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Clarabelle’s Enchanted Halloween Dinner Review

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I’ve just returned from another solo trip to Disneyland where I got to experience the new Clarabelle’s Enchanted Halloween Dinner! So, here’s a review of that experience.

Clarabelle's Enchanted Halloween Dinner

Clarabelle’s Enchanted Halloween Dinner

Clarabelle’s Enchanted Halloween Dinner is the newest seasonal character dinner meal at Disneyland Resort. It’s held at Storytellers Cafe at the Grand Californian Hotel during dinner only. During the morning hours right now, you can experience Mickey’s Autumn Adventures Brunch or Breakfast, which I was lucky enough to do last year. You can click that link to read my review of that meal.

I will start by saying that this turned into a really long meal. For whatever reason, they were running behind schedule. I wasn’t seated until 20 minutes after my reservation time. An hour later, I had seen only two characters! It took right at two hours to see everyone! I don’t know that I’ve had a character meal last that long since they are usually pushing you out the door. However, I did notice several people approaching the characters before they came to their table. If you are reading this, please don’t do that. The whole point of a character meal is that the characters come to your table while you are eating.

The Characters

The best part of this meal has to be the special characters! Let’s start with the fact that it’s headliner is Clarabelle Cow! I actually had never met her, so it was exciting to finally meet her. Also, I’m a sucker for Donald. So, I am happy to see Disneyland adding more Donald to the character meals. Daisy, Goofy, and Pluto are also at this meal.

Plus, I loved that the characters are wearing Halloween costumes! It was the perfect way to begin my Halloween trip to Disneyland!

The Food

Given the high price tag for this meal, I appreciated the various food options here. The standout items to me were the lobster ravioli and pumpkin bread pudding. The ravioli was the only thing I went back for for seconds. The salmon was also pretty good as were the mashed potatoes. The apple cider pork chop didn’t have as much of an apple cider flavor as I was hoping for. The chicken was a little dry. The vegetable medley was good but basic. The pumpkin cookie was fine. I actually liked the bat macaron. It features a peanut butter cream that I really liked. The chocolate cake thing was meh for me. A little one note.

Overall, it’s an elevated buffet meal. I think there’s something for everyone at this meal.

Is Clarabelle’s Enchanted Halloween Dinner worth it?

It costs $79 per adult, plus tax and gratuity to eat this meal (Kids are $42). So, it’s a really expensive meal. Plus, this experience ended up running long. So, I think those are important pieces of information to know before declaring this meal worth it or not. Personally, I enjoyed the food and loved meeting the characters in their unique costumes. So, it was worth it for me. However, it’s definitely a budget buster and time suck. I can see other folks determining it’s not worth it.

Solo Oogie Boogie Bash Tips

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Are you considering taking a solo Oogie Boogie Bash trip? Then, here’s a post for you!

Solo Oogie Boogie Bash

Solo Oogie Boogie Bash

Disneyland‘s annual Halloween party began on Sunday! So, you may be planning or contemplating attending this year’s event by yourself! If so, I have some experience that I can use to tell you about to help put you at ease!

My Experience

I attended the 2024 OBB by myself and had an excellent time! In fact, I may be heading there by myself again this year. 😉 Suffice it to say, I really enjoy myself at this seasonal party. I love seeing the park decked out in Halloween decor and getting to meet the characters dressed up for the occasion! I also love the parade at this party! Let’s not forget the treat trails and Villains Grove!

Last year, I had a light dinner and a peanut butter coffee to start my night! I relaxed around Pixar Pier while eating my dinner on a bench and people watched. Finally, at 6 o’clock the party began! I headed over to the plain treat trail nearby (the one without a character) to get a good start on filling my bag. Then, I hit up the Sid treat trail (which had a pretty good wait at that point in the night). I decided then and there to attempt to visit all 12 treat trails in one night.

Next, I enjoyed some snacks at the dessert party and watched the parade. I then beelined it towards Villains Grove before everyone else had the chance to head over after the parade. Then, I ran around hitting up the other 10 treat trails! Once I finished those, I decided to ride Radiator Springs Racers! There wasn’t much of a wait around the second parade and it was nice to see it at night.

After that, I was pretty tired and decided to call it a night. I headed back to the room with a bag overflowing with treats!

Tips for Attending by Yourself

  • Have an idea of what you want to do – I decided early on in the night that I wanted to attempt to hit up all 12 of the treat trails. So, that set the tone for the night. I ran around the park just to hit them all up.
  • Go fast or go slow – Being alone, you can move much quicker than when you have to wait for someone else or discuss plans. However, the opposite can also be true. You set the pace and you can decide to sit and rest for a bit. It’s up to you how fast you go.
  • Don’t be afraid – People are enjoying themselves and don’t care if you are by yourself. The characters won’t care either. Although, if you attend the dessert party, you will be seated with other single folks or couples.
  • Consult the map or app – Most of the party will happen after sunset. So, you may need to consult a map or the app to figure out where things are. It can be helpful to get an idea of what you want to do in the daytime and then try to find it beforehand.
  • Have fun! – It’s your night! Do what you want! Enjoy it!

Attending Oogie Boogie Bash Solo

I love traveling by myself. I get to enjoy things without worrying about someone else. It can get lonely at times, but there’s lots of opportunities to interact with other guests and the characters at this party. So, are you considering attending or have you attended OBB by yourself?

The Best Halloween Theme Park Events

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It’s hard to believe, but it’s almost time for Halloween theme park events to begin for the year! So, I thought I would do a little overview of some of the various options for people who are trying to decide which one(s) are right for them.

Halloween Theme Park Events

The Best Halloween Theme Park Events

I will start this post by saying that the best Halloween theme park event is highly subjective. Not every event is for everyone. Before purchasing tickets to visit any of these experiences, I recommend you consider:

  • Location – If you don’t have the means to fly across the country, then maybe choose a smaller event closer to home.
  • Budget – Some of these experiences are included with a regular theme park ticket, but most are not. Don’t go into debt just to see something spooky.
  • Comfort with spookiness – I know that lots of people love the horror events. However, not every person has the capacity to endure muchless enjoy these events. There are loads of people and it can be sensory overload. Know your boundaries. If you don’t like being scared, then don’t go to a scary nighttime event.
  • Know your objectives – Do you want to be scared? Do you want some holiday decor and treats with some characters? Those are totally different events. Know what you desire from an event before buying a ticket.

Now, on to the actual events themselves.

Daytime Halloween Events on a Budget

If you have children, don’t want to be scared, and are on a tight budget, then I recommend visiting a SeaWorld or Busch Gardens for Halloween Spooktacular. I wrote a SeaWorld Orlando Spooktacular Halloween post a couple of years ago going over what you can expect at that event. Think fun sea themed characters and trick-or-treating. Plus, it’s all included with your daytime ticket! So, it’s easy on the purse. However, you will have to purchase a bag to trick-or-treat with.

Nighttime Scary Events on a Budget

If you are on a tight budget, I will once again recommend SeaWorld and/or Busch Gardens. In fact, you can enjoy Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s Howl-O-Scream with a daytime ticket! The other two locations require the purchase of a separate ($40-$50) event ticket. Another event that I haven’t attended but have heard pretty good things about is Knott’s Scary Farm. It seems like a good time on a ~$50 budget. Full disclosure: I’ve never attended any of these events and can’t vouch for the quality of them.

Nighttime Scary Events With a Higher Budget

These next ones are a little more expensive for a general ticket. However, it can get really expensive for skip the line privileges and private tours. I’m talking about Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Parks. Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood both have HHN, but there are some differences. Hollywood’s tends to be smaller with fewer houses. However, it still has the same attention to detail as Orlando. They tend to share at least a few IP houses each year, however they each also have unique houses. I’ve never attended the one in Hollywood. However, I wrote a Halloween Horror Nights Solo Tips post as well as Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando: Tips for Anxious Folks. I’ve even done a 2023 HHN Daytime Houses Tour Review. Personally, I attend HHN for the food and vibes. As such, I will probably only attend if there’s an IP that speaks to me.

Nighttime Halloween Parties

Finally, we come to the most expensive event tickets: Disney. There’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney’s California Adventure at Disneyland. I’ve already compared the two parties in a separate post: Disney Parks Halloween Parties Compared. However, suffice it to say these are nighttime events that aren’t scary. They are more about the characters, parades, and candy! At these pricey events, everyone (yes, even adults) can trick-or-treat around the park! I’ve attended both parties multiple times now and have enjoyed it each time! The worst things about these events are the crowds and prices.

The Best Halloween Theme Park Events

While I think Disney and Universal dominate the discussion on Halloween theme park events, they aren’t your only options. SeaWorld/Busch Gardens or even Cedar Fair parks can provide a more affordable alternative for the season. However, you can’t go wrong with Universal or Disney either. It really comes down to your individual preferences and situation.

So, what is your favorite Halloween theme park event?

Candy Cane Inn Anaheim Review

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On my most recent visit to Disneyland, I elected to stay at the Candy Cane Inn! So, today I’m doing a review of that experience!

Candy Cane Inn

Candy Cane Inn

Given that this was a solo trip, I didn’t want to spend all of the money to stay at Disneyland Hotel again. However, I wanted something a little closer than the Sheraton Park Hotel I stayed at last May. So, I went with the much hyped online Candy Cane Inn!

Admittedly, I was a tad disappointed to discover that it’s not a Christmas themed hotel. However, it is located directly behind Cars Land at Disney’s California Adventure! Plus, it has some great perks!

Standard Room

I booked a standard double queen room. All of the rooms here have been recently refurbished! Everything in the rooms look nice and new! I love the addition of the Mickey rug placed in between the beds. The bed was very comfortable! My room was very close to the lobby building, which was very convenient for grabbing breakfast. However, the first night of my stay included listening to children playing in the outdoor pool loudly. Thankfully, the other two nights were pretty quiet.

Pros

  • Location – You can literally see the backside of Cars Land from the motel’s parking lot! It’s a quick 5 minute walk to the park gates from this motel.
  • Trolley – There’s a trolley that runs every so often to and back from the parks. So, it’s a quick walk but you don’t have to walk if you don’t want to.
  • Free breakfast – This hotel has one of the best free breakfasts I’ve ever had! They had an assortment of fresh donuts that tasted amazing! There were also some croissant sandwiches that were great for powering me until lunch. There was also a waffle maker by the pool as well as some fresh fruit. I was really impressed with the spread available here.
  • Recently refurbished – The rooms look great, so you don’t have to worry about anything falling apart.
  • Security guards – I mentioned in my Sheraton review that there are several unhoused folks on the streets here. Thankfully, this hotel has its own security guards that patrol the hotel and it felt really safe staying here.
  • Friendly – Everyone I encountered here was really friendly. In fact, the nice lady at the front desk switched me from an upstairs room to a room downstairs due to my luggage situation and there not being an elevator here.

Cons

  • No regular tv channels – I know you don’t travel to watch tv, however I enjoy watching tv when I get ready to go out or to bed. Unfortunately, they had only digital channels here.
  • Pool can be loud – The pool is open until 11 PM and sometimes people in it are noisy. They can interrupt light sleepers or be bad for napping.
  • No elevator – Make sure you request a lower room if you can’t handle stairs.
  • Limited trolley schedule – It’s wonderful they provide the free trolley, but it is run on a schedule. So, if you aren’t ready to leave at the right time, it’s a bit of a waste.
  • Limited theme – There’s not really a cohesive theme here. So, if you like staying somewhere with an immersive theme, maybe look elsewhere. If you want a relaxing place with clean touches, then this is the place for you.
  • A little pricey – This place used to be a good bit cheaper, prior to the refurbishment. It is also a little more expensive than some nearby hotels. It’s still much cheaper than staying on property though.

Is the Candy Cane Inn worth it?

I thought the rate of $279/night was acceptable given the location and various included amenities. I loved being so close to the parks and the free breakfast was awesome. I would definitely stay here again, but I will probably look somewhere else too.

Have you ever stayed at the Candy Cane Inn?

Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood Review

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On my most recent trip to California, I was able to take the Warner Bros Studio Tour! Today I’m doing a little review of that experience.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour

Warner Bros Studio Tour

As I mentioned in my Walt Disney Studios Tour review, there are three big studios in Burbank: Disney, Universal Studios Hollywood, and WB. On this trip I was lucky enough to fit in all three! Having already posted my review of the other two, it’s finally time for the Warner Bros. one.

While there are several tour options here, I did the standard tour due to time constraints. I would love to return for a longer tour some day though. It’s $73/adult and has several time slots available most days. It’s advertised as 1 hour guided tour and 2 hours self guided. I spent around 2.5 hours in total here. So, that’s not far off.

Guided Backlot Tour

Following a brief introductory video, the groups are split up and paired with their tour guide for a 1 hour backlot tour. This was hands-down my favorite part of the experience. It was so neat to see where lots of popular movies and shows have been made over the years. Abbott Elementary was filming while I was there and we got to drive past their elementary school facade. The new show Pitt was also filming. In fact, we had to be quiet near its building because the red light was on, indicating it was actively filming. So, that was super neat!

The tour guide drives you around the lot on a golf cart. However, you get off at various points to explore a little. We got to see houses used for Pretty Little Liars (including the garage and the church). We also got to see the houses used for Gilmore Girls, as well as the famous gazebo and place used for Luke’s Diner. It was neat to spot the bank from Gremlins as well.

We drove by the studios used for Friends and The Big Bang Theory! We even drove through the shop where they make walls and other wood items! It smelled great!

Friends

This experience is ideal for any fans of the show Friends. Phoebe’s guitar is on display in the lobby! There’s a set photo opportunity after the guided tour. There’s also a Central Perk Cafe where you can actually get a coffee and something to eat! I got a pizza cone thing, a Phoebe drink (cookies and cream), and Rachel’s trifle without meat (chocolate version). I enjoyed eating those items in a replica of the sitting area of the cafe. There was also some costumes worn on the show to look at. After eating, another golf cart took me to get a picture of the fountain used in the show!

The Big Bang Theory

This tour is also great for fans of the show The Big Bang Theory. They had another set photo opportunity for the show as well as costumes on display. It was cool to see the apartment come to life!

Harry Potter

There’s a whole section dedicated to the Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts films. It was cool to see the spot under the stairs that was Harry’s room. It was also great to experience that after visiting Universal the day before. Plus, we could see Hogwarts from the WB lot!

Game of Thrones

There’s currently a small section showcasing some costumes and props used on the series Game of Thrones. I took pictures of all of that to show my husband since we watched that show together and he’s read the books.

Exclusive Merch

There’s a gift shop in the lobby of the main building that you see when you arrive and leave. So, I recommend shopping there at the end of the tour so you don’t have to carry stuff around. I purchased a Warner Bros Studio Tour shirt to mark the occasion. There’s additional exclusive Friends merch at the Central Perk Cafe. If you spot something there you like, you should get it as I didn’t see much of an overlap.

Is the Warner Bros Studio Tour worth it?

I really enjoyed this tour. It was definitely worth the $73. In fact, I wish I’d had more time to do the longer tour. If I ever return, I will be booking one of the longer tours. The guided backlot tour felt a little rushed and too short. So, I’d love a longer period of time on the lot. I think the tour is most enjoyable for people who like or are at least familiar with the shows featured. I actually started watching Friends for the first time to prep for this tour and I am glad I did so.

So, have you ever taken this tour? What did you think?