Haunted Halloween at Hong Kong Disneyland
For 2016, Hong Kong Disneyland has a bunch of new Halloween offerings, including the Mickey & Friends Costume Party, Mickey’s Halloween Time Cavalcade, Villains Night Out Parade, the Nightmare Experiment haunted house, and Villains Garden trick or treating. (All of this is based upon our reading of the translated press release, so check it out for yourself.)
This is all dramatically different than what we experienced when we visited Hong Kong Disneyland for Halloween a couple of years ago, so while there are still some similarities to what’s described below, expect a lot of differences, too. Disney’s Halloween at Hong Kong Disneyland runs September 15 until October 31, 2016.
Hong Kong Disneyland’s Haunted Halloween are included in the price of normal theme park admission. Since first hearing about the intense nature of Hong Kong Disneyland’s “Haunted Halloween” a few years ago, it has been something I have wanted to experience.
I found Haunted Halloween to be no slouch, with two haunted house-like walk-through attractions in Graves Academy and Revenge of the Headless Horseman, a 20 minute show called “Horrors of the Amazon,” Autumn Festival games in Grizzly Gulch, Halloween meet & greets, and more.
The highlights for most guests are clearly the haunted houses, with everything else playing second fiddle. Mystic Manor is also especially popular at Halloween, much like Haunted Mansion in the US sees a slight spike in popularity. While Haunted Halloween at Hong Kong Disneyland might be leaner than it used to be, it’s still a pretty awesome event.
In this post, we will discuss each of the Halloween offerings for Hong Kong Disneyland’s Haunted Halloween, offer our tips, and share some photos from the festivities from the year we attended…
For starters, if you’re visiting for a weekend night during Haunted Halloween at Hong Kong Disneyland, you might consider wearing a costume. As is the case with the US parks, Hong Kong Disneyland encourages guests to wear costumes for Halloween, inviting guests to “explore your dark side.”
There are rules for the costumes, but these appear very lax, with signs (see photo below) informing guests that they couldn’t bring wagons or brooms into the houses. Meaning, wagons, swords, brooms, etc., are all allowed, but just not for costumes. (And you know if it’s on a sign, it’s because there has been an issue before. Perhaps a guest reflexively hit an actor in a house with a broom…or wagon?)
So it would appear that just about anything that doesn’t meet that threshold is tolerated. Due to the humid climate at Hong Kong Disneyland and the space it’ll take up in your luggage, I don’t encourage anyone to wear a costume–unless you’re really into it.
I did not really see many guests in costume, but in general, the costumes were generally more gruesome and generic. One of my favorite things about Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World is the elaborate and creative costumes some guests create–many of which pay homage to the parks. There’s none of that in Hong Kong. Presumably, this is because the park there is not even a decade old, and most guests there haven’t had the time to form the kind of sentimental bond with the parks that US guests have.
Costumed guests, and anyone for that matter, can meet with the Fab Five in their Halloween attire at the Fantasyland Masquerade Ball. This is a lot like the now-defunct Camp Minnie-Mickey in terms of layout, except located in Fantasyland.
These were the coolest and most elaborate costumes I’ve ever seen for the Fab Five, so we decided to get photos with all of the characters here (except Minnie). All of the characters were really exuberant, but our interaction with Pluto was especially good. As soon as he put his arms around us, he rushed the camera!
Aside from these meet and greets, the only Halloween entertainment aimed at kids is the Grizzly Gulch Autumn Festival, which consists of a few old-fashioned “pitch and toss” style games. If you win, you receive a prize. Spoiler alert: the prize is a sticker and everyone wins.
I suppose arguably, the photo ops at the edge of Toy Story Land, but these things are so freaky that I’m not even sure they’re aimed at adults!
One of the typical highlights of Haunted Halloween is the walk-through haunted houses (although Hong Kong Disneyland never refers to them as this, it’s the most apt description). Revenge of the Headless Horseman is the mainstay of these. The premise of this is that it’s a traveling circus sideshow, with a bunch of grotesque freaks leading up to an encounter with the Headless Horseman. Unfortunately, no photos are allowed inside either of the houses.
Revenge of the Headless Horseman was very well done, and the quality and attention to detail of a temporary attraction is quite astounding. It’s fun and there are definitely some scary moments along the way. We lined up for this immediately after Graves Academy, which we did on the first day of Haunted Halloween right as it opened. Our wait for Revenge of the Headless Horseman was about 30 minutes or so. In the early evening, it exceeded an hour, and by the end of the night it was a virtual walk-on (walk-in?). This was consistent throughout our time at Hong Kong Disneyland, so the moral of the story is to do it at the end of the night.
Graves Academy is the definite highlight of Haunted Halloween at Hong Kong Disneyland. Holy cow. The premise here is that Principal Graves at Graves Academy is recruiting students and turning them into evil creatures trapped in the rooms. Guests walk through the school, visiting classrooms, the lunchroom, gym, and more. This is a really high quality attraction with lots of details and things you could stop and look at…if only you could stop.
This was the first thing we did during Haunted Halloween, and it ended up being my favorite thing. It has some very startling moments, and there is a ton of suspense throughout, which is even better than the scares, I think. Frankly, I’m shocked this exists…
I had heard Haunted Halloween is aimed at the ‘young adult’ demographic as opposed to kids before I went, but I didn’t quite believe it until Graves Academy. I went in expecting a mildly spooky atmosphere, and it far exceeded my expectations. Sarah, on the other hand, ended up closing her eyes most of the time and holding hands with a random group of guests behind us. (Yes, really.)
I would love to see something like this at Walt Disney World for Halloween, but I know there’s a zero percent chance of that happening. The line for complaints at Guest Relations would be longer than the line for Toy Story Mania. One of the reasons Alien Encounter closed was because of complaints (despite clear warnings). Even if Graves Academy were only open for a hard ticket event aimed at adults in the Studios and dozens of warnings were put up, parents would still take their kids into it, and would still complain about their own mistake because “accountability” is a largely foreign concept here. There were many complaints about the Oogie Boogie show (despite warnings) during the Villains Unleashed hard ticket event, and Graves Academy makes that look like a Hello Kitty stage show.
Graves Academy justifiably had the longest wait of any attraction in Hong Kong Disneyland for almost all of the day. We rope dropped it and waited 45 minutes. Lines exceeded 2 hours at some point. Even at the very end of the night, I waited 15 minutes. Sarah refused to do it a second time, so be warned–this is legitimately scary (I’d only consider it mildly scary, but what do I know), not just “Disney scary.” I found it scarier than anything at Halloween Horror Nights in Universal Studios Japan, even if there was no gore.
The other entertainment highlight (new for this year) is Horrors of the Amazon, a stage show featuring Jonas Brisbane who is portrayed by Hong Kong celebrity (?) Power Chan Kwok-pong, a Jungle River Cruise Skipper who wants to join S.E.A. (yes, a S.E.A tie-in!), who recounts his exploits in the jungle during a 20-minute show inside Theatre in the Wild as he brings out some of bizarre creatures he captured.
He’s sort of like a less devious Harrison Hightower who collects freaks instead of idols and artifacts, with the storylines between Hotel Hightower and Brisbane being very similar.
At least, what I could ascertain of it. The show is entirely in Cantonese, so I didn’t understand it all, but there are some slides during the show in English, and it’s pretty easy to piece together the plot based on the visual presentation. Like almost every Disney show, the plots are usually simple enough and the visuals strong enough that language is no barrier (and considering the number of international guests every park gets, this is in large part the case everywhere, and out of necessity).
Anyway, this features the typical “something goes terribly wrong” plot twist, and in addition to all of the freaks escaping into Hong Kong Disneyland (more on this below), Brisbane is no match for one of the freaks he somehow caught. Think of this freak as the Shiriki Utundu to Brisbane’s Harrison Hightower.
Despite not understanding the Cantonese dialogue, I really enjoyed this show. The production value was strong, especially for a seasonal show, the acting was good across the board, and the costuming of the freaks and explorers was top-notch. I suspect it cost Hong Kong Disneyland a pretty penny to put on this show, and I can forgive the lack of a Halloween parade and decorations on Main Street if it meant getting this show instead. You can watch the show for yourself here.
Once the freaks escape Horrors of the Amazon, they head out into dark corners of the park for Sideshow Carnival Extraordinaire, which is essentially a series of meet & greets.
These were awesome. The light was really nice (albeit not for guest photos!) and foreboding, and these freaks looked really cool.
My favorite was the Amazing Bat Boy (pictured three photos above in Horrors of the Amazon).
As always, there was also plenty of Halloween merchandise and seasonal snacks to buy. I’ve found that Hong Kong Disneyland is one of the best parks for merchandise, both in terms of quality and price. Above is the “brains” cupcake at the Explorers Club Restaurant. The seasonal foods were also pretty cool, albeit with typical Disney prices.
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, there was no parade this year because Disney Paint the Night Parade debuted on the same night the Halloween season kicked off. This also meant that Main Street was decorated to promote the new parade. A bit of a letdown, but at least I got to see the new parade…?
Overall, Haunted Halloween at Hong Kong Disneyland was a ton of fun. With a lack of Halloween decorations, the park did lack the general Halloween ambiance that I expected, but the entertainment highlights all packed a huge punch and, again, were included in the price of regular admission! It will be interesting to see whether the Halloween parade returns next year once the Paint the Night Parade isn’t as new, and if they are able to bring back the Horrors of the Amazon show. If you have the chance or are visiting Hong Kong Disneyland sometime in the fall, I highly recommend making it happen over a weekend so that you can see all of the great seasonal entertainment. Just be responsible with what you allow your kids to see!
If you are planning a visit to Hong Kong and want comprehensive planning advice, from how long to visit to language barrier issues to what to pack and much, much more, check out our Hong Kong Disneyland Trip Planning Guide. If you want to see more photos and commentary from HKDL, view our Hong Kong Disneyland Trip Report.
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If you enjoy our posts from Hong Kong Disneyland or any of the non-US Disney Parks, please share via social media or leave a comment to let us know you find these posts interesting or helpful. Far fewer people read these international posts as compared to Walt Disney World or Disneyland content, and although these are my favorite posts to write, sometimes it feels like I’m talking to a wall. Consider sharing this post or leaving a comment your act of charity for the day! 😉
Your Thoughts…
What do you think of Haunted Halloween at Hong Kong Disneyland? Do you think it looks/sounds too scary, or would you like to see something like this in Walt Disney World or Disneyland? Share any thoughts or questions you have below in the comments.
Trying to figure out this press release as we arrive at Hong Kong Disney September 18th! Am I reading it correctly that Halloween activities will be every day? It says something about 47 uninterrupted days. We weren’t planning on going into the park that day (Sunday) but will if they are only going to have the Halloween entertainment Thursday-Sundays again. I’m SO excited! Never thought we’d hit Halloween time there since its usually only in October.
Is there any way to find out what the scheduled programming is for this year’s Halloween events? My fiance and I will be there for our mini-honeymoon in October and are trying to figure out what days (weekend vs. weekday) we should plan for being at Disneyland HK.
Hi Tom! I like to read your posts about all the parks!! WDW is typically my “home” park and have been to DL only once. Hoping to go to Disneyland Paris in 2017 and would love to go to Tokyo, Hong Kong and Aulani one day soon!!
I enjoy reading about all the parks. As an Aussie, they’re all non-local to me, and therefore all equally interesting. Please continue
I was in Singapore for work mid Oct and spent a long weekend in Hong Kong, including a stay at Disneyland (thank you for your info and guides) to conclude my trip.
I got the Disney dim sum, stayed at the Disneyland HK Hotel, and even did a character buffet – all solo – so if any solo traveler has worries about visiting Disney destination, dining, and even character dining experiences on their own, just do it!)
Anyway, when I returned, my husband asked about how HK Disneyland differs from WDW, and Disneyland in CA. I not only mentioned the haunted houses, but the random prowling creepy cast members walking around.
I was walking by Mystic Manor at night and had my eye on a ghoul
walking around, conveniently not seeing his counterpart hiding behind a bench, jumping out, and scaring the heck out of everyone. I screamed, and then laughed, and then hung around to see others experience the same.
While I am more of a “not so scary” fan, when I told friends about my visit, I always included telling about the hiding ghoul.
Thanks for your blog and everything you do. I went from visiting WDW for the first time last Dec, to visiting Disneyland CA, and in HK less than 10 months following, with my eye on Euro and Tokyo. Your blog keeps me dreaming and planning for my trips!
Thanks as always for doing your international trip reports – they are great fun to read and a great planning resource also.
Can you tell me where you stayed for your visit? We are hoping to visit HKDL in December 2015. Since it is less crowded near park close time, it seems to be easier to stay at a Disney or non-Disney nearby hotel??
Disney hotels are within walking distance, but there are a few other options around. We stayed at the SkyCity Marriott this time, and found it to be an excellent hotel. Taxis are cheap in Hong Kong, so we took a taxi home at the end of the night.
Much appreciated – I’m saving this to my trip planning file!
Thanks Tom for the information on the International parks. I may never make it there, but I do enjoy reading about them and what makes them different/special.
I guess never say never. I get more and more intrigued with each post you write. I just need to find a brave traveling companion to go with me.
Great work, Tom. I have completely enjoyed your recent posts on Halloween at the Asian parks (where’s the UNI one as that is the only park I haven’t been to?)
Loved HKDL’s Halloween offerings when I lived there in 2010 and had an AP. They have tended to change them annually usually with one or two things sticking around from prior years. All of what you experienced is different from 2010, for example, but some of it was included the last year or two.
When I was there it was a Thursday-Sunday night event with park hours pushed to 11 p.m. closings (the latest they ever have) on those nights. So, yes, doing it three nights a week is a cutback but adding the live show, not to mention the new Paint the Night parade likely factor into that.
It most definitely isn’t an event that WDW’s typical guest makeup would enjoy sadly. Brand advocates, lifestylers and Mommy Bloggers would not find the more adult atmosphere acceptable for them or their little snowflakes. Just one more reason why I loved the event. … In many ways like UNI’s HHN’s without all the gore. Fun and atmospheric.
I’m thrilled that you and the Mrs got to experience it. … And none of the WDW upcharge BS (for a VERY stale event, I might add).
As to your conundrum about readership, ultimately you have to ask yourself why you are doing what you do. Is for your own enjoyment? Is it to help showcase your considerable photographic/artistic talents? Is it to offer advice to others who aren’t as familiar? Is it to be able to make a living as a Disney brand advocate?
Because so long as it isn’t the last example, then you should keep on, keeping on. I recall going back and forth with you on the staleness and declining quality of WDW on WDWMAGIC dating back six years now. Back then, you hadn’t even been to DLR yet!
It’s amazing how much you have experienced since and your honesty and integrity are why I point you out as a shining beacon of fairness in a world of paid BRAND advocates (can I call them whores here?) trying to make the folks at Celebration Place happy and wind up on the infamous ‘list’ …
I don’t read what you have to say to find out your opinion of the five best bakeries at WDW
I think US fans like us might be overly-sensitive to cutbacks when, in this case, they are not really an issue. Of course, it would be great if every park always just added and never cut. However, here it seems like HKDL was really going way above and beyond for Halloween, and I’m guessing that was to compensate for a lack of regular attractions. As the park has come into its own, it wasn’t necessary/appropriate to over-compensate like that. Or maybe I’m just making excuses…
Oddly enough, I found HKDL’s stuff to be scarier than Halloween Horror Nights (here’s my post on that: http://www.travelcaffeine.com/halloween-horror-nights-at-universal-studios-japan/) at Universal Studios Japan. No gore like HHN, but I find suspense far scarier than gore.
My motivations are mixed. I enjoy writing about the things that interest me. I love sharing photos. I derive satisfaction in helping people make the most of trips with tips based on my personal experiences.
I’m also not above admitting that I look at my analytics everyday and it makes me happy when an article is really popular, especially when it’s an article that meant something to me personally. Conversely, it’s a real disappointment when an article I put a lot of work into or that I care about more than others isn’t popular. I hope this is just human nature, and I’m not sounding too crazy here…
With that said, I’m not so crazy that I’m going to stop writing about my favorite parks just because the articles are significantly less popular. I still love writing those posts, and I really like the comments I receive from people who return from Tokyo trips they’ve taken based (at least in part) on my advice. That’s a pretty awesome feeling.
Plus, to my knowledge, this is the only Disney blog out of approximately 34,927 that has regular coverage of all parks worldwide. If that isn’t the best meaningless bragging rights ever, I don’t know what is! 😉
Love your reviews of all things disney. Your blogs helped fill in the gaps of my dvc research. In rofr right now on a saratoga springs purchase….. thanks!
Best of luck with ROFR!
Disney exercised ROFR…. so bummed! I was already planning my trip. Thought it was a fair offer, go figure.
I had no idea this happened! Thanks for the review. I’m not a huge fan of being scared- but a trip is going on my bucket list anyway.
Tom in reference to your post on MVMCP…
Tim Tracy October 4, 2014 at 9:54 am Hi Tom
In your article you say low crowds in the past is now a thing of the past but also state that it depends on the date you attend. I was thinking of going Sunday November 16th. Do you think that day might be one of the slower crowd days. Would Thursday the 20th be better? I’m not a fan of big crowds at MK. “It’s also worth noting that these hard ticket parties used to be “known” for low crowds and, as a result, short waits. This is still true on certain nights, but it’s no longer the rule.”Your thoughts?
Love your photos.
My Film
WDW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCDjdbRcEHU
Tim
I’d opt for Sunday, Nov 16, but both are school nights in November, so they shouldn’t be as bad as non-school nights, or parties in December.
Awesome post Tom!
I went to HKDL’s Haunted Halloween two years ago. I went on Halloween night and the lines were insane for everything! I only got to do Revenge of the Headless Horseman cause Gravs Academy had consistent two hour lines throughout the night! I got to see the Glow in the Park parade though so that was cool!
I do agree that the offerings have dipped a bit in recent years. They used to change the haunted houses every year but these have been the same ones for three years already. These houses are high quality but it would be nice to experience new ones.
When are you going to continue your HKDL TR from last year? I can’t wait for your TR on your recent TDR and HKDL trips as well!
Keep up the amazing work!
As much as I hate being scared (I would probably be the random woman grabbing your wife’s hand in that scenario), the fact that other Disney Parks are introducing concepts geared towards adults makes me really excited. I would love for that to be more of a reality in the U.S. parks someday soon, so I can stop rolling my eyes when people say ‘you’re going back to Disney AGAIN?’.
My wife and I were there 3 weeks ago (her 10th anniversary present to me!) and were REALLY impressed how creepy the haunts were.
I wished we could’ve lingered in Graves Academy to explore it more, but understand they had to keep the crowds moving to deal with the line.
Apparently the haunts used to run Thursday – Sunday, but this year they started them Friday nights; guess that fits in with them reducing the overall Halloween effort.
My second time through, I let everyone in my group in Graves Academy pass so I could slow down and take in some of the detail. The result was that I got to see a lot more, and it wasn’t startling at all since I think the actors all thought that wave of people was gone when I arrived. It helped that I mostly knew what to expect the second time through.
I can understand why you have to put cameras away. Aside from them not wanting photos online that could spoil the surprise, I could see a lot of dropped cameras and phones in there.
BTW – the first week it ran Thursday through Sunday. It was pretty busy that first day (perhaps HKDL fans?) but it didn’t even begin to compare to the Friday crowds, so I guess that sort of makes sense, too…
Haunted Halloween looks really awesome. It’s not really my thing (I do not like being scared…I would probably be closing my eyes and holding hands with strangers too) but I do like to see variety in offerings at the different parks. By the way, that last freak kind of looks like Groot!
Well, in fairness, she said the girl grabbed her hand, not vice-a-versa. Although I’m not sure if that makes it any better.
Yeah, that last one is like a creepier Groot!