26 Oct Tricks and Treats: Navigating Disney California Adventure’s Oogie Boogie Bash for Families
There’s a certain magic in the air when June rolls around because that is when Disney announces the Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure! I know this seems early to be thinking about your Halloween plans, but the tickets sell out fast and this is not an event to miss! As a parent, you might be wondering how to make the most of this spooky celebration while ensuring a fun and safe experience for your kids. Well, fear not! In this blog, we’ll share some invaluable tips and tricks to help you navigate the Oogie Boogie Bash with your small children.
Get Your Tickets in Advance: As I said before, the first step to ensure a memorable night is securing your tickets ahead of time. Oogie Boogie Bash nights can get quite busy, and you don’t want to risk missing out on this enchanting experience. Tickets are announced around June and then go on sale around July so make sure to mark it on your calendars so you don’t miss out! Also keep in mind that these special event tickets are separate from regular park admission.
Dress for the Occasion: One of the highlights of the Oogie Boogie Bash is the opportunity to dress up in your favorite Disney Halloween costumes. During this event even adults are allowed to dress up (which is not usually allowed on Disney properties). So, all the Disney enthusiasts come dressed to the nines in amazing costumes. People get so creative too. We saw the tightrope walker from the haunted mansion, characters from Monsters Inc. and Up. That is one of the highlights of the event is to see the costumes people come up with. When choosing your costume, just make sure the costumes are comfortable for walking and standing in line. It can also be either very hot or rainy in California during October so make sure to plan accordingly with your costume! Our whole family went as Alice in wonderland characters, you can read more about that experience on our other blog here.
Plan Your Schedule: To maximize your time at the party, it’s important to plan your schedule in advance. There is so much to do and see and because of the crowds some lines can get particularly long. So, decide ahead of time what is important to you to see. Is it mostly the candy lines and photo ops? Is it to see specific villains or characters? Or maybe you have to see the awesome Halloween parade. Study the event map and entertainment schedule so you can catch your must see spots.
The special event tickets allow you to enter the park a few hours earlier than the actual party time, make sure you take advantage of that because the lines will be long when the party starts. If you already have an annual pass or ticket, then go even earlier. A little trick to skipping the long entrance line for those already in the park…go to one of the check-in booths inside the park to get your wristband and avoid the front of the park for the first part of the party completely. We went to the check-in booth at the at the Blue Sky Cellar (near Wine Country Trattoria).
Things to bring: On the top of that list is a stroller, your own candy bag, and weather gear.
Walking around Disney California Adventure can be tiring, especially for little legs and especially at night! Consider bringing a stroller to give your children a comfortable place to rest when they get tired. Even if you think your kids have out grown a stroller, I would still bring one! My 9 year old still jumps in the double stroller with her little brother from time to time! You can also use them for carrying all your Halloween treats and goodies, you will get a TON of candy through the trick or treat lines.
Fun things to see: People love the Oogie Boogie Bash for different reasons. Some love to come see all the villains and characters you don’t normally get to see around Disneyland. There are so many spooky characters to see with a Villains Grove in the Redwood Creek Trail, the mickey version of the Sanderson sisters, Ernesto de la Cruz, Cruella de Vil, Oogie Boogie himself or even the witch from Sword in the Stone. Make sure you get to see your favorites. I would say most families come for the holiday food options and treat trails to let their littles trick or treat! While the lines for the treat trails can be long, they are immersive with decorations, characters and photo opportunities along the way. Others are just their for the ambience and are all about the frightfully fun decor, costumes and experiencing the haunting parade.
Other quick tips:
- Take Advantage of the Child Swap Feature: If you have small children who can’t or don’t want to ride some of the rides, use Disney’s Child Swap feature. One parent can enjoy the ride while the other waits with the child, and then you can swap places without waiting in line again.
- Prepare for the Spooky Atmosphere: The Oogie Boogie Bash is designed to be spooky but not too scary for kids. However, it’s a good idea to prepare your children for the event’s eerie ambiance and occasional frightening effects. Explain that it’s all make-believe and part of the fun.
- Capture the Memories: Don’t forget to take lots of photos during the Oogie Boogie Bash. The spooky decorations and costumes make for fantastic photo opportunities. The wristbands come with a QR code to capture all your memories, but don’t make the same mistake we did and forget to link the wristband with the disney app so you don’t accidentally throw away all your photos! UGH all those photo ops gone!
The not so amazing things: While the Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure is a wonderful event, it’s important to be aware of potential challenges and pitfalls. Here are some bad experiences and things to avoid, to help you have a smoother, more enjoyable visit:
- Overwhelming Crowds: One of the downsides of attending special events like the Oogie Boogie Bash is that they can get incredibly crowded. This last year felt a little oversold to be honest! The lines for popular attractions and treat trails can be long, which might not be the best experience for small children. To avoid this, consider visiting on less crowded nights mid-week if possible, and arrive early to make the most of your time.
- Late Hours: The Oogie Boogie Bash usually runs until late in the evening. For families with small children, this can lead to overtired and cranky kids. Make sure your children have napped during the day, and be prepared to leave early if they become too tired to enjoy the event. We plan an outfit change mid party into halloween PJs for the kids, this way they can be comfortable and if they fall asleep it makes an easy transfer into the car at the end of the night.
- Long Waits for Food: Food lines can be surprisingly long during special events. To avoid spending a significant portion of your evening waiting for snacks or meals, consider dining before or after the event. Bringing your own snacks can also help curb the hunger.
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