then you will feel like you waisted money.

Hope this helps!!

[SBETigg]

I think they're worth it. It's usually great park time and the theming adds to the wow factor. That said, I'm not a fan of it. I prefer them to just bring on the wow on a regular basis and leave the park hours open later for all guests. Don't we pay enough as it is?

[DNS]

I wanted to do them all once, but having done them, I probably will not do any again other than the Christmas party. Over priced, in my opinion yes, but still special enough to make me want to go back.

[JPL]

I voted "Not worth the $$$ but we go anyway".

Now don't get me wrong I really enjoy the parties but feel that over time with the cutbacks to the parties and the new procedures of not clearing the parks before the start of the party. I feel some of the value has been taken away. I do plan on attending MVMCP when I visit in December and would definately hit MHSSHP if I was there during that time. As for them being a glorified EMH you couldn't be more wrong but the trick is to concentrate on the party activities and think of any rides you go on as a bonus. Make sure to see the specials parade and fireworks and any shows that are exclusive to the parties before thinking abaout going on any of the rides. The exception being the Haunted Mansion during MNSSHP since they have a special entertainment in the queue. While not the best value in the world still something worth doing IMHO

[KAT1811]

I prefer them to just bring on the wow on a regular basis and leave the park hours open later for all guests. Don't we pay enough as it is?

You stated my feelings on the parties much more eloquently.

It's a really tough call for us too. We have 4 children, three of which are under the age of 5, so we run the added risk of purchasing the tickets just to find out that they are just too tired to go or something comes up and going to the party just doesn't work for us that particular night. The last time we went to MNSSHP we (the adults! LOL!) were too tired to keep going but since we bought the tickets we felt obligated to go and it ended up being a complete waste because it was a forced night. The tickets being date specific make it tough too. With WDW attracting a lot of families with young children I am surprised that they don't take that into consideration and make the tickets a little more user friendly. Like if you don't end up going to the party they can give you a gift card (only for use on WDW property) for the value of the tickets? I don't know just throwing out some ideas.

[Lakin]

The extra parties can be worth the extra money or can be a waste - really, it's what you make them to be.

[KAT1811]

The exception being the Haunted Mansion during MNSSHP since they have a special entertainment in the queue.

I really love her! I wish they had her there every night at dark. She's so much fun!!!!

[d_m_n_n]

I didn't vote because there needs to be a "gotta pay to do it once" option! We have been to the MVMCP a couple of times, but will be skipping it on our upcoming trip. They are very nice and definitely put you in the Christmas spirit, but for our family it was a once you did it once there wasn't much need to do it again. :blush: We'll be using that money to do some other activity this year!

[jenperich]

We went to MVMCP two years ago and we just loved it! The decorations, the snow, the parade, the castle with the icicles, the fireworks, the hot cocoa & cookies, and just being able to go on rides over and over and over again without a line was all WELL WORTH the money. We are going to MNSSHP this year for our 1st anniversary and we are so excited. We're not dressing up, but we are thrilled to be able to experience Halloween with all the extra magic. :mickey:

[Donald]

I feel that due to all of the decorations and events around the parks at Christmas time that the the MVMCP is not worth the money. The Candelight processional, for example, is a wonderful event-for free. And if you are looking for "snowfall" go to DS for the Osborne lights-for free.:santa:

The MNSSHP (as well as the Pirate and Princess must be) party is a lot of fun. I love the idea of being a part of the party by dressing up in costume and going trick-or-treating through MK. Not to mention, that the rest of the world is business as usual in the fact that they are not offering any special activities for the autumn holidays. I find that the MNSSHP is well worth the money.:blackcat:

[mom2morgan]

We went to MVMCP two years ago and we just loved it! The decorations, the snow, the parade, the castle with the icicles, the fireworks, the hot cocoa & cookies, and just being able to go on rides over and over and over again without a line was all WELL WORTH the money. We are going to MNSSHP this year for our 1st anniversary and we are so excited. We're not dressing up, but we are thrilled to be able to experience Halloween with all the extra magic. :mickey:trs

Really? I haven't been, but have heard that the rides are pretty crowded and not all of them are open.

[Mousemates]

I vote to do them once if you want..,but if not at least take in the fireworks...schedule a meal at either the CR or Poly and after eating head out on the beach (or the viewing area at the California Grill) and watch MNSSHP fireworks...in our opinion the best fireworks of the year.

[wilcat]

I have not attended MNSSHP but we did go to the MVMCP and I have to say it was worth the extra bucks. My DH is not the most excited guy about going to WDW but he loved this night. The atmosphere was different from EMH. It had a feeling like you were invited to a special gathering and the sounds, parades and special fireworks were awesome. I would not hesitate to go again.

[mainemajor]

While it costs more for the parties, they are well worth it and I will go anytime I am there and one is happening.

[Seasonscraps]

I have been to both parties in the past but I dont forsee attending any more in the future - the cost of the party tickets on top of regular park passes is a bit much.

[eta - a bit much meaning how many ways is Disney going to find to nickel and dime guests and decrease the value of what they do spend.]

[our happy place]

we went to MNSSHP last year we spent most of the night in line to get candy, never got to see any shows but the parade was great. I don't think the candy was worth the extra $200. it cost me.
We did MVMCP in 02 and loved it ,we are planning to go to it again in 10.

[dmosher]

I think the answer depends on what you enjoy and why? DW and I did MNSSHP lat year and had so much fun we will be doing ti again this year. Perhaps part of this reason is that living here in New Zealand Halloween is not really celebrated very much and it being my favorite holiday I want my fix. The party more than delivers it. I do think it was actually more fun as 2 adults without children. While not all of the rides were open, the ones that were had very short lines. Dressing up in costumes and trick or treating as an adult is a joy and a well missed part of childhood. Add to that the most amazing fireworks show I have ever seen in WDW or anywhere else as well as one of the best Disney parades and yes, it is totally worth every penny.
That being said if these things do not appeal to you or you are on a budget than it is probably not for you. In any case both this and the MVMCP are a great thing to do once assuming you can go into them with an open mind and not expecting the exact same WDW experience you would get any other day. These parties and hard ticket events offer some of the usual and some completely different experiences. Just keep that in mind and enjoy the fact that you can walk around the park with little to no crowds and walk right into the Haunted mansion with no wait times.
But as I said, if this just isn't your cup of tea, head over to Epcot that day and enjoy the World Showcase. I don't mind... more candy for me!
:pipes:
D

[Dopey's Girl]

I love the parties...anytime I can ride the attractions in Fantasyland with the CM asking if we want to go again without getting out and getting back in line, the money is worth it!

Having said that, generally when I have gone, I go into the park at 4 (when you can enter with the party ticket), and stay until midnight. We also don't use one of our park pass days on party day either, so that helps defer the cost a bit as well.

[jillluvsdisney]

I think the parades at both MVMCP and MNSSHP
are both great. Having been to both events though, I don't think I'd go again. If I had small kids it would be worth it.

[kathiep]

We did MNSSHP last year. I'm glad that we did it once but don't plan on doing another anytime soon. My kids weren't interested in the special party activities and only wanted to do the same things we could have done all day long. Maybe this will change as they get a little older, but until then, it wouldn't be worth it for us.

[clou1028]

I wouldn't go as far as to say they aren't worth the money. we did MVMVP in 2001 and it certainly was enjoyable, but I don't feel the need to do anymore hard ticket parties.

It's an added expense - and I don't really feel like I am missing out on anything by not going.

[mousetrapper]

We did MNSSHP twice - my DH and I did it one year on a trip when it was just the two of us and took the kids the next trip with the whole family. I have to say the theming is absolutely amazing - the visual touches as well as the music. You really have to love Halloween the way our family does. For us, the Headless Horseman's appearance was worth the price of admission! Breathtaking.

We've never had the chance to do MCMCP -- we went Thanksgiving week last time but they don't do MCMCP that week -- but will this year. We love Christmas too - especially my DH. Not sure which he loves more - Halloween or Christmas - when it comes to atmosphere, decorations, etc.

Again, I think you have to really love the holiday and everything that goes with it to appreciate these parties, or in this case, be willing to pay the extra money for the special ambience Disney creates. The details and thought they put into these are really unbelievable. And as someone else here said, it's that feeling of being part of something exclusive that is so great - like a private party.

[mousetrapper]

oops...I hit the "C" key when I meant "V"...

MVMCP!

:blush:

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

Having done 3 of them now-MVMCP, MNSSHP & P&PP, I think they were all fun and don't regret having spent the extra $$'s to go to them.

[Sneaky Pete]

would just as soon have no party but leave the Park open til midnight with little or no added cost, but that's not likely to happen so I will continue to pay.

[dtootsie42]

We don't do the parties anymore because they have gotten to expensive and to crowded. Our first time to the world was in December 1997. We did the MVMCP and loved every minute. No crowds, free hot chocolate, cookies and a great family photo. It was simply enchanting. The next time we went was 1999 and it was a lot more crowded but still manageable. The final time was 2001 and it was simply insane...we decided that it was not worth the extra money and would rather take the money that we saved and do something else.

At the same time I would never ever discourage anybody from doing the parties. We have friends who still go and love every minute!!:mickey:

[jerrywilborn]

A lot of people come here to ask "what is something special I can do for (celebration, birthday, first visit, anniversary, etc)...".

To me, MNSSHP is a perfect solution!

[DisneyFr33k]

there needs to be a "gotta pay to do it once" option! ..... but for our family it was a once you did it once there wasn't much need to do it again. We'll be using that money to do some other activity this year!

:ditto: We did tthe MNSSHP twice and that was 1 time too many. The first time was great - worth the money and magical. The secod time, we were expecting some new things, which didn't happen. We found ourselves a little bored and let down. So we'll pass on our upcoming October trip.

[grumpyguy]

i can only base my opinion on mickey's halloween party.we've been twice and it is a great time.i'd like to someday visit wdw around christmas,the only thing that turns me off are the reports that xmas time is pretty crowded..
i think mnsshp is well worth the xtra money:thumbsup:

[CaptainSad]

Since I don't stay at Disney Resort Hotels anymore I don't get to use the EMH's. So I think they are worth the money. I have had a great time at MNSSHP & MVMCP.

[KAT1811]

would just as soon have no party but leave the Park open til midnight with little or no added cost . . .


That is the part I don't quite understand. (I overanalyze everything so :sorry).

There is a MNSSHP on the 1st of November for which people have to pay to go to and the park is open until midnight.

On November 2nd there is evening EMH for free (WDW resort guests) and the park is open until midnight.

There is another evening EMH night November 8th, again free to WDW resort guests.

Then there is a MVMCP on The 10th and again people have to pay and the park is open until midnight.

Trick-or-Treating is fun but. . .

I am just trying to figure out if I am missing something :confused: huge at the parties that makes it truly "worth" the $$$ or is it more the atmosphere and the thought of something extra special?

I can go to the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights and see it snow.

Thank you all for your feedback I am truly enjoying everyones thoughts and feelings!

[BMan62]

That is the part I don't quite understand. (I overanalyze everything so :sorry).

There is a MNSSHP on the 1st of November for which people have to pay to go to and the park is open until midnight.

On November 2nd there is evening EMH for free (WDW resort guests) and the park is open until midnight.

There is another evening EMH night November 8th, again free to WDW resort guests.

Then there is a MVMCP on The 10th and again people have to pay and the park is open until midnight.

Trick-or-Treating is fun but. . .

I am just trying to figure out if I am missing something :confused: huge at the parties that makes it truly "worth" the $$$ or is it more the atmosphere and the thought of something extra special?

I can go to the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights and see it snow.

Thank you all for your feedback I am truly enjoying everyones thoughts and feelings!

You see the key to your statements is that EMH is open to RESORT GUESTS only. MNSSHP/MVMCP are open to EVERYONE. As far as the costs go, you need to pay for the candy/cookies/cocoa (yeah, right!!) and the 'special' fireworks shows and parades.

Do I think these are worth 2/3 of a full day, one park ticket? Not really, but I do think they are one time "Must Do" events.

[jnfr2424]

Really? I haven't been, but have heard that the rides are pretty crowded and not all of them are open.

When we went last year (during the Thanksgiving weekend MVMCP)We only saw the Tiki Birds closed everything else was operating. We rode Splash Mtn 3 times in a row and the longest lines we encountered were Peter Pan and to meet the Fairies

[Imagineer1981]

Depends on the party too. I will pay for MNSSHP but will not pay for MVMCP ever again. To me MNSSHP had such a cool atmosphere and was so much fun. Plus the park is open late so you almost get another "day" out of the hard ticket event and there are minimal waits

[Goes4FastPass]

We are part of that dual customer guest sentiment: Not worth it but we pay and go.

I have been to both MNSSHP and MVMCP and enjoyed them but did with current costs for a family of 4 to be over $200 it just seems like another way to get another hunk of money from guests.

And The Disney Company seems to be using less decorations and less special theming year by year.

[Disney Doll]

We've done P&P and MNSSHP. I think MNSSHP is worth the cost. We enjoyed P&P, but it's not something I would have to do again. We only pay for 2 adults because our son is under 3, so our cost isn't as great. However, with a toddler we never make it much past 9:00 so we never use EMH. We generally arrive at the party around 5:00pm and the parks are already clearing out. We get a bite to eat and then ride rides before the parade and fireworks. Both times we have been almost all rides were walk-ons. The only time we have ever ridden Dumbo was at MNSSHP and that's because otherwise the lines are just too much hassle. The limited crowds are great! We also really enjoy the decor and atmosphere. Halloween is my favorite holiday and fall is my favorite season. The parade and fireworks at MNSSHP are fantastic! I bought the soundtrack last year because I enjoyed it so much. We're heading back to MNSSHP this year.

[lightyearfan]

one word for me and dw and that is NO! we feel that it's very worth it, we've been to the xmas twice and this sept will mark our first MNSSHP, and i'm sure that after it's said and done we'll be planning again for next year. it's so not an extended EMH, not even close, the special parades and fireworks show, and the special stage shows that they do all worth the price. when we went to the pnp party(sorry to see that it's cancelled for this year), the fireworks show was with out a doubt the best that we've seen at WDW. when the pirates attacked the castle and fireworks were going off all around us, it was something to see, it was so good that when we got back to our resort, we had to watch it again(yes i taped it:mickey:), so for all these reasons we voted for worth the money.

Victor

[DisneyAggies]

Before we had children, we did MNSSHP and did all the rides we could...we used it as a glorified EMH time--TOTALLY NOT worth the money, IMO...looking back.

Now, we have children, and don't try to hit every ride in the park, but focus more on the trick or treating, and other goodies offered in the park--TOTALLY WORTH EVERY PENNY! The look on ODS's face last year when the CM's would call him "Buzz Lightyear"-- ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS!!

[Mickey91]

Love the parties! We go everytime there is one scheduled during our trip and sometimes schedule our trips around them. That being said, they are way over priced. In the beginning, there were only a few and the offerings were worth every penny. Each year, the number of parties increase, the offerings go down and the price goes up. Kind of like the regular park tickets!:(

[Ian]

Wow ... I am just totally and completely floored by the responses to this poll!! The fact that nearly 65% of people think that the parties are a good value for the money is making me question my entire perception of financial value!

I voted "They aren't a good value, but I go anyway."

We just paid over $220 for four people (3 adults and a child) to go to MNSSHP, which lasts like 5 hours. It's basically $60 per person, which equates to $12 per hour if you stay the entire time.

By comparison, even on the one day/one park rate, you typically pay less than half that for an hour in the parks. In reality, though, it's a lot less than that because no one buys a one day/one park pass. Our AP's cost us like $350 (DVC rate) for a year and we typically get like 20 days admission a year from one pass. That's only about $1.50 an hour!

No ... the parties are a terrible value for their money, but they're still fun so we do them.

[mrsgaribaldi]

I love the parties and so does Dh. I'm so disappointed that we are leaving Sept 2 and the first MNSSHP is Sept 4th. I love the parade and the decorations and just the whole feel of the park. I'm hoping we can squeeze a quick trip in just for the party.

[CU Tiger]

When we went during Christmas two years ago, the crowds during the day were crazy, but were very light during the party. The parade was special, good fireworks, and is neat to get hot chocolate and cookies, but I am not sure if it was worth the extra money. I think it is good to experience it once, but I do not know if we will do it again.:mickey:

[Aggie97]

When you compare the per-hour cost of the WDW parties to the per-hour cost of a multi-day park hopper ticket as a previous poster did, the parties really are a pretty poor value.

However, I don't feel they are a waste of money.

When I think about other ways we spend money on special event/live entertainment at home -- tickets to a baseball, basketball, or hockey game; concert tickets; tickets to a play or musical -- the WDW party tickets often are less expensive overall. The parties nearly always have a better per-hour value than the other events, as we attend the parties for their full five hours.

And we have significantly more fun -- and make more memories -- at the WDW parties than at other special events.

So far we've attended three MVMCP, two MNSSHP, and one P&PP. We're planning to go to another Halloween party this fall, and we intend to have a great time! :mickey:

[blondeinbrandon]

I think it depends if you are buying a park ticket for that day or not. Some people on here worked it in on a day they didn't use a regular park ticket. This is where passholders lose. We have gone to the parties and I even asked my boys (9 & 10) if they wanted to go the MNSSHP this time and they both said "Of Course!" But then their Dad said "If we don't go to the party we can go back to WDW in November for another two nights!" Both boys said "Skip the party!".
So we are skipping the party and booking an extra weekend.
I agree the parties are fun. But dollar for dollar not sure you get your money's worth. But as you can see my money gets spent at WDW no matter what. :blush:

[Ian]

You know you also have to consider the fact that Disney is closing a theme park early for which you've already paid admission and then charging you again for the priviledge of being allowed in a theme park you should have been allowed in in the first place.

When you think about it, it's pretty amazing that people so readily buy into such a scheme.

[Seasonscraps]

You know you also have to consider the fact that Disney is closing a theme park early for which you've already paid admission and then charging you again for the priviledge of being allowed in a theme park you should have been allowed in in the first place.

When you think about it, it's pretty amazing that people so readily buy into such a scheme.


This is what I find annoying about it. It's fun but it costs more then just the price of the party ticket in some ways.

It's like the dining plan, there was an informal poll a few months back about people getting the full value and quite a few people replied that they don't save money and some even pay more for the plan then they would OOP but get it anyway because it's easier. Easier then what? Putting the money in Disney's bank account or then your own? :confused:

[Ian]

It's hardly a question really ... it's $75 for a pass that gets you in for (typically) 12 hours or $60 for a pass that gets you in for 5 hours.

And the thing is, in the past it at least they seemed to limit it to a small group of people. I remember going to MVMCP and MNSSHP like 3 years ago and the crowds were so light you could get on pretty much everything with no wait. But lately, I've found that my wait times have doubled or even tripled during the parties as compared to during the general admission portion of the day.

Combine that with the fact that they've cut things back dramatically from what you used to get and the value isn't what it used to be.

But again ... We bought tickets for MNSSHP for 9/4, so I guess it's still worth it to us somehow.

[kbean]

It's worth every penny for me. I live an 1 1/2hrs away from disney and usually go just for the day. I like to wait for these events because the weather is cooler, the crowds are great, and I get to ride all my favs with little or no wait. 4pm to midnite is all the time I need.

[KAT1811]

You know you also have to consider the fact that Disney is closing a theme park early for which you've already paid admission and then charging you again for the priviledge of being allowed in a theme park you should have been allowed in in the first place.

When you think about it, it's pretty amazing that people so readily buy into such a scheme.

Precisely why I feel they are a waste of $$$.

Aquestion for those of you who love the parties . . . how many of you have very young children? Do you stay all night? If you were only able to stay a couple of hours would you still feel they were worth it? Just curious? I'm thinking part of the reason I feel they aren't worth the $$$ is that there is no way, with 4 children 3 under the age of 5, we could stay all night.

[Ian]

A question for those of you who love the parties . . . how many of you have very young children? Do you stay all night? If you were only able to stay a couple of hours would you still feel they were worth it? Just curious? I'm thinking part of the reason I feel they aren't worth the $$$ is that there is no way, with 4 children 3 under the age of 5, we could stay all night.We're in the same boat. We stay maybe three hours tops, with two kids ages 7 and 2.

Actually, I was just talking to my Mom on the way home about this and we both decided that the parties are really a complete and total ripoff.

What's more amazing is how much the prices have gone up while Disney continually cuts things out (remember when you at least got a free group picture for attending??). I want to say the costs have close to doubled in like the last 5 or 6 years. I seem to remember our first year tickets were in the $30 range somewhere and now they're $60!

[disneymom2000]

I went to the Christmas Party for the first time a couple of years ago and I am not sorry I tried it but it just seemed like a lot to pay for something that I only spent an hour at and didn't really enjoy that much. However, I did see a lot of kids so happy and that is what it is about anyway. So, it is definitely worth that.:party:

[Aggie97]

Aquestion for those of you who love the parties . . . how many of you have very young children? Do you stay all night? If you were only able to stay a couple of hours would you still feel they were worth it? Just curious? I'm thinking part of the reason I feel they aren't worth the $$$ is that there is no way, with 4 children 3 under the age of 5, we could stay all night.

I think you make a good point here....

We don't have kids yet, so we stay for the full five hours (plus the three hours in advance that we can enter with our party tickets). We are able to get around very efficiently and really take advantage of all the events, entertainment, and little special touches and decorations that occur during the parties.

I think that if in the future (i.e., when we have kids :)), we 1) have to buy more than two tickets for the parties and 2) are unable to stay for the duration and take advantage of everything offered, we would end up passing on the parties during most WDW trips. :mickey:

[dizknee531]

we have gone to the mnsshp the past 2 years in a row and we were going to skip this year but we just decided to go ahead and go this year, to me its worth every penny, the decorations, parade, and fireworks plus no lines in mk makes it worth it for us
We LOVE this too!! Everything about it. Our wedding anniversary is in October, so this is a great celebration for us!!

[Disney Doll]

Aquestion for those of you who love the parties . . . how many of you have very young children? Do you stay all night? If you were only able to stay a couple of hours would you still feel they were worth it? Just curious? I'm thinking part of the reason I feel they aren't worth the $$$ is that there is no way, with 4 children 3 under the age of 5, we could stay all night.

We always leave after the fireworks which is around 9:45ish for MNSSHP. That's 8:45 our time so it's really not that late for DS. We don't pay for our son because of his age so it kind of evens out. We go to the party on our off day so we are not wasting a half day's admission. Instead we enter MK around 5:00 so we get about 4 1/2 hours at the parks for the price.

If you compare the price per hour it probably isn't worth it, but you have all the extra party activities and shows which we really enjoy. Plus, we have found the limited crowds to be a huge bonus. We've never done MVMCP so that may be different, but we have experienced great crowds at P&P and at MNSSHP. At last year's MNSSHP we did all of Fantasyland in under an hour and never waited more than 5 minutes for anything. You can't just compare price per hour because IMO the quality of the time is just as important as the number of hours.

Also, I wanted to point out that advanced purchase tickets are $55 for adults so you don't need to pay $60 unless you wait to buy at the gate or unless you want to go on one of the blackout dates like Halloween night. We got ours for $52 with DVC discount.

[Ian]

Honestly, I don't understand all the people who claim there are "limited crowds" during the parties?

I mean, maybe that's true for the later hours, but early on the parks are definitely more crowded for the parties than they are during normal operational hours. :confused:

I don't think I've attended an after-hours party in the last five years where I thought it was less crowded than it had been during the day.

[crazypoohbear]

buy one day less than you need.
use that morning to relax, check out resorts, shop at DTD
Then go to the park at 4:30pm

[KAT1811]

buy one day less than you need.
use that morning to relax, check out resorts, shop at DTD
Then go to the park at 4:30pm

Great in theory but. . .

1.) Annual passholders

2.) An additional day costs a few dollars per person and the party costs 10x that!

[Bass T-bone]

I think you should go at least once, just to see what all the hoop la is about. Then judge for yourself...

[KAT1811]

I think you should go at least once, just to see what all the hoop la is about. Then judge for yourself...

We've been to MNSSHP. That's why I feel that they are a huge waste of $$$. A little candy, put the characters in costume and charge me $60 per person for it? I wanted to know what everyone though was so valuable about the parties. What made it SO different from EMH. I should have added a done it once never do it again vote. If I had never been I'd agree with you that I should at least try it but we did, twice. :D

[Mickey91]

You know you also have to consider the fact that Disney is closing a theme park early for which you've already paid admission and then charging you again for the priviledge of being allowed in a theme park you should have been allowed in in the first place.

When you think about it, it's pretty amazing that people so readily buy into such a scheme.

Yet we all do it...:secret:

I totally agree and this is the real rub. They are putting out more and more special parties and I think robbing regular guests of park time that should be expected. If a person comes in for one day at the park and is unfortunate enough to be there on a party day (as happened to us one year we made an impromtu visit with e nights), they pay full price for the day and have to leave at 6PM. Not only that, they don't even have the "extra" time after the park closes to meander and make purchases while exiting the park (like they need to throw people out who are willing to spend $$ on the ****** merchandise). The CMs are very rude about getting non party goers out of the park. But that's another story...

[Mickey91]

We're in the same boat. We stay maybe three hours tops, with two kids ages 7 and 2.

Actually, I was just talking to my Mom on the way home about this and we both decided that the parties are really a complete and total ripoff.

What's more amazing is how much the prices have gone up while Disney continually cuts things out (remember when you at least got a free group picture for attending??). I want to say the costs have close to doubled in like the last 5 or 6 years. I seem to remember our first year tickets were in the $30 range somewhere and now they're $60!

You are correct. I think we paid $36 for our ticket in 2003. That was the first year you didn't get a button but still got a photo. I remember people talking on here about the things that they didn't have anymore that year and it has steadily gone downhill from there. I just paid, with tax, $56 a ticket (The advance price). So for us that is $20 a person and $80 all together more than in 2003 and we don't get near as much. Plus, if you don't go to the earlier parties you don't get a pin. The last two years they have not had night specific trading pins and if you go near Halloween, you are out of luck! Christmas is the same way. We went to the last Christmas party in 2007 and couldn't find a Tshirt for my DH and the pins had sold out several parties before. Eventually, it will cost the same as a day ticket with nothing special and even us hard core Disney people will opt out.

[Mickey91]

Honestly, I don't understand all the people who claim there are "limited crowds" during the parties?

I mean, maybe that's true for the later hours, but early on the parks are definitely more crowded for the parties than they are during normal operational hours. :confused:

I don't think I've attended an after-hours party in the last five years where I thought it was less crowded than it had been during the day.
I agree

[Disney Doll]

Honestly, I don't understand all the people who claim there are "limited crowds" during the parties?

I mean, maybe that's true for the later hours, but early on the parks are definitely more crowded for the parties than they are during normal operational hours. :confused:

I don't think I've attended an after-hours party in the last five years where I thought it was less crowded than it had been during the day.

We attended MNSSHP last year on Oct 23. We were in the parks the 19-25. It was a Thursday night party not a weekend, but the parks were much less crowded on party night than what we had experienced just the day before. In fact I was surprised it wasn't more crowded since we were only about a week out from Halloween. Maybe we just got lucky, but I have read several positive reviews about party crowds so it can't just be me.

[Ian]

buy one day less than you need.
use that morning to relax, check out resorts, shop at DTD
Then go to the park at 4:30pmThat's really not a very good solution from a fiscal standpoint ...

One 7 Day Park Hopper Pass = $292.82
One 6 Day Park Hopper Pass = $289.63
Difference = $3.19

One MNSSHP Ticket = $56

[Marilyn Michetti]

We enjoyed MVMCP twice, but won't again. We didn't ride anything - I was just there for the parade, (which is televised on Christmas Day). I think it's worth the money, but would rather leave for a great dinner instead of cookies and hot chocolate.:mickey:

[GrmGrninGost]

MNSSHP and the Christmas Party are my absolute favorite times to be in the MK! They are wonderful! :mickey:

[pluto 77]

We think they are worth the extra money. That said we really enjoyed the Halloween party and Christmas party, but didn't think the Pirate & Princess Party was up to par with them.
When we have gone to parties in the past we have always been able to pose with characters, go on rides and watch the parade and fireworks. There is no other "regular" night in the magic kingdom that you can get so much done, even with EMH.
My only complaint would have to be that they need to figure out a way to better clear other non-party attending guests from the park.

[Stickey]

Waste of time? Only if you have a bad attitude.
Worth it? This can be debated in terms of the value of the experience and the cost of the ticket.

The main value of the parties- MNSSHP and MVMCP, is in the special events(parades, fireworks, shows, and unique character experiences) and party exclusive merchandise.
A few rides are worthwhile, but it certainly is not worth attending the event for shorter ride lines.

The number of tickets to each party should be lower, especially now that there are several more party dates. As for crowd control, this continues to be a challenge since the decision was made to allow a 7 PM park closing, instead of the previous 6 PM closing, which allowed time to empty the park prior to the party.

[indytraveler]

We've only done the MNSSHP and that was fun. Would do it again. Princess and Pirates???? no so sure. Christmas maybe. I do agree it feels like a EMH night but it's just the atmosphere around it.

[LilRonGal]

I've only done MNSSHP but I thought it was worth the extra money. There are the special parades and shows, not to mention the characters that ONLY come out for those parties. And the fireworks! Gorgeous! So, for me, it's more than a glorified EMH. It's something different and totally cool. :)