Daynah’s Oogie Boogie Bash 2024 Experience
It’s Halloween Time at Disneyland and you know what’s frightfully fun? It’s spending time at the parks with friends for Disney’s highly anticipated sold out Oogie Boogie Bash event! I recently attended this party for the first time. I choose two attend this with two friends and all three of us left the kids at home. I did not know what to expect at first or how the evening would go. We ended up with a number of memorable moments and I had really had a great time.
Our planning for the Oogie Boogie event started months before the party date! Once my friends and I secured our tickets, figuring out our theme and costume was half the fun. We started up a group chat and tossed out plenty of ideas for themes and characters. There were three of us and we settled on being the three Good Fairies in Walt Disney’s 1959 film Sleeping Beauty — Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather!
We arrived at the Disneyland Resort in the afternoon and got in the Special Event line at Disney California Adventure at 2:30pm. I looked behind me about 10 minutes after and the line got really long! The gates opened at 2:45pm for the special event and the cast members worked swiftly to get the lines moving. We entered the Disney California Adventure at 2:52pm and were immediately greeted by cast members who were ready to hand out our wristbands, treat bags, and a souvenir map for the event.
The first thing we did when we entered the park was head to the lockers to drop off some of our heavier items. With the lighter load to carry, it was time to scope out all the shops to see how many more Halloween goodies will make their way home! There were so many adorable and spooky merchandise. We had to look at every shelf and rack. They also had a few special Oogie Boogie merchandises on sale at some the stores.
We had dinner reservations at Carthay Circle Restaurant for 4pm, which was another first experience for me. The dinner menu looked divine and it was hard to choose what to order. I ended up ordering the “Spanish Potato Croquettes” which were amazingly good. Ingredients included Manchego Cheese, Soria Chorizo, Roasted Garlic Aïoli, and potatoes of course.
Treat Trails at Oogie Boogie Bash
The Oogie Boogie Bash event is from 6pm – 11pm. We started lining up for our first treat trail about 10 minutes before the party official began at 6pm. The Trick-or-treat trails were so much fun. Each treat trail lures guests into the immersive worlds of some of the most mischievous, yet beloved Disney characters. These trails featured an assortment of candy, including M&M’S®, SKITTLES®, SNICKERS® and other Halloween favorites. For every treat trail, there are many candy stations along the way before you see the character up close and personal.
There are 12 Treat Trails, and a bonus Magic Key Holder one under Silly Symphony Swings.
- Buena Vista Street Treat Trail – Buena Vista Street
- Dr. Doofenshmirtz Treat Trail – Disney Theatre – Hollywood Land
- Oogie Boogie Treat Trail – Animation Academy – Hollywood Land
- Hades Treat Trail – Hollywood Backlot State – Hollywood Land
- Ernesto De La Cruz Treat Trail – Hyperion Theatre Courtyard – Hollywood Land
- Agatha Harkness Treat Trail – Ancient Sanctum – Avengers Campus
- Madam Mim Treat Trail – Bountiful Valley Hideaway – Performance Corridor
- Radiator Spring Racers Treat Trail – Cars Land
- Yokai Treat Trail – San Fransokyo Maker’s Market – San Fransokyo Square
- Sid Treat Trail – Near Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff – Pixar Pier
- World of Color Treat Trail – Paradise Gardens Park
- Judge Doom Treat Trail – Near Soarin’ Around the World – Grizzly Peak
- Bonus: Magic Key Treat Trail – Silly Symphony Swings
I visited 12 of the 13 treat trails while I was at the Oogie Boogie Bash. The only one I missed was Yokai in San Fransokyo.
Our first treat trail was in the Disney Jr. theatre with Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz from Phineas and Ferb. He did not look like his cartoon-self much, but he did get very excited when he saw guests who looked like Perry the Platypus!
We visited Hades at the Hollywood Backlot Stage for our second treat trail. When he gets excited, his hair (and the background) turns red.
The Ernesto De La Cruz Treat Trail was very long and popular. The longer the trail, the more treats you get! As we walked through it, we got to see and hear a performance of “Remember Me,” which was what I was waiting for.
I really enjoyed seeing all the animation and movement happening in the Oogie Boogie Treat Trail. It takes place in Animation Academy and they take advantage of all the big screens.
We visited the Judge Doom Treat Trail which is on the backside of Soarin’ Around the World. Judge Doom was only sitting there when we visited. If you wait a little longer, he does do a short show, threatening to dunk the poor toon shoe in “The Dip.”
If you enjoy being insulted by a character, head down to the Sid Treat Trail in Pixar Pier. The line was long but moved very quickly. Sid from Toy Story will have a few fun choice words to say to you as your grab your treats!
Agatha Harkness Treat Trail in somewhat secluded in the Ancient Sanctum. The moment the three of us walked in, she got very excited and called us “crayons!” We wanted a photo and she had the Crayola group come closer for a picture.
Our last character treat trail was with Madam Mim. She was very into her characters. She was very ecstatic the moment she saw the three of us. She walked up close and yelled out, “I don’t believe in fairies” in hopes of one of us fall down, gasping for air.
We also stopped by The Radiator Spring Racers, World of Color, and Buena Vista Street Treat Trails, but they did not have characters in them. Buena Vista Street had full-size peanut candies, so they had warning signs up for guests with allergies.
My favorite treat trails were definitely Oogie Boogie, Ernesto De La Cruz, Hades, Agatha Harkness, and Madam Mim. They all played into their characters so well and made the night very memorable. Each of the treat trails took about 10 minutes to walk through. We were constantly moving and given treats throughout the trails.
Here are some video footage of our treat trail experiences:
Magic Key Holders
Magic Key Holders had a special treat during the Oogie Boogie Bash. We scanned in and got this special Magic-Key Exclusive Hades patch, extra candy, and then a photo op with Pain and Panic in the backdrop.
Villains Grove
We wandered around and explored Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. During Oogie Boogie Bash, the Disney villains took over the trail, turning the forest into an enchanted grove of mystical lights, sights and sounds.
Frightfully Fun Parade
The last item on our list for the night was enjoying the “Frightfully Fun Parade.” We found a spot on the sidewalk in front of Carthay Circle Restaurant and enjoyed the purple trees in the background as the parade floats and dancers passed by. Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse lead the parade, dressed in colorful Halloween costumes, followed by characters from Nightmare Before Christmas, and many other villains.
Overview
Some of the highlights for me was having a fun and carefree time with my friends, meeting and talking to new friends, people-watching and checking out everyone’s fun costumes, and just soaking the whole experience in.
The three of us had to be together at all times. The moment one of us get separated, guests and cast members would be worried and ask us where the third fairy was. I thought that was hilarious. The funniest moment of the night was when we met Agatha. The moment she saw us, she thought we were all dressed as crayons and called us Crayola.
Another fun memory we had was seeing three different versions of Aurora’s walking around. At our first meeting, we were able to capture this photo. Then we kept running into them the rest of the night.
We also had the chance to get on three attractions — Soarin’ Around the World, The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, and Radiator Springs Racers. The lines for rides were mostly short. We walked on Soarin’ Around the World and The Little Mermaid. Radiator Springs Racers was posted at 40 minutes, but it ended up being just a 26 minute wait. There were three seats, so it was perfect for the three of us and our wings. For The Little Mermaid ride, we each opted to ride in our own clam shell.
What made this night truly memorable was not the exclusive Disney entertainment, but the positive interactions from the guests and cast members we experienced. Everyone truly wanted each other to have a great time and hearing sweet compliments throughout the night on our costume idea and treat bags, and having interesting conversations made me feel very happy and grateful for those moments of human connection. Thank you to everyone at Oogie Boogie Bash for such an unforgettable evening!
Tips Before You Go
For Oogie Boogie Bash, I would recommend bringing a big bag to carry all of your loot. A backpack works well, but since we had wings, we opted for a tote bag. My sister (@handmadebylanbon) made the three of us custom Disney Treat bags and we got so many fun and sweet compliments from guests!
Oogie Boogie Bash 2024 takes places on 27 selected nights (usually Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday) between August 25th – Oct 31st. Ticket prices range from $134 – $189.
Halloween Decor, Characters, and Photo Ops
Here are some more random photos from the night of Halloween decorations, characters, and photo ops.
The Vampire Tow Mater Bucket and Minnie Hocus Pocus Sipper are available for purchase during the Halloween season. Minnie Winifred sipper lights up and is only available during the Oogie Boogie Bash. Vampire Tow Mater Bucket comes with fries (at Flo’s).
