Over the long weekend I traveled to the other side of the country and went to the happiest place on earth—Disneyland! I have been to Disneyland before but never around Halloween so this experience was completely new to me. While the trip was shorter than I would have preferred, I still had a blast every step of the way! Below is a breakdown of my Disneyland Halloween experience including what the rides are like, how the food is, and if it is worth it to attend Oogie Boogie Bash.
- Overview
-
From September 6 to October 31, Disneyland celebrates Halloween. The rides are made more haunting, the food is made more spooky, and the villains come out to play. Throughout September and October, there are select nights where the Oogie Boogie Bash is held at California Adventure. This party requires another ticket but allows you to stay in the park and celebrate Halloween with Oogie Boogie and his friends.
- Rides
-
Clearly, rides are one of the most important parts of Disneyland. They are what make you stand in line for over an hour! During Halloween time, this is no different. The rides are just as fun and some of them are made a little bit scarier. At the Disneyland Park, the Haunted Mansion ride features Jack Skellington, Sally, Zero, and a lot of pumpkins! Also at Disneyland Park, the Space Mountain ride is made into Hyperspace Mountain which goes faster and features different effects and lights. At California Adventure, the Guardians of the Galaxy ride is featured around a new story with new monsters. The different Cars rides are also given a little Halloween magic!
- Food
-
Ah, food, probably the best part of Disneyland! There is just so much to choose from and at Halloween there are even more options. Trick-or-treat! My favorite items I tried were the Mummy Macaron, Jack Skellington Cake Pop, and the Green Apple Spell Lemonade. You also can never go wrong with a classic churro or the beignets! Here is the full list of every Halloween treat at Disneyland and California Adventure (I need to go back just to finish eating).
- Oogie Boogie Bash
-
If you go to Disneyland at Halloween time, you must go to the Oogie Boogie Bash. It is what ties the celebration together! Like I said previously, to go to Oogie Boogie Bash (which is held at California Adventure) you must pay for an extra ticket. These tickets usually cost about $110 to $145 depending on when you purchase them. By buying this ticket, you get to stay in California Adventure while everyone else gets kicked out at 6pm. During the party, there is a new World of Color show featuring the classic Disney villains. There is also a parade with Mickey and friends, as well as the villains. There are also treat trails where you can go find a villain and some candy (unless they give you apples or craisins, which are the real villains). Along with those things, you can still go on the rides or get a photo with one of the rarely-seen villains.
- Bottom Line
-
I know some people might not think that going to Disneyland at Halloween time will be worth it, including paying for the extra ticket but I am here to clear the air. Going to Disneyland when it is all decorated for Halloween feels completely different than when you go any other time. There is a new magic to it.
With that being said, waiting in line for an hour in 80-degree weather can make things seem less magical. If you are going to go to Oogie Boogie Bash (or just Disneyland during Sept. 6 – Oct. 31), then you have to be smart about it. I went over the weekend—a long weekend—so it was extremely crowded and it was very warm out. The combination of those two drained my energy quickly so I was not able to go on every ride I wanted to. I recommend going sometime in the week, if you can, or at least not on a holiday weekend.
Also, make sure to take breaks (grab a treat) and get fastpasses so you won’t be waiting in line for too long!
Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, and read our latest Tweets!