Hard Ticketed Events

[SGarv]

It seems like there are more and more hard ticketed event now. I get it, it's a way to make more money and give people the opportunity to go with less crowds for a whole host of reasons, maybe they go all the time and once in a while they want to go with less people, maybe they go once a year and they want to be able to get it all in, or maybe someone in the party can't handle crowds. I know some people hate all these additions but it is what it is. My question is what ones have you found worth it and what seem to be a waste and tell me all that are out there. Below are the ones I know about......

Mickey's Not to Scary Halloween Party starting at $85
Mickey's Very Merry Halloween Party starting at $105
There is a morning event at Hollywood Studio for entry to Toy Story Land and Breakfast $85
Early money event to MK where you get to ride Peter Pan, Winnie, 7D Mine Train and Breakfast
There is also AP Passholder events (don't know if there is an additional costs)
DVC owner night
After Hours $120

Are there more? What are the crowd levels like at each of them?

 

[Figments Friend]

I find the Halloween Party in particular to be well worth attending.
If you buy your tickets in advance, and go the first few weeks the Events begin, you pay $75 for nine hours in the Park ( 4pm to 1am ).
The special entertainment, unique stage show, cool parade, and unique character greeting opportunities are part of the appeal.
Also, ride wait times are greatly reduced the later in the evening it gets.
Plus, all the candy you can carry home ( literally...bring your own bag(s) !

I really enjoy the MNSSHP events.
The major draw for me is the special entertainment ( show, parade, general atmosphere, spooky displays / lighting, costumed crowd, etc. )
Even at today's pricing, i still find it worth my time.
Just returned home from a week long stay at WDW and did the HalloParty twice.
Loved it!

Have not attended any of the other Events on the list above, but ages ago i would attend the marvelous 'E-Ticket Nights'.
For like $16 or so, you could stay in the Park for several hours after closing.
This was long before the days of EMH or the later Event offerings.
Ahhhh...now those were the days....

-

 

[Think Tink]

I Love the Halloween Party. Even my husband, who is not a Disney fan to his core like I am, had fun at that event.
I also highly recommend the Disney After Hours. I am a passholder so I had a discount, but we were able to ride everything we wanted and even try some rides that normally we wouldn't wait for. I loved getting the ice cream too. Who doesn't like snacks?! It was the quietest I have ever seen Disney and will 100% go back again.

 

[Nottamus]

We did the Christmas party in 2014? and it was super crowded...at the parade. When we ventured away to a few rides, they were just walk on.

The wife and I definitely want to do the Halloween party though. We were on property a few times during event, just didn't have tickets.
The costumes we saw on the way there were amazing! looks fun!

 

[Touchdown]

Love the holiday parties, because of the unique entertainment. Not interested in cupcake parties, I know how to find good viewing spots.

 

[thomas998]

It seems like there are more and more hard ticketed event now. I get it, it's a way to make more money and give people the opportunity to go with less crowds for a whole host of reasons, maybe they go all the time and once in a while they want to go with less people, maybe they go once a year and they want to be able to get it all in, or maybe someone in the party can't handle crowds. I know some people hate all these additions but it is what it is. My question is what ones have you found worth it and what seem to be a waste and tell me all that are out there. Below are the ones I know about......

Mickey's Not to Scary Halloween Party starting at $85
Mickey's Very Merry Halloween Party starting at $105
There is a morning event at Hollywood Studio for entry to Toy Story Land and Breakfast $85
Early money event to MK where you get to ride Peter Pan, Winnie, 7D Mine Train and Breakfast
There is also AP Passholder events (don't know if there is an additional costs)
DVC owner night
After Hours $120

Are there more? What are the crowd levels like at each of them?

They have all generally gotten more crowded over the years even when comparing ones today that aren't sold out to sold out ones in the past - it seems they just sell more tickets to each event today than they did in the past. Halloween is worth it only if you go before the last 2 weeks in October when the crowds really start to pick up. Christmas is decent early in December but not after about December 15th again the crowds get too big... Early morning wasn't really worth it because we could have just done lines and saved the money the breakfast just wasn't good enough to make up for the high price.

 

[LUVofDIS]

The Halloween and Christmas parties are well worth it to us. We go to both every year and do both twice during our stay.

After hours is cool and worth it just because of the ice cream. I guess the extremely low crowds figure into also.

All of this is pricey, but for the holiday parties, the atmosphere is unbeatable and the after hours is so relaxing.

 

[marni1971]

We found MNSSHP is no longer worth the price. It’s a shame since we used to enjoy it but the cost went up as the content went down.

 

[LUVofDIS]

It’s a shame since we used to enjoy it but the cost went up as the content went down.

We have been going since 2013 and it seems content has increased, maybe it has decreased since before than? The cost has gone up but for us, since 2016 the crowds have remained the same or been less. More people do seem to go for the lower wait times for the rides, but this seems to be a waste of the event to us. Though, last year we waited less than twenty minutes to ride the mine ride between parades.

 

[JIMINYCR]

The ticketed events are getting more popular and more guests are seeing a value to pay out for the chance to get a lower crowded park, extended hours, along with other unique benefits, like unusual M&G characters or events. The crowd numbers have started to rise up, so they arent as guest free and as walk on as they once were.
I'd still pay for the MNSSHP event, its uniqueness and the fun I get from attending, makes it worthwhile. MVMCP... I find worth doing if you never have done it before but I wouldnt pay for it multiple times. I havent done it but paying for an early MK might be worth it for me. I dont think I'd pay the same for the early DHS entry just for TSL.

 

[wdwfan22]

The Christmas party and Disney After Hours are the only hard ticket events worth the price of admission in my opinion.

 

[HoneyBee1991]

I'm obsessed with the Halloween party. This year will make 2 years since I've been to it and I am Jonesing so hard to go back! We decided to skip it this year as we are going in December.

Hopefully the Christmas party is cool enough to make me feel like I'm not missing out this year. Please try the Halloween party at least once in your life. It's so very worth it!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

We found MNSSHP is no longer worth the price. It’s a shame since we used to enjoy it but the cost went up as the content went down.

Truth...Christmas party is the same.

It’s obvious they have raised the caps significantly over the years.

It’s pretty simple: magic kingdom has generally the same footprint as it had since opening...so now it’s superpacked on a sellout and mobbed when years ago the sellout was a half mob.

Just not cool...people sitting on curbs for a parade 2-3 hours in advance. What’s “fun”
Now used to be what we called “a job”

 

[JustInTime]

We found MNSSHP is no longer worth the price. It’s a shame since we used to enjoy it but the cost went up as the content went down.

So I find the content to be mostly the same. The reason I justify it is that it’s cheaper than a day pass and I still end up with 8+ hours in the park. Everything else is just a bonus.

I always do 5 days in the parks. But during Halloween time I do 4 plus the party. So it’s no more money than I would have spent.

I do think they need to change it up each year with new offerings and characters. But I get $20 in candy alone. So for me and most, it’s worth the price

 

[networkpro]

If it weren't for the pin sets, we would stop going to MNSSHP. Only the Hm enhancements worked, the PoTC and SM ones were abysmal.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

It seems like there are more and more hard ticketed event now. I get it, it's a way to make more money and give people the opportunity to go with less crowds for a whole host of reasons, maybe they go all the time and once in a while they want to go with less people, maybe they go once a year and they want to be able to get it all in, or maybe someone in the party can't handle crowds. I know some people hate all these additions but it is what it is. My question is what ones have you found worth it and what seem to be a waste and tell me all that are out there. Below are the ones I know about......

Mickey's Not to Scary Halloween Party starting at $85
Mickey's Very Merry Halloween Party starting at $105
There is a morning event at Hollywood Studio for entry to Toy Story Land and Breakfast $85
Early money event to MK where you get to ride Peter Pan, Winnie, 7D Mine Train and Breakfast
There is also AP Passholder events (don't know if there is an additional costs)
DVC owner night
After Hours $120

Are there more? What are the crowd levels like at each of them?

First, I'll stipulate that we are fans of WDW ticketed events in general. Generally find them to be worth it to us (subjective), and since we go a couple of times a year, it's fun to try new things as they come out with them.

- Mickey's Not to Scary Halloween Party starting at $85: We like this one -- especially fireworks & parade -- they're our favorite of both in WDW.

- Mickey's Very Merry CHRISTMAS Party starting at $105: Cute M&Gs, but we didn't like the fireworks or parade as much. Would probably do again at some point, but not as much as MNSSHP.

- There is a morning event at Hollywood Studio for entry to Toy Story Land and Breakfast $85: Haven't done. You should have reviews for it soon.

- Early money event to MK where you get to ride Peter Pan, Winnie, 7D Mine Train and Breakfast: We really like this. Get our fill of the three rides, don't have to use up FPs for them on other days, breakfast is tasty, and you can be near the front of the pack on a headliner at park opening if you time it right and come back for the breakfast.

- There is also AP Passholder events (don't know if there is an additional costs): haven't done

- DVC owner night: Had one booked for Epcot and canceled it, opting for a MK EMH. Just seemed like there wouldn't be enough to do at that one.

- After Hours $120: Really enjoyed how short the waits were... if at all. Even the lines for food that looked longer moved well. We'd do this again, especially in the August heat.

 

[LUVofDIS]

I always do 5 days in the parks. But during Halloween time I do 4 plus the party. So it’s no more money than I would have spent.

Technically it will cost more, a four day basic ticket roughly costs $394, a five day basic costs $400. These are Undercover Tourists discount prices. There are better deals right now on the site, this is just to compare four and five day.

 

[IanDLBZF]

To be fair, I prefer the Christmas Party over the Halloween Party - any day!

Love the LOW wait times for the attractions during the parties too. Plus MVMCP has better treats than MNSSHP, and it's a more festive environment vs what MNSSHP is.

 

[LUVofDIS]

To be fair, I prefer the Christmas Party over the Halloween Party - any day!

Love the LOW wait times for the attractions during the parties too. Plus MVMCP has better treats than MNSSHP, and it's a more festive environment vs what MNSSHP is.

I agree that the MVMCP overall is better, but not by far. The two Madame's at the haunted mansion is awesome and the BOO-TO-You parade is a little better than the Christmas parade. I think the M&G are a little better for the Halloween party also.

The fireworks at the Christmas party are better as are the dance parties and "free" snacks. The stage show at the castle is better at the Halloween party but the show in Tomorrowland are better at the Christmas party.

The wait times totally depend on the crowds, we had lower wait times at last years Halloween party than the Christmas party, but that has not always been true.

 

[pvtim]

The only one I have had experience with is the Fantasyland Morning Magic. My son and I did it on a day my wife slept in.

Review:
We did it over the Summer (July 2018) and the crowds were light. All told it was great. The food was good, Cast Members were happy as they had not dealt with a days worth of crowds, and we got on all the rides we could hope for. In total we did 23 rides by 10:30 (14 during the event and 9 at rope-drop) when we left to meet my wife in Disney Springs for lunch. Sometimes they open an extra ride or two - on the day we went at 8:30 they opened the teacups- then we got to do a rope-drop from that spot into Tomorrowland to get on Space Mountain, Astro Orbiters & Buzz. The only hiccups we had were: My son left his brand new hat on Seven Dwarves (a 10 minute wait to get that back) & Jungle Cruise broke down while we were in line leading to an extra 30 minute wait or we could have done 25-30 rides easy. The added bonus no FP+ needed for that morning so we got on FOP, Everest and the Safari that night.

Overall:
Can't say it is for everyone. My wife is a casual park guest, likes to walk around slowly, go on a few rides and shop. My son and I want to get on as many rides as possible. This gave us the ability to tour the parks the way we wanted and gave my wife the kind of low key relaxation she wanted. Paying the extra money for her to gain access would havehad no real benefit to her.

My sons favorite memory was being the first to ride Seven Dwarves - we sat in the front row and were the only ones on that first train! We then got to just stay on for trip two. Because my wife refuses to get to a park before 9-9:30 it was his first rope-drop experience and we got to experience that again with the Astro Orbiter (first ride).