Which would you choose 3 days or Halloween Party?

[agamble]

We need to make a choice. I have reservations at Desert Inn for the second week of August for a good price. They can be cancelled. The plan was 3 day hoppers probably a Thursday to Saturday with a possible day at Universal on Wednesday with a hotel stay somewhere outside of LA Tuesday night as we'll already have a ticket for that. Our youngest is 42 inches so we're really looking forward to riding rides as a family of 5 for the first time.

I teach school and have 3 kids in elementary and preschool, so Halloween means taking time away from school whereas August we're already off. Also cost and time wise we'd probably be looking at a Thursday party in September with Friday at Disneyland and maybe still the day at Universal since we have the ticket. We would probably have to get a hotel for Wednesday night to make sure we could be well rested on Thursday too. Hotels are also more expensive in September, but they're still reasonable for the dates I'm looking at.

Part of me says more time and sooner in August sounds good. Also more Disney time for the money. But we do love Halloween time at Disneyland and have never done a party. I have a Disney Visa so I could purchase tickets tomorrow and it seems the cheaper September days sell out faster. What would you choose?

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Hard choice... August is going to be pretty slammed with SWGE... if you can go in September on a non-holiday weekend you may actually get more done by going into the party right when it opens (I think at 4 pm for Thursdays?) and having the whole Friday open to close... then do Universal on Saturday. I am a more days the better person. But I think September maybe a bit more mellow.

 

[GenGen22]

Hard choice... August is going to be pretty slammed with SWGE... if you can go in September on a non-holiday weekend you may actually get more done by going into the party right when it opens (I think at 4 pm for Thursdays?) and having the whole Friday open to close... then do Universal on Saturday. I am a more days the better person. But I think September maybe a bit more mellow.

I agree the parks are lighter after summer is over and also it won't be as hot. I am also someone who would rather spend more days in the parks but I also have a weakness for Halloween time and going to the Halloween party. I said 6 years ago I was only going to go once and now I an headed to my 6th year of going to the party.

 

[Indiana Scott]

Easy choice for me - 3 days is better than one!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Much as I love Halloween Time at DLR, I think I'd go with the three days. By August, you'll have had plenty of time to read this board to catch up on all the tips, strategies, policies, changes to policies, etc. for SWGE and how to handle the crowds and lines. You'll be a pro before you go. The peak schedule will be a help, too -- that may not be happening in September. And September can actually be warmer than August -- and the Santa Ana winds may start then, too -- which means fireworks can get cancelled. Three days will give you a MM, which is always a nice perk. And with all the big changes to the Halloween party this year, it might be good to read all the reviews this year before deciding to invest in that.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Hands down 3 day PH in Aug! No way would I give up 2 park days for a Halloween party- even back when the party was in DL!

 

[TLPL]

More time is better than special event. If I am local I will pick special event. But as someone who only able to go once 8n a long while I rather haVe more t8me to enjoy the park.

 

[JessicaRabbit13]

We did the Halloween Party last year and then 5 days after that, tbh the party was a let down. I preferred the 5 days exploring the parks in the sunshine and taking everything in.

 

[agamble]

Thanks for your thoughts. My husband and I discussed this and we're planning to stick with our original plans for now. Going in September would be a lot more difficult and 3 days sounds better than 1 plus a party.

Funny thing, while we were discussing costs I noted that 4 non hopping days cost the same as 3 hopping days even including an extra night in the hotel...

 

[theluckyrabbit]

...Funny thing, while we were discussing costs I noted that 4 non hopping days cost the same as 3 hopping days even including an extra night in the hotel...

Ooooh, tempting, tempting! Given your level of experience in the parks, the non-hopping tickets could work just fine.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

Ooooh, tempting, tempting! Given your level of experience in the parks, the non-hopping tickets could work just fine.

Thanks for your thoughts. My husband and I discussed this and we're planning to stick with our original plans for now. Going in September would be a lot more difficult and 3 days sounds better than 1 plus a party.

Funny thing, while we were discussing costs I noted that 4 non hopping days cost the same as 3 hopping days even including an extra night in the hotel...

That sounds like it could work out. I've always been a strong proponent of park hoppers, but after my last trip I think I'm going to try non-hoppers in the future. The only rides I really love in DCA anymore are Little Mermaid and TSMM, so I think I'm going to skip DCA on my next trip and just stick to Disneyland.

 

[WonkaKid]

I’ve never been to the Halloween party so take my advice with that in mind. Three days in August sounds like a better plan to me than one day for the party.

 

[tarheelalum]

Three days is much better than this year's party. The party doesn't sound anywhere near as good as last year's party. Disney is not even running the party on a Friday or Saturday night this year and that is very telling. Take your time and have a great 3 days at the park.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Three days is much better than this year's party. The party doesn't sound anywhere near as good as last year's party. Disney is not even running the party on a Friday or Saturday night this year and that is very telling. Take your time and have a great 3 days at the park.

Actually I think that is only telling us that Disney needs DCA to be open to all guests on Friday and Saturday nights when Disneyland is full due to Star Wars crowds.

 

[lcp9]

We love the party, but I am the first to admit with little kids they are shot by about 7pm. We do tend to do a park day beforehand, but it is a LONG day and an enormous fight to keep them awake (7, 5, 3, 1.) Except for the baby all are 42". My 7 year old fell asleep before the fireworks last year, and I woke her up for them (they LOVE the music) and she was so tired and mad she told me she hated fireworks and disneyland. $120 well spent. haha. Anyway - I wouldn't change plans just for the party, even though I love it.

 

[agamble]

We love the party, but I am the first to admit with little kids they are shot by about 7pm. We do tend to do a park day beforehand, but it is a LONG day and an enormous fight to keep them awake (7, 5, 3, 1.) Except for the baby all are 42". My 7 year old fell asleep before the fireworks last year, and I woke her up for them (they LOVE the music) and she was so tired and mad she told me she hated fireworks and disneyland. $120 well spent. haha. Anyway - I wouldn't change plans just for the party, even though I love it.

That is part of the problem. We wouldn't be able to save money by driving up on Thursday because we would HAVE to a hotel to rest in on Thursday afternoon or there is no way they'd make it past 8. So we would have to drive up on Wednesday night and pay the extra night of hotel. All that on top of taking time off of school for 1.5 days. I hope to make it to a party some day, but this won't be the year I guess.

 

[agamble]

And DH can't get the days I booked in August off, or the weekend before, as someone else is out. I go back to work the following week. We already have a longer vacation planned earlier in the summer that doesn't include Disney. Back to the drawing board. Now I'm struggling to find days we can go before the end of the calendar year. Need our annual Disney fix.