Enter Disney Side contest this week for chance to win private Haunted Mansion party & stay in Cinderella Castle

We’re heading into that final stretch before Halloween — time to do final checks on the kids’ costumes, carve the pumpkins and add last-minute touches to the decor before the big night on Friday. If you were inspired by Disney Parks, you might want to take a photo of your work and enter the Haunt Your Disney Side Contest for a chance to win a private “Midnight at the Haunted Mansion” party and an overnight stay in Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World.

Disney describes the grand prize his way: “All of our happy haunts are just dying to meet the winner! One family of foolish mortals will attend a private party, hosted by 999 happy haunts inside Haunted Mansion. After Midnight strikes, and all the supernatural surprises have been sprung, you’ll retire for one comfortably creepy stay in Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park, at Walt Disney World Resort.”

The grand prize winner also receives an additional three-night stay at Walt Disney World with 5-Day Magic Your Way Tickets with Park Hopper option as well as travel arrangements, as needed. The vacation will take place between Jan. 19 and Feb. 21, 2015.

In addition, judges will choose a winner in each of the four categories to win a gift basket filled with the latest Haunted Mansion merchandise and collectibles.

The contest kicked off earlier this month and runs through Nov. 4. Participants can enter photos in one of four Halloween categories: home décor, food and beverage, pumpkin carving and costumes.

To enter, post your photo on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #DisneySideContest. If you tweet a photo submission, follow @DisneyParks on Twitter so judges can contact you if you win. If you don’t have a Twitter or Instagram account, you can upload your photo at DisneySideContest.com, which also is where the official rules are posted.

Rules to note:

** You must be a legal resident of the United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding the Province of Quebec).

** You must be 18 years old, or the age of majority, in your area of residence as of the date of entry.

** You may not submit the same photo on all three platforms. However, a participant may have multiple entries provided they all are unique.

** Each entry must be a new post dated Oct. 6 or later. Participants cannot just add the hashtag to an older photo. Also, be aware that if Instagram or Twitter accounts are private, Disney judges may not be able to see such entries.

Follow @Kristin_B_Ford