As An Oogie Boogie Bash Regular, I Need Disneyland To Make One Big Change To The Halloween Party

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As An Oogie Boogie Bash Regular, I Need Disneyland To Make One Big Change To The Halloween Party

As a seasoned Disneyland enthusiast who has attended the Oogie Boogie Bash for the past four years, I must confess that this year’s event left me feeling a tad bewitched and bedeviled. While it was once a thrill to immerse myself in the villainous atmosphere, the lack of new characters to meet and greet has begun to cast a spell of staleness over the entire event.

Visiting Disneyland during Halloween is a fantastic experience, with numerous activities and tasty treats throughout the day, but the main attraction is undeniably the after-hours Oogie Boogie Bash, which debuted in 2019. This themed event was designed to offer guests an evening filled with more villainous fun than the previous Mickey’s Halloween Party. Although I wasn’t able to attend the inaugural year, I have been going for the past four years, and while it’s always a blast, there’s one significant change Disneyland could make to keep the party feeling fresh.

Oogie Boogie Bash Desperately Needs New Characters To Meet

Among the significant improvements made by Oogie Boogie Bash compared to its predecessor was the inclusion of uncommon villains and characters from a diverse range of Disney animated films and series. During my initial visit, the event featured numerous characters, including the seldom-seen ones like Robin Hood and a new costume for Mickey and Minnie. The following year saw the addition of zombie Captain America and Bruno, and last year, Toy Story’s Lotso was included in the roster.

Regrettably, Disney didn’t seem to put much effort into the character meet and greet segment at this year’s event. Instead of introducing fresh faces, old favorites such as Lotso, Bruno, and Kingdom Hearts Mickey and Friends returned. To add salt to the injury, characters that debuted during Pixar Fest at Disneyland over the summer were also present at the party. Although it’s wonderful for fans who missed out on the theme park event, it was quite disappointing for locals like myself who had already encountered these characters multiple times before.

It seems that many people, including myself, were left feeling underwhelmed by the limited introduction of new characters at this year’s event. For instance, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, and Clarabelle Cow have been dressed as Hocus Pocus characters for the third consecutive year, and their lines used to stretch for hours but were significantly shorter this time around. Similarly, Bruno, who I waited just five minutes to meet this year, was a character I had missed in previous events.

But The Whole Party Also Needs A Much-Needed Refresh

As a devoted fan, I must admit that the thrill of meeting fresh characters and exploring immersive treat trails has been losing its charm lately. The party, once a source of unparalleled excitement, seems to have grown stale, even the themed elements starting to feel repetitive. This year, Disney introduced two new villain-themed trails, but unfortunately, they didn’t quite live up to the high expectations or justify the steep ticket price.

Let me avoid discussing the evening’s entertainment, as the light show at Villains’ Grove still draws a crowd, yet it hasn’t been refreshed since its launch in 2019. Consequently, after experiencing it once, there’s little incentive to return.

The Spooktacular Parade originated during Mickey’s Halloween Party era and hasn’t undergone a significant revamp for quite some time. Although minor tweaks have been implemented, it seems that the parade doesn’t align well with the atmosphere of the Oogie Boogie Bash and could greatly benefit from an update to fit the occasion better.

Despite a limited selection of spooky-themed treats this year, it seemed that only a few specialty dishes were offered at parties, and obtaining them was quite challenging as many eateries closed early, usually around the end of the Halloween event.

It seems clear that participating in the Oogie Boogie Bash annually is more of a special opportunity than a common occurrence for Disneyland attendees. However, I find it peculiar that The Mouse House doesn’t strive to transform this event into an annual tradition to bring back regular visitors. Considering how Universal Studios introduces fresh haunted houses every year as part of their Halloween celebration, wouldn’t it be reasonable to expect Disney to follow suit? Is asking for a similar effort too much to anticipate?

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2024-09-29 00:07