Oogie Boogie Bash- A Disney Halloween Party is Disneyland Resort California’s annual Halloween party. Based in the Disney California Adventure Park, this is an extra ticket-only special event that occurs on select nights throughout the spooky season. Oogie Boogie Bash party nights at Disney California Adventure are limited capacity and this family-friendly event includes after-hours park access to treat trails, photo opportunities, entertainment, attractions, spooky fun decor, and more! Disneyland has confirmed that Oogie Boogie and his other Disney friends will be back in the fall of 2023, dressed in their holiday best for more spooktacular events! Here is the Ultimate Guide to Oogie Boogie Bash- A Disney Halloween Party 2023.
When is Oogie Boogie Bash?
Oogie Boogie Bash is Disneyland California’s Halloween Party so the event happens in the fall. More specifically, Oogie Boogie Bash is held at Disney California Adventure Park on select nights during September and October. In 2022 there were 23 Oogie Boogie Bash Party nights at DCA. The exact party dates for 2023 have not been announced yet but the party dates will likely be within the spooky season. Typically, information regarding the dates for Oogie Boogie Bash is released by Disneyland in mid-June. Tickets won’t be available then but you will be able to start planning your trip to Disneyland and the Oogie Boogie Bash once you know which nights the Party is on.
How do I get Oogie Boogie Tickets?
Once bash dates are released, Disneyland will release the on-sale dates for their Halloween Party 2023. Last year, Tickets were available to purchase for Annual Pass Holders on June 28th with general Public Admission on sale 2 days later (on June 30th). As previously mentioned, Oogie Boogie Bash is extremely popular, with its popularity growing each year. Last year’s tickets sold out REALLY fast so it’s important you know when the tickets are on sale for you to be in a chance to get them!
Oogie Boogie Bash tickets are ONLY available from the Disneyland Official Site where date information along with other event info can be found nearer the time. We follow DisneylandNews.com website and on social media for early access to information when the dates are available.
Once you know which nights the Oogie Boogie Bash is on, plan your trip and pick the party night of your choice. Then, when the ticket sale date is released make sure you set your alarm to purchase tickets the moment they go on sale! And be aware of time zone differences: in 2022 tickets went on sale at 9 AM Pacific Time, but depending on where you are in the world, this could be a different time of day for you!
TOP TIP: make sure you are logged into your Disney Account before the ticket release time so that you are ready to purchase the tickets as quickly as possible before they sell out.
Oogie Boogie Bash History
Honestly, it’s hard to believe that the Oogie Boogie Bash has not been around for decades. The star Character, Oogie Boogie (From a Nightmare Before Christmas) is now 30 years old (it hurts to say that out loud), and Halloween parties are such huge business now it’s easy to assume this party has just always been. That’s not the case though and Oogie Boogie is only hosting his 4th bash in 2023 (after being not allowed one in 2020) after only starting in 2019!
Before this, Mickey hosted the Halloween party (2005-2018) and it never really caught on like the much-loved Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party over in Dinsey World Florida. So Disney Brought in the Arch Villian, Oogie Boogie, to really ramp things up and he really has done so!
Can I dress up for the Oogie Boogie Bash- A Disney Halloween party?
One of the highlights of the Oogie Boogie Bash is that this is one of the only times that Adults can dress up at Disney! As the Disney Halloween Party is a special event, anyone over the age of 14 is allowed in the park in costume. We saw lots of amazing costumes both Halloween-themed and full Disney character cosplay. Disney state that costumes must be family-friendly, not offensive, or include weapons or props that might resemble real weapons (although Lightsabers are permitted of course!) Adults are also not allowed to wear full face masks, other than that, you are encouraged to let your creativity flow and really embrace the spooky season!
You are also not allowed to pose as a Disney Character. Meaning if you come as Mikey, Minie, a Princess, or any other Disney Character, that is fine, but no posing for photos with guests or signing autographs. If you have spent time at a Dinsey park and seen how the Disney Characters interact with guests it’s pretty obvious what is ok and what is impersonating a character.
Finally, you do not HAVE to dress up. Lots of people just come in standard Disney outfits, or just shorts and a t-shirt. No one cares just come and have fun! But at the least try and wear something a bit themed, even if it’s just a Mickey Pumpkin Tee!
What time does the Oogie Boogie Bash start?
The official start time for Oogie Boogie Bash is 6 pm. This is when the special event starts and any guests in the park without an Oogie Boogie Bash ticket/ wristband are asked to leave. However, the line for Oogie Boogie Bash admission opens at 3 pm, so you can arrive anytime between 3 pm and 6 pm to ensure you are at the Park for the official opening time.
Now, prior to our visit in 2022, we researched a lot of Disney Blogs on Tips to do Oogie Boogie ‘Right’. One of the recurring Top Tips was to get to Disney California Adventure as soon as the admission opens at 3 pm to enjoy the rest of the Park before the event attractions open after 6 pm. As we had a Park Hopper ticket, we entered Disney California Adventure around 2:30 pm using our Park Hopper ticket to avoid the event queues from 3 pm. Once inside the park, a Cast Member was happy to give us our wristbands, maps, and goodie bags before 3 pm and we were good to go!
At this point, 2 things became apparent. The first was that it was unseasonably warm (although this may often not be the case). We were dressed in black Halloween-themed clothes and we were melting! The second issue was the wait times for all the rides. As non-event Guests are not asked to leave until 6 pm and event Guests are allowed to enter from 3 pm, this only resulted in one outcome: Crowds! The Park was really busy and wait times were really high. As we had a Park Hopper ticket, in hindsight, we would have probably been better off spending a few hours in Disneyland Park before the Oogie Boogie Bash started at 6 pm.
Now, this is not to say that the advice from the Disney bloggers was necessarily bad advice. If you are visiting Disney California Adventure on an Oogie Boogie Bash ticket alone, then arriving at 3 pm is an absolute must so that you can get the most Disney out of your visit. You can do all the rides and attractions that are not Oogie Boogie Bash related before the event starts and then enjoy the event after 6 pm. However, if like us, you have a Park Hopper ticket or Park admission the previous day, it is most likely that you have ticked off the usual DCA attractions before the event.
Ultimately, our advice would be only to arrive at 3 pm if you only have an Oogie Boogie Bash ticket. And if you have a park-hopper spend the time (3-6 pm) in Disneyland Park as once the Party starts, the queues are much lower for most of the open attractions in DCA.
Oogie Boogie Party Entertainment:
Treat Trails
Trick or treating is a staple activity at Halloween so Trick or Treating at Disney is a major part of the Oogie Boogie Bash. When you arrive at the Disney Halloween Party, a Cast Member hands you a small plastic bag for your loot. Warning: this bag is waaay too small for the number of treat trails and candy on offer! Make sure you bring an extra bag along to fit all the treats you can!
In 2022 there were 11 Treat Trails at the Oogie Boogie bash. That is a lot of treats, as you will receive 6-7+ handfuls of mini-treats at each trail! There are also healthy snacks available at the cauldrons and if you have any allergies, you can let a Cast Member know. The trails are all villain themed with immersive music and most feature a Disney villain. Treat Trail themes for 2023 have not yet been announced but here are the Treat Trails featured at Oogie Boogie Bash in 2022:
- Madame Mim
- Mother Gothel
- Ernesto de la Cruz
- Oogie Boogie
- Maleficent
- Dr. Facilie
- Agatha Harkness (New addition for 2022)
- Sid
- Cruella
- Cars Land (no character)
- Buena Vista Street (no character)
The queues for the Treat Trails can get pretty big but don’t despair, there is plenty of candy for everyone! If you are finding it hard to hit all the trails and do everything else you want to do during the Bash, then we would advise prioritizing the Treat Trails by the villains we wanted to see most. Ernesto and Agatha were the most popular so plan accordingly!
Treat Trail Guide
Villians Grove
Come Party time, the Redcreek Challenge Trail is transformed as if by magic into Villians Grove. There are no actual characters in Villians Grove, instead, you walk through several spooky, villain-themed areas such as Scars Elephant Graveyard, Maleficent’s Will, and Queen of Hearts Garden. Villians Grove is best walked at night, as this enhances the magical special effects, spooky surroundings, shadows, and lighting. No candy is available at Villians Grove but it is a must-do at Oogie Boogie Bash.
Meet and Greets
All your favorite Disney characters and villains will be out to celebrate the Disney Halloween Party. Meet and greets are back, with characters in special Halloween outfits and villains ready to take their photos with you. The exact Characters and Villians available at Oogie Boogie Bash can change but the following were present in 2022 including some new additions:
- Bruno (New for 2022)
- Minnie, Daisy, and Clarabelle Cow as the Sanderson Sisters (new for 2022)
- Captain Hook and Smee
- King John and Robin Hood
- Cinderella and Evil Step-Family
- Mickey and Minnie
- The Avengers
- The Incredibles
- Residents of Radiator Springs
Just like the Treat Trails, lines for the Meet and Greets can be very long, especially for the most popular characters. The longest queues last year were for Bruno, Agatha, and the Sanderson Sisters which were all new additions for 2022. Again, it’s important to plan ahead with your priorities but also keep an eye out on wait times as you may get lucky with a shorter line.
Top Tip: Treat Trails and Meet and Greets have shorter lines while the Parades are on. Again, think strategically and pick the best parade time for you while hitting the shorter lines during the other parade show.
The Frightfully Fun Parade
Oogie Boogie Bash guests were overjoyed that the Frightfully Fun Parade was back for 2022! Led by the Headless Horseman from Sleepy Hollow, Mickey and Minnie follow with a cavalcade of Disney Villians including Ursula, The Queen of Hearts, Maleficent, Jack Skeleton, and the Cheshire Cat.
The Parade times are 7:45 pm and 10 pm. Both travel in the same direction from Silly Symphony Swings ending towards Guardians of the Galaxy and last for around 20 minutes. To get a good viewing spot, we advise you to get into place 45 minutes before the parade starts. This sounds like a long time but the headless Horseman actually arrives 15 minutes before the parade starts so you are really only waiting for 30 minutes before the entertainment begins.
Waiting for Parade times can be considered as a large waste of time at the parks so you need to consider if the parade is a priority for you and if so, which viewing time suits your plans best. Remember if you do skip the parade the queue times on most rides and attractions will be lower as people flock to the parade route.
However, it is a pretty epic spectacle so you really should try and see the parade at least once!
Mickey’s Trick and Treat Show
This show is really for younger audiences with PG-rated spooky (but not scary) fun. Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald entertain the little ones with dancing, music, spooky tales, and of course lots of candy! Show times are 6:15 p.m., 6:55 p.m., 7:35 p.m., 9 p.m., and 9:50 p.m. The show is less than 20 minutes long but it’s a perfect way for younger Disney fans to get their Halloween fix.
Special Rides
In addition to the spooky meet and greets, Treat Trails, and special Parade, there are also special themed rides at Disney California Adventure for Oogie Boogie bash: a Disney Halloween Party.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Monsters After Dark.
For the Halloween season, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout gets a scary update with a seasonal overlay.
If you recall or are not aware, the story for the regular ride involves Rocket shutting down the containment systems on the Collectors …erm, collection. During the timeline of the original ride, this is fine as you and the Guardians escape off into space. However, the After Dark overlay tells the story of what happens after. With the containment systems down, the collection, which largely consists of giant alien monsters, tears the facility apart.
It really is pretty clever and the ride takes on a more sinister tone. Like the original once on the ride, the various cut screens are random and every ride is unique and different (well up to a point). We have to be honest our scenes were a little drab, and on the whole, we have had better rides during the regular overlay, but it is still a lot of fun and your cut scenes will likely be different and could be fantastic. What doesn’t change one bit is the Ride mechanics, which are frankly amazing!
Rides at Disney are no strangers to seasonal overlays but what is really clever about this one is that Mission breakout changes daily in the afternoon, ready for the Oogie Boogie Bash (after dark; get it?) Until 2 pm, the Guardians Ride is the traditional Mission Breakout and after 2 pm, the ride becomes Monster After Dark.
This is a win for all those Disney California Adventure Guests WITHOUT an Oogie Boogie ticket. As long as they get on the ride before 6 pm, they can experience the seasonal overlay before the Oogie Boogie bash starts. As a result, wait times for the ride between 3 pm- 6 pm are very long due to the limited time frame and the popularity of the ride. Even after 6 pm with limited park capacity, expect to wait to get on this ride as it is one of the bash highlights, but it’s a pretty short queue compared to the regular wait times for Guardians.
Radiator Springs
During Haloween Time the whole of Radiator Springs gets a spooky overlay with mesmerizing Halloween decor and lights. Expect your favorite Cars characters to also be dressed up in Halloween costumes for special meet and greets. The little kid-friendly rides Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree and Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters also have their own Halloween overlays and become Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree and Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween. The rides are mainly for little guests but adding in all the spooky decor, Radiator Springs is truly transformed into an immersive Halloween experience.
Make sure you take time during your Oogie Boogie Bash Party to visit Radiator Springs in the dark or even better, time your visit for sundown to experience Radiator Springs really light up!
You can also Ride the Radiator Springs Racers in the Dark, which is something you can do on a regular visit, but the hills and surrounding scenery are just a bit more illuminated and spooky.
Haunted Mansion – Holiday Overlay
NOT PART OF THE OOGIE BOGIE BASH
Ok we know this is not part of the bash and people with bash tickets only will not be able to ride this, but it’s worth a mention, as it’s all part of Halloween. Over in Disneyland Park, one of Walt’s classic rides, Haunted Mansion gets a super spooky Holiday overlay. Courtesy of Jack Skellington, and the Nightmare Before Christmas.
We love this overlay and actually think the ride is all the better for it. The original is a little dated and while it’s still a real favorite and cult classic, the Nightmare Before Christmas just adds a little oomph.
Also as this Overlay is only part Halloween and Part Christmas, Disney leaves it on right through the Holiday season!
Oogie Boogie Food and Treats
Disneyland is known for its food. The Disney Parks have so many yummy snacks and treats that you can almost spend a whole visit just trying out the delicious Mickey-shaped food! And that’s not even counting the seasonal treats that Disney creates just for special events and seasons. Of course, the chefs at Disney treat us with unbelievable Halloween-themed food just for the spooky season. Every Mickey, Minnie, Oogie Boogie, Jack Skeleton cookie, cake, and dessert is Halloween themed. Remember, Disney Calories do not count! Which, given the number of steps done during the day at the Parks, is technically true! There are simply way too many Disney Halloween Snacks available to mention so check out our Disney Halloween Treats article HERE.
If that’s not enough snacks to tempt you, our Top 10 Snacks and Treats at Disneyland California – Best Disneyland Snacks article lists the best treats at Disneyland California which are also available during the Halloween season and during the Oogie Boogie Bash.
Is going to Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party worth it?
With a ticket price of $129- $179, the price for Oogie Boogie Bash- A Disney Halloween Party is not cheap. But is it worth it? Worth and Value are always subjective but for us, we would say YES. There are a few reasons why:
As massive Disney fans, we often find it easy to put worth and value on a steep price when visiting the Parks. $6.99 for a cookie I hear you say? Yes, but it’s Mickey-shaped! Joking aside, the fact is that Disney continues to offer experiences and attractions that you simply can’t get elsewhere. Oogie Boogie Bash is another example of this, after all, how often do you get to dress up and go Trick or Treating within a Disney Park? You are paying for an experience and one that is exclusive to a limited amount of people.
Being from the U.K., Halloween is not that big, the Brits tend to see it as an American Holiday. However, personally loving most things from across the pond, our fascination with Halloween added with Disney magic was too hard for us to resist. Likewise, anyone who loves Halloween and Disney will not want to miss out on the opportunity to go to a Halloween Party at one of the Parks.
The Oogie Boogie Bash Ticket Price is around the same price as a 1 day only 1 park admission so Oogie Boogie Bash is also a good way for people to get their Disney fix and also enjoy the spooky magic of the season with limited guest numbers at night. We are also semi-serious when we say the amount of free candy practically outweighs the cost of the ticket!
While we probably would not attend the Oogie Boogie Bash every year, it was the highlight of our last Disney trip, and would consider it a must-do for any Disney and Halloween-loving fan!
Have Your Say
Have you been to Oogie Boogie Bash: A Disney Halloween Party? What did you think of the event? Do you agree that it is worth the ticket price or found it lacking something? Please let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. If you have any questions about Oogie Boogie Bash 2023 please write them below in the comments section and we will get back to you.