Mickey's Halloween Party and Halloween Time Superthread 2018!!

[stickeymouse]

That's worse customer service than the airline industry.

I have to give Disney the benefit of doubt on this one. Having a different policy would open up a true can of worms for them. People would be buying tickets all the time without knowing for sure if they could attend. In the end, it would add a lot of complexity to the process. And I get that tragedy does strike sometimes, but most of the comments I've read on here are of the "whoops, I bought the wrong day" or "can't go after all" variety. People just need to solidify plans as best as possible before buying tickets. And I suppose there's always travel insurance.

 

[disneymum58]

I have a Annual Pass and plan to be at DL earlier in the day. Is there somewhere inside the park to receive my wristband, or do I need to exit the park and re-enter with the crowds?

 

[figment_jii]

I guess I've always looked at MHP tickets kind of like buying tickets to a Broadway show, sporting event, or other things along those lines. As a buyer, it's on you to double and triple check the dates before pushing the purchase button. Some places might allow refunds or exchanges or credits, but for the most part (in my experience), once you've bought the ticket, you've committed to it. I know some places allow you to change tickets and charge a change fee to do so, but I overall think that just complicates the issue so Disney goes the easier route and has a blanket statement saying no refunds or exchanges or transfers. I agree that tragedies do happen, so I think that's why it's always worth calling and pleading your case, but for the most part, if you can't go, that is unfortunately just the cost of having plans change.

Along with the reasons mentioned by others, I also think Disney goes the non-refundable, non-transferable route to try and avoid scalpers. Can you image how many tickets scalpers would gobble up to resell at a higher price if they could just return the ones that they can't sell? As it is, it's unfortunate to see so many tickets listed on third-party seller sites.

 

[figment_jii]

I have a Annual Pass and plan to be at DL earlier in the day. Is there somewhere inside the park to receive my wristband, or do I need to exit the park and re-enter with the crowds?

Historically they've had a location inside the park where you could get your wristband. We probably won't know where it is until it opens for the first party, but in past years it's been at the entrance to Frontierland or in the old Starcade.

 

[disneymum58]

Thank you! We will be at the first party, so I will just have to ask when it's closer to party time.

 

[otten]

I guess I've always looked at MHP tickets kind of like buying tickets to a Broadway show, sporting event, or other things along those lines. As a buyer, it's on you to double and triple check the dates before pushing the purchase button. Some places might allow refunds or exchanges or credits, but for the most part (in my experience), once you've bought the ticket, you've committed to it. I know some places allow you to change tickets and charge a change fee to do so, but I overall think that just complicates the issue so Disney goes the easier route and has a blanket statement saying no refunds or exchanges or transfers. I agree that tragedies do happen, so I think that's why it's always worth calling and pleading your case, but for the most part, if you can't go, that is unfortunately just the cost of having plans change.

Along with the reasons mentioned by others, I also think Disney goes the non-refundable, non-transferable route to try and avoid scalpers. Can you image how many tickets scalpers would gobble up to resell at a higher price if they could just return the ones that they can't sell? As it is, it's unfortunate to see so many tickets listed on third-party seller sites.

I think you're totally right. If resale were allowed MHP tickets would become like concert tickets with the majority being snapped up immediately by scalpers, forcing the people who actualy want to attend would have to pay exorbitant scalper prices. I know sometimes things happen but honestly that's what travel insurance is for.

 

[otten]

Disney doesn't just give the people a credit for a future purchase for the value of the tickets if they cannot attend? I understand them not giving people tickets to other parties that are already sold out but to just say oh well your out of luck is really bad business. Life happens and sometimes you cannot attend. People get cancer. Loved ones pass away. Am I understanding this wrong? If you cannot attend the party then you lose all of that money? Even the god awful airlines don't do that.

Airlines totally do that. If you want to buy a plane ticket that allows you to make changes you need to pay 2-3x as much minimum for the same seat. In the event of a tragedy you MIGHT get a sympathetic airline person willing to do something for you but that's not their policy. Yep life happens and that's why there's travel insurance.

 

[tarheelalum]

Airlines totally do that. If you want to buy a plane ticket that allows you to make changes you need to pay 2-3x as much minimum for the same seat. In the event of a tragedy you MIGHT get a sympathetic airline person willing to do something for you but that's not their policy. Yep life happens and that's why there's travel insurance.

Southwest allows you to change tickets for free. No travel insurance needed. I did it last month. It's their policy. And if Southwest can do it, so could Disney. They just need to return to the days of their high quality customer service.

 

[figment_jii]

Southwest does allow you to change your ticket for free, meaning you get a credit for the amount you paid for the ticket to be used towards the purchase of another ticket within a given time frame. I've also done this with Southwest and its a nice perk. I suppose Disney could do that...allow guests to exchange their current MHP ticket for another MHP night (pending availability) and pay any difference. That being said, I do think there is a big difference between allowing for exchanges and giving refunds. I don't think it makes sense to do refunds because that just opens the door for scalpers and re-sellers. I do also think there is a difference between MHP tickets (which are for a specific night and are limited in quantity) and regular admission tickets. So I could see like-for-like (MHP for MHP), but not really MHP for regular admission.

 

[otten]

Southwest allows you to change tickets for free. No travel insurance needed. I did it last month. It's their policy. And if Southwest can do it, so could Disney. They just need to return to the days of their high quality customer service.

Southwest is one airline. One that doesn't fly everywhere (it's not in Canada for one). The majority of airlines do not allow free or low cost changes for economy fares.

Could Disney have a different policy? Sure they could. But they are hardly the only company that has a policy like this.

 

[lcp9]

I guess I've always looked at MHP tickets kind of like buying tickets to a Broadway show, sporting event, or other things along those lines. As a buyer, it's on you to double and triple check the dates before pushing the purchase button. Some places might allow refunds or exchanges or credits, but for the most part (in my experience), once you've bought the ticket, you've committed to it. I know some places allow you to change tickets and charge a change fee to do so, but I overall think that just complicates the issue so Disney goes the easier route and has a blanket statement saying no refunds or exchanges or transfers. I agree that tragedies do happen, so I think that's why it's always worth calling and pleading your case, but for the most part, if you can't go, that is unfortunately just the cost of having plans change.

Along with the reasons mentioned by others, I also think Disney goes the non-refundable, non-transferable route to try and avoid scalpers. Can you image how many tickets scalpers would gobble up to resell at a higher price if they could just return the ones that they can't sell? As it is, it's unfortunate to see so many tickets listed on third-party seller sites.

I totally agree with all of this, but I wanted to point out the difference here is that for a concert/show/etc those tickets are yours, and you can resell without judgment (for the most part.) We had Hamilton tickets 6 months in advance, and then I got pregnant and was far too sick to be able to go, so we sold them on craigslist, end of story (AT FACE VALUE, before someone makes a comment ) It seems Disney does not agree they are your property, and makes it difficult to resell not to mention it seems most people here wouldn't agree with someone doing it even if they sold them at face value or less to recoup some costs.

 

[lvdis]

Where does the 2nd parade start from? Sorry if it's already been answered but I can't find it. Thank you!

 

[figment_jii]

Where does the 2nd parade start from? Sorry if it's already been answered but I can't find it. Thank you!

Historically, the second parade starts from Main Street and heads to IaSW.

 

[tarheelalum]

Southwest is one airline. One that doesn't fly everywhere (it's not in Canada for one). The majority of airlines do not allow free or low cost changes for economy fares.

Could Disney have a different policy? Sure they could. But they are hardly the only company that has a policy like this.

Your right Southwest is just one company that prides itself with great customer service. Disney, like the rest of these companies you are referring to, does not in this respect. They fall short. Way short with the rest of the pack.

 

[tarheelalum]

I suppose Disney could do that...allow guests to exchange their current MHP ticket for another MHP night (pending availability) and pay any difference. That being said, I do think there is a big difference between allowing for exchanges and giving refunds.

I agree. Disney could allow an exchange, if availability exists or give the people a credit for the money they have spent which they could use at a later date. That is all I'm saying.

I'm not saying people should get a refund. That would be burdensome for the company to sell tickets for one particular date and the day before people all decide to get a refund. That would not provide Disney sufficient time to resell the tickets which is an unreasonable. But for Disney to say if you can't make it, oh well tough luck, and just keep your money is not at all fair or reasonable. A credit should be given to the consumer so they can spend the money at Disneyland, at a later date. That would be great customer service and a win for both Disney and the customer.

 

[Kender]

Your right Southwest is just one company that prides itself with great customer service. Disney, like the rest of these companies you are referring to, does not in this respect. They fall short. Way short with the rest of the pack.

Disneyland is not an airline. It is a theme park. They don't need to keep up with an airline's customer service tactics (I love SWA quite a lot, but they are not standard in the airline world either and are actually a bit of an oddball in the industry).

Better would be to compare to events like the Halloween related events that USH puts on. Which, by the way, are not refundable, transferable, or resellable just like Disneyland's. They are also only valid for the purchased day.

I personally like the policy even though it frustrates me that I can't purchase until I'm sure I can go (which means I risk missing out). If they even issued a future credit, people might purchase "just in case" because they know they could get that credit.

 

[ShadowCross]

So are the cauldron popcorn buckets at the park already? I expected now that the season has started they would be but I thought I read earlier someone saying they weren't. I'm going in 10 days (woohoo!!) and I need 3. I just need to know if I'm going to be able to find them or if I'm going to have to ask my sister when she goes two weeks later. (No idea why she didn't just go the same time as me, since I love her kids and treat them as if they were mine, except that I watch her house and dogs when she goes anywhere so having us both gone the same week messes that up for her. -sigh- no DL Halloween pics of my kids with Auntie this year. And my younger niece claims she's finally going to be brave enough to meet her hero, Jack Skellington.)

 

[dina444444]

So are the cauldron popcorn buckets at the park already? I expected now that the season has started they would be but I thought I read earlier someone saying they weren't. I'm going in 10 days (woohoo!!) and I need 3. I just need to know if I'm going to be able to find them or if I'm going to have to ask my sister when she goes two weeks later. (No idea why she didn't just go the same time as me, since I love her kids and treat them as if they were mine, except that I watch her house and dogs when she goes anywhere so having us both gone the same week messes that up for her. -sigh- no DL Halloween pics of my kids with Auntie this year. And my younger niece claims she's finally going to be brave enough to meet her hero, Jack Skellington.)

This past Saturday there were no cauldron buckets and no new oogie boogie only last years.

 

[figment_jii]

The Park Blog post that lists this year's novelties said that the Cauldrons would be available "starting in mid-September" and the new Oogie Boogie design would be available "later in the season".

 

[ShadowCross]

Well, fingers crossed then that the 24th is far enough to get the cauldrons!
Thank you both for the info!