So You’re Going to Oogie Boogie Bash!!

Did you brave the virtual queue and grab tickets to Oogie Boogie Bash?! This party seems like it’s been around forever, but 2019 was the first and only year so far! Oogie Boogie Bash is a completely different kind of Halloween experience from previous years- the character interactions, the shows, and Villain’s Grove are all not to be missed! Here are my tips to make your night one to be remembered.

DO Wear a costume!
I feel like this goes without saying, but this event is all about the costumes. It’s your chance to flex that creative muscle and really get into a character. The costumes at these events are downright amazing. People get very into them and there are so many creative ones! We always coordinate a Disney themed family costume. Then we spend the entire night in character. The cast members LOVE this. They are more than happy to play along! Even if you don’t have a Disney costume, I’ve seen some pretty funny conversations come from those dressed as Minions or Harry Potter characters (are you lost?! Ha ha!). We love to seek out the characters that match our costumes. When we dressed as Jake and the Neverland Pirates, we had a great interaction with Peter Pan and Hook. In 2019, we were Hercules characters and spent all night looking for Hades. While we didn’t find him (he was only in the parade that year!), but we had a really fun conversation with Loki about the similarities between Asgardian and Greek gods 🙂

DO Decide what your priorities are.
Figure out before you go what you want to do the most. The party is only 5 hours long, and it’s just not enough time to do everything. As Annual Passholders, we always went into the party wanting to see the live shows and decorations and do the treat trails. Many people take the party as a chance to ride all the rides with lower wait times. Also, some rides have Halloween overlays like GOTG: Monsters After Dark and Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree. This year, with no Annual Pass program in place, many people may be visiting DCA for the first time since it reopened this year. I expect the rides will be more popular- especially with Avengers Campus and Web Slingers being an option! Disney has not yet announced how the queue for Web Slingers will work at the party, but this ride is not to be missed.

DO Bring extra bags.
If you plan on doing any treat trails at all, bring a few extra bags for candy. The bags they provide are small and that candy adds up quickly. We love doing the treat trails- we always get more than enough extra candy to provide for the trick or treaters we get at our house on Halloween! They also have great snacks like Pirate’s Booty and Goldfish- the kid’s lunch boxes are SET for weeks after attending the party.

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DON’T get discouraged by lines.
The treat trail lines, especially those with characters in them, might look intimidating, but they move quickly. The line for Villain’s Grove is long all night, but also goes fast. There are no treat trails or characters in Villain’s Grove, it is all special effects and lights, but it is a beautiful tribute to many Disney villains. It is not to be missed!

DON’T miss the characters!
Even if treat trails aren’t your thing, you may want to walk through some of the ones that house the villains. You will not get another chance to see Oogie Boogie or the Mad Hatter in the parks! The character interactions are so much fun. Also keep your eyes peeled for characters everywhere. We don’t know how the socially distant interactions will work this year (or if that will still be a thing Disney is doing in the fall), but we’ve seen some amazingly rare characters out during the parties. Whether it’s Constance from Haunted Mansion, Phineas and Ferb, or Tailspin characters, there are always some good ones to find.

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DON’T miss the live entertainment!
The Frightfully Fun Parade is one of our favorite parades that Disneyland has to offer, and it has been confirmed this year! The run time of the parade is pretty short, so it won’t eat up your night, but be sure to arrive a few minutes early to catch the Headless Horseman’s trot down the parade route.

DO stop and appreciate the Disney Halloween essence.
Nobody does Halloween like Disney. The music, the lights, the special effects (again, Villain’s Grove is EVERYTHING). I am content just to walk into the park, hear the Halloween party music, and watch the projections above Carthay Circle. There’s no doubt that Halloween is our FAVORITE season at Disneyland, and the Halloween party (whatever form it takes) always ends up as one of our favorite trips of the year. I can’t wait to be there and experience Oogie Boogie Bash again!