My Three Nights at Disney’s Oogie Boogie Bash

Frightful Fun, Delightful Drinks, and Amazing Atmosphere

I’m a dedicated Disney traveller, and one of my favorite parts of visiting the parks is seeing how they transform through the years. The spooky season is especially fun, as Disney adds a kid-friendly dark twist to its fun family environments.

At the start of October, I spent three nights enjoying the foods, drinks, and devilish decor of Disneyland’s Oogie Boogie Fest. Tickets are sold out for this year, but take my recommendations for next year or you might have to face the greatest fear of all: FOMO!

Why Spend Multiple Nights at the Oogie Boogie Bash?

There is a lot of spooky fun to be had, and since the bash lasts from 6 PM to 11, I figured I wouldn’t be able to fit in all the fun frights in just one night. Fortunately my hunch was correct as there was a lot to see and put in my mouth.

I think you could still have a fantastic time and feel fulfilled even with one night, but as your guide to the dreadfully delightful Disney Halloween offerings, I felt it was my responsibility to give you the fullest picture I could.

That’s why I dedicated each night to reviewing a different aspect of the experience. Here was my spooky schedule:

Night One: Cocktails and Light Bites

Night Two: Exclusive Dessert Party and Parade Experience

Night Three: Food Tasting, Trick or Treat Trails, and Villains Grove

Without further aBOO, let’s get to night one of the bash.

Night One: The Cocktail Tour

I needed to make sure to get my Tipsy cred in early, so I spent the first night of the bash trying different Halloween themed cocktails while admiring the awesome Halloween theming.

My first drink of the night was the Watermelon Chamoy Lemonade Michelada from Cozy Cone 5 at the Cozy Cone Motel in Cars Land. It was spicy, salty, sour, and different, providing the perfect way to kick off the night as the sun began to set.

It was one of my two favorite drinks of the entire Bash and ideal to sip while people-watching.

I also tried the Poison Green Apple Hard Seltzer from the Cozy Cone 4 next door. It was super refreshing and sour and the bright green made for a fun Halloween drink.

This was a good fruity, light option if you’re not a big drinker but want to get the full Disney Adult experience. I should also mention how much I love the Cars area even though I’ve never seen the movies!

It has a nostalgic, small-town feel with cozy lights and relaxing music that brings back memories of midwest hotels, minus the concerning bedsheets. 

Before I get to my third drink, I just want to clarify that I also ate solid food that night LOL. One of my favorite bites was this brisket birria taco with delicious, “homemade,” vibes that I’m still thinking about.

I also enjoyed corn on the cob, fried corndog style, while drinking a spiced sangria seltzer. The seltzer was OK, though it was my least favorite drink of the night.   

Higher on the list were the two drinks I got from the Hollywood Lounge. One was a Keg Craft Berry Sangria, which was sweet and refreshing and would be great for any wine lover.

I enjoyed it right at the end of the night while I watched everyone take pictures in their costumes by the headless horseman statue.

The other drink I got from the Hollywood Lounge, the Haunted Horchata, was probably my number one for the evening. It was creamy and spicy with cinnamon, nutmeg, and rum with a brown sugar rim that made it taste like a fall sweater in a glass.

It may have been the five cocktails, but I think the Disney California Adventure skyline looked so beautiful in the evening.

Night Two: An Exclusive Dessert Party

Having hit my required alcohol consumption, it was time to move on to sugar. In addition to the tickets for the Oogie Boogie Bash, you could further reserve your spot to a special dessert party.

You check in for the party at the Trattoria Area. This is a pretty, open space themed after California wine country with rotating drink options and lots of seating. 

When I came back at the return time I was given they sat me down near Cathay Circle, facing a beautiful waterfall. It was really pleasant and serene, and it was nice to have a moment of calm to relax before the other dessert party people arrived.

You can order drinks like beer and wine or the signature blue cocktail with whipped cream and sprinkles. I thought it would be gimmicky but it was actually quite delicious.

We were given our food in really nice magnetic boxes. My stepfather worked in packaging so I have an eye for fine craftsmanship.

Plus you know it must have been something special for me to put off checking out the food inside LOL!

Anyway, once I was finally able to get past the splendor of the box, I got to admire the sweet and savory selection inside. There were themed desserts, like macarons with printed designs, as well as cheeses, crackers, meats, and sour candies.

It’s definitely designed for Disney collectors as, in addition to the aforementioned special box and foods, it also came with a unique pin. We also had a great view of the parade.

My only real criticism had to do with the seating arrangements. My table was right by the edge of the event area and there were other guests crowded up right near us. 

There was a kid blowing bubbles that landed in our food and someone spilled an entire Stanley cup of water on the woman sitting next to me.

I’m sure that didn’t make her night any better, though she had been complaining about everything up until that point. She ordered a vegan food box and didn’t like it so they brought her another one.

I tried to engage her in conversation but it was clear she wasn’t in any mood to enjoy the evening. Oh well, at least I had my sparkly blue drink.

It was a fun experience, so I’d say it’s worth doing once if they bring it back next year but I definitely don’t feel the need to sign up for it again.

After all, with the extra money I spent I could have just bought three more Haunted Horchatas…

Night Three: Freestyle

For my final night, I decided to be spontaneous and freestyle it, my favorite way to enjoy Disney. 

I decided to walk through the Villains Grove, which turned out to be a Hollywood Level Sensory experience. I guess that makes sense given how close I was to Hollywood!

Each villain has a different section of the experience designed around their themes. For example the Queen of Hearts has a spooky rose garden and the Cheshire Cat section is filled with hologram illusions.

It felt like walking through Tim Burton’s fever dream and I mean that in the best way possible. In fact, this is always my favorite part of the Oogie Boogie Bash.

Unlike the Magic Kingdom’s Halloween events, the characters here give full performances. I think the best one is Hades, who does a comedy routine as people walk by.

I’ve still never seen Hercules and if I ever do, I’m not sure it’ll be able to live up to Hades’s one man show!

It’s so fun grabbing a drink from the Hollywood Lounge, relaxing in a comfy chair, and enjoying the chaos unfolding around me.

Bonus: Bugging Out At The Parade 

The Frightfully Fun Parade takes place each night of the Oogie Boogie Bash for a kooky creepy climax to the festivities. It has all the fun and magic of a traditional Disney parade but with a spooky edge. 

In addition to Mickey and Minnie in Halloween costumes, the parade features the headless horseman, Nightmare Before Christmas characters, and a mobile version of the famous Haunted Mansion ghosts.

The scariest character, however, wasn’t on the official guest list. As I sat down to watch the parade, I was ambushed by a palmetto bug.

These are giant flying cockroaches found in warmer regions of the country and I was NOT prepared to make a new six-legged friend that evening. It didn’t ruin the trip, but I will be sure to stock up on the bug spray next time.

Final Reflections

I loved the experience of attending the Oogie Boogie Bash three nights in a row so I could see, and taste, as much as possible. As I said earlier, though, I think you would have a perfectly lovely time if you kept it to just one night.

The only thing that really underwhelmed me, other than my 4D Immersive Palmetto Bug Experience, was the merchandise. I didn’t love the skull sequins and neon pumpkins but a lot of other guests seemed to get a kick out of them, so maybe I’m just behind the terrifying trends.

I did like the Magic Key exclusive photo ops and pins. I also recommend hanging out by the PhotoPass photographer by the exit.

You’ll get to see all the different costumes guests have made or purchased. It’s like an unofficial second parade of Halloween creativity!

Compared to the Magic Kingdom Halloween experience, I’d say they each have their own appeal. The Oogie Boogie Bash definitely feels a little more aimed towards adults with better food and cocktails while the Mickey’s Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom feels like a more classic and nostalgic family event.

No matter how many times you go, I think you’ll find it’s a great place to get into the classic Halloween spirit while enjoying some creative Halloween spirits and looking at spooky Halloween spirits!