Hi Kara!
Thank you for bringing your question to the Disney Parks Moms Panel. I felt like this was a great question because my family just weighed these options ourselves, but for
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in October!
I think a big part of this decision is who you are traveling with and what kind of stamina you think your party will have. I visited last December with a group of Moms Panelists and we were there until they practically shut down the park for the night when we attended
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. For that group, we like to call ourselves
Disney Ninjas, spending 12+ hours in the park was completely feasible. If you are going with a group of all adults or a maybe older children that will have the stamina to spend all day in the park, plus all night then I don't think it's a waste. Trust me, you will want to spend as much time as you can there during the party because there is so much Christmas fun to be had!
This October when I travel for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, I'll be traveling with my toddler. I know with him a long day in the park is not feasible, so for that trip we have decided to just purchase the party tickets for that day and relax that morning. Though the party starts at 7 PM, in the past Guests with party only tickets have been able to enter at 4 PM. While this is subject to change, they haven't announced any policy changes for this year. I think entering at 4 PM and not having a park ticket works best for that scenario because we wouldn't get a full days worth with a little one.
I hope this helps you with your decision. If you have any other questions please let us know and I hope you have a magical trip!
-Lindsey ºOº