Disneyland’s Halloween Party Info & Tips
Mickey’s Halloween Party is an event normally held at Disneyland in September and October. For the foreseeable future, Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure has replaced this event. This was true last year and is again true for 2020.
For more info on what’s included with standard Disneyland and Disney California Adventure park admission, please read our Ultimate Guide to Halloween Time at Disneyland. Or, you can continue reading this for an idea of what Mickey’s Halloween Party was like last year.
Note that nothing that follows about Mickey’s Halloween Party should be used for planning purposes in 2020 or beyond. Instead, consult our Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party Tips & Info post for strategy, our review of that new event, and more…
We’ve attended Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland several times and have updated this post with some changes to the event. The event has improved quite a bit in the last two years, and has definitely grown on us. We’ve also updated this post with some step-by-step strategy for Mickey’s Halloween Party, so keep reading even if you already have tickets, as there’s a lot to do, and you’ll need a good plan to accomplish it all.
If you want to read about our experience at the event last year, please check out our Photos & Recap: Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland post. Mickey’s Halloween Party usually sells out every single night of the event. Note that even when every Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland is sold out online, it is possible that you could have luck by calling. (Here’s the phone number: (714) 781-4636.)
Additionally, Guest Services at the three Disneyland Resort hotels might have tickets for guests staying at those resorts. Keep in mind that both of these strategies are very hit or miss, so don’t bank on either working. In the past, we’ve had good luck and bad luck with both methods. (Once, I resorted to purchasing a last-minute ticket on Craigslist, which I would never recommend to anyone else, but fortunately, I did not get burned.)
The highlight and newest feature of the Mickey’s Halloween Party is the Frightfully Fun Parade, which debuted a couple years ago. This parade runs only during the hard ticket event, and is a really cool. If you’re on the fence about attending, this is a potential game-changer for the party, and we’ll have more on it below. Additionally, the Halloween Screams Fireworks and Ghost Galaxy will return, and the Headless Horseman (a popular feature of the Florida parties) made his debut at Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland.
Although I’ve already typed “Disneyland” several times (and probably will several more times for emphasis), this article is not about the Halloween Party in Florida. For that, see our Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Tips & Tricks post. The general public confuses Disneyland and Walt Disney World enough as it is, so I’m not sure who thought it was a good idea to have the names for these parties be so similar. To make matters worse, when the Florida party is advertised, it’s often shortened to Mickey’s Halloween Party…I guess because they want people to think it is So Scary?
With that said, let’s take a look at what’s on the schedule for Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland in California…
Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland Info
A lot of people don’t seem to understand how these special event ticket parties work, so I want to break it down in simple and concise terms: a regular park ticket will not grant you admission to Mickey’s Halloween Party. You must purchase the special event tickets to stay in Disneyland once Mickey’s Halloween Party begins. Yes, this means purchasing two tickets for the same day.
On the other hand, a party ticket for Mickey’s Halloween Party does grant you admission to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure 3 hours before the event officially begins. This is a big reason why Mickey’s Halloween Party is so popular with locals in Los Angeles and Orange County who are not Annual Passholders–it’s a less expensive way to see the Halloween offerings in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure with lower crowds and at a cheaper price. Even though it’s not the whole day, it’s a good value if you’re a local who is not an Annual Passholder.
If that still does not make sense, let’s illustrate with a few examples:
- You’re visiting Disneyland on a date when the Halloween Party starts at 6 pm. You arrive at 9 am and want to stay until 10 pm. You must purchase BOTH a regular ticket for Disneyland and a Halloween Party ticket.
- You’re visiting Disneyland on a date when the Halloween Party starts at 7 pm. You arrive at 4 pm and want to stay until midnight. You only need to purchase a Halloween Party ticket (remember, the 3 hour rule).
- You’re visiting Disney California Adventure on a day when the Halloween Party starts at 6 pm. You arrive at 4 pm and want to stay in Disney California Adventure until it closes. You must only purchase a regular park ticket since Mickey’s Halloween Party is in Disneyland, not DCA.
There are a bunch more scenarios that could play out, but hopefully you get the gist of it. If not, feel free to ask about your situation in the comments. Many nights are already sold out and if that’s any indication, more will sell out, so we strongly recommend purchasing tickets in advance if you’re planning to go to Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland.
One of the big plusses of Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland for many guests is the opportunity to dress in costume. There are limits to the costumes you can wear, but it’s basically common sense stuff like ‘no weapons or sharp objects’ and nothing offensive.
Here are some baselines: don’t wear anything offensive or grotesque, don’t wear anything that completely obscures your face, and don’t form a line signing autographs and taking photos with other guests if you’re dressed as a Disney character. If you lack common sense and wouldn’t have intuitively realized these things without me telling you, I’d recommend carefully reading Disneyland’s rules for the party.
You also should keep in mind that unlike Florida, Southern California can get cool at night this time of year. Above are our costumes from this year, and as you can see, Sarah wore a heavy Mrs. Potts costume, whereas I wore a t-shirt and shorts for my Donald Duck costume. Last year when I attended the event, it was incredibly hot.
Just be mindful of the weather forecast and plan in advance. We have a Tips for Disney Parks Halloween Costumes post that covers some ideas for what to wear…and what not to wear.
If you look at the Mickey’s Halloween Party page on Disneyland.com, you’ll notice it has a lot of entertainment and stuff listed. This Halloween Party sounds great, you’re thinking! Not so fast, cowboy.
Disneyland has a lot of stuff during the Halloween season, and most of what’s listed is included in regular park admission on any ordinary day. Haunted Mansion Holiday and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy are standard this time of year. Same goes for character meet & greets, although you can expect more characters out than normal during Mickey’s Halloween Party.
A new Mickey’s Halloween Party Dinner Package at Blue Bayou replaces the Mystical Spirits dinner show. This Blue Bayou Dinner Package includes a 3-course, prix-fixe dinner at Blue Bayou Restaurant, and a voucher that provides access to the Frightfully Fun Parade reserved viewing area at a cost of $69 per adult and $29 per child, plus tax and gratuity.
This is significantly cheaper than the previous Mystical Spirits event hosted by Dr. Facilier, and this definitely makes more sense. It’s not for us, but if you’re already planning a meal at Blue Bayou (an expensive restaurant), the surcharge is not all that much. We saw the reserved seating area (in the Central Plaza) and it offered a nice view of the Frightfully Fun Parade. Not my ideal view, but it had chairs and would require no camping out in advance, so at least there’s that!
Here’s a quick description of the Frightfully Fun Parade:
- Jack Skellington the Pumpkin King brings greetings from Halloweentown, as characters from “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” appear to celebrate Halloween.
- Grim, grinning ghosts come out to socialize when Disney’s iconic Haunted Mansion attraction comes to “afterlife,” with swirling ballroom dancers, ominous gravediggers and a trio of hitchhiking ghosts.
- Dr. Facilier from The Princess and the Frog, uses his mystical powers to summon the Shadow Men from the bayou to loom large over his strange and twisted Voodoo parlor, and the mischievous Disney Villains appear out of the darkness, ready to stir up some trouble. A dark and dungeon-like lair takes over the parade route, bringing with it a wicked gathering of villainy from Hades and the Evil Queen to Jafar, Cruella and more!
Each of the bullet points is a single parade unit, featuring at least one float and performers. This is a very significant addition that really alters our take on Mickey’s Halloween Party.
While this parade is not on par with the Boo to You Parade, we really liked it. The floats are cool, the music is really catchy, there are some talented performers, and great costuming. We highly recommend watching the parade twice during Mickey’s Halloween Party!
Disneyland has added a bit to the Frightfully Fun Parade, most notably, Minnie and Mickey Mouse now lead the parade. The parade could use another couple of floats, and we hope that happens next year.
Frightfully Fun Parade is the kind of entertainment that could definitely benefit from new floats every year for the next several years–until it’s of the same caliber as Boo to You at Walt Disney World.
Beyond the parade, the other things unique to Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland are the Halloween Screams fireworks, dance party, and trick or treating.
There’s also a bunch of atmospheric entertainment throughout the park, most notably the Cadaver Dans who float along the Rivers of America. Hearing them sing is one of my favorite aspects of Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland. They are so talented, and their presentation during the part is appropriately spooky.
Mickey’s Halloween Party Strategy
Now that we’ve attended Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland a couple of times, we thought we’d share some step-by-step strategy with you for maximizing your time at the special event. It’s truly impossible to do everything there is during the party, and that’s just the special entertainment, let alone the regular attractions like Haunted Mansion Holiday and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy.
With that in mind, here’s our Mickey’s Halloween Party Itinerary…
- Enter Disneyland or Disney California Adventure 3 hours before the event, and do attractions at your leisure (note that MaxPass is included with party tickets–read our tips to use MaxPass to your advantage!)
- Line up for Toontown pre-party ~30 minutes before it begins
- Immediately head for Mickey & Minnie line once Toowntown pre-party starts
- Do whatever character meet & greets you can in Toontown following that, finishing 15 minutes prior to official Mickey’s Halloween Party start time
- Head to Pirate Pals (Frontierland), where Pirate Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse meet
- Finish character meet & greets at least 1 hour before the Frightfully Fun Parade
- Grab parade spot in Hub facing Sleeping Beauty Castle, roughly an hour before first parade
- Watch Frightfully Fun Parade
- Immediately after Frightfully Fun Parade, rush upstream against the crowd as far as you can, and claim a spot for Halloween Screams Fireworks. An ideal location for these fireworks is at the end of Main Street between Refreshment Corner and Photo Supply Co.
- Following Halloween Screams, wander around and enjoy the ambiance; catch the final performance of the Cadaver Dans in New Orleans Square/Frontierland
- Either watch the second Frightfully Fun Parade from the backside of the hub (the second parade goes in the reverse direction of the first) or do meet & greets/attractions
Now, a few notes about that strategy…
While the second Frightfully Fun Parade will be less crowded than the first parade, so too will everything else. Meet and greets are busiest at the start of the party, and will have significantly shorter lines by the end of the evening.
We do not recommend doing the Sally and Jack Skellington meet & greet during Mickey’s Halloween Party since it tends to have significantly longer lines during the event than on a regular day (it’s not a party-exclusive), if you aren’t visiting Disneyland on a regular day, you might opt to do that.
Attractions will have short waits throughout the party. Once regular day guests cycle through, you can expect peak wait times to be around 30 minutes, and that’s for popular options such as Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, Peter Pan’s Flight, Indiana Jones Adventure, and Haunted Mansion Holiday. If you’re going to do attractions, consider doing them during the first parade, and watching the second–you’ll have an easier time finding a spot at the last minute for the second parade.
If you have other strategy-related questions, let us know in the comments. We’ll do our best to help!
Now, if you’re still wondering whether you should you do the party, we’ll try to help you answer that question.
Is It Worth It?
In our Ultimate Guide to Halloween Time at Disneyland, I suggested that Mickey’s Halloween Party is probably not worth it. That was based on previous years when the primary draw was trick or treating and the fireworks (which are prone to be cancelled if there’s wind). It was before this year’s price increase–but also before the addition of the Frightfully Fun Parade.
Keep in mind that value is all a matter of perspective. If you have significant financial means and won’t feel the sting of the ticket cost, or just really love Halloween and want to splurge on this, it very well might be worth it for you.
I come at Disneyland’s Halloween Party and its value with the baseline of its cousin in Florida. Disneyland fans claim superiority to the parks in the swamps in a number of ways, but Mickey’s Halloween Party is not one of those ways. The Florida Halloween Party is superior to the California Halloween Party in several ways.
For starters, there’s the main entertainment: parade, stage show, and fireworks. The Boo to You Parade is arguably the best parade running in Florida, and is so good I make a point to watch both runnings of it on any given party night. In the past, Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland only has had a cavalcade, which was a joke as compared to the Boo to You Parade.
This is a huge upgrade over the previous Mickey’s Costume Cavalcade, but not quite on par with the Boo to You Parade. It is shorter, but still very good. Regardless, we view this parade as a game-changer for Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland, as it finally has a near-complete roster of exclusive party offerings.
Then there’s the other entertainment. The Florida version has a new “Hocus Pocus” stage show that is seriously awesome, plus roaming entertainment, dance parties, and more.
Disneyland’s Halloween Party has the Cadaver Dans and a dance party. The Cadaver Dans are pretty awesome, but not enough (plus the dance parties) to compete with what Florida’s version offers.
The Halloween Screams fireworks are another strong selling point of Disneyland’s Halloween Party. These fireworks received an upgrade last year with new projections and seeing (spoiler alert) Zero fly around Sleeping Beauty Castle is pretty cool.
Even though Halloween Screams doesn’t use the same amount of pyro as the HalloWishes fireworks in Florida (no Disneyland fireworks show does), the whole package is superior. Seeing Zero fly around Sleeping Beauty Castle and Jack Skellington rise next to him is awesome, as are the fire and projection effects. All things considered, Halloween Screams is one of Disney’s absolute best fireworks shows.
There’s also trick or treating, but you can grab a bag of candy from the CVS on Harbor Boulevard for like $5 and bring it to the park if you’re so keen on candy. Now, if you’re looking for a pretext for gorging yourself on Reese’s Pieces, attending the Halloween Party and having to eat a lot of candy in the name of getting more value out of your party ticket sounds legit.
I’ve heard some people say they think Mickey’s Halloween Party is worth it solely so they have a safe environment to take their kids trick or treating. No offense, but this is ridiculous. Yeah, there are some areas of Anaheim where I wouldn’t want to be out at night…but Southern California is a big place, with a lot of affluent areas.
Drive less than 30 minutes from Disneyland and you can be in a safe, ritzy neighborhood for trick or treating. You know, the kind where every house is giving out King Size candy bars. These type of places were like dragons or unicorns when I was growing up–you assumed they were mythical but really hoped they were real. Well, children of the world, I’m pleased to report that we have dragons and unicorns in California. (That really ought to be the next “Visit California” ad.)
With that said, there are a lot of scenarios where Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland might be appealing. I already mentioned the locals from Los Angeles and Orange County who do not have Annual Passes. Mickey’s Halloween Party makes complete sense for this group, especially those who love Halloween.
Beyond that, tourists who only have a single day to spend in the two parks could get a lot accomplished during the 8 hours that the Mickey’s Halloween Party ticket provides access to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. You won’t be able to do everything, but those 8 hours are going to have lower than normal crowds in Disneyland, allowing you to accomplish more attractions (if that’s your priority) than you could do in a normal full day in the parks. Plus, this is cheaper than a 1-day ticket.
Note that starting last year, the Mickey’s Halloween Party ticket did not include parking. It once again does not include parking. This is a change from previous years, so make sure you factor in this (potential) cost before purchasing your tickets. (So, if you see “free parking” listed on another blog as a perk, that post is out-of-date.)
If you’re visiting Disneyland and Disney California Adventure for multiple days, you might be able to justify Mickey’s Halloween Party from the perspective of one less day on a multi-day ticket, doing something else in the morning (Downtown Disney or the beach, perhaps) and then heading to Disneyland for the Halloween Party. In this scenario, you’re not paying much of a premium for the party ticket, either.
If you are dead-set on going, do something else in the morning of Mickey’s Halloween Party and only visiting Disneyland in the evening on a party night and saving your regular park tickets for other days. While the party itself only runs for 5 hours, guests may enter Disneyland 3 hours before the party starts, which means 8 hours of entertainment total.
In an ideal world, we’d recommend getting a 3-day Park Hopper ticket and spending at least 4 days at Disneyland Resort, with the morning of the Halloween Party spent doing the Goofy’s Kitchen character breakfast at Disneyland Hotel followed by a couple of hours in Downtown Disney, before heading in the park that afternoon and using only your Mickey’s Halloween Party ticket that day. It’s a good way to stretch your vacation dollars and make the cost of the Halloween Party a little more palatable.
With all of that said, we have to admit that all of the above is a look at whether Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland is worth it on paper. As I have learned over the years from attending Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, a big draw is the atmosphere and different vibe the park takes on. There’s special background music, unique lighting & effects, and other guests dressed in costumes give the Halloween Party a palpable energy. This is a true X factor.
A ton of people absolutely love this about the party. I also have to admit that most people are not going to be able to choose between the California and Florida versions of the party, so it doesn’t matter if the Florida version is better. If you live in Southern California or are vacationing to Disneyland for Halloween, this is probably a moot point for you. The good news is that, regardless of the party’s quality, Halloween Time at Disneyland is excellent.
If you’ve read this post in the past, you might recall it having been a lot more harsh, as I stated that Mickey’s Halloween Party was not worth it. As I’ve mentioned, the Frightfully Fun Parade is a game-changer. While ticket prices have increased, the prospect of a good, unique Halloween parade gives the party a lot more appeal for us. I’m still not sure Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland is worth the money for everyone, but it’s definitely a much closer call now!
If you’re heading to Disneyland for Halloween Time at Disneyland, we have tons of posts to help you plan, including our Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets, a look at Disneyland Area Hotel Reviews & Rankings, our Unique Packing List for Disney Trips, an index of our Disneyland Resort Restaurant Reviews, and a number of other things in our comprehensive Disneyland Trip Planning Guide!
YOUR THOUGHTS…
Do you disagree with my assessment of Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland? Are you a fan of the party? Will you be attending this year? Already have your costume made for it? Hearing from you is half the fun, so please share your thoughts on these questions, or anything else, in the comments!
This is my favorite time of year! Not only are the tickets CHEAPER, but it’s less crowded! Always a PLUS! I’ve been doing this for four years and plan on going this year. My kids also love it. Last year, it was extremely HOT so I would hate to have to deal with that during day.
You get on rides quickly, get candy even quicker all for a cheaper price and out of the sun!
Is the park less crowded from 3-11? Or during the day? Or both? I’m trying to decided if we want to use our regular tickets for the day of the party before 3.
It is less busy on the party day because of the party and closing earlier! The party is combined with regular guests at 3-4pm until it starts from 6-7pm. So it gets a bit quieter around 6-7pm when regular guests are kicked out of Disneyland. It is quieter for sure than a regular day but still busy, at least on Fridays! Supposedly the day after the party is packed if it is a Sat. I am doing the party and another full day after for the first year so I will be finding out myself. I would go weekdays always to disneyland, like the Wed party I would guess is the quietest as Tues/Wed are usually the most quiet days.
How come the Hocus Pocus show is not avaliable in CA?
Not really sure, but it’s unfortunate that it isn’t!
I guess I’m just looking for some personal advice on this matter…
When I was a child, a single-day trip to Disneyland was all you needed to get done most, if not all of your Disneyland adventures completed. Of course, being a Disney fanatic, I already knew prior to having children of my own, that trips to Disney now-a-days, are much more worthwhile, if you can plan to go for multiple days. So, I just purchased my first AP about 2 months ago (the SoCal Select, since we live in San Diego); a couple days later, we made our first multi-day trip to Disneyland EVER! We went for a total of 3 1/2 days, this time! Had a total BLAST!! I’m 31 and my kids are 9 and 4. My kids birthdays are both in the fall, and I was thinking of using the Halloween Party as a double birthday gift, to purchase Halloween Party tickets, and go up for another multi-day trip with our AP’s, making the Halloween Party, one of nights. Now that you know a little bit about me… I would love your insight as to if you think it would be worth it for me and my kiddos?
I am also a Disney fanatic! We had annual passes up until last year. I actually stayed at the DL hotel and booked a Friday night Halloween party. Totally worth it in my opinion! Bring bags for the candy!!
I LOVE the halloween party! This will be my 4th year in a row going and I have been to Disneyland maybe twice outside of the halloween party these past 4 years. I am SO excited for the awesome additions this year!! If my parents, sister, her boyfriend, and mine all enjoyed it (I am the youngest at 23 this year) then I definitely think you and your kids will!
Went to this in CA Oct 23, 2015! HAD A BLACST ! Rode every ride three times! NOOO Lines! So not crowded! We had a group of 50 people and ran around like little kids! (I am 47!) We dressed up, rode rides, had churros, pineapple and popcorn! Took pictures with Chip and Dale and others! Lots of characters out! Woody, Mickey and Minnie too! Worth it! We stayed across the street at the Anaheim Deseert Inn – very affordable and we walked across the street to the park in 7 minutes! NO parking, no traffic no shuttle! Be3st experienc3 at Disneyland I ever had! I am going next year! Lauren 🙂
Are all the rides open during the party?
Yes! Unless they are being refurbished for other reasons (ie this year tom sawyer island, etc).
So it looks like all online tickets to the party are sold out. We were planning on going either next Monday or Wednesday – would we be able to purchase tickets at the gate still or are ALL tickets sold out? Can we purchase tickets at the gate on Tuesday for Wednesday’s party or is it same day purchase? Thanks!
I bought spooktacular tickets for florida and i was suppose to get tickets for California’s do u know if California will take them disneyworld hallowen tickets?
I can definitely see why it would not be worth the money. I’m in high school, and my ticket to the party is part of my birthday present. For me, though, I’m going with one of my best friends that I have not seen in a while, and she wanted me to come with her. I have a Disneyland annual pass, so I’ve seen nearly everything they have to offer, but I am more excited to have the opportunity to dress up and spend time with someone who has seen none of it before. Yes, it is definitely more pricey than it is worth (and nowhere near close to as amazing as WDW’s is), but I guess for me I’m just excited to spend time with a friend at my favorite place doing an event I’ve never done before.
+ Prince Ali (not Aladdin)
I have to say “not worth it”, while admitting that I was trying to win free tickets to MHP.
From reports of the first night, the characters you would see at the party, but rarely or never otherwise, included Bullseye, Wendy, Maleficent, Governor Ratcliffe, Hades, and Jack Sparrow. (I’m not including Jafar, because he’s also been seen during the day recently.)
we went a few years back and the lines for most of the rides were great *space mtn and hm really long tho* lines to trick or treat…. insane.. getting a place for the fireworks is something you need to do early. that was one of the main things we wanted to see. and yes we have heard that if they are canceled they shoot them the next day, just wish I knew when that would happen as I would hop in the car and go there to see them *lol*
speaking to folks that have gone since day one while waiting for the fireworks they said that each year the park is more and more crowded. I think they should consider that folks want the perk of much lower crowds for the extra$$$
I’m going to the Halloween party for the first time with my adult daughter. The comment on fireworks being shot off the next night if it’s too windy the night of th party is true. We didn’t go to the party last year but did see the party fireworks the next night and were told by CMs it was because they can’t unload the fireworks canisters safely. I have to say it was really windy the night of the party. So I understand not shorting them off. It’s also disclosed in the information that they could be cancelled due to weather. As for the party, my night, October 25 is sold out. Kinda bummed since I thought it would not due to it being a Sunday night and work/school the next day. I’m looking forward to the event tho. Always open to new Disney experiences.
I went to Mickey’s Halloween Party last year and it was a BLAST!!! Also, I’m going this year as well! (October 16th!)
(PS: What day are you going?)
OK, we live in Arizona and have been to Disneyland many many times since 1972. When my kids were small, I had the system of doing the parks down to a fine science. Such is no longer the case, I need my adult daughters to fine tune the visit….without factoring in Halloween. So I DO need this input. I am looking at what would amount to a partial day around, but not on, Halloween (short trip for another event on Halloween, believe it or not). Thinking of bringing 2 grandkids, ages 11 and 6. I believe you are saying that the Halloween party might be a viable option for such a visit. Are most or all of the rides open? Not counting things that close at dark on a normal day.
Almost all of the headliner attractions are open during the Halloween Party. Minor or less popular ones are not open, but the *major* ones are open. It sounds like it might be a good option for you. Have fun! 🙂
Just wondering which date you are attending the halloween party?
“If there’s a slight breeze, the Halloween Screams fireworks are prone to be cancelled, meaning you paid ~$70/person or more for a dance party and candy.” Ain’t that the truth!
I attended a party with my 12 year old son a couple of years ago, and we were massively disappointed! The crowds were crazy! I had imagined that trick or treating meant just that – going from shop to shop on Main Street saying trick or treat & getting candy. Now perhaps that was naive, but the reality was nothing I could have expected – MASSIVE queues of people slowly making their way through the line for a little handful of candy, which wasn’t even very good (no recognizable stuff in there – certainly no Reeces Pieces!). The lines for the characters were very long too, longer than they had been for the same characters in the day time (we met Jack & Sally during the day with a very reasonable wait). Anyway, the clincher was that the fireworks were indeed cancelled due to a slight breeze – and we were told that the decision to cancel had been made that morning! We couldn’t really feel any breeze on the ground level, but apparently there was something barely blowing higher up. Those fireworks were the one thing that would have made it worth it to me (as we had an annual pass for one year, so didn’t need to use our party tickets to get into the park). We actually complained at Guest Services, early on (within the first hour) and since we were visiting from Canada & wouldn’t be there for another party night (I think they would have swapped out our tickets for another night in the hopes that the fireworks would happen then) they refunded our tickets. However, that was exceptionally depressing, as it meant being escorted out of the park! It was such an awful feeling having security walk us out! I totally understand why they did it, but we felt pretty gutted. Put a real damper on that trip. I still would really love to see those fireworks some day, but don’t think I’d ever be willing to pay that much money to take a chance that there’s no breeze! I would definitely go back at Halloween Time as it was a fantastic atmosphere in the parks, but the party? Nah!
Yep, and while it stinks, the “great” thing about this has been that in years past, they would show the Halloween Screams fireworks the next night, even if it were a non-party night. Meaning that you could essentially get the best part of the Halloween Party entertainment free.
I didn’t include that in the guide here because I suspect that might be different this year (Disneyland Forever is so insanely popular that people might be disappointed about seeing Halloween Screams “for free”), but I’ll update the post if that does prove to be the case.
Wait, what?! That didn’t prove to be the case when I was there. The non-party nights just had regular fireworks, as far as I know (this was 2013). Do you mean that they would only do that if it was cancelled at the party the night before, or do you mean that they did those fireworks every night regardless of the party? I knew they used to do those Halloween fireworks years ago, before starting the parties, but… We were there for a few more days after our refunded party, but not for another party night. That was why they were willing to refund our tickets… If the fireworks were going to be shown on a non-party night wouldn’t they just have told us that & not refunded our money?
Sorry, to clarify, in the past the Mickey’s Halloween Party fireworks have been shown on the night following the party if and only if they were not shown at the prior party.
I believe the reason for this is because once the fireworks shells are loaded for Halloween Screams, they have to be shot off (they can’t be safely “unloaded” other than by firing them). At least, I think this is the case. I guess we will find out the night after the Halloween fireworks are canceled for the first time this year.
Wow! So they may have shown them the next night & we missed it because we didn’t know & they certainly didn’t tell us about that! If this is indeed true, then it’s put even more of a damper on that trip, in retrospect! Good to know for future though. Look forward to hearing what you find out! Thanks Tom.
My sister and I are attending the party on October 25th with three of our children. It’s the first Halloween Party for all of us. We have all been super pumped, based on the opinions of friends and family that have attended in year’s past. I’m dressing as a Dole Whip, my daughter Tinkerbell. My sister is going to be Mad Hatter and her kids Rapunzel and Captain America. I must say that my anticipation lost some of its luster after reading this post. I’m hoping that after attending your party date you come back and post that it was so much better than you expected.
I think it all comes down to personal perspective. Tom’s blog is great and I respect his opinion, but it’s his opinion and that’s fine. He may find that the value is not there, but I think that technically that has nothing to do with the enjoyment of the event for people who decide to go. Let’s say theoretically from a strictly financial standpoint, it’s NOT worth it to go to the event (I’d disagree, but let’s just pretend for the moment 😉 ). I’d still dare say that most, if not all, people who decide to purchase tickets for the event, would absolutely have a fantastic time. Not to say that Tom is saying otherwise, but I’m just saying, I genuinely hope that Tom’s stating “it’s not worth it” would not put a damper on your or anyone’s decision to go. I think(/hope) that Tom would agree, regardless of the event being financially ‘worth it’ or not, should anyone choose to go, they’ll have a great time. (all respect no hate)
Totally agree with Edmond. I put *a lot* of weight on value for money on this blog, perhaps to a fault. With that said, I can envision no scenario where I have a bad time when I attend Mickey’s Halloween Party next month, unless I am attacked by a horde of zombie goats or fall into the Rivers of America. Disney typically puts on enjoyable events.
1. If you limit this to asking: “Will I have a good time at Mickey’s Halloween Party?” The answer is almost certainly yes.
2. If you ask: “Is Mickey’s Halloween Party as good as it could be, or as its Florida counterpart?” The answer is almost certainly no. (I feel I *can* ascertain that much from the lineup on paper.)
3. If you ask: “Was it worth the money?” The answer is more ‘it depends’, and probably based upon how strongly you felt about the answers to #1 and #2.
Hope that provides some additional perspective! 🙂
My wife and I attended Mickey’s Halloween Party on the opening day this year, for the first time. We had a lot of fun. My wife actually loved going through the treat lines. I admittedly felt a little weird, since we didn’t have any kids with us. The highlight for me was definitely the Paint the Night parade. From a purely financial standpoint, I can actually understand, and possibly agree with Tom, that the event isn’t “worth” the money. I think people, including myself, just get emotional to hear or read that “oh the event isn’t worth it,” especially if they already purchased tickets to the event. I don’t think I would explicitly say “it isn’t worth it,” but, I WILL say that both my wife and I agree that we would rather pay more for a full day, and have more time in the park, rather than attend this event again. But it was absolutely worth going this one time. There were so many kids in costumes, and it really did feel like a big party. I would definitely say it’s worth it for the kids. When we have kids I would definitely want to bring them to the event. I don’t know, just the thought of my kids, or kids in general, being able to go “trick or treating in Disneyland,” is worth the price of admission. I can’t compare it to Florida’s experience because I haven’t been there since I was a kid, I haven’t been to their Halloween event, and no plans any time soon. But I would say, definitely check it out at least once. And if you have kids, no brainer, just do it. It’s a great experience 😀
While I love your blog, and probably agree that Halloween competing with the diamond Anniversary could result in neither one being well represented and both being underwhelming, I think it’s unfair to judge the party so negatively without actually attending. We’re going to do it twice in a couple of weeks, once with the Blue Bayou dinner and once just for the party. We’ll see how it goes.
PS We pay for all things Disney with rewards points earned from business purchases which allows us to be a little less price sensitive than normal.
I hope I am proven wrong–I really hope so. Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland sells out pretty regularly, so it undoubtedly has its fans. I’ve read numerous reviews, seen videos, and talked to friends, and am pretty confident the value proposition isn’t there for me, but I’ll still go into it with an open mind.
I’m extremely price sensitive across the board, regardless of whether I pay for something or not. Part of that is being extremely cheap myself, but also in realizing that people are reading this who might have tight budgets and have to save a long time for a “once in a lifetime” trip. I think far too many bloggers don’t take their audience into account (especially those who receive a lot of comps), so maybe I over-compensate for that. 🙂
I’m heading to my first party in October and I’m a bit confused and hearing conflicting reports on characters & their outfits. Specifically Donald Duck.
I’d like to see him in his 60th Anniversary garb & his Halloween pumpkin costume. If I read correctly, I assume I’ll only see Donald & company in their Halloween costumes during “Halloween Time” in the park.
I thought they’d wear their “normal” clothes during the day and “change” for party nights???
This is unknown. In prior years, I’ve heard that characters were out and about in Halloween costumes throughout the day both on party and non-party nights. This year, Disney said (I think on the parks blog) that characters would only appear in costume during the party. However, people have reported seeing characters in costume in the morning at the parks, and changing into their 60th anniversary duds in the afternoon. Don’t know if this will still be the case once the parties start though.
John hit the nail on the head. Character costumes have been all over the place the last week. I’d say we won’t know for sure until the first party, and even after that, things could change.
If Disneyland management were savvy, I think they’d confine the Halloween costumes to the parties to make those another unique draw for the Halloween Parties…but maybe they don’t care that much? I dunno.
I was just at Disneyland for the opening Halloween weekend. I didn’t see Donald or other characters in Halloween costumes. I’m going back for the party in October so will have to see. I’m an AP holder so I’ll be there for regular hours and the party
I would agree with the assessment that going to the Party if you are in Disneyland for a short trip works out to be a good deal. My family had the opportunity to visit the Parks around Halloween time for 2 years in a row. Our first year was a longer trip and we passed on the Party and didn’t feel like we had missed much. The second year we were only going to be able to visit the Parks for 2 days, as my son and I both have birthdays in October and we were actually going to be in the Parks for my son’s birthday we decided it go for it. We had a great time, enjoyed the ambiance, rode every ride we wanted to multiple times, had fun dressing up, and saved a little money buying the party ticket for one day and a single park ticket for DCA the other day.
Yep, if you’re going to do it, that pretty much is the best scenario. Tough to say it’s not a good value when you do it that way!
I’ve never been, but based on everything I’ve heard, am inclined to agree with you. We are gonna pull the trigger and go with the kids in a couple of weeks. I really don’t think it will change my mind, especially if the fireworks get cancelled.
If the fireworks get cancelled on the night I go, I will be so bummed. I’m honestly thinking about taking two tripods because I highly doubt I’ll ever go to the party again and want as many good photos of the show as I can get.
Well, we went Tuesday with the kids, and it was pretty cool. I think you are spot on about it not being worth the money though, especially if You have an annual pass. You are gonna want to rush main street right after the parade to get a good spot for the fireworks. One cast member suggested following the last float linebacker style, and then stopping when you get to where you want to be.
hey, is there anyway to support your site other than buying pictures?