Planning a fall trip to Disneyland? Halloween season is such a fun time to go, and my family especially loves the Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure Park.
The Oogie Boogie Bash is a reservation-only, ticketed event that is different from your regular Disneyland ticket. It is held on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 6-11 PM in September and October. It usually sells out weeks or months in advance.
My family has done Oogie Boogie Bash twice, and we love it. My kids were ages 12 and 15 when we last did it in 2019.
Is Oogie Boogie Bash worth it?
If you LOVE Disney and you LOVE Halloween, then YES, Oogie Boogie Bash is worth it.
You'll get parades, shows, photo ops, trick-or-treat trails, and more that you can't get any other time. Guests of all ages can wear costumes. Ride lines may be shorter because ticket sales are limited and treat trails will divert some guests. There is a festive Halloween party atmosphere.
Oogie Boogie Bash won't be everyone's thing. Tickets for the Oogie Boogie Bash cost around the same price as a regular one-day Disneyland ticket. The park is still crowded and lines are still long for popular rides. You can enjoy Halloween decorations and ride overlays during regular park hours with a regular ticket.
Oogie Boogie Bash is really about the exclusive treat trails, photo ops, costumes, and shows in a Halloween party atmosphere at Disneyland. If that sounds fun to you, then Oogie Boogie Bash is a good bet.
Here's what to expect at Oogie Boogie Bash and my tips for making the most of it.
Buy tickets early
Oogie Boogie Bash is held several nights each week from September through Halloween. In recent years, tickets sold out weeks or months in advance, so buy early if you're serious about going. Tickets usually go on sale in the spring or summer. Children under age 3 do not need a ticket.
You can only buy tickets to Oogie Boogie Bash through Disneyland's official website. It's a separate ticket that is only good for the party, not the whole day.
Your Oogie Boogie Bash ticket is your reservation to the park, starting at 3 PM. You do not need to make an additional park reservation unless you'll be using your regular ticket in the morning.
I recommend that you buy discounted park tickets for the rest of your trip from Get Away Today. They offer a low price guarantee on Disneyland hotel+ticket packages and their customer service is outstanding.
Set up the Disneyland app
The official Disneyland mobile app is an essential tool for making the most of your day at Disneyland Resort. Download the app. Link your Oogie Boogie Bash tickets and regular Disneyland tickets to your account in the app before you leave home.
The Disneyland app lets you
- check wait times,
- join virtual queues,
- place food orders,
- make restaurant reservations,
- check times for parades and shows,
- get PhotoPass photos
- and so much more…
You'll want to do all these things before and during the Oogie Boogie Bash. The Disneyland app is an important tool if you want to make the most of your Disneyland trip.
Check the weather
Ideally, your night at Oogie Boogie Bash will include perfect Southern California fall temperatures. It has been warm – even hot – on both of our Oogie Boogie Bash trips.
At other times, it could be unseasonably chilly or rainy. Check the forecast and plan your costumes or clothing accordingly.
Pack costumes
Oogie Boogie Bash is the only time of year that teens and adults can wear costumes at Disneyland. It's really fun to see all the costumes!
Some costumes are as simple as a Halloween or Disney tee. Others are elaborate and creative. Many are Disney-related, and groups often choose costumes with the same theme.
You may also want to bring your own treat bag or day pack. You'll want someplace secure to store your treats during rides. Or you might need a bigger bag if you do more than a few treat trails.
Morning of the party
Oogie Boogie Bash is a separate ticket that is only good for the afternoon and evening on the day of your party. You'll need a regular admission ticket to visit Disneyland or California Adventure in the morning, and I recommend you save that regular admission for another day. Don't pay twice for the same day!
Use your morning to sleep in and lounge by the pool instead. Then eat a good lunch and prep for the party.
Consider packing sandwiches and drinks into the park for dinner. This will save you money and let you focus your time on other fun activities.
Afternoon of the party
Party guests are allowed into the park starting at 3 PM. I recommend that you line up at the gates at 2:30 PM. The Oogie Boogie Bash starts at 6 PM.
The park will be crowded between 3-6 PM as party guests mingle with regular guests. Regular park guests without party tickets will leave by 6 PM, and crowds should get lighter throughout the evening.
We're here! Now what?
Disney California Adventure will probably be crowded when you arrive in the afternoon. Use the official Disneyland mobile app to find attractions and shows with shorter wait times. Make reservations in advance for virtual queues and Disney Genie, if available.
Here are some of the fun things to do at the Oogie Boogie Bash with tips for success:
Parade
Disneyland parades are over-the-top extravaganzas filled with favorite Disney characters, music, dancing, and spectacle. The Oogie Boogie Bash parade is unique – you won't ever see it without a party ticket. Parades are lots of fun!
The parade route is long and there are lots of places where you can watch the parade. However, if you want a bench or a front-row seat, you'll want to stake it out 60 minutes or more in advance.
Bring a blanket or towel to help hold your spot and leave an adult with it. Don't wait until the last minute to seat the rest of your family. It will be hard for one person to hold the space that long.
In 2019, the parade was followed by World of Color. We picked a parade spot across from The Little Mermaid ride so we could quickly claim a prime spot for World of Color. In 2021, there is no World of Color show, but that's still a good spot to see the parade.
Ride lines get shorter during the parade. If you're not interested in the parade, use this opportunity to ride more in less time.
Treat Trails
Treat trails are just like trick-or-treating, except that you just follow the line from one treat station to the next. There are several different trails at Oogie Boogie Bash and you can do as many as you like.
The treats are standard stuff: mini candy bars and even a few healthier treats like baby carrots, Goldfish crackers, or apple slices.
Our bags were half-full after 2-3 treat trails, and we stocked our day packs with those treats for the rest of our Disneyland trip.
Photo Ops
PhotoPass downloads are included in the price of your Oogie Boogie Bash ticket. Make sure to stop every time you see a Disney photographer. Later, download your photos from the Disneyland app.
This is a great opportunity to get a professional photo of your group in your costumes!
Want character photos? You'll get opportunities to pose with Disney villains and other characters rarely seen outside the Oogie Boogie Bash.
Rides
The rides are my favorite part of Disney parks. They aren't different for Oogie Boogie Bash, though some of them will have Halloween overlays throughout September and October.
Theoretically, ride lines are shorter during Oogie Boogie Bash because attendance is limited. However, it's a sold-out event and in our experience, the lines for popular rides don't feel shorter.
Use all the strategies you would use on a regular Disneyland day to avoid long ride lines at Oogie Boogie Bash:
- Use the Disneyland app to check wait times.
- Use virtual queues and Disney Genie, if available.
- Ride during the parade and World of Color.
- Use single rider lines.
- Stay until the park closes at 11 PM.
Ways to Save
There are no discounts on Oogie Boogie Bash tickets. However, you can save money on your hotel and Disneyland tickets when you book through Get Away Today. Nobody knows Disneyland better, and if you find a better price on the same package, they’ll beat it by $10.
ANYTIME: Save $10 on any Southern California vacation package at Get Away Today when you use our exclusive coupon code: Tips10Trips.
Read more about our partnership with Get Away Today here.
Conclusion
Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure Park is a lot of fun. It's a family-friendly Halloween party in September and October that features everything you love about Disneyland Resort, plus special parades, shows, treat trails, photo ops, and more that you won't get at any other time.
Key takeaways:
- Buy tickets weeks or months in advance because this special reservation-only event sells out every year.
- Don't pay twice for the same day. Sleep in on the day of the Oogie Boogie Bash and save your regular Disneyland ticket for another day.
- Wear a costume! This is the only time that guests of all ages can wear a costume at Disneyland.
My family loves the Oogie Boogie Bash and we hope that our experience will help your family make the most of this fun event.
Happy travels!
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Sarah Hirsch
We do Disney World Halloween each year and have always wanted to do the Disneyland Halloween, thanks for the tips!
Brenda & Andrew (@DishOurTown)
Our daughter would be so happy to be in Disneyland for Halloween. This year we are in Thailand during Halloween and she’s really missing all the fanfare. Thanks for that tip, about only going once on the same day to avoid paying twice.
Francesca (@WorkMomTravels)
A trip like this normally would stress me out… packing regular clothes AND costumes?! But the way you’ve broken down all of the important info should make it much less stressful. Thank you!
Kirsten Maxwell (@kidsareatrip)
We’ve never done this, but it looks like a blast!
Colleen Lanin
Love your costumes, Joy and Anger!
nancy aguilera
SO HAPPY I CAME ACROSS THIS BLOG WE VISITED Disneylands Halloween Party last week and going with 3 kids (8, 2 & 1 year old) your tips really Helped make our trip nice and smooth. Thank You SO MUCH FOR THESE TIPS!!! Nancy #theaguileras
Allison
Thank you, Nancy! I’m so glad the post was helpful. Your comment made my day!
Rhiannon Day
Great tips! We knew nothing of Mickey’s Halloween Party when we went in October 2015! (It was kind of a spur of the moment Disneyland trip so by the looks we would have missed out anyway.) It was still fun to see Disneyland all dressed the part though. The decorations are really something else! Hopefully we get to go back someday so we can experience it – I’ll be bookmarking this post for the occasion.
Allison
Thank you! We are thinking about a return trip for Halloween in 2019. See you then? 😉