One major benefit Oogie Boogie Bash has over Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Disney Halloween Party – DePaoli on DeParks
Disney knows how to throw a Halloween party. There’s no question about it. Whether you attend Oogie Boogie Bash at Disneyland Resort or Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World Resort, you’re sure to have a great time. But there is one element at Oogie Boogie Bash that is so effective and so pleasing to guests, that it baffles my mind as to why it hasn’t yet made the move to the Florida party as well.
Both of the parties are completely unique to the individual resorts. I love that they’re not simply copycats of one another. They’re both full of unique elements that only exist in their one location. One of the highlights at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in Florida is the unparalleled Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular stage show. At Oogie Boogie Bash in California, Villains Grove creates a completely different mood and experience than anything witnessed on the other coast.
As much as I love to see this individuality, there is one major thing that I wish Walt Disney World would simply steal from Disneyland Resort. That is the way Oogie Boogie Bash handles the Treat Trails.
Characters are immensely popular at these Halloween parties. So popular in fact that the lines to meet them can become several hours long. Even if you’re willing to wait in these long lines for character meet & greets, I bet you wish it took less time so that you could enjoy more that the party has to offer in its limited time.
Oogie Boogie Bash solved this problem in a big way by adding characters (specifically villains) to the Treat Trails. This “simple” solution helps in several ways. First, you’re making the Treat Trail far more interesting. Sure, free candy is always a good thing. But making it more thematic is a delight. It is a theme park after all.
Secondly, the lines through the Treat Trails move quite quickly meaning you don’t need to wait in a long line to interact with a character. And guests never seem to be rushed along. The different villains at the Treat Trails are typically on a throne and up on a pedestal of some sort looking down at the guests. This allows for lots of interactions between characters and guests, as well as opportunities to take photos and videos. I have personally had some of my favorite character interactions on these Treat Trails.
Granted, this sort of interaction doesn’t exactly allow the guest to stand next to the character for a photo. But, for me I’m just as happy to have the character in the background if it means avoiding an hours long line. But not to fret if you are someone who wants to stand with characters for photos. Some of those are also available at Oogie Boogie Bash.
At Walt Disney World, this Treat Trail character interaction has yet to be adopted. Instead, mostly all characters at the party have long waits to meet with them. Some of this may come down to the well-known fact that Walt Disney World tends to be a place for tourists whereas Disneyland Resort is attended more by locals.
Given the locals never ending demand for changes and updates at Disneyland Resort, Oogie Boogie Bash introduces new villains to the lineup each year. These Treat Trail villains are often extremely unique and deep cuts in the Disney fandom. Oogie Boogie Bash has been blessed with characters like Agatha Harkness, Mad Madam Mim and Ernesto. And this year it looks like Judge Doom will be added to the lineup. These sorts of surprises each Halloween season is why Oogie Boogie Bash tickets sell out faster and faster each year.
I’m not saying that Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party needs to add these new characters each year. I would simply love to see the Treat Trails in Florida have any characters added to them. It will make the Florida Treat Trails more of an event and it will give guests the opportunity to interact with characters without waiting in a line for hours. It works splendidly in California. Now let’s see it make its way to the other side of the country.
Hear all about the making of Disneyland Resort’s Oogie Boogie Bash from the folks at Disney Live Entertainment on this special episode of “Dizney Coast to Coast” podcast.
What do you think? Would you like to see this update made to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party? Leave a comment sharing your favorite thing about the Disney Halloween parties.
Jeff DePaoli is a producer and voiceover artist living in Los Angeles. He can be heard as the voice of Disney Trivia on Alexa as well as the host of “Dizney Coast to Coast,” the ultimate, unofficial Disney fan podcast. Get your FREE gifts of “America’s Hidden Mickeys,” “On the Rohde Again,” “Theme Park Comfort Kit” and more at DizneyCoastToCoast.com. DePaoli’s opinions are his own and do not necessarily represent Attractions Magazine.
