Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment
What happens when things actually do sort-of, kind-of go horribly wrong at a Disney theme park
Jim Hill shares Richard Murphy’s tale about how Disneyland’s maintenance team came to his rescue on Super Bowl Sunday. When the Jungle Cruise boat that Richard was riding in somehow became untethered
At the D23 EXPO back in September, I noted – with some amusement – that the new attractions that are now in the works for Hong Kong Disneyland follow the tried-and-true WDI formula. In that the critical event, the thing that sets everything in motion (Be it Albert the monkey opening an enchanted music box at Mystic Manor ….
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… or a back-scratching bear. Who accidentally sends your train hurtling down this collapsing mineshaft on Big Grizzly Mountain coaster) …
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… is that SOMETHING GOES HORRIBLY WRONG !?
Imagineering has used “ … SOMETHING GOES HORRIBLY WRONG !?” so many times as the event that kick-starts the storyline of a new ride or show that – a while back – one of WDI’s rivals (And – no – I’m not going to tell you the name of the theme park design company that actually came up with this killer concept) wanted to create an attraction that parodied this over-used Disney conceit.
This proposed simulator ride – which was to have been built around the characters from “Futurama” – was to have been a “Star Tours” –like simulator attraction. In fact, this “Futurama” ride was to have been so closely modeled after “Star Tours” that – when the blast shield came down – Fry was to have turned around, noticed the audience seated behind him and then suddenly said: “Wait a minute. I know this ride ! I've been on this ride!? We’re about to blast off into space! And then something will go HORRIBLY WRONG !?”
And then – from there – the beauty of this proposed “Futurama” simulator attraction was that Fry, Leela and Bender would go on a typical Planet Express delivery run. But at each step of the way (i.e. When their spaceship stops for fuel at a decrepit old space station; when the crew lands on some dark, forbidding planet to deliver their package to this huge, scaly alien, etc.), Fry would then turn around & address the audience by saying “And this is the part where SOMETHING GOES HORRIBLY WRONG!?” And then nothing would happen.
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And this was supposed to go on for 3 & 1/2 minutes of “Futurama” ‘s 4 minute-long ride film. With the comic tension just building & building & building until …. Well, I’m not going to blow the ending of this proposed attraction (Why For? Because I still hope to see it built someday). But let’s just say — by the time this ride reached its climax — you were to have experienced the Mother of all Somethings that go HORRIBLY WRONG?!
"How bad are we talking here?," you ask. To the point that – when you exited this "Futurama" ride – you weren't going to walk through a door. You were supposed to climb out through a gaping hole in the side of your Planet Express spaceship. And as you headed down to the gift shop, you were to have passed this animatronic Fry who was still pinned under the wreckage. Who — upon seeing you — was supposed to have said: "See! I told you that something was going to go horribly wrong!"
Anyway … I bring this up today because … Well, this past Sunday, JHM contributor Richard Murphy was out at Disneyland. And as he and his family were enjoying a ride on The Jungle Cruise, something did really-for-real go … Well, not horribly wrong. But still wrong. And I thought it might interest you folks to know how Disneyland’s repair crew actually handle events like this.
Here’s Richard’s report:
Around 12:30 in the afternoon on Super Bowl Sunday, a Jungle Cruise boat at Disneyland detached from its guide track and crashed into some rockwork at the edge of the river.
Copyright Disney. All Rights ReservedI happened to be in the forward most starboard seat, right next to the skipper. It occurred on a right-turn curve of the river between the Lost Safari (“they’ll get the point in the end”) and the hippo pool. We struck ‘rock’ on the left side of the river.
Back at the dock, I had just missed getting on the previous boat and was first in line when the Amazon Belle pulled up to the dock. A decision was made to only half-load the boat. I don’t know why, but it may have been because the ‘return’ boats were stacking up and they just wanted to get more boats out on the river. We departed with guests in the front of the boat and at the back of the boat, but with nobody in the middle.
The trip proceeded normally, except that Skipper Chris (Irvine, CA) was rushing his spiel a bit, causing some his jokes to fall flat. We passed the African Veldt scene and the Safari scene and then the river makes a sharp right turn to head for the hippo pool. When the boat makes a sharp turn, it lists toward the outside of the turn. This is usually played for fun a little bit at the first encounter at Schweitzer Falls. It happened here, too, but not — it seemed to me — to an unusual degree. But this time there was a sound from under the boat. I can’t remember what it sounded like but I know there was one. It wasn’t an alarming sound.
Copyright Disney. All Rights ReservedI was looking forward and realized that we didn’t seem to be making the turn. And I was really startled when I realized we were heading into the shoreline. I’m not sure when Skipper Chris was aware of it; there are many places on the ride where the Skipper is facing his passengers instead of looking down river and I can’t recall which way he was facing. He was looking as we ran up on the rockwork. At this spot on the river there is some ledge-like rock on the left side of the river. There was a scraping sound beneath the bow and the boat lurched to a stop. The sudden stop bent people forward, but no one was thrown out of their seat. The boat drifted backward off the rocks and the boat settled back into the river.
Our skipper immediately picked up the revolver that is usually fired while passing through the hippo pool. He nervously loaded five more rounds into it and then fired six shots. He then accessed a two-way radio below the ship’s wheel and called out “We have a six-shot on the C-curve.” A few seconds after that we heard someone on the ride P.A. announce “All boats please hold your position.” Our boat was afloat, and I was relieved to see that there was no sign of any leaks. We’d hit the rocks hard and wasn’t sure what the damage might have been to the bow.
Everything was stable at this point so we all had a moment to collect ourselves. Skipper Chris apologized and pointed out the obvious: we weren’t going anywhere for a bit. He joked “I guess this time the hippo’s won!” Most of us quickly realized that, rather than a disaster, we were all going to leave Disneyland with a great story to tell our families and friends.
Copyright Disney. All Rights ReservedI had expected that we would shortly see the next boat behind us on the river, but we didn’t. The P.A. announcer called for the boats behind us to back up and return to the dock and for the boats in front of us to come in.
Finally, someone on the boat called out “Rescue!” and pointed.Through the jungle, we could see another cruise boat with blue-uniformed maintenance people backing down the river. They came into sight as they backed through the hippo pool and eventually made their way to us. They had a costumed skipper at the helm with the maintenance folk at the back.
The maintenance men asked our skipper for his rope. There is a tall box between the Skipper and the middle bench of the boat. He flipped open the lid and pulled out a thick, black mooring rope with loops at each end. They secured the front cleat on our boat to the back cleat of the rescue boat. We guessed that they were just going to tow us in. But what they did was pull the two boats together so that a maintenance guy could transfer to our boat. A silver-haired man with what I guessed was a German accent came into our boat while another maintenance man leaned over the stern of the rescue boat.
Copyright Disney. All Rights ReservedThe man on our boat looked inside the tall box the rope came from. With a front-row seat, I learned a little about the mechanics of the boat. The tall box conceals a hollow pin the side of a pipe that engages with the submerged track beneath the boat. The goal now was simple: to reposition the box precisely over the track so that the pin could be dropped in place, thus reattaching the boat to the track.
Simple does not mean easy. Trying to position a drifting boat over a fixed point while your only point of leverage is another drifting boat is a significant challenge. There were numerous attempts and it required coordinating with rescue boat’s skipper to move a touch forward or a touch back. But after several minutes of struggle the pin dropped into place with a satisfying thud. Our skipper tested his throttle and our boat moved forward on the track. Our maintenance man transferred back to the rescue boat and they departed.
Skipper Chris resumed our journey. He tried to finish as much of the spiel as he could, but it wasn’t easy with the ride audio and animation switched off. The hippos didn’t move, the tribal dancers didn’t dance, and the ambush party didn’t ambush. Fortunately, the backside of water just kept flowing. No piranha, but the Trader Sam jokes are amazingly reliable.
Copyright Disney. All Rights ReservedWe returned to an empty dock alongside an empty queue. As we exited, park personnel issued each of us two Fast Passes for rides of our choice.
I guess that’s why they call it ‘Adventureland.’
Isn’t that a cool story? More importantly, isn't it reassuring to learn that Disneyland actually already has a procedure in place so that — in the events that something like this does occur — the Park's maintenance staff can then move quickly to make repairs right there on the spot. With little or no real impact on the Guest experience.
The only time that every happened to me that was even remotely like what Richard just experienced was … Well, it was back on January 2, 1996. And I was at Epcot, trying to be one of the very last civilians to experience World of Motion before this Future World show building was gutted to make way for Test Track. But right before my Omnimover reached the first show scene, World of Motion stopped moving. Its ride system — for some inexplicable reason — suddenly broke down. Which is why — rather being one of the very last non-Cast Members to ride through this late, great Epcot attraction — I wound up being walked down that exterior load ramp by a Cast Member. Who first had to manually open my Omnimover.
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But what about you folks? Have any of you ever had an experience like Richard and I? Where you were enjoying a ride, show or attraction at a Disney theme park and then … Well, something didn’t go horribly wrong. But things certainly didn’t work the way that they were supposed to.
Sooo … You got any stories to share?
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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