Mickeys Halloween Party Review and Tips
/There will be no Mickey’s Halloween Party this year. The new party is Oogie Boogie Bash, held at Disney’s California Adventure. Click on the link for more information. You can also hit the Disneyland tab. I have several informative posts about Oogie Boogie Bash.
My family has been going to Mickey’s Halloween parties for eleven years. The party is the highlight of our year and the most fun we have as a family. I love sharing my Mickeys Halloween Party Tips.
The Party has changed over the years as it used to be you could only visit Disneyland. I’m excited this year because you can go to California Adventure. You can visit either park three hours before the party starts. You also get free pictures! Use your party ticket to get your free pictures when a PhotoPass Photographer asks for a ticket.
If small children are in your party, do not waste your time waiting in any extra lines if you can. You will wait in a lot of lines at the party. Arrive at Disneyland before 2:00 pm because you want to avoid long security checkpoint lines.
Arrive early at least an hour before you plan on entering the parks. There is less traffic on the freeway, and you can get through security and then take your kids to eat. Naples is a good choice. They offer pizza slices at Napolini next door. Eat a big meal before Mickey's Halloween Party. Dinner can take an hour. Fill up before you enter the parks.
Corn dogs or a quick service dinner are perfect take your food and sit down where you want to watch the parade. This saves a lot of time. If you go to California Adventure before the party Smoke jumpers Grill is a fast option. They serve hamburgers and chicken nuggets.
Take your kids to Carsland it is fun and fast. Tow Mater's Junkyard Jamboree and Luigi's Rollickin Roadsters have Halloween themes. The kids can take part in DJ's Dance and Drive, which is a cute dance party for kids. Enjoy the Halloween decorations because they are on point.
Then go Disneyland you can enter the special events queue with no line and get your wristband. Do not waste the three hours before Mickey's Halloween party starts. I did not care about getting my wristband at three this year, and that changed everything. Not waiting for a wristband made things less stressful. Lines can ruin the fun.
I talked with other pass holders on social media. Many of them were mad about waiting in line in front of the Starcade to get their wristband. This line is where the pass holders stand in line is a waste of time.
The annual pass holder wrist band distribution is more for the pass holders already at the park. Those without event tickets must leave at six. There is time to get a wristband.
If you enter they party through Disneyland; you can enter the special events queue. Do not waste the three hours before Mickey's Halloween starts. Instead of lining up at three go to California Adventure and go to Disneyland close to five to avoid the long lines.
If you want to enjoy this party, start out right; it can get stressful at these events. If you have been to Walt Disney World try not to compare this to Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party. Disneylands version can underwhelm and be frustrating. The Magic Kingdom is 107 acres versus the 85 at Disneyland.
Walt Disney World starts their parties in August. Disney World has more parties than Disneyland. The Disneyland parties are not only smaller, but they sell out. Being smaller means long lines which can be stressful. It is not unusual to see some tired and frustrated children.
Toontown lines are just too long.
There is a dance party at Tomorrowland Terrace. Different Pixar characters make appearances. One of the longest and slowest treat trails is in the Innovations building. Let your kids dance for a while and meet seldom seen characters. All that walking the treat trails should help them burn up energy but chances are it's been a long slow shuffle.
Fantasyland no longer has the Village Haus trail! This happened because treat trails had been added to Big Thunder Thunder Trail this year. Enter on the Fantasyland side because Frontierland is crowded. Some treat trails near Big Thunder trail can block the Frontierland entrance. Which will slow you down!
If you see a white glowing Mickey light on a treat trail that station has candy alternatives. The downside is they are handing out apples and carrots at a lot of the stations. You get more than you need. You will not eat them all in one night.
These parties are stressful because Disneyland is so small and gets crowded. People line up for the parades early. The crowd is not as bad as a typical parade. You can find a spot about half an hour before.
Some rides had long wait times for a private event. For example Big Thunder Mountain was fifteen minutes and twenty for Space Mountain. Which was weird? Most wait times during the party are 5-10 minutes. Some rides you can walk right on.
The parade disappointed me because early on a float broke. Nothing happened for quite some time. Music played, and no announcement was made. After, hearing the same song for over 15 minutes I felt irritated. The addition Ichabod Crane to the pre-parade is the most appreciated change. Some floats made minor changes that made them a little more enjoyable.
Pro tip be careful what costume you wear. I dressed as Mary Poppins this year, and people assumed I worked at Disneyland. People kept asking me questions all night. If your costume is too good people may mistake you for an employee.
I hope Disney reads this because I know they read my blog from time to time. The replacement of AP gift with a special photo op angered many annual pass holders. They used to give us a special rice crispy treat and a little bag. They should’ve given us the gift pass holders spend a lot of money at Disneyland. The party is fun despite that changes need to happen. No one should stand in line for 30 minutes for some apples and a Yoo-hoo chocolate bar.
This year's party was an improvement. The packed treat trails spoils the fun. That is the only complaint I have.
Visit a Tribe on a Quest. They wrote a great article on what not to do at Walt Disney World Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party. Tribe on a Quest is a great blog. They write ASD/Autism/ADHD, family-friendly travel reviews. Of accommodations, activities, and foodie inspired destinations.
Here are some helpful posts to help prepare for your Halloween visit to Disneyland.
If you are traveling with a baby or toddler here is a guide to Disneyland with babies.
Bringing preschool-aged children to Disneyland
How to avoid losing your kids at Disneyland
Want to visit Disneyland during Halloween? Want to know about Oogie Boogie Bash or Halloween at Disney California Adventure? This post tells you everything you need to know.