This past weekend, Disneyland became even more magical with the first night of Mickey’s Halloween Party. This special event began on September 26th and runs through selected nights through Halloween.
Both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure are open to the public at this time, but at 7:00 PM on selected nights, Disneyland closes to those who do not have a ticket to the special event. Annual Pass holders will want to make sure to check their blackout dates as regardless of which park you plan to visit and if you are attending the party or not, you may have this visit blacked out.
Our visit was very last minute as we had planned to cover Downtown Disney and take photos of the park exteriors since they were decorated for Halloween. After a late night covering a Halloween event at another area park, the energy levels were low, but thanks to the generosity of the Anaheim Tourism Office and Disneyland’s P.R. team we were given entry to the parks late afternoon for our coverage.
We took in a magical parade that featured several Disney characters and floats, as well as the amazing costumes and music that the company is famous for. Once again we were reminded that nobody anywhere has the attention to detail and quality of entertainment that Disney does.
After the parade we went to Adventureland but were greeted with very long lines even for concessions so we made our way to New Orleans Square where we took in some great Jazz music and enjoyed Mint Juleps’ and Beignets at a terrace café. I had read that the powdered sugar covered treats were one of the must try gems at the park, and despite many visits since I was a child, this was the first time I had tried them but it will certainly not be the last.
We made our way over to The Haunted Mansion and were greeted by Jack Skellington and Sally as we waited in line to see the Holiday themed conversion where the iconic attraction becomes The Nightmare Before Christmas Haunted Mansion and offers a total conversion of the artwork, narratives, and many classic scenes yet remains as wonderful as ever. This attraction runs into the New Year so you will want to make sure to visit.
After visiting as many attractions as we could, we noticed the Trick or Treat stations being set up around the park for the party that evening, and many guests started to arrive in costume which is always a thrill. During the party, guests and characters are in costumes as there are many Halloween events including Trick or Treating which really bring out the enjoyment the holiday and allow guests to experience Disneyland in a new and thrilling way.
One such thrill is seeing Space Mountain become Ghost Galaxy where new visual and sound effects bring a new and eerie dimension to the popular attraction.
Heading over to California Adventure, we took in the always fun Grizzly River Rapids where I managed to avoid being soaked. We saw a parade along the pier, and made our way to the always amazing Cars Land and the Back lot area. Since our energy level was waning a bit, we took a relaxing stroll around the park and found a few areas I had not explored closely before.
The beauty of the parks is that the detail level put into the construction and floral decorations is second to none as you can have a nice time simply being leisurely and taking in the sites.
The evening was capped off by the always amazing fireworks and the World of Color show which is always a wonder to see. I wish that we had more time but we managed to get in the coverage that we wanted to in the face of a pending deadline and limited time available to us.
Make sure to attend the magic of Disneyland during Halloween and the upcoming Holiday Season as they are magnificent experiences that the entire family will enjoy as they blend the nostalgic memories of old with new thrills and wonders.
