Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment

Why For was the Excavator never built at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park?

Published

13 years ago

November 10, 2011

Fluffy-Not-Fat sent me a new Why For question earlier this
week, saying:

As a longtime fan, it’s great that you’ve begun writing
theme park history stories again. Those stories were always my favorite part of
your site.

So now that I’ve kissed your butt a little, I was wondering if you’d take a
request: I’m a coaster enthusiast. And I’d love to see a story on JHM about the
coaster which was supposed to be one of Dinoland U.S.A.’s opening day attractions
that never got built.

Please note the roller coaster that looms in the background of this piece of concept art
for Dinoland, U.S.A.’s Boneyard kiddie play-and-exploration area. Copyright Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

You’re asking about the Excavator. Which according to the
initial marketing study for Disney’s Animal Kingdom (which The Walt Disney
Company did back in the Summer of 1993) was supposed to be …

… a rollicking coaster ride through a section of the dig
supposedly too dangerous to enter. Somehow, we’ve gotten in and are having a
real good time.

So how would the Excavator have fit in at DAK? Well, you
have to understand that Dinoland U.S.A. has a very specific backstory.
According to the mythology that the Imagineers created for this Animal Kingdom “land,”
this part of the park started out life as the site of a sand and gravel
company. And Chester and Hester’s was just the local gas station which used to
service & fuel up all of the trucks and heavy equipment that would then
rumble in & out of this worksite.

In the center of this Dinoland U.S.A. concept painting, please note the red backhoe which
has a massive dinosaur bone dangling from it. This is the archaelogical discovery that
set this area’s transformation from sand-and-gravel pit to paleontological playground
into motion. Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

But then one day, as a backhoe is digging up sand to load into
the back of a dump truck, the workmen uncovered this massive dinosaur bone. So
they called in the scientists. Who then discovered that – just below the
surface of this huge sand & gravel pit – is the archaeological find of the
century. An area that’s just loaded with all of these perfectly preserved fossils.

So the wealthy benefactor for a local college immediately
swoops in and buys up this sand & gravel pit – lock, stock and T-Rex bones.
And he then turns what used to be this sand pit’s on-site field offices (i.e.
where the workmen used to go change & shower after a sweaty day of hauling
gravel. More importantly, where the employee cafeteria was located) into a dorm
for the students of that college’s paleontology department. Who will now spend
their summers working this newly-discovered dig.

And if you’re really paying attention as you walk by
Restaurantosaurus, you can see ample evidence of these crazy college students.
From that pyramid of beer cans which has been built right next to those chairs which have been set out on this building’s roof to those piles of shoes,
clothes and underwear which have been placed down by the shore of Discovery River
(which is supposed to suggest that these kids have gone skinny-dipping), it’s
clear that a group of hard-working, hormone-crazed university students are now
calling this place home. At least for the summer.

“And what of Chester & Hester?,” you ask. Well, since
they could no longer rely on selling fuel to all of the trucks that used to trundle
in & out of this sand pit (not to mention selling gas & oil to all the
hard-working men who used to haul gravel here), Chester & Hester had to
kind of reinvent themselves. And since this former sand & gravel pit is now
a world-famous archaeological site … Well, they’re getting lots of looky-loos
lately. Tourists driving out to see if they can spot any dinosaur bones and
then going away disappointed, because (according the backstory that the
Imagineers have put together for Dinoland, U.S.A. ) this site is now closed to
the public.

Sensing that there’s money to be made here if they just give
the tourists what they wants, Chester & Hester transform their remote gas
station into this dinosaur-themed roadside attraction.

“And where does the Dino Institute fit into Dinoland, U.S.A.’s
overall story?,” you query. Well, that same wealthy benefactor who initially
bought this sand & gravel pit for that unnamed university then became
obsessed with the central mystery of this amazing archaeological site. As in:
Why is it that so many perfectly preserved dinosaur skeletons can be found in
this one spot? What exactly happened here millions & millions of years ago?

And the only way to solve this particular mystery is – of course
– to travel back into time and then attempt to observe whatever it was that actually
caused this massive dino die-off. So this wealthy benefactor then pours
billions into the creation of the Dino Institute, which specialized in chronological research. Which then results in the invention of
the Time Rover. And then … Wait a minute. We’re kind of getting away from what was
supposed to be the main focus of today’s Why For column. Which was the
Excavator.

Anyway … In the initial
mythology that the Imagineers worked out for Dinoland, U.S.A., the Excavator
was supposedly to be a piece of equipment which was left over from this archaeological
site’s sand-and-gravel-pit days. It was this series of ore cars that had once
been used to haul materials up out of the heart of this pit over to the area
where the dump trucks got loaded up. But over time, due to over-digging, as the
sand in this pit began to shift, the Excavator began to be really unsafe to
operate.

So the sand and gravel company then basically shut this series
of ore cars down. And the Excavator stands empty and abandoned for a few years,
becoming even more rickety and unsafe. And then that wealthy benefactor buys
this sand-and-gravel pit and sets all of these crazy college students loose on
this massive archaeological site.

Close-up of initial Disney’s Animal Kingdom concept painting
which shows where the Excavator was originally supposed to
be built inside of the borders of Dinoland, U.S.A. Copyright
Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

“And what do these college kids do with this obviously unsafe
piece of industrial equipment?,” you ask. Why they fire it up again, of course.
Not only because the Excavator is fun for them to ride. But also because they’re
now using these old, rusty ore cars to haul some of the larger dinosaur bones
that they’ve discovered around this archaeological site back to base camp.

Which explains the whole ” …. section of the dig supposedly
too dangerous to enter” part of the Excavator’s mythology. And for the ” … Somehow,
we’ve gotten in and are having a real good time” part of this backstory … As Guests
moved through the queue for this proposed Dinoland, U.S.A. attraction towards
the load / unload area, they were to have walked past literally dozens of “Condemned”
signs. Not to mention all sorts of safety barriers that this
sand-and-gravel-pit’s workmen had set up that the college students have recently
pulled down.

As for the layout of this proposed DAK thrill ride, the
Imagineers were looking to one-up Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. So instead of rolling
past a T-Rex fossil that was sticking out of this attraction’s rockwork …

… On the Excavator, your ore car was actually supposed to
zoom through a massive dinosaur skeleton.

And before you came back into the load / unload area, your
ore car was supposed to loop by Chester & Hester’s. Where one of the folk
art dinosaur sculptures that they’d built for their roadside attraction would
suddenly lurch to life and then menace a trainload of tourists.

This sounds like a really fun attraction, don’t you think?
So why wasn’t Dinoland, U.S.A.’s Excavator ever built?

Well, to be blunt, the Imagineers learned a lot of hard
lessons on Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Chief among these is that – when you’re
building an attraction which is supposed to be used to display animals – much
of your budget is going to spent on things that the public never ever sees or
appreciates. Perimeter fencing and safety moats, for starters. Not to mention all
of those back-of-the-house barns where your ridiculously expensive menagerie then
goes to bed down for the night. Which has to be custom-built because (of course) a
facility that fits a giraffe isn’t going to work for an elephant or a hippo.

And as the projected cost of what was then-known-as Disney’s
Wild Animal Kingdom began to mount (quickly moving from its originally-budgeted
$600 million to over $850 million), pieces of this project began falling by the
wayside. First to be dropped was Beastlie Kingdomme, which was cut as an
Opening Day “land” for this theme park back in January of 1994.

Next to be pushed back was the Excavator. Mostly because the
Imagineers felt that – if they just reused the ride vehicle & track
layout which had been developed for the Indiana Jones Adventure (which – let’s
remember – was supposed to open at Disneyland Park in March of 1995) for Countdown to Extinction / Dinosaur … Well,
that was a way to get a thrill ride into Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s opening day
assortment of attractions without then having to spend all of the time &
the money necessary to design & develop a custom-built coaster like the
Excavator.

“So once Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened in April of 1998,
why didn’t the Imagineers then circle back around to the idea of building the
Excavator?,” you ask. “I mean, clearly WDI thought that this theme park needed
a coaster / runaway mine train ride. Otherwise they never would have built
Expedition Everest. So why didn’t they just go ahead with construction of the
Excavator?”

Well, you have to remember that – right after Disney’s
Animal Kingdom opened – two of the main complaints that Guests had about this “Nahtazu”
was A) there weren’t enough rides, shows and attractions here to warrant
calling DAK a full-day theme park and B) very few of Animal Kingdom’s
attractions were kid friendly.

So given that WDI felt that it had to address these
particular Guest concerns quickly, the Imagineers took the DAK expansion pad which
had been set aside for the Excavator and then built Chester & Hester’s
Dino-Rama right on top of that. Which was this brand-new mini-land that featured
kid-friendly carnival rides like TriceraTop Spin and Primeval Whirl.

And as for the Excavator ride concept … Well, for a time, it
was part of the initial ride line-up for Hong Kong Disneyland. In the official November 1999 announcement of
this 126-hectare theme park, Adventureland was supposed to have been home to a
high-profile attraction which was supposed to have given Guests …

… the opportunity to venture into a wild untamed world and
ride a roller coaster through a dark jungle filled with mysterious surprises.

And according to what I’ve heard from the Imagineers who
actually worked on this proposed HKDL attraction, this coaster was initially
supposed to have been the replacement for Adventureland’s Jungle Cruise. Which
(back in 1999, anyway) was thought to be too slow, low tech & old-fashioned
to really appeal to the sophisticated folks who live in Hong Kong.

So in the place of The Jungle Cruise, the Imagineers wanted
to build a thrill ride that took the Excavator’s ride system and then married
that to all of the AA figures that Guests see as they roll through DAK’s “Dinosaur”
ride. Now place this coaster / runaway mine train inside of a thick,
Primeval-looking jungle and you’ve then got a thrill ride which would blow the doors
off of Universal‘s Jurassic Park River Adventure.

And as for this proposed coaster’s post-show area (i.e. where
the kids who were too small to ride could wait while their parents / older
siblings were experiencing this HKDL attraction) … Well, WDI was looking to possibly
reuse that Boneyard play-and-exploration area which they had initially designed
& built for Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.

But as happened with Disney’s Animal Kingdom back in 1994,
the financial realities that the Imagineers were dealing with when it came to the
Penny’s Bay worksite eventually resulted in a severe reduction-in-scope on this
particular project. So instead of building a version of Disneyland which would
have replaced Frontierland‘s placid Rivers of America with a whitewater raft
ride (which – for all of you Disney’s America fans out there – was WDI just attempting
to repurpose the Lewis and Clark Expedition attraction concept which had initially
been developed for the Native American section of this history-based theme
park) … What Hong Kong Disneyland wound up with instead was a super-sized
version of Adventureland. But instead of
having Frontierland’s steamboats and canoes float past Tom Sawyer’s Island,
this theme park’s central waterway had Jungle Cruise launches chugging past Tarzan’s
Treehouse.

But that’s kind of the nature of the beast when it comes to
Disney theme parks. The Imagineers propose something during the initial
development phase of a project. And then the construction timeline shifts
and/or the budget gets revised. And as a direct result, an attraction which
sounds like it would have been a heck of a lot of fun never quite makes it off
of the drawing board.

Anyway, that’s the story of DAK’s Excavator. Please remember
that if you have any Disney-related questions which you’d like to see answered
as part of a future edition of this JHM column to send your queries along to whyfor@jimhillmedia.com.

Your thoughts?

Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment

Disney and Macy’s 90-Year Thanksgiving Day Parade Partnership: From Mickey’s First Balloon to Minnie’s Big Debut

Published

1 month ago

November 15, 2024

Jim Hill

Now, folks, if you’re like me, Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be the same without a coffee, a cozy seat, and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on the TV. And if you’re really like me, you’re watching for one thing: Disney balloons floating down 34th Street. Ever wondered how Mickey, Donald, and soon Minnie Mouse found their way into this beloved New York tradition? Well, grab your popcorn because we’re diving into nearly 90 years of Disney’s partnership with Macy’s.

The Very First Parade and the Early Days of Balloons

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade goes way back to 1924, but if you can believe it, balloons weren’t part of the festivities until 1927. That first lineup included Felix the Cat, a dragon, and a toy soldier, all towering above the crowds. Back then, Macy’s had a pretty wild idea to end the parade: they would let the balloons drift off into the sky, free as birds. But this wasn’t just Macy’s feeling generous. Each balloon had a message attached, offering a $100 reward (about $1,800 in today’s dollars) for anyone who returned it to the flagship store on 34th Street.

And here’s where it gets interesting. This tradition carried on for a few years, right up until 1932, when Felix the Cat almost took down a plane flying over New York City! Imagine that—you’re flying into LaGuardia, and suddenly, there’s a 60-foot balloon drifting toward your wing. Needless to say, that was the end of Macy’s “fly away” stunt, and from then on, the balloons have stayed firmly grounded after the parade ends.

1934: Mickey Mouse Floats In, and Disney Joins the Parade

It was 1934 when Mickey Mouse finally made his grand debut in the Macy’s parade. Rumor has it Walt Disney himself collaborated with Macy’s on the design, and by today’s standards, that first Mickey balloon was a bit of a rough cut. This early Mickey had a hotdog-shaped body, and those oversized ears gave him a slightly lopsided look. But no one seemed to mind. Mickey was there, larger than life, floating down the streets of New York, and the crowd loved him.

Mickey wasn’t alone that year. He was joined by Pluto, Horace Horsecollar, and even the Big Bad Wolf and Practical Pig from The Three Little Pigs, making it a full Disney lineup for the first time. Back then, Disney wasn’t yet the entertainment powerhouse we know today, so for Walt, getting these characters in the parade meant making a deal. Macy’s required its star logo to be featured on each Disney balloon—a small concession that set the stage for Disney’s long-standing presence in the parade.

Donald Duck in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade – Donaldism

Duck Joins and Towers Over Mickey

A year later, in 1935, Macy’s introduced Donald Duck to the lineup, and here’s where things got interesting. Mickey may have been the first Disney character to float through the parade, but Donald made a huge splash—literally. His balloon was an enormous 60 feet tall and 65 feet long, towering over Mickey’s 40-foot frame. Donald quickly became a fan favorite, appearing in the lineup for several years before being retired.

Fast-forward a few decades, and Donald was back for a special appearance in 1984 to celebrate his 50th birthday. Macy’s dug the balloon out of storage, re-inflated it, and sent Donald down 34th Street once again, bringing a bit of nostalgia to the holiday crowd.

A Somber Parade in 2001

Now, one of my most memorable trips to the parade was in 2001, just weeks after the 9/11 attacks. Nancy and I, along with our friends, headed down to New York, and the mood was something I’ll never forget. We watched the start of the parade from Central Park West, but before that, we went to the Museum of Natural History the night before to see the balloons being inflated. They were covered in massive cargo nets, with sandbags holding them down. It’s surreal to see these enormous balloons anchored down before they’re set free.

That year, security was intense, with police lining the streets, and then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani rode on the Big Apple float to roaring applause. People cheered his name, waving and shouting as he passed. It felt like the entire city had turned out to show their resilience. Even amidst all the heightened security and tension, seeing those balloons—brought a bit of joy back to the city.

Balloon Prep: From New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium to California’s D23 Expo

Each year before the parade, Macy’s holds a rehearsal event known as Balloon Fest at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. This is where handlers get their first crack at guiding the balloons, practicing with their parade masters, and learning the ropes—literally. It’s an entire production unto itself, with dozens of people rehearsing to make sure these enormous inflatables glide smoothly down the streets of New York on parade day.

In 2015, Macy’s took the balloon show on the road, bringing their Buzz Lightyear balloon out to California for the D23 Expo. I was lucky enough to be there, and watching Buzz get inflated piece by piece in the Anaheim Convention Center parking lot was something to behold. Each section was filled with helium in stages, and when they got around to Buzz’s lower half, well, there were more than a few gas-related jokes from the crowd.

These balloons seem to have a personality all their own, and seeing one like Buzz come to life up close—even outside of New York—had all the excitement and anticipation of the real deal.

Mickey’s Comeback as a Bandleader and Sailor Mickey

After a long hiatus, Mickey Mouse made his return to the Macy’s parade in 2000, this time sporting a new bandleader outfit. Nine years later, in 2009, Sailor Mickey joined the lineup, promoting Disney Cruise Line with a nautical twist. Over the past two decades, Disney has continued to enchant parade-goers with characters like Buzz Lightyear in 2008 and Olaf from Frozen in 2017. These balloons keep Disney’s iconic characters front and center, drawing in both longtime fans and new viewers.

But ever wonder what happens to the balloons after they reach the end of 34th Street? They don’t just disappear. Each balloon is carefully deflated, rolled up like a massive piece of laundry, and packed into storage bins. From there, they’re carted back through the Lincoln Tunnel to Macy’s Parade Studio in New Jersey, where they await their next flight.

Macy’s Disney Celebration at Hollywood Studios

In 1992, Macy’s took the spirit of the parade down to Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando. After that year’s parade, several balloons—including Santa Goofy, Kermit the Frog, and Betty Boop—were transported to Hollywood Studios, re-inflated, and anchored along New York Street as part of a holiday display. Visitors could walk through this “Macy’s New York Christmas” setup and see the balloons up close, right in the middle of the park. While this display only ran for one season, it paved the way for the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, which became a holiday staple at the park for years to come.

Minnie Mouse’s Long-Awaited Debut in 2024

This year, Minnie Mouse will finally join the parade, making her long-overdue debut. Macy’s is rolling out the red carpet for Minnie’s arrival with special pop-up shops across the country, where fans can find exclusive Minnie ears, blown-glass ornaments, T-shirts, and more to celebrate her first appearance in the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

For those lucky enough to catch the parade this year, you’ll see Minnie take her first float down 34th Street, decked out in her iconic red bow and polka-dot dress. Macy’s and Disney are also unveiling a new Disney Cruise Line float honoring all eight ships, including the latest, the Disney Treasure.

As always, I’ll be watching from my favorite chair, coffee in hand, as Minnie makes her grand entrance. The 98th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade airs live on NBC, and it’s a tradition you won’t want to miss—whether you’re on 34th Street or tuning in from home.

Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment

Disney’s Forgotten Halloween Event: The Original Little Monsters on Main Street

Published

3 months ago

September 22, 2024

Jim Hill

When most Disney fans think of Halloween in the parks, they immediately picture Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World or the Oogie Boogie Bash at Disneyland Resort. But before those events took over as the must-attend spooky celebrations, there was a little-known event at Disneyland called Little Monsters on Main Street. And its origins? Well, they go all the way back to the 1980s, during a time when America was gripped by fear—the Satanic Panic.

You see, back in the mid-1980s, parents were terrified that Halloween had become dangerous. Urban legends about drug-laced candy or razor blades hidden in apples were widespread, and many parents felt they couldn’t let their kids out of sight for even a moment. Halloween, which was once a carefree evening of trick-or-treating in the neighborhood, had suddenly become a night filled with anxiety.

This is where Disneyland’s Little Monsters on Main Street came in.

The Origins of Little Monsters on Main Street

Back in 1989, the Disneyland Community Action Team—later known as the VoluntEARS—decided to create a safe, nostalgic Halloween experience for Cast Members and their families. Many schools in the Anaheim area were struggling to provide basic school supplies to students, and the VoluntEARS saw an opportunity to combine a safe Halloween with a charitable cause. Thus, Little Monsters on Main Street was born.

This event was not open to the general public. Only Disneyland Cast Members could purchase tickets, which were initially priced at just $5 each. Cast Members could bring their kids—but only as many as were listed as dependents with HR. And even then, the park put a cap on attendance: the first event was limited to just 1,000 children.

A Unique Halloween Experience

Little Monsters on Main Street wasn’t just another Halloween party. It was designed to give kids a safe, fun environment to enjoy trick-or-treating, much like the good old days. On Halloween night in 1989, kids in costume wandered through Disneyland with their pillowcases, visiting 20 different trick-or-treat stations. They also had the chance to ride a few of their favorite Fantasyland attractions, all after the park had closed to the general public.

The event was run entirely by the VoluntEARS—about 200 of them—who built and set up all the trick-or-treat stations themselves. They arrived at Disneyland before the park closed and, as soon as the last guest exited, they began setting up stations across Main Street, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. The event ran from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., and by the time the last pillowcase-wielding kid left, the VoluntEARS cleaned everything up, making sure the park was ready for the next day’s operations.

It wasn’t just candy and rides, though. The event featured unique entertainment, like a Masquerade Parade down Main Street, U.S.A., where kids could show off their costumes. And get this—Disneyland even rigged up a Cast Member dressed as a witch to fly from the top of the Matterhorn to Frontierland on the same wire that Tinker Bell uses during the fireworks. Talk about a magical Halloween experience!

The Haunted Mansion “Tip-Toe” Tour

Perhaps one of the most memorable parts of Little Monsters on Main Street was the special “tip-toe tour” of the Haunted Mansion. Now, Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion can be a pretty scary attraction for younger kids, so during this event, Disney left the doors to the Stretching Room and Portrait Gallery wide open. This allowed kids to walk through and peek at the Haunted Mansion’s spooky interiors without actually having to board the Doom Buggies. For those brave enough to ride, they could, of course, take the full trip through the Haunted Mansion—or they could take the “chicken exit” and leave, no harm done.

Growing Success and a Bigger Event

Thanks to the event’s early success, Little Monsters on Main Street grew in size. By 1991, the attendance cap had been raised to 2,000 kids, and Disneyland added more activities like magic shows and hayrides. They also extended the event’s hours, allowing kids to enjoy the festivities until 10:30 p.m.

In 2002, the event moved over to Disney California Adventure, where it could accommodate even more kids—up to 5,000 in its later years. The name was also shortened to just Little Monsters, since it was no longer held on Main Street. This safe, family-friendly Halloween event continued for several more years, with the last mention of Little Monsters appearing in the Disneyland employee newsletter in 2008. Though some Cast Members recall the event continuing until 2012, it eventually made way for Disney’s more public-facing Halloween events.

From Little Monsters to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary and Oogie Boogie Bash

Starting in the early 2000s, Disney began realizing the potential of Halloween-themed after-hours events for the general public. These early versions of Mickey’s Halloween Party and Mickey’s Halloween Treat eventually evolved into today’s Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Oogie Boogie Bash. Unfortunately, this also marked the end of the intimate, Cast Member-exclusive Little Monsters event, but it paved the way for the large-scale Halloween celebrations we know and love today.

While it’s bittersweet to see Little Monsters on Main Street fade into Disney history, its legacy lives on through these modern Halloween parties. And even though Cast Members now receive discounted tickets to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary and Oogie Boogie Bash, the special charm of an event created specifically for Disney’s employees and their families remains something worth remembering.

**The Merch: A Piece of Little Monsters History**

For Disney collectors, the exclusive merchandise created for Little Monsters on Main Street is still out there. You can find pins, name tags, and themed pillowcases on sites like eBay. One of the coolest collectibles is a 1997 cloisonné pin set featuring Huey, Dewey, and Louie dressed as characters from Hercules. Other sets paid tribute to the Main Street Electrical Parade and Pocahontas, while the pillowcases were uniquely designed for each year of the event.

While Little Monsters on Main Street may be gone, it’s a fascinating piece of Disneyland history that played a huge role in shaping the Halloween celebrations we enjoy at Disney parks today.

Want to hear more behind-the-scenes stories like this? Be sure to check out I Want That Too, where Lauren and I dive deep into the history behind Disney’s most beloved attractions, events, and of course, merchandise!

Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment

The Story of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: From One Night to a Halloween Family Tradition

Published

4 months ago

September 7, 2024

Jim Hill

The spooky season is already in full swing at Disney parks on both coasts. On August 9th, the first of 38 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) nights for 2024 kicked off at Florida’s Magic Kingdom. Meanwhile, over at Disney California Adventure, the Oogie Boogie Bash began on August 23rd and is completely sold out across its 27 dates this year.

Looking back, it’s incredible to think about how these Halloween-themed events have grown. But for Disney, the idea of charging guests for Halloween fun wasn’t always a given. In fact, when the very first Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party debuted on October 31, 1995, it was a modest one-night-only affair. Compare that to the near month-long festivities we see today, and it’s clear that Disney’s approach to Halloween has evolved considerably.

A Not-So-Scary Beginning

I was fortunate enough to attend that very first MNSSHP back in 1995, along with my then 18-month-old daughter Alice and her mom, Michelle. Tickets were a mere $16.95 (I know, can you imagine?), and we pushed Alice around in her sturdy Emmaljunga stroller—Swedish-built and about the size of a small car. Cast Members, charmed by her cuteness, absolutely loaded us up with candy. By the end of the night, we had about 30 pounds of fun-sized candy bars, making that push up to the monorail a bit more challenging.

Mickey’s Halloween Treat 1996 – Photo: Disney

This Halloween event was Disney’s response to the growing popularity of Universal Studios Florida’s own Halloween hard ticket event, which started in 1991 as “Fright Nights” before being rebranded as “Halloween Horror Nights” the following year. Universal’s gamble on a horror-themed experience helped salvage what had been a shaky opening for their park, and by 1993, Halloween Horror Nights was a seven-night event, with ticket prices climbing as high as $35. Universal had stumbled upon a goldmine, and Disney took notice.

A Different Approach

Now, here’s where Disney’s unique strategy comes into play. While Universal embraced the gory, scare-filled world of horror, Disney knew that wasn’t their brand. Instead of competing directly with blood and jump-scares, Disney leaned into what they did best: creating magical, family-friendly experiences.

Thus, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party was born. The focus was on fun and whimsy, not fear. Families could bring their small children without worrying about them being terrified by a chainsaw-wielding maniac around the next corner. This event wasn’t just a Halloween party—it was an extension of the Disney magic that guests had come to expect from the parks.

Disney had some experience with seasonal after-hours events, most notably Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, which had started in 1983. But the Halloween party was different, as the Magic Kingdom wasn’t yet decked out in Halloween decor the way it is today. Disney had to create a spooky (but not too spooky) atmosphere using temporary props, fog machines, and, of course, lots of candy.

A key addition to that first event? The debut of the Headless Horseman, who made his eerie appearance in Liberty Square, riding a massive black Percheron. It wasn’t as elaborate as the Boo-to-You Parade we see today, but it marked the beginning of a beloved Disney Halloween tradition.

A Modest Start but a Big Future

That first MNSSHP in 1995 was seen as a trial run. As Disney World spokesman Greg Albrecht told the Orlando Sentinel, “If it’s successful, we’ll do it again.” And while attendance was sparse that night, there was clearly potential. By 1997, the event expanded to two nights, and by 1999, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party had grown into a multi-night celebration with a full-fledged parade. Today, in 2024, it’s a staple of the fall season at Walt Disney World, offering 38 nights of trick-or-treating, character meet-and-greets, and special entertainment.

Universal’s Influence

It’s interesting to reflect on how Disney’s Halloween event might never have existed without the competition from Universal. Just as “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” forced Disney to step up their game with “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge,” Universal’s success with Halloween Horror Nights likely spurred Disney into action with MNSSHP. The friendly rivalry between the two parks has continually pushed both to offer more to their guests, and we’re all better off because of it.

So the next time you find yourself trick-or-treating through the Magic Kingdom, watching the Headless Horseman gallop by, or marveling at the seasonal fireworks, take a moment to appreciate how this delightful tradition came to be—all thanks to a little competition and Disney’s commitment to creating not-so-scary magic.

For more Disney history and behind-the-scenes stories, check out the latest episodes of the I Want That Too podcast on the Jim Hill Media network.