Ok, tell me...Is Halloween a must see?

[MyMonkies]

I wasn't planning on going until Christmas but I made the mistake of looking at the Halloween video. It looks awesome! Is it really? Do I need to take the kids to that too? I just might need to get a job!

 

[Sherry E]

I wasn't planning on going until Christmas but I made the mistake of looking at the Halloween video. It looks awesome! Is it really? Do I need to take the kids to that too? I just might need to get a job!

Honestly, I don't think anything can top the glorious feeling of Christmastime at DLR. That is special on a whole different level - to say it's 'magical' is probably a great understatement. That said, Halloweentime is becoming a bigger deal each year, and I definitely think it is a 'don't miss' at least every other year, if not every year.

First of all, check out this thread - link below - not only did I post my own pictures of things to see during Halloweentime, but I also provided a list of links to many other DISers' Halloweentime photos, so you can see some of the incredible stuff that is there for Halloweentime season (check out those amazing pictures of carved pumpkins!):

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2221677

Finally, here is a description from the D23 website of what we can expect this Halloweentime season:

Halloween Time Returns to Disneyland Resort!
07.18.09 - Returning to life September 25 and continuing through November 1, Halloween Time brings fun for all ages to the Disneyland Resort with new screams at Space Mountain and a new, nightly fireworks show. Halloween Time offers families a chance to interact with some of Disney's most beloved characters, dressed in seasonal costumes at Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure parks. It also gives guests a unique opportunity to experience some spooky fun with Disney's more sinister characters, the Disney villains.

For older kids and adults, Halloween Time offers a new attraction: Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. For the first time, riders will experience not only the thrill of flying through the galaxy, but the exhilaration of ghosts and ghouls screaming through space trying to contact them. Creepy creatures lurk around every turn as the eerie attraction provides thrilling drops like never before.

New this year is a fireworks spooktacular that will haunt the nighttime sky throughout the Halloween season. Jack Skellington, the Master of Scaremonies, invites everyone to join in the celebration, including a cast of Disney villains who get into the sprit with a wicked sense of fun.

Jack Skellington also returns to take over the Haunted Mansion and bring back "Haunted Mansion Holiday" to New Orleans Square in Disneyland. Transformed to a mix of Halloween spookiness and Christmas tradition, "Haunted Mansion Holiday" is inspired by the classic animated film Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas. Jack and his friends provide plenty of havoc and surprises as they celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Haunted Mansion in their unusual style.

For not-so-scary fun, Halloween Time offers special pleasures for children and parents. Main Street, U.S.A. in Disneyland will again transform for the Pumpkin Festival, where more than 300 "non-identical" pumpkins will be on display in shop windows. Meeting favorite Disney characters will be easier than ever as they stop to greet guests at designated areas on Main Street, U.S.A. in Disneyland and Sunshine Plaza in Disney's California Adventure.special meet-and-greet areas will be located throughout Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure.

Also available throughout both parks are special Halloween treats, including enjoyable Halloween menu items such as Zero's Ghostly Ghoulash served in a dog dish in honor of Zero, Jack Skellington's beloved pet dog. Special Halloween Time gifts can be found in Disneyland Resort shops. Gifts include jack-o-lantern mouse ears and collectable pins depicting Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and their friends in Halloween costumes.

Guests will enjoy spine-tingling fun in Disney's California Adventure at the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, where a "supernatural" event happened on Halloween evening, 1939, forever haunting the building.

Also at Disney's California Adventure, Sunshine Plaza becomes "Candy Corn Acres." Mickey's pal Goofy is up to his tricks once again, attempting to wow the world with his unusual candy corn treats. Candy corn carrots, candy corn pumpkins and candy corn signs are just a few of the candy corn items Goofy is preparing.

Back by popular demand is "Mickey's Trick-or-Treat Party," a one-of-a-kind celebration that returns to Disney's California Adventure for 12 nights in October (2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30 and 31). This separate ticket, nighttime event gives children and their families a chance to dress as their favorite princesses, goblins or heroes, and trick-or-treat throughout the park. It's the ideal environment to have fun, eat special holiday treats, play interactive games, listen to "spirited" music and watch a nightly character cavalcade that celebrates the season.

 

[AndyLL]

I wasn't planning on going until Christmas but I made the mistake of looking at the Halloween video. It looks awesome! Is it really? Do I need to take the kids to that too? I just might need to get a job!

We went last last year. If given the choice we would always choose christmas. I think christmas is the best time to be at disneyland.

We did go to mickeys trick or treat party and while ok I doubt if we would do it again.

We are going to be at WDW this fall and will be doing the trick or treat there. It'll be interesting to see the difference.

 

[Leofoenget]

I decided last year to skip Halloween this year, and go at Christmas. No IMO it is NOT a "must see" If money is no object and you have time then yes it's something fun to do but I would not call it a must see.

 

[DisneyIsMagical]

We try to switch off..2007 we went in October and last year we went in Nov (Xmas Decorations were up). This year I have to settle for no decorations, but I love both! It is fun to experience both at least once!

 

[disneylovingfamily:4]

This is our first year going in October instead of Dec. but I am already having withdrawls from Christmas time @ Disneyland...

 

[MyMonkies]

Thanks all for your input! I think this year maybe we'll just shoot for Christmas. Perhaps we'll try Halloween another time. I'm not sure it would be smart for us to make 2 trips & try to buy presents!!!

 

[Lynzer Torte]

Can someone tell me if all the planned events (with the exception of TOT) start on 9/25?
Our trip is 9/24-9/28.

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

Can some please let me know if the fireworks are at DL rather than DCA? Also we're going to the ToT party on 30th October and to DL on 1st November (visiting friends on 31st so not going to be in DLR that day) - when it says the fireworks are on until 1st November does that mean the'll be on on the 1st when we're there?

Thanks for your help!

 

[PinkBudgie]

The fireworks are at DL, not DCA. Not sure how long they last for, but I have found in the past when they say "through" a certain date, it includes that date.

Now that they are doing an overlay for Space for Halloween, that might draw us back next year at that time. We'll see what people think of it this year. We finally got to see the Christmas stuff up this past season. It was very very crowded. Way more crowded than summer, this summer included. Our goal was just to see the overlays which we got to do. Probably won't do that again so it would be fun to see the fall stuff.

 

[Vala]

I love Halloween Time.

But part of the reason why I love it so much is that the holiday is still not really celebrated in Germany. For about 3 years a couple of kids have tried Trick or Treating in the larger cities, but that's about it.

Two years ago I had the chance to go for a day when Christmas season started. The first day of the Christmas parade. It was a spontaneous decision to do this at the end of the trip, and I had no real idea what to expect.

While I love Halloween this day was what I would call "a magical day."

My friends were much more amused watching me watching the parade than actually following the parade themselves. When the princess float came in sight and the princesses actually were dancing with the princes - I had been so disappointed that no princes were to be seen in the Parade of Dreams, in 2006 they had been there - I squealed in German all across Main Street: "The Princes!" One of my friends who was standing behind me started laughing so hard that she almost dumped her coffee all over me.

Then before the evening parade the "snow on main street" thing happened. Like I said, the trip was unplanned and I hadn't read anything up. So the narration starts, and then it started snowing. I was standing there wide eyed and ended up dancing around with a couple of kids trying to catch the snowflakes. My friends got a very amusing video that night.

 

[MyMonkies]

Oh Vala, what a wonderful story! I am getting so excited thinking about this trip!!!