Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment
From the JHM Archives: Exploring Marc Davis’ Enchanted Snow Palace
Go ahead. Ask a Disneyana fan who Marc Davis was. Better yet: Find yourself a comfy chair, sit down, and THEN ask a Disneyana fan who Marc Davis was.
Marc Davis shows Walt one of the Audio Animatronic figures that were built based on
his designs for Disneyland’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” attraction.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
Because you’re about to get an earful.
First you’ll probably hear about how Davis was this legendary animator at Walt Disney Studios. The guy who played a key role in bringing Snow White, Bambi
, Thumper, Cinderella
, Alice, Wendy, Malificent and Cruella De Vil all to life.
Then they’ll undoubtedly talk about how Marc moved over to Imagineering in the early 1960s, where he became one of that organization’s top designers. While working there, he created some of the most memorable characters and set pieces for “The Jungle Cruise,” “The Enchanted Tiki Room,” “it’s a small world,” “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “The Hall of Presidents,” “The Haunted Mansion” and “Country Bear Jamboree.” The list goes on and on.
Then – if they’re sticking to the “Readers Digest” version of Davis’ life – they’ll probably close by telling you about how Marc retired from WED in 1978, but continued to draw and/or make appearances at various Disneyana events ’til his untimely death in January 2000. Which should tie up Davis’ life story with a neat little bow.
Except that … Well … Were you to start poking around at that version of the Marc Davis story, some holes would begin emerging. And some questions would probably come quickly to mind.
Questions like: If Marc was really such a hot-shot designer for WED, why were all of his attractions for the Disney theme parks built and/or up and running by the late 1960s / early 1970s? Given that this guy didn’t actually retire from Imagineering ’til 1978, it stands to reason that there should have been quite a few more Marc Davis classics popping up in the parks into the mid-to-late 1970s? So what happened? Did this guy lose his chops or what?
Marc working on the design for the new “Sacking the Treasury” finale sequence for
Walt Disney World’s version of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” attraction.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
Sadly, the answer is no. Marc never lost his chops. He remained a top designer – doing witty, wonderful work for the parks as well as Disney’s consumer products division – right up until the year he died. Even after he’d formally retired, Davis still got calls from folks at WED/WDI – desperate to tap into his expertise. (This is how Marc ended up consulting on attractions for Epcot as well as Tokyo Disneyland.)
So – okay – if Marc was such a WED wunderkind, then how come all that Disney got out of Davis in the mid-to-late 1970s was “America Sings“? This “GE Carousel of Progress” replacement was pretty much Marc’s last hurrah for the Mouse House. An ambitious Audio-Animatronic filled (109 figures!) tribute to American song, this Tomorrowland attraction was admittedly fun. But it was also no “Pirates of the Caribbean” or “The Haunted Mansion.”
So where’s that one last truly great Disney theme park attraction from Marc Davis? That final show that was supposed to have built on everything that Marc learned while working with Walt? That ride-to-end-all-rides? The one that was supposed to have blown our socks off?And the answer is … Davis actually designed at least two of these attractions in the 1970s. Rides that the Imagineers (who worked at WED at the time and saw Marc’s beautifully drawn up plans) still talk about. I’ve already written at length about one of these shows – the Thunder Mesa project for Walt Disney World’s “Phase One” featuring “Western River Expedition.”
The attraction I’d like to talk about today was probably the last show of size that Marc Davis ever designed for WED: “The Enchanted Snow Palace.”This ambitious attraction – which was proposed for the site that Disneyland‘s massive Fantasyland Theater currently occupies – was considered by many at Imagineering to be the most beautiful thing that they’d ever been designed for a Disney theme park.
So why did Mouse House managers from that era opt not to built Marc’s beautiful “Enchanted Snow Palace”? Patience, Grasshopper.
One of the “plusses” Marc Davis was looking to add to Disneyland’s version of “The
Jungle Cruise” in the mid-1970s. Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc.
All rights reserved
Let’s first talk about the ride as Marc originally envisioned it.
This whole attraction sprang out of Davis’ desire to create something cool for Disneyland. Not cool as in “That ride was bitchin’ fast” or “The kids seem to really get off on stuff like.” But a place where guests could go to escape the cruel Southern California sun.
Davis – while on a field trip to Disneyland one hot summer’s afternoon in the early 1970s (He was out at the park, scouting locations for the new sequences that he was dreaming up for Adventureland‘s “Jungle Cruise”) – really felt beat down by the heat. As he drove back to Glendale, Marc thought to himself: “Wouldn’t it be great if Disneyland had a place where guests could go to escape the heat on a day like today? Someplace cool & peaceful, away from the crowds?”
And from that slim notion … Marc spun out his entire “Enchanted Snow Palace.” A cool & peaceful place, away from the crowds.
Picture – if you will – an enormous white & blue show building. Similar in size and scale to “it’s a small world.” Only this building isn’t really a building at all. It’s a glacier. (Or at least a mock-up of one. Carefully carved out of plastic and plaster by the artisans at Imagineering).
As we queue up for the ride, we notice that all the ice and snow seems to have melted into some very unique shapes. There – amid all the icicles – are graceful towers and windows and walls. All seemingly carved out of ice. Wait a minute. Could it be that someone actually lives inside this massive block of ice? As we trot down the faux snow covered stairs and get into a ice blue bateaux, I guess we’re about to find out.
Marc Davis concept painting for “The Enchanted Snow Palace”
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
Just like on “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “it’s a small world,” the power of the water itself (as well as a few well hidden conveyer belts) sends our boat floating gently into the show building. Once we slip through a hole in the glacier, we’re dazzled by all the blue and the white inside. To the strains of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker Suite,” Audio Animatronic polar bears and penguins caper on iceflows all around us. Timber wolves stand on top of nearby snowdrifts, howling at the moon. Robotic walruses pop up next to our boat and playfully squirt water at us. It’s a magical – if somewhat naturalistic – environment.
But then the aurora borealis shimmers in the sky above our heads. Which somehow causes our boat to drift into a mysterious snow cave … And – once we’re inside – the real magic begins. Immense snow giants – carrying huge icicles clubs – tower over us. But we needn’t fear. For these snow giants seem dazzled by the frost fairies that are flitting in the air in front of them. (What do the frost fairies look like? Remember the ones from Fantasia
‘s “Nutcracker” sequence? Well, Marc brought them back to life. Only in 3D form.)
We then pass the Snow Queen’s beautiful hand maidens – each dressed in an ornate Ziegfeld Girl-seque gown. Every one of them wears an elaborate head dress made out of ice. Each is attended by a snowy owl or an arctic fox or snow white ermine.
Then our boat finally floats into the throne room of the Snow Queen herself. As the music builds, we see that the Queen is getting ready to make her nightly rounds. Her sled – with a team of snowshoe rabbits – is standing by the palace door. Her majesty gestures gracefully toward us … and suddenly the air is filled with snow. We drift through this brief blizzard back into the sunlight … out toward the “Enchanted Snow Palace” ‘s load/unload area.
Marc Davis’ design for the Snow Queen. Copyright Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
There. Doesn’t that proposed attraction sound beautiful? Not all that compelling from a narrative point of view, of course. And – to be honest – the ride itself (in spite of all its elaborate, ornate tableaus) sounds fairly passive. A bit on the dull side. That said, you’ve still got to admit that Marc Davis’ plans for his “Enchanted Snow Palace” do sound like they would have been very beautiful.
Yes, Davis put his heart and soul into this project. Making sure that all of his concept sketches for this Fantasyland addition were as dazzling as possible. Which is why he did his drawings for this proposed attraction in the style of Erté, the famous Parisian designer best known for his extraordinary sets and costumes for the Follies Bergeres.
And Marc’s drawings were beautiful. The trouble was – back in the mid 1970s – Disney Company management wasn’t really looking for passive but pretty rides like “The Enchanted Snow Palace.” They were looking for attractions that thrilled and dazzled guests, not shows that caused them to smile & snooze.
The real problem was that – circa 1975 – the American theme park industry was undergoing a fundamental change. The era of the steel coaster had finally arrived. And amusement park owners – particularly Disney – were noticing what rides like these could do for a corporation’s bottom line.
Mouse House managers couldn’t help but notice the immediate, positive impact that the original Space Mountain had on Walt Disney World attendance levels when this Tomorrowland thrill ride first opened back in January 1975. Which is why the company rushed construction of an Anaheim version of this attraction (which eventually opened at Disneyland on May 4, 1977).And if one thrill ride could drive up attendance levels at the company’s theme parks this much, Disney’s operations staff wondered: What would TWO thrill rides do? Which is why management decided to dust off Tony Baxter’s plans for his runaway mine train ride … And the rest of the story, you know.
Tony Baxter’s concept painting for the exterior of Big Thunder Mountain Railway.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
Of course, with all of WED’s funds being funneled into quickly creating high speed thrill rides for Disneyland and Walt Disney World (not to mention the development of rides & shows for Epcot), there just wasn’t any money left to build something that was just – well – beautiful like Marc’s “Enchanted Snow Palace.” So the project languished. And Davis – feeling somewhat out of step with what Imagineering was up to at the time – decided that now might be a good time to retire.
The question now is: Would Marc’s “Enchanted Snow Palace” have really been a good addition to the parks? Would it have been a show like “small world” or “Pirates” that the public immediately embraced and loved for years to come, or would it have been more like “America Sings” (Which – to be honest – fell out of favor fairly quickly, playing to mostly empty houses ’til the attraction finally closed in 1988)?
My personal feeling – while I love Marc’s concept sketches for this attraction – is that his “Enchanted Snow Palace” was almost too artsy – fartsy for its own good. The proposed storyline for the show was just too slender. There weren’t enough laughs or thrills to really entertain guests as they floated through the building. All the “Snow Palace” had going for it was that it would be A) cool inside and B) pretty to look at. Which was really not enough to justify the proposed attraction’s estimated $15 million construction costs.
Which is WED opted to take a pass on the project.
A litho that Marc Davis personally put together towards the end of his life which
touched on many of the projects that he worked on during his career at Walt
Disney Imagineering. Please note which never-built attraction has the
centermost / most prominent position in this image. Copyright
Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
But the beauty of Marc’s work for this proposed attraction lives on. Both in the hearts of the Imagineers who were lucky enough to see Davis’ original sketches when he was first working on the project, as well as the cast members who work in the Disney Gallery.
A few years back (around the holiday season), the Gallery sold a limited edition lithograph of one of Marc Davis’ concept paintings for “The Enchanted Snow Palace.” It showed one of the Snow Queen’s hand maidens in all her icy glory, dressed in a long blue & white gown, with a snowy owl at her feet. The lithos – which included a crystal “Snow Palace” Christmas ornament – sold like hot cakes.
Which proves – I guess – that there really is an audience out there for a strictly beautiful Disney theme park attraction. Whether or not it would have been as big an audience as – say – the folks who like “Big Thunder” or “Space Mountain,” who can say?
Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment
Disney and Macy’s 90-Year Thanksgiving Day Parade Partnership: From Mickey’s First Balloon to Minnie’s Big Debut
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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