Top Tips for Halloween at the Disney Parks

Welcome back foolish mortals! I was enjoying some ghoulish delights at the Disney Parks last week, and I’m thrilled to bring you this information from the great beyond, so you too can make the most out of your visit to Disney during Halloween Time. Here I give you my top tips and tricks to make your visit a most extraordinary experience. Let’s dig right in!

Plan Ahead

If you want to make the most of your time at the Disney Parks this Halloween season, and not loose your head, planning is going to be your life saver. With special events like the Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure, and exclusive attractions like the Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland, the parks will be creeping and crawling with eager souls. So to minimize waiting and maximize your fun, consider mapping out your must-see attractions and entertainment schedules, allowing you to prioritize your favorite Halloween offerings.

Plan Ahead—Way Ahead

If you have tickets to the Oogie Boogie Bash Party, then chances are your planning began back at the end of June when tickets went on sale to the public, and incidentally sold out just over a week later. I missed getting tickets the year before, because I hadn’t planned far enough ahead, so this year, I was ready to pounce like an over-caffeinated Tigger in the presence of a Woozle!

Check the Calendar for Event Nights

The Oogie Boogie Bash is held on select nights August through October, and on those select dates partygoer holding tickets, will be able to enter Disney California Adventure Park at 3pm adding to crowds. Moreover, regular park visitors will be asked to exit by 6pm, so if you want to maximize your time and money you may want to avoid visiting on party nights. If you do attend on a party night you may want to consider arriving early and “rope dropping”.

What is Rope Dropping?

Rope dropping refers to the practice of arriving at the park before it officially opens (usually about 30 mins before), and being among the first guests to enter once the gates open. When the park opens, cast members typically drop a physical rope that separates visitors from the attractions, signaling everyone can race to their desired rides or areas of the park.

Get Down With the App

The next thing you’ll want to do is download the Disney App. Take a moment to consider what attractions you most want to experience and create a plan from there. The app Genie can even help make suggestions to maximize your experience. The app will allow you to curate your entire experience from booking lightning lanes (with a Genie+ purchase), pre ordering food, joining virtual queue, no wait checkout for merchandise, and so much more. If you’re not a planner, or a tech-inclined person— maybe designate the most type-A person in your group to handle it. You know the type, they probably love making itineraries. If you don’t have one, ask a cast member for help. Not only is Disney the “happiest place on earth”. They also seem to have the happiest most helpful people working there.

Use Genie+ and Save Time with Lightning Lanes

Genie+ is like having well, a genie, in your pocket. No need to climb into the Cave of Wonders, or rub any lamps. All you need to do is pay for it in the app. The price varies depending on the day, but is around $27 or so per person on average. If the additional cost flies with you, you’ll be in store for quite a magical ride. Lots of magical rides in fact. With Genie+ you can skip the regular standby lines (for certain attractions), and gain fast access to your favorite rides via lightning lanes. All this time you save not waiting in line can be better spent eating green apple churros, or shopping for festive Minnie Mouse ears. Thanks to this service I was able to get on every ride I wished for that day. I used it to book the more popular rides that tend to have longer waits, like Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean. It’s worth noting you can only book so many in a day. Once you book a ride, the app sets a time before it allows you to book another. So for rides with a short standby it’s best to wait it out, and use Genie for the more popular rides. Speaking of popular rides, you can’t use this for the Haunted Mansion Holiday Attraction. For that you’ll need to get in the virtual queue. How? Read on dear mortal.

Reserve a Time for Haunted Mansion & See the Holiday Overlay

“What’s this? What’s this?” There’s color everywhere, as the Nightmare Before Christmas holiday overlay transforms the Haunted Mansion from September through early January. The best way to see this attraction is to join the virtual queue in the app. The queue only opens up twice per day at 7am and 12pm, so set a timer if you need to and get in the queue. Heads up—don’t try and book while waiting in line for Indiana Jones. Once you’re inside that attraction the signal is spotty at best. I almost didn’t get into the Haunted queue, had I not escaped that area in time. Anyway, once you’re successfully in the queue you’ll get a group number and you can monitor what group they’re boarding in the app. I booked at 12pm and was inside the attraction around 7:30pm-ish. The classic Haunted Mansion has always been on of my all time favorite rides, but it was amazing to see it transformed with this incredible Nightmare Before Christmas overlay. Definitely a must see during Disney HalloweenTime!

Treat Yo Self

Get ready to enchant your palate as the culinary wizards at Disneyland cook up a cauldron of tasty treats that will have you spellbound! This Halloween season, indulge your sweet tooth with a piece of caramel apple cheesecake at Jolly Holiday Bakery Café. Feeling famished after your visit to the Haunted Mansion? Try a Bride churros sprinkled with vanilla and sugar, or a Groom churro dressed in dark and milk chocolate. Sip on an Ursula Shake from Schmoozies, or refuel with a carmel apple cold brew. With so many tempting options, you’ll be left wondering which treats to conjure first—so why not stop by the bakery and get some treats to take with you? Life’s too short not to treat yo self!

*Try preordering food and drinks in the app? You will be given a time to go pick up your food, sippers, popcorn buckets, or other treasures, without having to stand around in another line. Now that’s a treat!

Dine at the Blue Bayou

Ever since the first time I floated along in one of the Pirates of the Caribbean boats, I noticed the people dining in the attraction area, under a string of colored lanterns, and I thought—what a cool experience that must be. Getting a reservation however seemed to be incredibly difficult. Until now. This trip I would not be daunted. I simply walked up to the restaurant and talked to the maître d who told me they do in fact, take walk ups. When I asked what the odds were of getting in, he seemed confident it would not be a problem. When we returned around dinner time we got seated immediately. This may not always be the case, but if you want a shot at this dining experience, and can’t get a reservation online, just go rogue like a true pirate, and walk up.

Dining at the Blue Bayou in Disneyland is an enchanted experience. Nestled within the iconic Pirates of the Caribbean ride, this beautiful Bayou restaurant features dim lighting, twinkling lanterns, and the sounds of crickets and gentle water flowing, creating an ambiance that feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of the park. The menu offers a delightful array of Cajun and Creole-inspired dishes. The crab cakes were some of the best I’ve had, followed by a perfectly cooked sea bass, and complimented by a hurricane cocktail so tasty I felt like singing, “Yo ho, yo ho a pirates life for me!”

Check Out Special Shows

I’ve always loved a good Disney parade and fireworks show, but this year I got to see the incredible, “Villain’s Night Out,” which was truly amazing. This nighttime spectacular features Disney villains projected over the water with lights, music, and a boatload of cool effects. Ursula, Jack, dancing skeletons, and cats all come to the party, and will leave you screaming along with delights.
For the latest updates and detailed information, I recommend checking the app or the official Disney website.

Check Out Holiday Merch

From special collectible shirts, backpacks, stuffies, popcorn buckets, drink sippers, and even glow-in-the-dark Madame Leota straws, there’s a little something for the child in all of us. Don’t feel like carrying all those purchases around? If you have a special ticket to Oogie Boogie Bash, some stores will hold your item till the end of the party. There are also lockers available. If you’re a Loungefly lover, then you may want to pick up one of this seasons bags. Coming in at $50 each, a deal for a Loungefly backpack. The 2024 Oogie Boogie backpacks are $88 and glow in the dark.

So whether you plan to party with your favorite villains at the Oogie Boogie Bash, or check out the all the Halloween decorations and holiday overlays throughout the parks, you’re sure to have a frightfully fun time!

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