Disney News

There’s so much exciting news for Disney lovers and Halloween enthusiasts alike! Disneyland has just announced the return of their after hours Halloween party:the Oogie Boogie Bash! The party will take place on select nights September 9th – October 31st! This is an extra ticketed event (you can’t attend the bash with just a regular park ticket) that costs $114 per person. Oogie Boogie Bash is family friendly and fun for guests of all ages! Read on for more details about the fall festivities!

What can I do at the Oogie Boogie Bash?

• Guests will be able to trick-or-treat through the park in their favorite Halloween costumes!
• Spot some spooky characters as well as fan favorite characters dressed in their Halloween attire!
• Guests can participate in immersive treat trails as well!
• Enjoy spectacular entertainment such as: the Frightfully Fun Parade and Mickey’s Trick and Treat show.
• Ride rides with shorter lines! (After the park closes to non-ticket holders.)

When is the Oogie Boogie Bash?

The extra ticketed Halloween party will take place on 25 nights from September 9th-October 31st. Nights to choose from include: Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and a few Saturdays! The event officially takes place from 6 PM- 11PM, but guests with Oogie Boogie Bash tickets can enter California’s Adventure Park starting at 3 PM! (Pro tip: think about buying Oogie Boogie Bash tickets instead of regular park tickets (they’re cheaper!) and hang out in Downtown Disney (for free) until 3 PM when you can enter the park! That’s what my family is going to do!)

How can I get tickets?

Tickets go on sale July 13th no earlier than 9AM pacific time. If the excitement around the Oogie Boogie bash is anything like the excitement around the Disney’s After Hours Boo Bash in Walt Disney World (which I expect it will be) then tickets will go fast! Guests that want to go to the Oogie Boogie Bash should be ready to get tickets as soon as they become available July 13th!

Can I Wear a Costume?

Yes! It is not only allowed, but encouraged to get into the holiday spirit and dress up for the event! However, only children younger than 14 can wear a costume with a face covering. No offensive or gruesome costumes should be worn. If you need help deciding if your costume is appropriate, check out Disney’s guidelines here.

Important Details

• Tickets are limited and can only be used for the specific date they are purchased.
• Limit of 8 tickets per person, per event date.
• Tickets are non-refundable and should not be resold.

If you don’t think you’ll be available to purchase your tickets, but want to attend, head on over and fill out my free Disneyland quote. I can help you! Just make sure you note that you are interested in the Oogie Boogie Bash! I will be attending with my family; I hope to see some of you there!

Well, I’ve got some good news and some bad news. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party will not be returning to Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World this year, BUT Disney’s After Hours Boo Bash will make its debut! 

When will Disney’s After Hours Boo Bash take place?

Disney’s After Hours Boo Bash will take place in Magic Kingdom Park on certain nights starting August 10th and ending October 31st from 9 p.m. until midnight. (Some event nights in August and September will be from 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.) This will be a limited capacity extra ticketed event. (You will have to purchase an additional ticket for entry.) Boo Bash tickets will allow you to enter Magic Kingdom Park at 7 p.m. even if you don’t have a day park ticket or Park Pass Reservation on that day! Pro tip: start your day with more relaxing activities you don’t need to buy a ticket for such as Disney Springs or your resort pool before heading over to Magic Kingdom for the late-night bash! This could allow you to save a little money (since you won’t be purchasing a day ticket and Boo Bash ticket) and save your energy for your long, exciting evening! Here are the dates for Disney After Hours Boo Bash:

• Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021
• Tuesday, Aug 17, 2021
• Friday, Aug. 20, 2021
• Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021
• Friday, Aug. 27, 2021
• Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021
• Friday, Sept. 3, 2021
• Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021
• Friday, Sept. 10, 2021
• Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021
• Friday, Sept. 17, 2021
• Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021
• Friday, Sept. 24, 2021
• Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021
• Friday, Oct, 8, 2021
• Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021
• Friday, Oct. 15, 2021
• Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021
• Friday, Oct. 22, 2021
• Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021
• Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021
• Friday, Oct. 29, 2021
• Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021

What is Disney’s After Hours Boo Bash?

This is a limited capacity event which means Magic Kingdom Park will have a smaller crowd during the party than they will during the day. Once the park closes to day guests, bash attendees will be able to experience more than 20 attractions with low wait times! The festivities will also include Halloween Cavalcades, character sightings, performances by the Cadaver Dans, decorations, spooky lighting, music, themed food for purchase, and treat stops with candy!

Cavalcades

The various cavalcades will feature Mickey and his friends dressed up in costumes, villains, Jack Skellington, Sally and Oogie Booie, and finally Maleficent will leave guests in awe as a fire-breathing dragon!

Character sightings

Characters such as Miss Carlotta, Goofy, and Chip ‘n’ Dale will be sneaking around the park for socially distanced photo ops! Hint: Look for Miss Carlotta around the Haunted Mansion area!) Disney photo pass will be available to take magically spooky pictures throughout the night!

Snacks

Complimentary snacks ( ice cream, popcorn water, and other select beverages are complimentary with the purchase of a Boo Bash ticket. Themed snacks and drinks such as the Apple Ginger Dale frozen drink (frozen apple cider mixed with ginger ale and topped with whipped cream) and a Foolish Mortal Funnel Cake will be available for purchase. The funnel cake will also be available to all guests from Oct. 1 – Nov. 1! I’m hoping they will also bring back the Lock and Key Grilled Cheese this year because it rocked!

Decorations

This fall Walt Disney World will not only be celebrating Halloween, but will also be holding “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” for the 50th anniversary! Decorations on Main Street, U.S.A., will undergo a transformation to blend fall looks with the beloved story of Cinderella! I’m especially excited to see the special pumpkin coaches being created by the Holiday Services team! (These cast-members always do incredible work making Walt Disney World look magical no matter the season!)

Treat Stops with candy

Guests of all ages can go trick-or-treating during Disney’s After Hours Boo Bash! There will be trick-or-treating stops available for guests to load up on complimentary candy, o make sure to bring a goodie bag! Have a food allergy in your group? No worries! In years past guests with food allergies were given bands alerting cast members of the allergy. Disney has always had alternative goodies for these friends. I would imagine this year will be the same!

How is Disney’s After Hours Boo Bash different from Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party?

The biggest difference I can see between the Boo Bash and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is that there will not be any stage shows in front of Cinderella Castle or “official” parades due to social distancing concerns. Disney is trying to avoid entertainment that will cause large crowds to congregate in one place at the same time. This is not something that I would consider a deal-breaker, but you will need to make your own decision about what is most important to you!

Can I Dress Up for the Boo Bash?? 

YES!! Guests of all ages can dress up for the Boo Bash and go “trick or treating”! I would encourage you to get into the spirit of the season and wear a costume! Remember though that costume masks are only allowed to be worn by children younger than 14.

How Can I Get Tickets to the Boo Bash?

Tickets go on sale June 15th and can be purchased online or over the phone! Guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels will have an early purchase window starting June 8th. These early bird tickets can only be purchased over the phone. Ticket prices range from $129-$139 for August/September nights, $159-$169 for October nights, and $199 for Halloween. Disney Vacation Club members can get a $10 discount for nights in August and September. Keep checking back for more details as they become available!

After waiting a full year, Disneyland enthusiasts can finally start planning their return to the parks! If they are a California resident that is. To comply with current state guidelines only California residents will be eligible to visit the parks for the time being. I will let you know as soon as that changes!

Both Disney California Adventure Park and Disneyland are planning to reopen to the public on April 30th with limited capacity. Disneyland will be utilizing a park pass reservation system just as Walt Disney World has been doing. To enter a park a guest must have a park reservation and valid admission for the same park on the same date. Disney has not explicitly stated if the Park Hopper option will be available, but this reservation system leads me to believe guests will only be able to visit one park per day. I will let you know as soon as more information is available!

Upon opening, guests will not only be able to enjoy beloved classic attractions, but the new Snow White’s Enchanted Wish will be open for the very first time! (This will be replacing Snow White’s Scary Adventures which was frightening for many children.) Characters will also be making appearances throughout the park while observing physical distancing. Nothing has been specifically announced for character experiences, but I’m betting we’ll see some character cavalcades like we’ve been seeing at Walt Disney World! I honestly wouldn’t mind if these stuck around. What a great way to see and wave to a bunch of your favorite characters! Parades and nighttime spectaculars will not be available for some time as they draw large crowds.

A Touch of Disney will move forward as planned from March 18-April 19. This limited-time experience is still available to guests from outside the state.

Guests will be able to stay on property at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa with plans to reopen on April 29. Disney’s Vacation Club Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa plan to reopen on May 2. Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel and the Disneyland Hotel will reopen at an undetermined later date.

The health and well-being of both guests and cast members are of utmost importance to Disneyland. Physical distancing enhanced cleaning procedures, and decreased contact (we’ll probably see an emphasis on mobile ordering) will be promoted. Cast members will be well trained and able to answer any questions guests may have about the new procedures.

I don’t know about y’all, but I am incredibly excited for the reopening of Disneyland and will (im)patiently be waiting for Texans to become eligible to experience the magic! Let me know in the comments how you are feeling about the reopening and if you have any plans to go!

If you thought Walt Disney World couldn’t possibly get more magical, just wait for what Disney has in store coming soon! “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” will begin on October 1st, 2021 in honor of the theme park’s 50th anniversary! Disney will be be releasing all sorts of surprises and cast members will be adding new decorations to the four main parks to enhance the festivities.

Orlando Airport

The World’s Most Magical Celebration will start at the Orlando airport! As soon as you step off the plane you will feel like the party has begun! The terminal train stations will feature the Fab 50 Character Collection, a photo opportunity with the Mad Tea Party attraction, and EARidescent light patterns that will leave travelers with their jaws on the ground!

Beacons of Magic

Cinderella Castle will be getting a golden bunting and a 50th-anniversary crest that can be seen throughout the day. Even more exciting however are the nighttime decorations added to a featured landmark at each of the parks! Disney is referring to these creations as “Beacons of Magic”. To the delight of kids and adults alike, pixie dust will be seen on Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom Park, The Tree of Life In Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park will be lit up by magical fireflies, something special (and a surprise for now!) will be added to the Hollywood Tower Hotel in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Spaceship Earth in Epcot will be transformed to look like stars covering the sky (this will actually be a permanent change)! I’m honestly getting excited just thinking about how beautiful these nighttime enhancements will be!

Characters

In addition to these enhancements, Mickey and Minnie Mouse will be sporting new outfits that glimmer with gold! Their friends: Donald Duck and Daisy Duck, Pluto, Goofy, and Chip n’ Dale will be getting special outfits of their own! Guests will get a chance to see Mickey Mouse and all of his friends several times daily in the Mickey’s Celebration Cavalcade! There will also be statues to commemorate these 8 friends (plus 42 more) for a total of 50 golden character statues scattered throughout all four theme parks! More information will be coming soon about who the other characters will be and how guests will be able to interact with the statues! Stay tuned!

Nighttime Spectaculars!

Two new fireworks shows will be debuting for the 50th anniversary: Harmonious in Epcot and Disney Enchantment in Magic Kingdom Park! Disney has stated that Harmonious will be one of the biggest nighttime spectaculars in Disney history! This show will be featured across the World Showcase Lagoon and will include moving fountains, special lighting, and new interpretations of your favorite Disney songs in over 12 languages! This show is really meant to unite us no matter where we are from!
Disney Enchantment sounds quite magical and is something I cannot wait to see! This show will include: music, enhanced lighting, fireworks, and projections not only I. The castle, but all the way down Main Street, U.S.A.! Guests will basically be standing IN the nighttime spectacular!

Electrical Water Pageant

The Electrical Water Pageant will have new celebratory scenes including: a towering castle, swirling pixie dust, and a version of the song “The Magic is Calling”!

Daytime Shows

Disney’s KiteTails will get its debut at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park! The show will take place in the Discovery River Amphitheater. Wind-catchers and kites of all shapes and sizes will be flown by cast members, while 3D kites (some up to 30 feet long!!) out on the water will represent Simba, Zazoo, Baloo, and King Louie along with other animal friends! This family friendly show will leave everyone in awe as the kites “dance” in the wind to classic Disney songs!

Rides/Attractions

“The World’s Most Magical Celebration” starting October 1st will also see the introduction of a new ride: Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in Epcot! A boarding pass through the virtual queue will be required to ride Remy’s just as it was for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Guests will be able to enter the virtual queue at 7:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Guests do not have to be in the park for to enter the 7:00 AM queue, but will need to be in the park to try to enter the 1:00 PM queue. A park pass reservation for Epcot is needed to get a boarding pass. Boarding passes can be acquired through My Disney Experience! (Pro tip: Disney warned that only ONE person in a group should try for a boarding pass or the technology could malfunction.)

Special Benefits for Disney Resort Guests

In celebration of Disney World’s 50th Anniversary, Disney will be bringing back a fan favorite: Extended park time! This time will look a little different than it did in the past, but will still allow ample time for extra magic! In the morning, all Disney Resort Guests can enjoy 30 extra minutes in ANY of the 4 main theme parks on ANY day of the week! So if a park opens at 9:00 AM, Disney Resort guests will be allowed to enter at 8:30! Guests will still need valid theme park reservations for the park they are entering early. In addition to this, guests staying at a Deluxe Resort or Deluxe Villa will be able to experience extended hours in the evening in select parks on select days. The way this will work is: if Magic Kingdom has extended hours then guests would need to make a park pass reservation for Magic Kingdom to enter for extended evening hours. If the guest has a pass with the Park Hopper option they would have to have a park pass reservation to any park, they must have entered that park at some point in the day, and then they can enter Magic Kingdom for the extended hours.

Disney resort guests can also expect to see special appearances by Goofy, Pluto and friends at their hotel!

Celebration Sips and Bites

Disney World is pulling out all the stops for the 50th anniversary celebration! Food and drinks are not to be overlooked. Disney chefs have created over 150 new dishes and drinks for the World’s Most Magical Celebration! Chefs drew inspiration from Walt Disney’s personal cooking, attractions of the past and present, characters, and meals from 1971 (the opening of the park)!

Limited Menu at California Grill

California Grill opened on the 15th floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort in 1995 and has been a popular spot ever since! The menu is for seasonal and creative dining. To celebrate The World’s Most Magical Celebration, California Grill will offer a limited time three-course menu inspired by past favorites and new seasonal items! The menu will include: The California Grill Sushi Classics Trio (Blue Crab California Roll, Shrimp Tempura Roll, and Spicy Kazan Roll), House-Made Artisanal-Style Duck a la Orange Pizza, and the Oak-Fired Filet of Beef with Black Truffle-Brown Butter Chateau Potatoes, Golden Raisins Vinaigrette, Cauliflower, and Black Garlic Butter. For dessert is a Grand Marnier Souffle served with macerated Florida citrus and a house-made Creamsicle Ice Cream.

“Hey, Disney!” Technology

Disney Imagineers have partnered with Amazon to create “Hey, Disney”! This will basically act like Alexa, wayyy cooler because it will use Disney stories, characters, and more! Guests of Disney resorts will have these devices in their room! The “Hey, Disney!” device is supposed to make our trips easier and more fun! We will be able to interact with Disney, Pixar, or Star Wars characters through the device.

Although the transformation of these icons, nighttime spectaculars, daytime shows, ride openings, and the festive attire worn by Mickey and Minnie Mouse is to celebrate the 50th Anniversary, the party will continue for 18 months! That means that you have plenty of time to make it over to Orlando get in on the fun! Keep checking back periodically! As Disney shares more information about “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” , I will update the news her