There are two huge fall onerous ticket occasions at Walt Disney World and Disneyland: Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together at Magic Kingdom in Florida and Oogie Boogie Bash at California Journey. This submit compares and contrasts the 2 to see which is best for characters, parades, leisure, crowds, and extra. (Up to date Might 17, 2025.)
On the one hand, it is a “only for enjoyable” comparability for the reason that two Halloween events are on reverse coasts, so it’s probably not a call between the 2 for many Disney planners. However, we spot extra spirit jerseys on flights between the 2 Orange Counties, and diehard Disney followers are visiting each coasts with higher frequency. With that in thoughts, we’re penning this that can assist you decide whether or not you must go to Walt Disney World or Disneyland for the Halloween season.
Whereas the comparability appears pure and logical sufficient from a planning perspective, this was really impressed by our many Florida-based pals and acquaintances who’ve made the journey to California, finished Oogie Boogie Bash for the primary time, and completely liked it. We’ve heard quite a lot of rave opinions about Oogie Boogie Bash from Walt Disney World-centric followers…however can’t assist pondering that these are barely misguided.
Don’t get us mistaken, we completely love Oogie Boogie Bash. It’s an unimaginable occasion that we’ve finished each single 12 months because it started–and a number of other earlier than that when the onerous ticket possibility was Mickey’s Halloween Get together at Disneyland. And we’ll do it once more in 2025, too!
Nonetheless, I feel there’s completely a ‘freshness bias’ from a Florida fan perspective. For a lot of, the final main optimistic change to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together was the addition of Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular. That was a decade in the past. Earlier than that and since then, not a lot had modified at MNSSHP in a very long time. Not even the character meet & greets differ a lot from 12 months to 12 months.
There’s a fantastic line between nostalgia and stagnation, and when you’re an annual attendee of MNSSHP, it arguably feels a bit drained. That’s most likely doubly true when you had the Get together Move in 2019 and have disproportionately attended the unbearably sizzling August events since, as is the case with many superfans. (Raises hand!) Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween is feeling a bit drained. If you happen to’re a Disneylander who has been attending Oogie Boogie Bash since that celebration began, it’s a fairly comparable story, with (mainly) solely two new Villains on the deal with trails every of the previous couple of years.
However that’s the standpoint of a blogger, vlogger, or diehard fan who lives regionally to one of many coasts. It’s not consultant of the typical attendee and even the extra informal fan who visits occasionally. Whereas everybody clearly has biases, that’s our tried viewpoint when making this try at an goal comparability between Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together and Oogie Boogie Bash…
Parade: Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together – Nowhere is it extra evident that ‘fatigue’ exists amongst Florida followers than of their evaluation of the parades on the respective Halloween events. There’s actually no contest right here, as Mickey’s Boo to You Parade completely trounces Frightfully Enjoyable Parade.
Boo to You has extra models, floats, and performers. It has extra iconic moments and music. Despite the fact that it’s considerably longer, it’s a really tight parade that by no means overstays its welcome or looks like filler. (Glares at ‘A Christmas Fantasy’ Parade.) It’s the stronger parade in virtually each conceivable manner, and actually, I don’t even see how that is up for debate.
About the one “weak spot” of Mickey’s Boo to You Parade is that 90% of it existed a decade or two in the past. So for some Walt Disney World followers, it feels drained and overdue for a substitute. To that, I say don’t repair what isn’t damaged. What number of Walt Disney World followers consider the substitute for HalloWishes is an precise improve? In brief, watch out what you want for.
With that mentioned, I don’t consider Frightfully Enjoyable Parade has any actual weaknesses. It’s very robust, with menacing moments and floor degree performers. It simply must be longer. This began out as a substitute for Mickey’s Costume Get together Cavalcade, and my assumption was at all times that it’d increase over time, with new models added in subsequent years. That hasn’t occurred, nevertheless it ought to. “Borrow” a float or two from ‘A Christmas Fantasy,’ it doesn’t want all of them!
Nighttime Spectaculars: Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together – Magic Kingdom’s onerous ticket occasion is the winner by default right here. Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular is the fireworks present offered throughout MNSSHP and whereas it’s arguably inferior to HalloWishes in methods, it has a very spectacular Jack Skellington puppet that hosts the present. It additionally has explosions over Cinderella Citadel, which is fairly rad.
It additionally exists, which is greater than might be mentioned for a nighttime spectacular at Oogie Boogie Bash. For its first 12 months, World of Colour – Villainous was the nighttime spectacular at OOB. It has not been seen or spoken of once more since. Whether or not this is because of anemic visitor satisfaction scores or the logistics of operating World of Colour and a parade in the identical space on a decent turnaround time is anybody’s guess. Though World of Colour – Villainous was arguably underwhelming, I doubt even its harshest critics would contend it was addition-by-subtraction dangerous. Regardless, that is a straightforward win for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together.
Characters: Oogie Boogie Bash – Now we flip to the straightforward win for Oogie Boogie Bash. The meet & greets supply all kinds of uncommon & traditional characters from animated motion pictures, plus Pixar Buddies and Marvel Tremendous Heroes.
There’s a large assortment of choices, and by no means know who you’re going to seek out in Carthay Circle. Furthermore, the occasions are pretty manageable with the foremost exception of the Sanderson Sisters, who typically have an hour-plus wait. Everybody else, even Bruno from Encanto and the Kingdom Hearts characters, is usually not too dangerous.
Perhaps that is my very own bias creeping in, however the character meet & greets at MNSSHP feels virtually like a chore at this level. Arrive early for Jack Skellington so perhaps you’ll “solely” wait in a ~90 minute line. Be tremendous strategic about different prime characters, or else waste one other hour-plus. Etcetera, etcetera. Actually, even when my perspective right here is jaded or coloured by burn out–and it very effectively is perhaps–Oogie Boogie Bash wins right here even in an goal landslide. It’s simpler, higher, and way more satisfying for character followers.
Trick or Deal with Trails: Oogie Boogie Bash – That is arguably an extension of the purpose about characters, because the trick or treating at Oogie Boogie Bash is the Villains Deal with Trails. These are ostensibly a option to gather sweet and, mission achieved on that entrance, as we gathered a stockpile to provide out to trick or treaters on Halloween.
Their actual spotlight is the villains who seem on the finish of the paths and supply leisure and work together with company. As famous above, the most important new addition to Oogie Boogie Bash annually tends to be the introduction of two new villains, that are often uncommon characters or sudden surprises. In reality, that is the spotlight of Oogie Boogie Bash as an entire, and is the #1 motive why Florida followers rave about Oogie Boogie Bash.
They’re completely proper about this. See Choose Doom kill a cartoon reside on stage or Ernesto de la Cruz kill it singing “Bear in mind Me,” and you’ll immediately turn out to be an OOB aficionado. Phrases don’t do the Villains Deal with Trails justice, and it’s unimaginable to convey how enjoyable these are to Walt Disney World followers accustomed to regular deal with trails. To that time, see our Villains Deal with Path Ideas at Oogie Boogie Bash when you want additional convincing.
Fortunately, Walt Disney World is lastly beginning to catch up on this division.
Throughout final 12 months’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together, Princess Fairytale Corridor was not a meet & greet location for the princesses. As a substitute, it was an enhanced deal with path that options two villains, Maleficent and the Evil Queen. These villains have been within the queue in entrance of a portrait of their story’s princess, as they mingle with company and pose for selfies. This didn’t maintain a candle to the deal with trails at Oogie Boogie Bash the place the villains are unimaginable performers, nevertheless it was a pleasant begin.
For the 2025 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together, company can count on much more enjoyable than ever earlier than with some acquainted (and fiendish) faces stunning company alongside the paths. It’s unclear what, precisely, Walt Disney World has deliberate. Our expectation is that the villainous deal with trails will increase for 2025 to make this the marketable new addition. It most likely nonetheless gained’t maintain a candle to what’s provided at Oogie Boogie Bash, the place the immersive deal with trails are the spotlight of the occasion, however having 3-4 villainous deal with trails could be an enormous win.
Stage Exhibits/Leisure: Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together – Let’s proceed the pattern of bouncing from one excessive to a different, with one which Magic Kingdom wins handily. Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular is likely one of the finest productions by Disney Stay Leisure wherever ever.
Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular is an all-time traditional, worthy of a spotlight reel of the highest stage exhibits at Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, and many others. And don’t hate me, however I say this as somebody who thinks the film itself solely has a cult following due to critical childhood nostalgia. I attempt to catch Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular not less than twice per MNSSHP, and would pay the worth of admission only for this. It’s significantly that good.
This isn’t the one leisure at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together, both. There’s additionally a bunch of dance events when you’re into that form of factor, plus the Cadaver Dans Barbershop Quartet and Rusty Cutlass Pirate Band in Adventureland. I’m solely into the latter, however however, one thing for everybody. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together can also be the one occasion to function the hijinks and hilarity of the Nation Bears–want I even say extra?!
Oogie Boogie Bash used to have Mickey’s Trick and Deal with stage present, however that has since moved to daytime at Disney California Journey. The occasion nonetheless has Villains Grove, which is an overlay of Redwood Creek Problem Path. So probably not a stage present in any respect, and even conventional leisure, for that matter.
That is walk-through world of Disney villains, reworked with lighting, projections, sounds, and particular results to create a haunting, dreamlike (or nightmare-like?) atmosphere. It’s very impressionistic and atmospheric–a Disneyfied twist on Halloween mazes discovered elsewhere. It’s a neat novelty and enjoyable for pictures, however attracts shockingly lengthy strains for what it’s, and isn’t that good.
I wouldn’t be stunned to see Disneyland add a brand new stage present or leisure aspect for the 2025 Oogie Boogie Bash. The occasion wants a shot within the arm, and that is one factor it’s lacking.
Ambiance: Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together – Just by advantage of being within the citadel park as a substitute of the second gate, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together wins this. There’s simply one thing about seeing Principal Road reworked for Halloween, with an additional layer of lighting and music on prime of the pumpkins and each day decor. The identical was true for the California occasion when it was held at Disneyland.
Past that, the opposite lands have a greater vibe throughout MNSSHP. There’s music, projections, and lighting results all through the park, and people open-concept lands merely ‘work’ higher than San Fransokyo or Avengers Campus celebrating Halloween. Automobiles Land and Buena Vista Road are the most important exceptions, however they have fun Haul-O-Ween and BatFest (I don’t know what it’s really referred to as) every day all through September and October.
Crowds: Oogie Boogie Bash – It’s exceeding troublesome for the typical attendee of both of those events to do every little thing in a single night time. Likelihood is, you gained’t be capable of meet each single character, see the parade, stage exhibits, and different leisure–by no means thoughts doing rides along with the party-specific stuff. However which is extra difficult? The place are crowds worse?
There’s a model of this the place the reply is “it relies upon.” Somebody on the market may need very particular priorities that make Oogie Boogie Bash the more severe of the 2 occasions for crowds. As with ghosts and leprechauns, I additionally consider in unicorns. However these individuals are completely the outliers. For the overwhelming majority of attendees, Oogie Boogie Bash goes to be the much less crowded and laid again expertise.
On common, strains for characters are shorter, the Deal with Trails make up-close encounters with villains a breeze, it’s simpler to see the parade, journey wait occasions are minimal, and there are not any areas of the park which have wherever close to the extent of congestion as Principal Road at Magic Kingdom between the primary and final parade. Disneyland is simply usually decrease stress and decrease stakes, and that extends to Oogie Boogie Bash. (Effectively, apart from scoring tickets within the first place!)
Larger Image: Disneyland – There’s no actual comparability. Right here’s a partial record of the Halloween choices at Disneyland:
- Halloween Screams Fireworks
- Haunted Mansion Vacation
- Automobiles Land Haul-O-Ween
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Darkish
- Plaza de la Familia/Musical Celebration of Coco
You may also meet Mickey & Associates in spooky character costumes on each Principal Road at Disneyland and Buena Vista Road at Disney California Journey, whereas Jack Skellington and Sally seem in New Orleans Sq. with a line that’s usually a lot shorter than MNSSHP. All of these characters seem every day–every little thing above is included with common admission at Disneyland Resort.
In contrast, Walt Disney World affords the Principal Road Pumpkin Competition (additionally at Disneyland) and…uh…does the EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition depend? (There wasn’t a single pumpkin merchandise on these menus the final two years.)
There are additionally some paid choices, like Minnie’s Halloween Dine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and I suppose there are pumpkins at Disney Springs, however exterior of Principal Road in Magic Kingdom, you could possibly simply go a whole journey in September or October with out realizing that Walt Disney World is “celebrating” Halloween.
Not so at Disneyland. If you need a festive fall getaway with an enormous emphasis on spook season, Disneyland is the fingers down winner. See our Final Information to Halloween at Disneyland for a complete record of every little thing the parks, resort motels, and Downtown Disney supply.
Finally, our ‘verdict’ could be that Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together is the superior occasion for first-timers or Disney followers who get to the parks on an rare foundation. In isolation, MNSSHP affords greater than OBB on a pound for pound foundation because of the fireworks, stage present, atmospheric leisure, and greater & higher parade. Despite the fact that the character element is miles higher at Oogie Boogie Bash, that’s merely not sufficient to bridge the hole until you’re a daily attendee, actually into villains, or your night will revolve round characters.
Nonetheless, we acknowledged on the prime that this was not only for enjoyable, but in addition for planning functions. Realistically, only a few individuals are going to be deciding between Walt Disney World and Disneyland for a Halloween 2025 journey solely on the premise of the onerous ticket occasions. When you zoom out, it’s troublesome to see how Walt Disney World wins.
For one factor, a few of the stuff “lacking” from Oogie Boogie Bash is included with admission subsequent door at Disneyland. And talking of leisure included with admission, there’s the Disneyland seventieth Anniversary, which implies a wide range of particular limited-time celebratory choices like Paint the Evening parade and World of Colour: Happiness. In equity, Walt Disney World could have Starlight Evening Parade in Fall 2025, however that one providing can not compete with the mountain of leisure out there within the California parks.
Talking of California, Disneyland additionally doesn’t have Florida climate–that’s fairly related throughout late August by way of October. Though unspoken, I’d be keen to wager lots of our Florida pals factored the dearth of triple-digit climate and storm season into their value determinations of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together vs. Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Get together. You recognize what? They’re proper!
And actually, on the finish of the day, most individuals are going to have a great time no matter whether or not they go to Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World, as long as they correctly put together for the journey. On that notice, see our Information to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together at Magic Kingdom or our Information to Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween Get together at Disney California Journey. For the larger image, you’ll want to learn our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information and Disneyland Journey Planning Information.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever attended Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together or Oogie Boogie Bash? Which did you suppose had the higher ambiance, characters, parade, leisure, and many others? Would you moderately do Disneyland or Walt Disney World throughout the Halloween season? Do you disagree with any of our recommendation and assessments? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
