By Destiny Jackson, Co-Opinion Editor
If having a Halloween-based heart attack surrounded by murderous clowns and your equally terrified (or worse:
By the way, did you know our student activities center offers Disneyland tickets for $100 as opposed to the $200 it costs at the gate? Talk about a heart attack,
While Disneyland has been no stranger to Halloween parties for the faint-hearted the past 10 years, the park has proven this year it still has some tricks up its sleeve when it comes to the more adult-oriented theme park, Disney California Adventure. Welcome to DCA’s “Nightmare Before Christmas“-themed Oogie Boogie Bash that kind of answers the question of what happens when Mickey Mouse kicks you out of his child-infested real estate
What happens?
On 20 select nights from Sept. 17 to Oct. 31, guests who have tickets to the special event can experience all the new things that the Oogie Boogie Bash as to offer. In years past Disneyland used to be the star of the show with their rare character meet and greets, Halloween Screams Fireworks, narrated and hosted by Jack Skellington based night-time show and trick-or-treat candy mazes. Pretty tame stuff. However, this year, Oogie Boogie, a central mascot for the last few years, has really spooked up the place with these must-see events:
Treat Trails throughout DCA are a little more ominous-looking this year staged with more flashing lights, fog machines, and eerie sounds that go bump in the night. Something new they added to the treat trails this year are characters being a part of the maze with you as you fetch your candy which maximizes your time. If you want to meet Maleficent, Hades, Jafar, Cruella De Vil and get candy, you no longer have to choose between the two, killing two vampires with one crucifix (get it?).
Also adding to the specialized meet and greets this year for the first time ever, you can now meet Oogie Boogie. For the last several years, Oogie Boogie was only seen in promotional materials, theming and narration around the parks. And if that wasn’t enough, you can also meet never before seen characters at the park such as Kingdom Hearts characters and the Tim Burton styled Mad Hatter.
When you’re done being spookstruck (I’m sorry) you can zombie shuffle on over to Villains Grove (Redwood Creek Challenge Trail) a chillingly haunted maze area bathed in fog and laser light technology as you follow the path through the Hellfire of Notre Dame, Wonderland, Maleficent’s thorn patch, and Dr. Facilier’s house of voodoo. This place is probably the closest thing to frightening that Disney would ever come to.
Another new event added this year to the Oogie Boogie bash would be World of Color: Villainous! It is a night-time projection water show filled with a series of bizarre dance sequences and new character monologues that tells the story of a brand-new Disney character, Shelley Marie (who looks like an off-brand version of Beetlejuice’s Lydia Deetz), who must decide whether or not she wants to be a princess or a villain for Halloween. And with the help (and slight hindrance) of a few famous Disney villains she meets along the way she decides to make the right choice of costume for herself.
Last but not least both theme parks have grave dug up (okay, I’ll stop with the puns) some new spooky treats and spooky eats. If Halloween heart attacks aren’t your thing, maybe giving yourself a worthy gut-busting stomachache is. Some of the most noteworthy items are the alcoholic Hard Apple Cider Float (bonus, it comes with a skewer of vanilla ice cream with caramel drizzle on top); the Hades (Hercules) Hot Dog which is a foot-long all-beef dog with spicy harissa aioli, lemon pickled cucumbers, oven-dried tomatoes, peppers and feta cheese; and for dinner order the We’ve BEAN Dying to Meat You! Red Beans and Rice Soup which is a frightfully delicious spiced stew comprised of pork sausage, oxtails, and kidney beans with Louisiana popcorn rice.
So, during this Halloween season, if you can’t stomach the killer clowns or hoards of zombies, come down to the Disneyland Resort to enjoy a magical and mystical night of light-hearted schemes and sweets.
