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View Full Version : Not so scary Halloween?



lauras5boys
06-29-2005, 01:36 PM
Does anyone know why they stopped doing this at Disneyland? We went the 2 years they had it and loved it.

spectromen
06-29-2005, 01:49 PM
The general buzz back then, at least in my department, was that Mickey's Halloween Treat was canned from a lack of interest in competing with Knott's, who owns Halloween in SoCal. The thing is, the events were different enough and appealed to a big enough difference in demographic that they could both easily coexist which, hopefully, Matt Ouimet will take notice of in coming years.

lauras5boys
06-29-2005, 02:09 PM
I hope they bring it back. Knott's is way too scary for the kids and I just don't like that place very much.

Mrs. Newseditor44
06-29-2005, 04:06 PM
It didn't last long because DL failed to realize that Knott's had a hold of a children/family event as well. Knott's Camp Spooky is held weekends during the month of October and during the day, there are activities for the kids and family. Then it appealed to many families because the adults could do the halloween thing by attending Halloween Haunt (separate admission of course) at night. Camp Spooky in my opinion is awesome for little kids and will be bringing my kids this year as they will actually enjoy it now.

I knew people at Knott's (admin people) that felt the two could coexist but the problem was Disney held theirs during the night during the week. That did not fair well with families who didn't want to keep their kids up late at night on a school night. People weren't going to pay a separate admission for nothing more than being able to wear a costume and get candy. They want more and Disney didn't provide them with that.

But Haunted Mansion Holiday came about after they realized that they couldn't have a halloween event. They wanted to give the guest something Disney and halloween and therefore transformed the Haunted Mansion.

MsYumiBr
06-29-2005, 07:12 PM
Does anyone know why they stopped doing this at Disneyland? We went the 2 years they had it and loved it.

I was told by an old timer who worked at the big gift shop that used to be located behind the monorail station way back when they stopped having the Halloween Happenings event, that there were a number of reasons why they didn't have them that year. Among other things it was because they didn't have the budget for it. The special *atmosphere* was voluntary and there wasn't enough interest. They were also having problems with the behavior of the guests and all the costumes, i.e. kids with masks, kids running amuck unsupervised and getting sick from eating too much candy from the candy stations. Anyway, that's what I was told and I've been calling the park every year to find out if they are having a Halloween event. I really miss it too.

splashmtngurl
06-29-2005, 08:54 PM
Its a bummer that they dont have more of a halloween event at Disneyland. It sounded like alot of fun.

So disney has competition...they should take that as a reason the make their halloween bash that much better. Knotts must have a really fun halloween event judging by what people have said about it but why cant disney do something just as good? Dress the characters up in costumes, give out candy, have special merchandise, organize a small halloween parade, have a small halloween fireworks show, special pin event...live entertainment, fun activities for the family. I mean come on, how hard would that really be? It would take alot of planning, more fun for the imagineers and disney employees if you ask me. The only thing hindering a project like this would be the budget...but you never know. If the bash is a sucsess it will become more well known and disney could actually profit from it.'

I really would like to see Matt bring back some of the fun events that made disneyland really unique (not that it isnt already)

you know, i think disney should have some employees who come on here and (as their job ;) ) listen to peoples suggestions, complaints, comments, ideas and compliments and then bring them back to someone (important) in the company so some of our issues can be addressed

Mrs. Newseditor44
06-29-2005, 09:09 PM
you know, i think disney should have some employees who come on here and (as their job ;) ) listen to peoples suggestions, complaints, comments, ideas and compliments and then bring them back to someone (important) in the company so some of our issues can be addressed

They actually do have positions like that. They go "undercover" promoting DL events and decisions. From my understanding its in the PR dept or Mktg dept...Darkbeer probably knows. I think I saw him post something like that before somewhere else.

stan4d_steph
06-30-2005, 05:41 AM
They did a screening of Nightmare Before Christmas in the Fantasyland Theater recently. It would be nice if they did that again to provide something unique for DL on Halloween.

CrazyTrain
06-30-2005, 07:49 AM
They did a screening of Nightmare Before Christmas in the Fantasyland Theater recently. It would be nice if they did that again to provide something unique for DL on Halloween.

That would be awesome.

lauras5boys
06-30-2005, 08:05 AM
I too think DL could come up with something spectacular if they tried. Just having the characters pass out candy would be great.

JWL
06-30-2005, 09:36 AM
I don't why so many of you give Knotts such a resounding applause when it comes to Halloween. The idea is great but they need to limit how manypeople are in that place as you don't get to go through the many mazes that they have. Speaking of which, they could improve upon those and the mood of their spooks. I mean, last year my wife and I went and it was yawnable. Too many people, not enough energy out of the employees just left me wanting to go home early. The year prior was really good-energy was up, some folks but not like last year. How the heck am I gonna get on edge when I'm moving through the park in a crowd like cattle with so many lights everywhere? The whole park needs to be in fog.

Disney's nightmare is a joke. Why the heck don't they use fog and other accessories throughout the New Orleans Square? Last night they were broadcasting sounds of many of the rides through the PA. Why don't they have some eerie sounds and Ghost Host coming over that? California Adventure could use the Soaring to simulate a broom-stick ride or some other bizarre Halloween thing. The Disney apathy is really annoying. Make the parks fun during Halloween. It can be done.

MsYumiBr
06-30-2005, 11:07 AM
OMG, thank's for that memory of a "foggy" New Orleans Square. That was a very cool effect. Now I really miss the Halloween event. :crying:

Monte Cristo
06-30-2005, 01:10 PM
Anyone care to describe what these Halloween events at DL involved? Sounds interesting.