Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment

One Day Out of the Year: A Visit to the Magical Holiday Faire

Have you always wondered what it might be like to visit the Disney lot in Burbank? Well, now you can find out — thanks to this excellent article by JHM guest columnist Paul Schnebelen.

Published

22 years ago

December 2, 2002

Paul Schnebelen

Hey, folks!

Jim Hill here. You know, I was lucky enough to actually be out in Southern California in late November / early December a few years back. Which is how I was able to attend one of these “Magical Holiday Faire” events on the Disney lot. That’s how I know that today’s JHM guest columnist — Paul Schnebelen– has done a spot-on job of capturing the exact look and the feel of the event. This is what it’s really like when you take part in the “Magical Holiday Faire” at the Burbank. Thanks, Paul, for providing such detailed coverage of this fun event.

Enjoy, jrh

It’s the place where classic Disney films and TV shows were made – from cartoons to animated and live action features, from “The Mickey Mouse Club” and “Zorro” to “Home Improvement.” It’s the place where a little train was built in a machine shop, which led to bigger trains and a steamboat and a few other things being built and installed in a former orange grove in Anaheim. It’s the dream factory that Walt (and Roy, Ward, Frank, Ollie, Marc, and others) built, and it’s where Michael (and Bob and another Roy) run the global entertainment empire that the dream factory became.

It’s the Walt Disney Studios — not the theme park re-creations in Paris or Orlando, but the actual honest-to-(Peg Leg) Pete Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California — and unless you’ve got connections, you work on the lot, or you are given (or buy yourself) an opportunity to visit, you can’t go there.

Except for one day a year, that is.

Many years ago, the Walt Disney Studios decided to host a Christmas craft fair for its employees on the lot. It was nothing fancy, just a chance for the employees to do a little Christmas shopping and a chance for some craftsmen to sell a few handmade items. The craft fair kept getting bigger and bigger, and eventually the Studios decided to open it to the public, add a few fun little extras, and charge a small admission fee, and the employee craft fair became the Magical Holiday Faire. The Faire is held every November just before Thanksgiving and always manages to attract quite a crowd — an amazingly large crowd, considering that Disney doesn’t advertise it or promote it to anyone other than its’ employees.

Now, I must admit I’m not a big fan of craft fairs. My fiancée practically has to drag me kicking and screaming to these things most of the time, and when we get there, I usually try to find a nice quiet place to hide until she has some shopping bags for me to carry. But when the craft fair is being held at the Walt Disney Studios… “What’s that, honey, you can’t make it? No problem — I’ll go for you and see what they have.”

About a quarter of the Studio lot is opened to the public for the Faire — the parking lot (where the craft booths are located) and the center of the original Studio campus. This is an area roughly bordered by the original Animation Building to the north, the parking lot to the south, the Shorts Building and Sound Stages 1, 2, 4 and 5 to the east, and the Commissary to the west. In years past, you could also visit the Legends Plaza, home to a giant version of the Disney Legends Award and plaques commemorating the winners of that award; you could also have a look at the exteriors of the Team Disney Building (home to the Company’s executive offices) and the Frank G. Wells Building (home of the Disney Archives). These areas are fenced off nowadays; guess that with all the troubles the Company’s been having lately, Michael’s afraid that the stockholders are going to use the Faire as an excuse to gain access to the lot and storm his office or something.

But why dwell on what you can’t see when you consider what you can see? You can sit on the steps of the Animation Building and imagine being an animator going off to work on a classic feature. You can walk to the corner of Mickey Avenue and Dopey Drive and admire the famous Art Deco street sign, then take a gander at Pluto’s Corner, where Pluto’s paw prints are imbedded in the cement and a nice little fire hydrant awaits nearby (available exclusively for the star’s use, I guess?). Although you can’t visit the Legends Plaza, you can have a look at the handprints of many of the Legends in the sidewalk in front of the studio theatre.

You can have a look at the Hyperion Building, the only structure remaining from the 1930’s, when the Studio was located a few miles south of its present location. You can even stop in and have a look at the Art Deco-inspired design and the historical photographs of the Commissary. Not up to speed on your Disney history? If you look closely at the buildings and soundstages as you pass, you can see and read plaques commemorating the significant events in Company history that have occurred in each of these buildings.

If you’re not into reading plaques and don’t feel like buying arts and crafts, not to worry — there are a lot of other things to do at the Faire. For example, the Burbank Fire Department has a fire safety display across from the entrance to the Commissary, and the Studio Fire Department also put out some fire-fighting gear and a little electric “fire cart” for little kids (and not-so-little kids) to be photographed in. In one of the side patios of the Commissary is a kids’ activity center, where the young’uns can decorate holiday cookies, color, or write letters to Santa.

If you’re a few years too old to color or are looking for a little more to eat than a cookie, the Commissary is open to the public during the Faire, serving a limited but delicious menu (fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, corn dogs and fries, sandwiches, and Chinese food from Panda Express). Just grab a tray, get yourself some lunch, and have a look around while you pretend you’re a star having a quick bite to eat before you’re due back on the set.

Disney also sets up couple of food booths in the craft fair area and on the walkways, selling hot dog and potato chip lunches, kettle corn, popcorn, and (my personal favorite) chocolate-covered frozen cheesecake. Never had the pleasure of this treat? Here’s how it’s made — take one frozen slice of cheesecake, put a stick in it, dip it in chocolate, and then cover it in sprinkles, nuts, or candy pieces (or in my case, all of the above). I’m glad they don’t sell them at Disneyland — I’d probably have half a dozen of them over the course of a hot summer day.

After you’ve stuffed yourself with lunch and treats, why not catch a movie? The studio Theatre usually screens a film during the Faire; this year, the Theatre presented free screenings of Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. As you might expect, a theatre on a movie studio lot is an excellent place to watch a movie! Most of the seats in the theatre are soft and plush and they recline; they’re comfortable enough to fall asleep in, and I saw several people do just that before the movie started.

In the center of the theatre is a roped-off working area; this consists of gigantic mixing boards used for preparing the soundtrack, a row of work desks used by production staff as they work on assembling the movie, and two ultra-plush leather sofas that make the merely plush regular seats look as appealing to sit on as wooden benches. These are the seats the producers, stars, and Michael and the execs get to use when they screen dailies and completed films. And there’s no multiplex mini-screen and tinny sound system at this theatre, folks; the movie screen is as large as life and the first-class sound system made the music sound as good as it did on the recording stage. Michael, if you’re reading this, I’m available the next time you screen a movie there — I’ll even bring the popcorn.

What Disney event would be complete without the chance to take photos with the characters?

There was one location specifically set up for photos with Mickey and Minnie in their pilgrim costumes; if you didn’t have a camera, the Faire volunteers were available to take a free Polaroid photo. Needless to say, only one photo location and the offer of a free photo with Mr. or Ms. Mouse helped make the line pretty long, but you could also catch one or the other of our stars on their way backstage after they traded off duties at the photo location. Pluto, wearing reindeer antlers and sporting a red nose, was holding court at Pluto’s Corner (unfortunately, you had to provide your own camera for a photo with him). Santa and a couple of (real) reindeer were also at the Faire, meeting a long line of kids on the porch of the Hyperion Building. A 5×7 photo with Santa could be purchased for $12, but if the kids just wanted to talk with ol’ Saint Nick they could do so without Mom and Dad having to purchase a photo.

Let’s face it, a Disney event just isn’t a Disney event unless there’s stuff to buy, and in addition to the arts and crafts, there was some official Faire merchandise available for purchase. Problem was, there wasn’t a lot of it. The cheapest commemorative item at this year’s Faire (and apparently the most popular, since they sold out in about 20 minutes) was a $3 pin featuring the event logo (Santa with Mickey and Donald on his lap, surrounded by his naughty and nice list).

Sweatshirts with the logo were also available for $14 for kids and $18-19 for adults. The purchasing method for the sweatshirts was fairly painless – fill out an order form, try on one of the blank display sweatshirts on for size if you’re not sure what size you take, exchange the form for your sweatshirt, and pay at the register. Unfortunately, the pins and sweatshirts were all that was available. In the past, commemorative watches were offered. But not this year, and if you wanted a T-shirt (which you might get a little more use out of in sunny Southern California than a sweatshirt), you were out of luck.

A couple of other locations offered non-commemorative Disney items to Faire visitors. Commissary sold commuter mugs featuring a quote from Walt on environmental awareness and a couple of photos of him for $2.50, which included the drink (and a 15-cent discount on future refills — oh, boy!); I saw a lot of them being carried around by Faire attendees.

The Studio has its own Disney Store, and it’s open for business during the Faire. You have to be dedicated to shop at this Disney Store, though — there were so many people wanting to shop there that there was always a wait of at least 15 minutes to enter throughout the event. Maybe it was the wait, but the Studio’s Disney Store was a disappointment for me. The store itself is decorated in the original Disney Store style, with a great mural of the characters walking around the Studio lot and several figure=s interspersed throughout, but most of the stuff for sale was the same stuff you could buy at most any other Disney Store.

There were a few exceptions — the Studio store has a pretty good selection of WDAC items and animation sericels, and there are several items available that feature the Studio logo (such as pencils, pens, magnets, T-shirts and polo shirts). Thing is, you’d expect a Disney Store at the Studios to be carrying more interesting stuff than the same plush, toys, and kids’ clothes you can buy at your local mall. I realize that the purpose of this event isn’t to generate money for the Company — they’re trying to get Faire attendees to buy from the artisans, not from the Disney Store. Still, if people are coming to the Studios for a unique experience, more of the official merchandise available should be just as unique.

So, was the Faire worth the money and the hassle? Definitely. I really enjoyed the opportunity to see a part of Disney that I wouldn’t normally get to see; it was great to be able to walk around and see the places where so much Disney history has been made. The movie, the photo, the shopping, and the food were definitely worth the $3.00 I paid for admission. The Faire could have been better, though. I would have loved to have seen more of the lot, especially the Legends Plaza and the Wells Building. I was also disappointed to see that some fun things that had been offered to Faire attendees in the past — such as hayrides through the lot in a cart pulled by Disneyland draft horses — were cut this year. Finally, it would have been nice if there had been more official merchandise specific to the Studios or the Faire available.

And if anyone at Disney is reading this, don’t stock so few of the items that you do have that they run out in 20 minutes! Unless you’re a Disney dweeb like me or you’re passionate about shopping for arts and crafts, you might not go more than once, but the Magical Holiday Faire is still worth checking out.

Does a visit to the Faire sound like something that you’d like to do? If you’ll be in Southern California just before Thanksgiving, start checking the Disney fan sites around the end of October and see if anyone knows the date for the Faire — unless you have friends who work for the Company, that’ll be about the only way to get the date. Once you’ve got the date, make room in your trunk or a whole lot of shopping bags (don’t tell yourself you won’t buy anything; trust me, you will) and come on down.

Don’t pass up an opportunity like this — after all, it’s not every day that someone gets the chance to visit the Walt Disney Studios.

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

4 weeks 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

3 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.