Published: August 26, 2014 at 10:11 AMThis "second hard ticket" sounds like it includes the ability to bypass some crowds (as well as get some decent grub). Isn't it really just the same idea as buying an Express Pass or FastLane wristband? Or is it more comparable to what Knott's does with their Scary Farm event by selling admission plus Fright Lane plus the Skeleton Key. Or Universal's Horror Nights Express and RIP Tours? Park admission is just the tip of the iceberg at parks these days. It is the add-ons that really cripple our pocket books (and extend the lines for those of us unwilling to pony up). Maybe we need an expose on the whole industry? Add-on services are becoming quite a racket.
Published: August 26, 2014 at 10:25 AMWe had a good time, but the crowds did limit what you could see at the main stage. If they raise the stage so it can be visible from father back that would be a big plus. We couldn't get into Club Evil as the line was just too long, the same can be said about the special items for the event. The line was long enough that you would kill an hour waiting to get in. People were queuing up to take pictures with villains at 6pm. The costumes were great to see. The big M was the most common costume. We did see 2 wicked withes of the west roaming around.
Published: August 26, 2014 at 10:41 AMI agree the cost is pretty steep considering you are already paying to get in for the evening. This seems to be the trend with many parks..
Published: August 26, 2014 at 12:10 PMI think this event is a bit different. To me it's akin to purchasing a ticket to the Party for the Party for the Senses (EPCOT Food and Wine Festival), and adding the VIP option that gets you early entry, guaranteed seating, table service, and upgraded drink options..
Published: August 26, 2014 at 12:52 PM"Some attractions were open and there were multiple face painting locations.".
Published: August 26, 2014 at 1:15 PMFace painting, dance parties and character meet and greets are not worth the cost for me. There is nothing that you don't normally see in a Disney park.
If they did highly themed scare zone and mazes with special effects like Universals Halloween Horror nights themed to the villains, it would be more legit and look less like a money grab.
Published: August 26, 2014 at 2:02 PMAbsolutely Anon...The key here is that people are willing to pay and see value in these events, and Disney will continue to push the envelope until they cannot sell them out. I'm guessing that many guests view these as once-in-a-lifetime type events or are locals looking to make their 100th trip to the park unique, and are willing to pay just about anything to up the ante of their experience. Look at some of the prices they're charging for the Food and Wine Festival Events this year ($549/person for the V&A signature event!!), it's all about supply and demand, and it's becoming increasingly clear that Disney is pricing its events to try to stem demand. The issue is that they need to live up to the price that they set for these events, which is where some of the criticism comes. If you end up with a large vocal group of guests that doesn't feel like they were treated with the exclusiveness suggested by the price, then they will have to make adjustments. Personally, I think many of the desert packages are obscenely priced, but I don't hear too many complaints about them.
Published: August 26, 2014 at 1:57 PMSimply put it's good business people, thats it!
You've built and operate the gold mine, now reap the rewards.
Published: August 26, 2014 at 2:04 PMAs a previous commenter said - if you don't want to spend the money then don't buy it..
Published: August 26, 2014 at 2:08 PMI would never pay for a dessert party. They are just empty calories. I'm not alone in that more people are have a high blood sugar problem. I wouldn't mind paying for a appetizer/dessert party. Some protein helps a lot. And eating something salty helps me enjoy the sweet concoctions. It seems like the dessert parties cost more than eating at a fine table service restaurant. They are pure profit for Disney..
Published: August 27, 2014 at 5:35 AMJust imagine if you are a family of 6..... yowsers. Kerching! :-)
Published: August 27, 2014 at 8:30 AMI wouldn't pay for a dessert party either. When we were at Disneyland last spring, we found a spot to view Fantasmic! right on the rope behind the sound board about 20-30 minutes before the show started. Our spot was within about 10-15 feet of where dessert party guests were seated. In my view, the only advantage the paying guests had over us was a chair (which honestly would have been nice for our dozing son) and the small tray of desserts. That's not worth $30/person to me unless it was a light meal..
Published: August 27, 2014 at 11:37 PMMy only complaint is that this "party within the party" includes preferred viewing for the fireworks. Unless you pay for the upcharge, you definitely won't get the best view of the fireworks -- but the fireworks are one of the reasons we bought our ticket in the first place!
Published: September 1, 2014 at 8:41 AMFor the price, I really am starting to question what you really receive... It's bad enough for the Halloween party (which I really love), but with the lines & such, there's no "meet & greet" for more than 1, maybe 2 characters. And as an adult, that really holds no interest for me. The parade & candy is what I really got from it (and $55 buys a lot of candy). I know that for the 100, or 1,000, or 10,000 spots that they have Disney will sell them all, so it will be a success from that standpoint, but as a family, I can't imagine paying that amount for all of us, on top of the NSSHP tickets.