Halloween at the Disneyland Resort

Halloween at the Disneyland Resort

Halloween at Disneyland Resort starts this Friday, September 13^th. This is fun but there is a problem. Disneyland is trying to act like the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Sorry it can’t be done! Let me explain.

They use to have a Trick or Treat for the kids with costumes that was in some areas but did not take the entire park. Sadly Disney seems to think Disneyland (DL) can be closed down early like the MK for a party.

At WDW there are 4 parks so if you close one you have 3 others to go to. If you don’t have a Park Hopper ticket you can find plenty to do at the numerous Resorts.

At DLR there are 2 parks and only 3 hotels. When DL closes early you either have to go over to Disney California Adventure (DCA), wonder Downtown Disney or leave altogether. Yes, you could go to the hotels but there is not much to do there.

Let’s say you make the obvious choice and head over to DCA after DL is closed for the party. If you have a ticket for World of Color (WoC) you can have fun there but if you don’t what can you do? A good portion of Paradise Pier closes before WoC. Screamer, Mickey’s Fun Wheel, Golden Zephyr and the Silly Symphony Swings are closed for World of Color. So what can you do?

The other choices for things to do at DCA when World of Color is going on are the rides in Condor Flats, Hollywood Land, Cars Land and Bugs Land. Honestly that is not much. The only big “E Ticket” rides left open is Radiator Springs Racers, Grizzly Rapids (if it is not too cold to be wet) and Soarin’ Over California. You can go to the Mad T Party if that style of music and flashing lights is your thing. Sadly Mad T is not for me. The lines for the few big rides (especially Radiator Springs Racers) are long because if you are not at WoC or Mad T these is where else to go.

So what could Disney do differently and yet still give something special to the people that don’t mind spending extra? How about closing just one section of DL or DCA for a party? People come and go from that area as they pleased. How about adding a wrist band that allows them to go on the Haunted Mansion in the Fastpass line or a special line just for them because Jack Skellington has decorated it for the holidays. Only those with the wristbands could do the trick or treating.

It is not that I don’t like the Pay to Play Parties in general it is just I see a major problem with them at DLR. Think about the person that has planned their vacation months in advance and did not know that they would have to leave the park early even though they paid for a full day. I know of a person that the only day they can take their sick son is on a day DL is closing early for a Halloween Party. The only way they can give their son a full day is to pay $57 per person extra. Does that seem right? Not to me!