Review: Our Disney expert weighs in on the new Halloween experience at Disneyland Resort
Ten years … ten Halloween parties. From Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World to Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland Resort, my family and I thought that we’d seen it all. But this year, we were in for a treat with a new twist on Disney’s Halloween party, the Oogie Boogie Bash at California Adventure Park.
The Oogie Boogie Bash takes place on 20 select nights during September and October. The party requires a separate ticket from the normal theme park admission. You can enter as early as four hours prior to the party, depending on the day. Upon entry, you’re given a wristband and a treat bag. At 6 p.m., those who don’t have a wristband aren’t allowed to board attractions and will politely be turned away. (It’s become a fun tradition in our family to try and spot the people attempting to be in the park as long as they can without wristbands.)
So here’s what we liked and didn’t like about the new event.
1. More interesting treat trails
Once the party starts, the treat trails open up around the park. You walk along a designated trail and every few feet, Disney cast members drop handfuls of candy into your treat bag. There were a lot of treat trails around the park, ten locations in all.
What we liked
The trails were more interesting than in years past. At many locations, villains held court. Characters like Oogie Boogie, Dr. Facilier, and Maleficent interacted with you, giving you a more immersive experience.
What we didn’t like
At times, the candy lines were really long. At many stations, they ran out or ran low of treats. It’s kind of a bummer to wait in a long line only to walk away with a few pieces of candy. Cast members assured us more candy was on the way and to come back later which was a hassle considering how far it was to get back across the park. In the end, we amassed quite a haul, so we’re not really complaining. It just seemed like they should have had more candy on hand.
2. Smaller crowds, but longer wait times
What we liked
In spite of it being a sold out event, the park didn’t feel overly crowded. It was easy to walk onto many attractions, and this year’s venue didn’t have the type of congestion that usually occurs around Frontierland as hordes of people swarm Haunted Mansion.
What we didn’t like
The park’s most popular attractions like Radiator Springs Racers and Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission Breakout! still had really long wait times. Sure, they were less than during normal park hours, but we were still waiting over an hour to get on these rides.
Another gripe? There are fewer attractions at Disney California Adventure compared to Disneyland. One thing we loved about Mickey’s Halloween Party was the ability to jump on attractions like Peter Pan’s Flight and Dumbo the Flying Elephant that usually have long wait times during normal park hours. Wait times at Disneyland’s marquee attractions were typically short, too. Last year, my daughter and I rode Big Thunder Mountain Railroad three times in 20 minutes. There just isn’t as much to do at Disney California Adventure Park, especially for younger kids.
3. Old classics make a comeback
What we liked
Some traditional Halloween favorites like the popular Frightfully Fun Parade reappeared. As usual, the headless horseman kicks off the fun. He’s followed by Mickey and Minnie in their Halloween finest, villains on floats, ghosts from the Haunted Mansion, and the popular grave diggers with their sparking shovels.
You can expect a signature Disney grand finale. Instead of fireworks, it’s now a water show. World of Color transforms into Villianous!, an event hosted by Oogie Boogie, complete with fountains, lights, lasers, projections, and special effects. It takes place twice nightly during the party at 9:00 and 10:45 p.m.
What we didn’t like
Several attractions in Pixar Pier close prior to World of Color. It makes for a better viewing experience but also means fewer available attractions for those who don’t want to see the show.
4. New elements
We definitely enjoyed some of the new features of this year’s party.
Our favorite was Villians Grove. The Redwood Creek Challenge Trail is transformed into an immersive walking art exhibit with special effects like lights, sounds, and colors. During the day, the trail is a giant playground featuring slides and climbing walls, so I had a hard time picturing how this area would be transformed for the party. But Disney pulled it off. It was an entirely different experience after dark. The play areas were closed off and instead you followed a winding trail. The special effects made for an ethereal experience. Villains Grove elicited “oohs and aahs” from my family.
If your kids are fans of the Descendants, they’ll probably enjoy the DescenDANCE party like my kids did. They can learn some moves from a dance squad, direct from the Isle of the Lost Rush. Characters from Descendants are incorporated into the party, appearing on a big screen to encourage the dancers to become a “VK,” or villain kid as they’re called in the series.
For the younger crowd, the new Mickey’s Trick and Treat Show is a stage production lead by Mickey and his pals. It’s basically a big Halloween party for the little ones that has dancing, not-so-scary tales and, of course, candy.
5. Better photo opportunities
This year, the photo settings were much improved.
At Disneyland, the photos were often set up in the dark with lame backgrounds like random doors. This year, the park created special backdrops that took the photos up a notch.
Classic Disney villains were available for photos in various locations. The lines moved pretty quickly, even for the ever-popular Mickey and Minnie photo.
6. Detailed decorations & souvenirs
Disney is consistently excellent at holiday theming from decor to delectables.
After dark, the lights around California Adventure made for a spooky effect. A new light display appeared on the facade of Carthay Circle. Spooky things, like bats and skeletons, were projected onto the exterior tower structure. Other areas of the park like Cars Land were decked out, too, in holiday decor.
There was no shortage of Halloween souvenirs and treats. Disney’s special Halloween Time food offerings included a variety of flavored churros from s’mores to caramel apple. My kids were committed to trying as many flavors as my husband and I would allow. There were also brightly colored and obnoxiously sweet drinks like “Frog’s Breath” and “Green Apple Spell Lemonade.” While some of the treats looked better than they tasted, we still liked trying some of the quirky items.
KidTripster Tip: There’s a dedicated food guide map that lists all of the special Halloween treats in both parks.
Specialty souvenirs were impossible to miss. The transition to the Oogie Boogie Bash inspired some new merchandise. From the traditional Halloween gear to Nightmare Before Christmas merchandise to commemorative items celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Haunted Mansion, it was easy to get into the spirit.
7. Still a sold-out event
One thing is the same this year: the Halloween party is a hot ticket event.
The Oogie Boogie Bash sold out in advance for all 20 nights. Tickets were gone by early September. That means you’ve got to buy your tickets early if you plan to attend.
The tickets typically go on sale in April. The cost ranges from $100 to $145 per ticket depending on the date.
8. Final thoughts
Are we glad we attended the Oogie Boogie Bash? Yes! However, overall, my family enjoyed Mickey’s Halloween Party more. We liked some of the new experiences at the Oogie Boogie Bash, but it felt a little disorganized. We also would have preferred that the party be located at Disneyland instead of California Adventure.
A visit to Disneyland Resort at Halloween Time is still a favorite tradition for my family. Fingers crossed that Disney works to improve the experience for 2020.
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