If you follow me on Instagram, you know that my family and I recently spent several days at Disneyland.
We were annual pass holders two years ago…took a year off…and have been planning on renewing this fall (we wanted to give the kids a chance to not get burnt out on the Magic that is Disney).
So you can imagine how thrilled I was to get an invitation to Mickey’s Halloween Party.
We’ve never been to the Party, as it’s a separately ticketed event. Which means that the park closes early to normal ticket holders and is open exclusively to people attending Mickey’s Halloween Party.
The Party runs for 14 nights this year, and we were given the opportunity to attend on the very first night of the year.
In typical Disney fashion, the park was decked out to the nines in shades of orange and yellow. The iconic City Hall building was one of my favorites. This building always signaled the moment when we had finally passed through the gates and in just a few short steps lay Main Street. This building brings back a swarm of memories from childhood, it’s kinda insane.
The fun decor continues along buildings and light posts and really sets a fun tone to the park. If you’ve ever been to Disneyland during Christmas time, you know the way the atmosphere changes a bit.
Think Christmas but in Orange and Yellow and Pumpkins.
And iconic bronze statues of the Partners and more pumpkins.
I’m a sucker for landscaping and the detailing in the flowers around the park is definitely not lost on me.
I wish I had the budget to do this to my own yard for every season. Le sigh…
During the Halloween Party, Disneyland’s typically strict rules against adults in costume (which really, when you think about it is prudent. No one wants a non-Disney employed Buzz Lightyear with a line for autographs) is lifted and everyone is encouraged to dress up.
Rules regarding dress up were fairly obvious: nothing that looks like a weapon, nothing that people can trip over, stuff like that. I was a little worried that the rules didn’t explicitly prohibit “scary” costumes, but to my delight, (at least on the night we were there), there were very very few. This was really nice because it kept things feeling family friendly and light.
There was trick or treating throughout various parts of the park, where the kids were handed copious amounts of candy. I can easily see how if we had focused our efforts on candy acquisition, we could have come home with more than our combined weight in sugar.
Big Thunder Ranch is transformed into an old fashioned Halloween Carnival, complete with games, crafts, and stage shows.
Please note that Owen isn’t wearing a costume. Not because I didn’t bring one. But because he refused. Ripped it off. Punk kid.
Andy and I didn’t dress up either. Normally, we totally would, but there are times when you have to realize your limits and your schedule and say My Plate Is Full. So we let the kids pick out costumes from our play bins, and called it.
Toss the ring on the witches hat was a favorite from the carnival. We spent quite a bit of time there.
There were characters ready for photo opps throughout the park, and because the Party sells fewer tickets (on purpose) than on a regular admission day, crowds are decidedly thinner.
Disney Villains roam the park, and other characters (like Mickey and Minnie) also wander around in costumes of their own. There is just this lighthearted more relaxed vibe to everything. Fewer people and fewer people in a rush to squeeze every bit of the park into their day. It was nice and mellow. Which is quite the change from a typical busy day.
A fun twist: the Dapper Dans group becomes the Cadaver Dans.
Who, incidentally, are FANTASTIC.
I’m always amazed by people who can sing. Or dance. Or draw. Or anything, really.
Because I can’t.
I just simply do not understand how you get your voice or your body or your whatevers to do these things. Because try as I might, I cannot. It’s just fascinating.
Lighthearted (meaning not ultra creepy scary) Halloween music piped throughout and this little Tinkerbell danced and begged to be put on stage.
Because of course she did.
But we kept right on.
I really wanted to experience all of the different aspects of the Party, so we did a little bit of everything.
Next up was the Monsters University Dance Party (where the Star Wars Padawan Training Show is typically held in Tomorrowland).
Mike and Sully were there. Of course.
The bigs were too entranced watching, but Little Miss danced.
And then there were the Halloween time only treats!
The fun themed candied apples were my favorite. And that little popcorn bucket with Zero and his light up nose? Best.
And of course, the Giant Mickey Pumpkin Head Family Portrait.
The One where not a single kid is smiling, but what the heck, it’s gotta happen.
And I have to tell you: THE FIREWORKS SHOW.
I’ve seen me A LOT of Disney fireworks shows in my lifetime.
And this Halloween Party only version? Awesome.
Such a fun twist with music and voice overs from most (all?) of the Disney Villains. It really was fantastic. And it only “plays” during the Halloween Party nights. So, even if you visit the park during October and there are fireworks that night, it will be their standard show, not this Halloween version (which, as you can imagine, nothing’s really “standard” that Disney puts out, so there’s that).
Also, that’s totally not my picture. I got that from Disney. Because night time + fireworks + four tired kids + iPhone…no bueno.
I left with the little kids after the fireworks and headed back to the hotel, while Andy stayed behind for an extra hour with the Bigs to hop on some rides for the first time all night. In less than an hour, they were able to get on 4 different, normally high demand rides. Turns out, between the ticketed event being sold at lower volume than normal, and the fact that people attending tend to congregate to the Halloween Party specific events (like the Carnival, trick or treating, and special character meet and greets), ride lines were almost non-existent or really close to “walk on”. Even for popular rides like Space Mountain, Big Thunder, and Splash Mountain. So that was a fun way to end the night for the kids. They got the best of both worlds: fun Halloween stuff and some cool rides with almost no line waiting.
Overall, it was really fun to experience the park in a different way. As passholders, we didn’t feel like we had to get on rides or do just the “right things”. We could just kind of hang out and do Disney in a completely way and with a completely different (slightly) spooky, albeit relaxed, vibe.
Have you ever been? Are you planning it? What do you think?
*Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, however we were given tickets to attend Mickey’s Halloween Party and provided one night’s stay at the Disneyland Hotel. All opinions are my own. Per usual. Because obviously.
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This looks like so much fun! We haven’t done the Halloween Party, but have done the Very Merry Christmas Party a couple of times (love it!). Disney just makes everything more magical.
Going in 25 days. Can’t wIt. We have our Mario costume party going on for the 5 yr old grandson. I thought that was the day you were going too? Oh well still can’t wait. Thanks for the info.
We went on Tuesday the 30th! Same feelings. It was so cool, to just chill and do disney in a different way. We’re passholders too. The apples!? LOVED! My ideal proposal would be a ring hanging from a caramel apple stick, just saying. The Halloween music was so rad, we especially liked their version of the Monster Mash. Fireworks were over the top and the parade was awesome too, not shocked. Overall, we had such a good time…glad to see you guys did too!