MNSSHP…i can’t find the post with the touring strategy about this…if i DONT plan on attending MNSSHP is this a good or really bad day (crowdwise)to tour MK? We have young kids and tour early and leave after dinner. Thanks!
Since you’re early tour-ers, I would think it would be a great time to visit MK - lower crowds early on. Those who will be attending the party but aren’t using a park ticket that day won’t get in until 4 pm. If you’d be leaving the park by then, seems like a good idea. Curious what more experienced people have to say though. 
I saw you posted this on chat as well. TS ADRs can go fast, so I would plan on grabbing one of those right away if you want one. Also, crowds build very fast between 4-6:30 or so - so if you left closer to 4 (or were eating) it would be less stressful.
great thanks!
Thanks! (yes, I only just discovered this discussion forum for the first time after I posted on chat - that’s when I realized this may be the better platform since I’m not in the park right now - now I know!)
I think in general MNSSHP is a good day to attend because crowds tend to be lower due to the fact that the park closes early (less people are willing to spend their ticket on a park that closes early.) I have been to WDW twice in October and we usually plan our MK day to be on a party day for the low crowds, get there for RD and leave by dinner. We go to MNSSHP on a different day so we can sleep in and stay out late for the party. We usually get there right at 4 pm for the party. Main street tends to be busy at that time, but the rest of the park has been minimal waits in my experience. This plan has worked out great for us in terms of avoiding crowds and enjoying the most attractions.
Great! Thank you! Just wondering, how do they ask people without the hardtickets to leave at 7? I’ve always wondered that
If you’re going to the party then you get a wrist band. The CMs do regular sweeps of the crowd and if you’re not wearing a wrist band then you get ushered to the exit.
The sweeping of guests out of the park has been a negative experience for some people, but I believe you are expecting to leave well before that time (around 6:30)?
Also, if you don’t have a wristband, cast members will not allow you to enter any of the attraction queues after a certain time (I’m not sure if they take the wait time into account, but I have seen people turned away a little bit before 7.) When we do MK on a party day, we are usually out by 6 pm. Lots of the “day” people are usually leaving between 4 and 7, while party people are entering, which is why Main Street is congested (and the rest of the park is not!)
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I was there in December during the Xmas party days. TP suggested daytime crowds would be light on Xmas Party days, compared to non-party days because of the early “closure” for non-party guests. However, the week I was there, all party days crowd levels wound up being higher than TP predicted. In their weekly summary they suggested that those days are starting to trend busier than in the past. So, my suggestion to you is that you can expect slightly lower crowds during the day on party days, but not significantly.
Also, your magic band (or card) will be scanned whenever you try to get onto an attraction after 7pm. That’s how they know you paid for the party or not. They won’t usher you out of the park, but they won’t let you on the attraction. (The want you in the park to buy stuff, but not ride stuff). You can walk around and enjoy the scenery, fireworks, etc, without paying the cost of the party. (no free cookies or cocoa for you, though).
Thanks again everyone for sharing your knowledge and experiences!