Rae As the sun set on September 5th, 2023, the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, once again opened its doors for the first night of the much-anticipated Oogie Boogie Bash. This annual Halloween party is a fan-favorite event that brings together Disney enthusiasts and Halloween lovers from all over.
The night was filled with eerie excitement as the park was adorned with the usual Halloween themed decorations. One of the things I enjoy about the event is seeing some of the most creative costumes worn by attendees. You can find everything from a simple themed t-shirt to an all out theme park style costume.
One of the highlights of the night was the “Frightfully Fun Parade.” The parade featured a cavalcade of Disney villains, including the Evil Queen, Ursula, and Dr. Facilier, who danced and interacted with the crowd a top his float. The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow led the parade, setting the tone for the spooky spectacle.
The immersive treat trails were another major attraction. Guests had the opportunity to trick-or-treat in the park, collecting candies and other goodies along the trails. The most popular trail of the night was Villains Grove which featured Disney villains who interacted with guests, adding an extra layer of fun and excitement. If you plan on attending one of the special event nights, remember to bring a big bag or a couple extra smaller ones because the treat bag they provide will not be enough for the entire night. If all else fails, you can buy a reusable bag from one of the merchandise stores.
This years version of Oogie Boogie Bash 2023 also introduced some new characters to the line up including Jude Doom and Yokai. Judge Doom was fun to see as he demonstrated the famous “dip” from the movie “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.” This characters set was on point and one of the most immersive of the night. Surprisingly, Yokai wasn’t as popular as I thought. At the time we visited, there was almost no line and it seemed like most people didn’t get who he was.
One of the down falls about Oogie Boogie Bash is that they don’t offer a big selection of specialty foods like they do for other After Dark events. It seems like the Disney folks know that people come for the treats. Although there wasn’t a big selection to choose from, there were a few items to pick from.
We chose the Combustible Component Pizza from Pym Test Kitchen. It had red pepper pesto, mozerella, portobello and button mushrooms, Hotlink sausage, Italian sausage, pepperoni and an arugula salad on the side. The pizza slice was huge and very flavorful.
So, if you’re ready for a ghoulishly good time, grab your costumes and join the party at the Oogie Boogie Bash. After all, as Oogie Boogie himself would say, “Life’s no fun without a good scare!”
