So, it looks like we may still be in DL for the first day of Halloween time. Besides HMH and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, is there anything else that would specifically start then? It sounds like if there's no carnival, it's just going to be decorations and those two rides!
Whatever is happening for Halloween Time would start on 9/11, except for MHP.
Unless there is some sort of surprise in store -- something that Disney has yet to announce about the Halloween Time season -- then what would be left with are Haunted Mansion Holiday and some "Nightmare Before Christmas"-esque accents and touches in certain places in New Orleans Square (not a lot of them), Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, the Ray Bradbury Halloween Tree in Frontierland, the Dia de los Muertos display in Frontierland, and some decorations on Main Street (assuming that the "Pumpkin Festival," which is 300+ foam pumpkins on display on Main Street, is still there this year). Hopefully the giant Mickey pumpkin will be in Town Square, and the Disney character pumpkins will be stationed above the turnstiles.
The Disney Parks Blog indicated that there would be new "sparkling" Halloween décor (to tie in Halloween Time with the Diamond Anniversary), but I don't know where that will be. I guess it would be on Main Street.
I think that there will be Disney characters in Halloween attire (like Donald dressed as a pumpkin and Goofy as a skeleton or something else) -- but I don't know if they will be back at a non-Carnival version of the Big Thunder Ranch, or if they will be in Town Square. Same thing with the Villains -- I think that there will be some sort of Villain photo spot/meet & greet set up somewhere, but whether it's back at the non-Carnival Ranch, or in Town Square, is anyone's guess.
Or, there could be an all new kind of Carnival, with new booths and highlights, though that would be inconsistent with the decorators being told that they weren't having anything there this year. It just doesn't sound like the actual Conjure a Villain tent would be happening, nor would Pirates League, nor would the pumpkin carving -- but maybe they have a new Carnival in mind?
