Guest Blog: Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party

Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party
I’ve Got Punky Power!
by Lisa K. Berton

I love Halloween almost as much as I love Disneyland Resort. When the two merge it makes me jump up and down with glee. The icing on the devil’s food cake is Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party at Disney’s California Adventure. For a period of four hours on select nights, the park transforms into a whirlwind of candy, characters, candy, Halloween-themed music, candy, spooky projections, and more candy.

Friday, October 16th was the night I ran around the park. The festivities were scheduled for 7:30pm-11:30pm and by 7 o’clock a massive crowd was waiting outside the gates ready to embark on a sugar high. Prior to renting a locker and turning myself into fashion icon Punky Brewster, I grabbed a pumpkin muffin and a bottle of water from Blue Ribbon Bakery. It’s not the most nutritious dinner but it gave me enough energy to make it through most of the night.

I had purchased my ticket online and printed it out at home before flying to California. When I got to the turnstile, the Cast Member scanned my paper ticket and kept it. Special park maps listing what dining options were available as well as running attractions, character locations, candy spots, and “Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat on the Street” Cavalcade times and route were readily available. Inside the park, Cast Members handed out plastic treat bags. They’re big enough to hold all of the candy collected from every treat station. One side of the bag advertises the movie “Up” coming out on DVD and Blu-Ray while the other is “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

Most folks head towards Hollywood Pictures Backlot first because it’s the closest land to the entrance. I went to Pirate Wharf which took over Pacific Wharf. Here you’ll find pirate treasure and skeletal remains of those who tried to carry it off. There’s a DJ spinning pop songs and pirate Cast Members dancing. Coloring is available at craft tables and characters like Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook, and Jack Sparrow pose for photos. Three counter service eateries are open at Pirate Wharf: Pacific Wharf Cafe offers soups and salads, Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill serves tacos and burritos, and Lucky Fortune Cookery has rice bowls.

Guest Blog: Mickey's Trick-or-Treat Party

Backtracking towards a bug’s land I came across two scarecrows hanging around. One was loafing about and snoozing until I approached him. Awake, both he and the other scarecrow made conversation with guests. The funniest thing I heard all night was a little girl who pointed behind a scarecrow and yelled “CROW!” She had him going for a minute there.

Guest Blog: Mickey's Trick-or-Treat Party

The first of two Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat on the Street cavalcades started out between Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! and Candy Corn Acres at 8:30pm. I asked three Disney managers who were talking together for a prime location to take photos. They directed me to the area between a post and the waterfall. I would say for a great spot, stand so the entrance to a bug’s land is across the street from you and a bit to the left. That’s where the float with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, and Donald stops.

Guest Blog: Mickey's Trick-or-Treat Party

In front of them will be Jessie and Woody dancing in the street, and bustin’ a move behind the float are Gepetto, Alice, and Mad Hatter. Kids who dance and wiggle about in the street are given special event pins. Other characters in the cavalcade include White Rabbit, little green men, and Pinocchio. Dancing witches and warlocks take to the streets, walking alongside floats while giant Mickey pumpkins filled with huge candy corn roll along. Having the Cavalcade twice during the night means the crowds are very manageable. I found it very easy to switch spots with moms and dads who were also taking photos. The 8:30 pm performance brought out lots of little kids, 10 and younger, while the older kids and child-free adults attended the 10:30 pm showing.

Guest Blog: Mickey's Trick-or-Treat Party

My next stop was Paradise Pier. At the top of the pier I found the humanized Ariel and Belle each with their own backdrop. The line to see them was very long so I took photos from outside the roped off area and continued walking down the ramp. Across from the entrance to California Screamin’ were little green men and Jessie. Three out of four Boardwalk Games were open and free to play. Every player walked away with two pieces of candy while the winner received a handful. The newly themed games are very cute. The former Sun Wheel ferris wheel has been redecorated with Mickey’s face in the center and his buddies painted on the swinging and stationary cars. I went for a ride in a non-moving car and was joined by two dads and their little girls.

If you continue through the area as I did, heading towards Mulholland Madness, you’ll come across three treat stations in a row. Go get your candy. I only stopped at one of them. Now, there was a Mickey’s Hide and Go Treat Trail in Golden State over by Grizzly River Run but I never made it over there so I can’t tell you what I missed. Rumor had it there was a Ghirardelli stand next to Soarin’ Over California. Ghirardelli dark chocolate and milk chocolate with caramel squares were also being handed out on the other side of Golden State across from the wharf. That I’m sure of because I went there twice.

Candy Corn Acres was hosting a dance party complete with Goofy and Donald Duck dressed as farmers. Lots of colored lights and strobes filled the area as kids shook their tail feathers. I never knew Donald was such a fan of rock ‘n roll until that night. He even played air guitar. Cast Members were dressed in pink and orange bubble dresses. The outfits made me think of Willy Wonka and other tripped out images that frighten me.

Guest Blog: Mickey's Trick-or-Treat Party

Baker’s Field Bakery in Sunshine Plaza was open and selling their yummy baked goods. Both Greetings from California and Engine Ears Toys were open and selling their regular merchandise with Greetings also carrying event merchandise like sweatshirts, T-shirts, and cloth tote bags that could double as trick-or-trick bags.

My last area to conquer was Hollywood Pictures Backlot, the place where most folks began their partying. What a great place to load up on characters and candy. In front of Disney Animation stood a scaled down version of The Seven Dwarfs’ house and out front you could find the Evil Queen or Snow White and Dopey. Over by the Hyperion Theater in the queue area, Mickey and Minnie hung out in front of a haunted house backdrop. In front of the Hyperion Theater were Handy Manny, JoJo & Goliath (JoJo’s Circus), and Annie & June (Little Einsteins). Meanwhile at Hollywood “Bat-lot” Bash, the music was pumping and The Incredibles and Frozone were dancing the night away. Inside the Animation Building was the other Mickey’s Hide and Go Treat Trail. Going through the various rooms with all the lights on was cool because you could actually see everything and just how detailed the rooms are. Dining options in Hollywood Pictures Backlot were Award Wieners and Fairfax Fruit Market.

There are 13 treat stations in addition to the trails. I only got to about half of them so there may be a few types of candy that I never got but here’s the complete list of everything I collected: Twix, M&sMs, Skittles, Now & Laters, Sixlets, Tootsie Rolls, Tootsie Pops, Lemonheads, Jaw Busters, Ghirardelli squares, Craisins, carrots, apple slices, Nerds, Laffy Taffy, A&W root beer hard candy, Sassy Taffy, and Sassy Sours.

Costumes are welcome and encouraged for everyone. Most kids dress up and less than half of the adults don an outfit. I saw pirates, Davy Jones (not the Monkee), super heroes, Disney characters, Shrek, witches, and video game characters particularly from Mario. The coolest of all costumes was a group of adults that dressed up as the portraits in the Stretching Room in Haunted Mansion.

It’s a fun night and if you’ve been thinking about going, go! Put on a costume, get in the Halloween mood and have a good time. If you want to trade your Twix mini-bars for my Sassy Sours let me know.

Guest Blog: Mickey's Trick-or-Treat Party

You can see more of Lisa Berton’s photos of the Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party in our 2009 photo galleries:

General Party Photos
Parade and Character Photos

General information on the party, including ticket info and a schedule of events, is available HERE.

Read more of Lisa’s blogs:

Light Meter by Lisa K. Berton

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Laura Gilbreath is a native of San Diego, CA. She has been making the trek up Interstate 5 to Disneyland since she was a small child and terrified of talking tikis and hitchhiking ghosts. She and her husband Lee enjoy trips to Disneyland and Walt Disney World, as well as sailings on the Disney Cruise Line.

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