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I've always been intrigued by the thought of Disneyland undergoing a Halloween Horror Nights or Knott's Scary Farm treatment. Obviously it's never going to happen (despite the fact HKDL pulls it off wonderfully), but it's always fun just to think what it would be like...here're just a few ideas.
Mickey's Not-so-Scary Halloween Party would remain as a family-orientated Halloween party, continuing to offer the same offerings it holds now in addition to a few new additions here and there. The major new event is Disney After Dark, a much darker in tone and ticketed event where brave guests (preferably ages 13 and older) explore Disneyland after dark where they discover a whole new world of Halloween. The Disney Villains, summoned by Maleficent (who also serves as the MC), have taken over the park and turned it into their own playground, starting on Main Street, U.S.A., now dubbed Haunted Hollow, U.S.A.
Dark shadows and eerie lighting provide a chilling atmosphere for the usually cheery Main Street, crackling music of the 1920's and 30's filling the air. The howling of an ominous wind and the occasional screech of a cat echo in the distance as flickering gas lamps and popcorn lighting fluctuate the street's lighting. Many of the shops find themselves closed and darkened, the famous Sleeping Beauty Castle now scaled by thorny vines (projections) and strobe lights emitting from within its windows. Eerie screams emit from Snow White's Grotto, directly heard from the wishing well (the screams are all taken from the Haunted Mansion). A new Halloween parade featured in the park during the Not-so-Scary Halloween Party and normal park hours is showcased in the event in addition to a dancing troupe of Victorian-era zombies. A thick fog rolls in from the entrance to Adventureland, re-dubbed Nightmare Jungle Trek. The Enchanted Tiki Room and Jungle Cruise are closed, nearby Aladdin's Oasis serving as a meet-n-greet for Jafar (now a face character), and two new characters: Scar and Shere Khan, realized in puppet form. Lurking the Adventureland mainland amongst all the fog and darkness are ancient tiki spirits emerged from the earth, stalking the jungle in search of life. The shops and Bengal Barbecue do remain open (including the Dole Whip stand which now serves Pumpkin Whip) but are most certainly haunted by spirits. Up on the second level of the Jungle Cruise boathouse lurk skeletal zombies covered in moss, lurking around the top floor, carefully examining passing guests below.
Indiana Jones Adventure remains open, Tarzan's Treehouse now turned into a maze: Demon Jungle. Based off the maze of HKDL's past, brave explorers enter a jungle inhabited by very upset spirits of an era gone by. Although free of blood and gore, the maze is pretty scary and does involve lots of shock and creepiness. New Orleans Square remains generally in tact, both of its main attractions remaining open, those being POTC and HMH. The Bootstrappers and Jack Sparrow wander around alongside Jack, Sally, and now Oogie Boogie. The hitchhiking ghosts also make a meet-n-greet appearance. A performance of Fantasmic! highlights the evening in the Square. Critter Country is simply closed-off, only the sound of howling wind emitting from beyond its gates. Pirate's Lair remains open, albeit a few pirates lurk about the place to scare. Frontierland has undergone as similar treatment that DLP's goes through, involving the invasion of the scarecrow-like pumpkin-men. This remains open regardless of the event. No scare actors are featured, although some ghost cowboys walk about the place. A maze themed to a ghost town makes its way into Big Thunder Ranch.
Fantasyland is overtaken by villains, Maleficent making many an appearance here, mostly notable in the form of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom-style videos and projections activated in certain areas. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and Snow White's Scary Adventures are the only two dark rides to remain open, the Castle Walkthrough also remaining open. The only notable change in the walkthrough consists of a scare actor or two hiding behind the walls. Every other Fantasyland attraction remains closed, with two exceptions: Matterhorn Bobsleds and It's a Small World. A giant Yeti puppet lurks around the area surrounding the Matterhorn, providing a few creepy moments. But the real masterpiece here is just up the path again, past a villain meet-n-greet at the Small World Mall, and to an area where backwards instrumentals of "It's a Small World" and creepy lighting showcase the facade of It's a Small World where projections of spiderwebs, spiders, and bats dance around the pumpkin-faced clock tower of Small World. Inside is a true masterpiece of fright - the entire attraction has lost its lighting. Every last light is off as the soundtrack is played in a backwards loop, the clacking and movement of all the animatronics and props heard moving in the darkness. The only things in the attraction that remain individually lit (albeit dimly) are the giant sun in the finale, the Goodbye Room, the Hello Room, the crocodile in the rain forest, the hippo in Africa, several random dolls, and Woody and Jessie in the American scene. Yikes.
Mickey's Halloweentown (Toontown) is nothing more than a friendly trick-or-treating experience where characters in costume give out candy and whatnot, an event featured in both Disney After Dark and Not-so-Scary Halloween Party. Everything in Toontown remains open for a relief to the horrors of Demon Jungle, the Frontierland maze, Pirate's Lair, and Small World in the Dark. Tomorrowland on the other hand is taken over by the Empire. Aside from a dance party at Tomorrowland Terrace and Ghost Galaxy, Stormtroopers, Darth Vader, Boba Fett, and even Emperor Palpatine have overtaken Tomorrowland, turning it into the Imperial Capital of a recently-discovered planet called "Earth." Huge television monitors advertising the Empire and its "wonderful" features, including a recruitment program, a boot camp, and the wonderful achievements of the Emperor. Star Tours and Ghost Galaxy are the only attractions to remain open. Last but not least, Halloween Screams plays every night, albeit changed up A LOT, Maleficent replacing Jack as the MC, although Jack and Zero are still featured.
All of the darker changes are only held during Disney After Dark. Everything reverts to its cheery self during the normal park hours and Not-so-Scary Halloween Party. The Halloween Party and Disney After Dark alternate nights. One night is the Party, the next night is After Dark, and so on so forth.
Mickey's Not-so-Scary Halloween Party would remain as a family-orientated Halloween party, continuing to offer the same offerings it holds now in addition to a few new additions here and there. The major new event is Disney After Dark, a much darker in tone and ticketed event where brave guests (preferably ages 13 and older) explore Disneyland after dark where they discover a whole new world of Halloween. The Disney Villains, summoned by Maleficent (who also serves as the MC), have taken over the park and turned it into their own playground, starting on Main Street, U.S.A., now dubbed Haunted Hollow, U.S.A.
Dark shadows and eerie lighting provide a chilling atmosphere for the usually cheery Main Street, crackling music of the 1920's and 30's filling the air. The howling of an ominous wind and the occasional screech of a cat echo in the distance as flickering gas lamps and popcorn lighting fluctuate the street's lighting. Many of the shops find themselves closed and darkened, the famous Sleeping Beauty Castle now scaled by thorny vines (projections) and strobe lights emitting from within its windows. Eerie screams emit from Snow White's Grotto, directly heard from the wishing well (the screams are all taken from the Haunted Mansion). A new Halloween parade featured in the park during the Not-so-Scary Halloween Party and normal park hours is showcased in the event in addition to a dancing troupe of Victorian-era zombies. A thick fog rolls in from the entrance to Adventureland, re-dubbed Nightmare Jungle Trek. The Enchanted Tiki Room and Jungle Cruise are closed, nearby Aladdin's Oasis serving as a meet-n-greet for Jafar (now a face character), and two new characters: Scar and Shere Khan, realized in puppet form. Lurking the Adventureland mainland amongst all the fog and darkness are ancient tiki spirits emerged from the earth, stalking the jungle in search of life. The shops and Bengal Barbecue do remain open (including the Dole Whip stand which now serves Pumpkin Whip) but are most certainly haunted by spirits. Up on the second level of the Jungle Cruise boathouse lurk skeletal zombies covered in moss, lurking around the top floor, carefully examining passing guests below.
Indiana Jones Adventure remains open, Tarzan's Treehouse now turned into a maze: Demon Jungle. Based off the maze of HKDL's past, brave explorers enter a jungle inhabited by very upset spirits of an era gone by. Although free of blood and gore, the maze is pretty scary and does involve lots of shock and creepiness. New Orleans Square remains generally in tact, both of its main attractions remaining open, those being POTC and HMH. The Bootstrappers and Jack Sparrow wander around alongside Jack, Sally, and now Oogie Boogie. The hitchhiking ghosts also make a meet-n-greet appearance. A performance of Fantasmic! highlights the evening in the Square. Critter Country is simply closed-off, only the sound of howling wind emitting from beyond its gates. Pirate's Lair remains open, albeit a few pirates lurk about the place to scare. Frontierland has undergone as similar treatment that DLP's goes through, involving the invasion of the scarecrow-like pumpkin-men. This remains open regardless of the event. No scare actors are featured, although some ghost cowboys walk about the place. A maze themed to a ghost town makes its way into Big Thunder Ranch.
Fantasyland is overtaken by villains, Maleficent making many an appearance here, mostly notable in the form of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom-style videos and projections activated in certain areas. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and Snow White's Scary Adventures are the only two dark rides to remain open, the Castle Walkthrough also remaining open. The only notable change in the walkthrough consists of a scare actor or two hiding behind the walls. Every other Fantasyland attraction remains closed, with two exceptions: Matterhorn Bobsleds and It's a Small World. A giant Yeti puppet lurks around the area surrounding the Matterhorn, providing a few creepy moments. But the real masterpiece here is just up the path again, past a villain meet-n-greet at the Small World Mall, and to an area where backwards instrumentals of "It's a Small World" and creepy lighting showcase the facade of It's a Small World where projections of spiderwebs, spiders, and bats dance around the pumpkin-faced clock tower of Small World. Inside is a true masterpiece of fright - the entire attraction has lost its lighting. Every last light is off as the soundtrack is played in a backwards loop, the clacking and movement of all the animatronics and props heard moving in the darkness. The only things in the attraction that remain individually lit (albeit dimly) are the giant sun in the finale, the Goodbye Room, the Hello Room, the crocodile in the rain forest, the hippo in Africa, several random dolls, and Woody and Jessie in the American scene. Yikes.
Mickey's Halloweentown (Toontown) is nothing more than a friendly trick-or-treating experience where characters in costume give out candy and whatnot, an event featured in both Disney After Dark and Not-so-Scary Halloween Party. Everything in Toontown remains open for a relief to the horrors of Demon Jungle, the Frontierland maze, Pirate's Lair, and Small World in the Dark. Tomorrowland on the other hand is taken over by the Empire. Aside from a dance party at Tomorrowland Terrace and Ghost Galaxy, Stormtroopers, Darth Vader, Boba Fett, and even Emperor Palpatine have overtaken Tomorrowland, turning it into the Imperial Capital of a recently-discovered planet called "Earth." Huge television monitors advertising the Empire and its "wonderful" features, including a recruitment program, a boot camp, and the wonderful achievements of the Emperor. Star Tours and Ghost Galaxy are the only attractions to remain open. Last but not least, Halloween Screams plays every night, albeit changed up A LOT, Maleficent replacing Jack as the MC, although Jack and Zero are still featured.
All of the darker changes are only held during Disney After Dark. Everything reverts to its cheery self during the normal park hours and Not-so-Scary Halloween Party. The Halloween Party and Disney After Dark alternate nights. One night is the Party, the next night is After Dark, and so on so forth.
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