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Mickey’s Autumn Adventures Brunch at Disneyland Review

October 1, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I’ve just returned from another lovely solo Disneyland trip and this time I got to try the all new Mickey’s Autumn Adventures Brunch at Storytellers Cafe at the Grand Californian Hotel! So, if you are wondering if this pricey meal is worth it or not, keep reading!

Mickey’s Autumn Adventures Brunch

As I stated above, this is an all-new character meal offering at Disneyland. It’s a fall spin on the regular Storytellers Cafe character meal. Having previously done the regular Storytellers Cafe Character Breakfast last year and the Storytellers Cafe Character Brunch, I opted to do the brunch since I preferred that meal over breakfast last time. I also managed to book it on my Disney California Adventure day, since the hotel has its own entrance into the park.

The Characters

I’ll start with a look at the adorable new costumes the characters are wearing! Each one has a fall look that goes perfectly with the theme. I love how over the top with pumpkins Minnie’s outfit is! Mickey’s outfit is also amazing! It felt like the characters were ready to go to a pumpkin patch or apple orchard in their outfits. I liked that Pluto even got a new pumpkin shaped name tag on his collar. Overall, I was impressed with the costumes and it was a great way to kick off the fall season for me!

The Food

Last time I ate breakfast at this restaurant, I missed the additional options that eating brunch brings. So, I decided to return for brunch this time. Previously, when I ate brunch here, I was able to order some additional items from the kitchen in addition to visiting the buffet. This time, that wasn’t the case. Instead, the buffet was filled with both breakfast and lunch items.

Honestly, the food available was very similar to what I had last year at the regular meal. I was disappointed in the lack of seasonal items. Where’s the pumpkin or apple items? It seems like such a missed opportunity to do something special with the autumn theme and instead put out regular foods.

The food itself was fine. I know everyone says the food here is upgraded over Goofy’s Kitchen and it probably is. However, I also noticed a good bit of overlap between restaurants this time. The BBQ chicken tasted just like the BBQ chicken I had at Goofy’s Kitchen last year. Both restaurants had the beignets/donuts too. I enjoyed the fish and vegetables, but they were both available with slight variations at Goofy’s Kitchen this time too.

Overall, the food was fine. Nothing to get too excited over.

Is Mickey’s Autumn Adventures Brunch worth it?

This is a pricey meal. It’s $65/adult and $36/child. If you are looking for some fall foods, I’d say to look elsewhere. However, if you want to see the characters in some unique fall outfits, then this is the perfect meal for you. You are paying for the fall themed outfits here and not so much the food.

2024 Oogie Boogie Bash Review and Guide

September 25, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I’ve just returned from a solo trip to California, where I had the pleasure of attending the 2024 Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney’s California Adventure at Disneyland! So, I thought I would do a quick review/guide to the event!

2024 Oogie Boogie Bash

You may recall from my 2023 post on the party or my Disney Halloween Parties compared post that OBB is the separately ticketed Halloween event held at Disneyland. The bash is held at Disney’s California Adventure park. Here’s an overview of what you can expect at the 2024 Oogie Boogie Bash!

Frightfully Fun Parade

I love the Frightfully Fun Parade at this party! In fact, this year it’s the only party exclusive entertainment. The parade is shown twice a night and is worth making the time to see. You can walk up along the parade route up until 15 minutes or so and get an ok view. Personally, I prefer the seated dessert party.

Dessert Party

I wrote a whole separate OBB Dessert Party Review last year. So, I won’t rehash everything here since this year’s was pretty similar. Although, we got a different set of treats! This year, we received a Chocolate Topped Stuffed Vanilla Cake, a Cookies & Cream Tart, a Salted Caramel Macaron, Gummy Candies, a Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy with White Chocolate Drizzle, Patchwork Sugar Cookie, and a Mini Cheesecake with Buttercream. I was surprised to discover that the stuffed cake was filled with an extremely tart lime sauce. It was easily my least favorite treat this year. I really enjoyed the caramel macaron though. The chocolate marshmallow crispy was ok, much better than last year’s cereal treat. The sugar cookie was pretty basic, but ok. The mini cheesecake would have been better with pumpkin or something. Overall, the desserts were just ok. However, I still like the idea of sitting in a chair with a plate of treats to watch the parade. It’s very nice. It’s expensive at $89/person, but very nice after a long day.

Treat Trails

One of the best parts of OBB is the Treat Trails! This year, they replaced Cruella with Hades! They also added Dr. Doofenschmirtz this year, but placed him in the building that used to house the Mickey’s Trick and Treat show. That show is now shown during the regular park day, which is good for regular park guests. However, I was disappointed by the lack of party exclusive entertainment this year.

The types of treats given out this year was a little different that last year as well. Gone are the Sunchips! However, we did receive some blueberry fig bars in their place! I managed to hit up all 12 treat trails this year and received around 4 pounds of goodies!

Villains Grove

I still adore Villains Grove. It’s so neat to walk around and see villain themed areas of the forest. Although, it did appear to be much the same as last year. I still consider it a must do when I attend the event due to the unique nature of the offering.

Character Meets

There were several special characters to meet as this party. However, I think it was mostly the same as last year’s party. I didn’t want to wait in long lines to meet any characters this year, but I appreciate the opportunity to do so.

Is Oogie Boogie Bash worth it?

While I think it’s a fun Halloween party, I’m not sure I will return if they don’t add more or different entertainment. It’s much cheaper and easier for me to attend Mickey’s Not So Scary in Florida, so I will probably return to doing that next year. However, I think this party is worth attending at least once.

Haunted Williamsburg Ghost Tour Review

September 4, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Now that spooky season is upon us, I thought I would do a little review of the Haunted Williamsburg Ghost Tour that my husband and I did back in May.

Haunted Williamsburg Ghost Tour

Colonial Williamsburg has a couple of different night time add-on activities you can experience. On my most recent visit with my husband, we decided to try one out. We did the Haunted Williamsburg Ghost Tour! While there are other un-official tours, we decided to book the official one.

This is an hour-long candlelit walking tour of Colonial Williamsburg held at night. It’s the only ghost tour that gives you access to the buildings since it’s the only official ghost tour! On our tour, we got to go inside three historic homes. We got to learn the historic significance of each home as well as hear about unexplained happenings at each home.

Note: I will try to keep this review spoiler-free for anyone looking to book it so you can hear the stories from your tour guide.

George Wythe Home

Upon meeting up with the group at the Market House, our guide led us over to the George Wythe House. Being from southwestern Virginia, I was excited to see this house at night. My husband and I toured it in the daytime last year, so it was nice to see it in a different light. On the nighttime tour, we stayed downstairs and heard about the backdoor seemingly locking itself! I will say, being in a really old house at night with only a candlelight to see things made it creepy.

Peyton Randolph House

Next up, our guide led us over the Randolph House. Supposedly, it is the most haunted house in Colonial Williamsburg. That just means that it has the most stories about people experiencing something un-explained here. While we didn’t actually see any ghosts on this tour, we did hear something weird in this house. It sounded like footsteps. We think it was someone in the tour group walking or bumping into something, but everyone denied doing anything. So, who knows! Our tour guide had lots of stories to share about odd occurrences at this house, including some of her own.

James Geddy House

Lastly, we headed over to the Geddy House. I honestly don’t rightly remember much about this house. We did have another tour guide join our group at this point and he told a spooky story about the house. Honestly, I didn’t get much in the way of spooky vibes in this house, but that’s just me.

Haunted Williamsburg Ghost Tour Overall

This was my first ghost tour, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I thought it was neat to learn about these historical homes and to see them at night. I thought it was a nice touch that our tour guide was dressed in colonial garb and used a lantern/candle to lead the tour. Overall, it was a nice way to spend an evening. If nothing else, it’s a great way to walk off the hearty dinner we enjoyed!

This tour is great for anyone with an interest in the supernatural or spooky stuff. I think someone who doesn’t believe in ghosts but likes history could also enjoy this tour. I don’t think it’s good for kids though. They recommend it for ages 8+ but I think it should probably be more along the lines of 12 or 13, personally. Also, it is a full one hour walking tour. So, keep that in mind if you or a loved one can’t handle that.

Have you ever done or would you take a ghost tour?

Disney Parks Halloween Parties Compared

August 28, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

The Disney Parks Halloween Parties are very popular on both coasts. So, I thought I would do a post comparing the two options for anyone considering attending one of them.

Disney Parks Halloween Parties

Both Disneyland and Walt Disney World hold separately ticketed Halloween events every year. I’ve attended the one at Magic Kingdom several times and the one at Disney’s California Adventure once. So, I think I am qualified to discuss the two parties and their differences so you can decide which one is right for you.

Mickey’s Not So Scary

MNSSHP is held every fall at Magic Kingdom at Disney World. Tickets usually go on sale around halfway to Halloween with resort guests getting first dibs on tickets. It starts in early August with parties being held on Tuesdays and Fridays in August. As you get closer to Halloween, they add more nights. So, September has parties on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. By October, there’s parties on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays! The party officially kicks-off at 7 PM and ends at midnight, but you can enter the park at 4 PM. The parties have a history of selling out in advance in recent years, but not immediately. If you are looking for some general Mickey’s Not So Scary Tips, check out my guide to it.

Oogie Boogie Bash

Oogie Boogie is held at DCA in the fall. It starts in mid/late August and runs until Halloween. The party begins at 6 PM and runs until 11 PM, but you can enter the park at 3 PM. The party is pretty consistently held on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays for the whole season. Tickets went on sale on June 27, 2024 this year and most dates sold out quickly. However, a few dates remained over the weekend for purchase before selling out. There’s a passholder pre-sale that typically sells out very quickly. Basically, to attend this one, you need to know months in advance and keep an eye on Disneyland’s social media in June/July for ticket sales. You can read my review of the 2023 Oogie Boogie Bash for a deeper dive into what the party entails.

Ticket Differences

Thanks to pent up demand and social media, Oogie Boogie sells out quickly. So, you need to know when you plan to attend by June. Not So Scary doesn’t sell out as quickly, so you have some time to cement your plans before purchasing tickets.

Parties Entertainment Differences

Mickey’s Not So Scary has a good bit more entertainment than Oogie Boogie. Not So Scary has a parade, a stage show, and fireworks! Oogie Boogie just has the parade this year, with the removal of the party exclusive stage show and fireworks being held over in Disneyland park. Although, it also has the party exclusive Villains Grove that is super cool! Admittedly, unless additional entertainment is announced for Oogie Boogie, it appears to be lacking in the entertainment department.

Disney Character Differences

Both parties allow you to meet special characters. So, on the surface that sounds even. However, Oogie Boogie tends to rotate in a few new characters every year. Not So Scary rarely adds many new characters to the party. Additionally, a key difference here is the Treat Trails at Oogie Boogie. Both parties allow you to trick-or-treat regardless of age. However, Oogie Boogie gives you treats and allows you to interact with a villain as you walk by. It’s actually a really neat, unique experience.

Candy Differences

Mickey’s Not So Scary tends to have a good variety of candy available. However, I was surprised by the plethora of other items handed out at Oogie Boogie last year. Candy was handed out, but so were Goldfish treats, baby carrots, and Sunchips! I thought it was a nice change of pace to add some real food to the mix!

Disney Parks Halloween Parties Overall

While they both have characters, entertainment, and trick-or-treating, there are slight differences. It’s hard to say one is better than the other as it depends on what you want to experience at the party. If you want to see a variety of villains, then Oogie Boogie is better. If you like stage shows and fireworks, then Mickey’s Not So Scary is better. Also, I would wager that your distance from the parks is an important factor too.

So, which party do you prefer?

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Guide with Tips

August 7, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

It’s hard to believe but Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is back in the Magic Kingdom beginning Friday, August 9th! So, I thought I would do a little guide to the event as well as a few tips from my own experiences.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

For those who don’t know, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is a separately ticketed event held on select nights at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Unlike at other parks, this party is pretty much the only way to experience Halloween at Walt Disney World. There’s fall decor up all day in the park, but the special entertainment and characters are party exclusives. It’s similar to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party but for Halloween and with candy instead of cookies!

Trick or Treat

This party is the only way you can trick or treat in the Magic Kingdom! In fact, the young and young at heart are given a bag upon entry to get your fill of candy! It’s so fun to walk down Main Street with a bag of candy while being dressed up. Additionally, this is the only time adults can wear costumes at Disney. Many adults go all out with their costumes. Some people don’t. It’s up to you!

Not So Spooky Spectacular

This is the party exclusive fireworks show! Personally, I consider this is a must-see experience of the party. Usually, you can even book a fireworks dessert party to beat the crowds. I booked a dessert party at the Tomorrowland Terrace back in 2019 on a solo trip. I really enjoyed having a place to sit and desserts to nibble on. However, I will caution people that the view from the Terrace isn’t good for viewing the projections or any extra stage characters. 😉

Mickey’s Boo-to-You Parade

This party exclusive parade is my other can’t miss event at the party. My husband and I really like seeing the gravediggers since they drag their shovels across the ground and emit sparks. It’s a really cute parade that everyone should see at least once. They haven’t made many changes to it over the years, but they do sometimes rotate in different characters. Plus, the music is so darn catchy! The good news is that this parade happens twice a night. So, you have two chances to catch it.

Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular!

This is a party exclusive castle stage show. I’ve seen it a few times and it’s cute. However, the show hasn’t changed since it was first introduced. So, I tend to prioritize getting candy, seeing special characters, or riding rides. If it’s your first time attending or you are a huge Hocus Pocus fan, then you should make time to see it. It’s usually shown several times during the party and I recommend looking over the times guide if this is important to you.

See Special Characters

Around the park, you will be able to see special party exclusive characters as well as more regular characters in their Halloween costumes! I loved meeting Winnie the Pooh and Friends in their costumes back in 2019. In 2016, I met Donald and Daisy in their costumes. I enjoyed meeting Elvis Stitch in 2019 since I was wearing a Lilo dress. There’s even a very popular Jack and Sally meet and greet during this party! However, the wait for them is typically pretty long.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Tips

Purchase tickets in advance – The parties tend to sell out weeks in advance. If you wait until the day of the party, you will probably be out of luck. So, buy tickets as soon as you know when you are going.
Eat early – You can enter the park as early as 4 PM even though the party doesn’t begin until 7. Typically, I use this time to eat dinner. Although, in the future I may delay heading over to the crowded park and grab dinner at a monorail resort prior to the party.
Stake out a spot for the parade early – Unfortunately, there’s not a seated option for the parade unlike at the Oogie Boogie Bash Dessert Party. So, you will have to stake out a spot for the parade in advance. I recommend at least half an hour in advance, if not an hour. Lots of people have advised that the second parade is less crowded, but I’m not sure that’s true anymore. Either way, you will need to stake out a spot in advance.
Enjoy some treats – There’s plenty of free candy to be had. However, they also sell party exclusive foods too. So, be sure to save some room for those!
Have a rough plan – Consult the park’s schedule and party map ahead of time. Have a list of must-do’s and tackle those first. Then, do the nice to-do’s.
Trick or treat later in the night – Maybe get some early in the party to snack on while waiting for the parade, but save the rest for later in the night. This way, you won’t get tired carrying around a bag full of candy.
Be prepared for the heat – It’s probably going to be hot. So, drink lots of water and wear a light costume. I say skip the heavy face makeup and wigs/hats.

It’s really not so scary…

Have you ever attended this party? What are your must-do’s or tips?