What is wrong with Halloween this year?

davewasbaloo · October 17, 2011, 12:47:18 AM

It is unlikely they will be answered because they have really cut down this year. I know in years past, halloween day time has been like any other day in October, but super crowded (one of the 5 most crowded days of the year). It is at night at the party things get awesome.

fly_with_me_dumbo · October 17, 2011, 07:54:08 PM

I have night passes too! can you tell me what to expect andddd the terror night the night before?

will i be able to tell its halloween in the park? urghhh toooo busy! lol in summer one day when i went it was rammed i couldnt move anywhere, i hated it, it was about 30 degrees though.

littlemermaid83 · October 23, 2011, 09:13:36 PM

Nothing is wrong imo. I thought the park looked lovely and god riddance to all them tacky decorations from last year.

captain rocket · October 24, 2011, 10:33:38 AM

I agree that the park is looking great, but we should expect this to be the norm and not just because they are gearing up for the 20th. We all have our opinions concerning the decorations, I think they are pathetic this year, but in my opinion the park is really really struggling to have any sort of Halloween feel about it and I feel let down that Halloween has been "downgraded" this year over the last few. I can only express my opinions by not visiting at Halloween again until the decorations etc improve over this years impoverished offerings. Disney won't lose out though, I will just go at another time, maybe bonfire time next year after my visit for the 20th birthday in April.

Patrick89 · October 26, 2011, 12:07:04 PM

I would have preferred a little bit more Halloween decoration in Main Street, too, I especially missed the Pumpkinmen...But it was quite cool to see Frontierland in its original state, without any huge orange pumpkintower etc. There were years when they, in my opinion, put too much Halloween stuff in the park. Especially the fact that every second song in Frontierland was the Halloween theme song really got on my nerves...But I have to admit, this year, the Halloween theme was very boring. Close to nothing isn't too good

davewasbaloo · October 26, 2011, 01:23:09 PM

Well, we just got back from some awesome Halloween celebrations if anyone is interested in the pictures and trip reports?

In short, legoland had Halloween music everywhere (including DLP music, lol), characters, a scooby doo fun house, a Halloween themed building workshop, a mad science workshop, a scooby doo scavenger hunt, and of course, the amazing scooby doo fireworks, better than any at dlp, and even beating wdw and my beloved Disneyland in Anaheim..

Hampton court palace brought 1541 to life with a jester, alchemist, astrologer, Catherine howard, the arch bishop and other courtiers to life while we all wore velvet gowns as we interacted.

And chessington was amazing with trick or treating, more Halloween music, decorations everywhere, an Halloween themed animal show, a headless horseman riding, a halloween puppet show, and three excellent halloween mazes, all suitable for over 7s.

We had a blast.

norhel · October 26, 2011, 01:56:28 PM

Quote from: "davewasbaloo"Well, we just got back from some awesome Halloween celebrations if anyone is interested in the pictures and trip reports?

Always interested in reports :-)

davewasbaloo · October 26, 2011, 02:04:57 PM

Well here is the start of the trip report with pictures in the link:

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=12233

DedicatedToDLP(Steve) · October 27, 2011, 05:03:26 PM

Good to hear about Legoland Dave. People keep advising me to go there with my little boy. Do you know if they go all out for Christmas too? I'm guessing yes if they make such an effort at Halloween.

davewasbaloo · October 27, 2011, 05:52:52 PM

Hi Steve,

They tried a christmas celebration a few years ago and it was very good. But, it was too cold. So now the park is closed between November and march. To be honest ,the only theme park i would consider in winter would be port aventura as northern european parks are too cold in winter.

rainboy · October 28, 2011, 02:03:02 PM

Wow, Just Wow, we come every year especially for Halloween to EuroDisney, we come from different countries, Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland especially for this event, and oh boy what was I disappointed when i walked down mainstreet this morning.

I even wonder if i am going to renew my annual pass this year and so do some more of our family, this is really sad. Well tonight we go to the party, see if they maybe make it special enough in the evenings, but it better be good.

Disney if you read this, bring back the Halloween theme to the park; it is NOT there. It looks like every other month with a few small changes, which do not even come near to previous years.

Wondering if the Christmas themes are going to be disney characters with only a warm shawl and a cup of hot choco. I think someone really messed up this year, and the management should really wonder if this is the route they want to go on.

A very disappointed regular !

Josh · October 28, 2011, 06:37:40 PM

But it really does seem as though they had a fresh start and a new approach to their decorations this year. Did anyone see the coverage for our Halloween this year on the Disney Parks Blog? There's even a video on how they made their own real Mickey pumpkins especially for the event! XD
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2 ... and-paris/

Patrick89 · November 02, 2011, 11:49:33 PM

The pumpkin carvers at Frontierland just came to my mind. It was really cool what they could create of vegetables

davewasbaloo · November 03, 2011, 06:14:13 AM

The pumpkin carvers have been a regular fixture for well over a decade, and yes, they are good.

DedicatedToDLP(Steve) · November 03, 2011, 09:25:03 AM

Thanks Dave - no Christmas Legoland for us then!

I was a big disappointed with DLP Halloween at first, from what I had seen and been told. However, when I saw what they did towards the end of the Halloween season for the Terrorific Nights and the shows in Disney Village and also in Disneyland Park on Halloween night it made me want to really be there and I'm thinking of going next year. The shows looks spectacular and Terrorific Nights look amazing. While there maybe not so much for the Halloween visitor before the end of October, what they do at the end looks fantastic.

I'd guess this is a transition year with money saving in mind, which is why we have seen a modest Halloween for most of the month. The feeling that the old Halloween scared small children will probably take a bit more time to modify the season for, and with the 20th Anniversary next year I'd bet on them having sorted that out by October 2012.