The West Side of the Kingdom
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The Dapper Dans at Mickey's Halloweek Treat

Which leaves Disney fans with their choices, although the most logical is completely ignored these days - a Disneyland event! Most of you will remember Mickey’s Halloween Treat, a tried and apparently, failed attempt at Disney getting into the Halloween arena with the other more “seasoned” Halloween veterans in the industry.

Billed as a family event, Halloween Treat was the Disney answer to most other haunts. There was no violence, no blood and no questionable content. It was a Fall festival with trick-or-treating and fun events to participate in for youngsters and oldsters alike. While nowhere near as lavish as some of the competing events, Halloween Treat was on its way to establishing its own audience when the event was canceled abruptly in its infancy. Apparently, Disneyland executives decided that they wanted to be known as the end-all of the Christmas season rather than Halloween, and so they cut the line and chalked it up as the one that got away.

And I wish they hadn’t. While I am a true-blue Halloween Haunt fan, I felt that Mickey’s Halloween Treat was a worthwhile event for families. And goodness knows, judging by the sold-out nights and the smiles on everyone’s faces, it was a success in the eyes of Disney fans. I personally believe that there is room for Halloween in any capacity at any park or venue, regardless of the competition. If your guests are happy, then it’s a success. At least, that is how it should be measured.

I think that one of the factors that kind of did Halloween Treat in was its size and offerings. While the areas that it was hosted in were nicely made up, they were very crowded and many people could be heard saying that the other lands and main attractions should be open as well.

Imagine a Halloween treat with a lights-out ride through Space Mountain. Better yet, imagine the mountain with the centerpiece being a large Jack-O-Lantern as opposed to a Red Planet? How awesome would that be?

Cruella, Maleficient and the Evil Queen put on a show at Mickey's Halloween Treat

Or a few walk-through mazes filled with Disney villains such as Maleficent’s Lair or The Queen of Hearts’ Hedge Maze Mystery? The ideas are endless, and could have worked, had Disney not retreated as they did. And Halloween Treat would have become another fantastic Southern California haunt. With the pockets The Walt Disney Company has, it could have been the most elaborate and most visually stunning haunt anywhere. Instead, someone there decided to go to a commercial break as well - and this time, they never returned to the program!

So, with the Summer Olympics going on down under and Halloween haunts of all shapes and sizes breathing down our necks, there’s plenty to watch on TV and check out on the Internet. Go, USA! And go support your local theme park’s Halloween event starting in just a couple of weeks.

Or, just head to Disneyland on November 1st and take in all of the Christmas decorations as they begin flooding the Magic Kingdom. I personally like to take one holiday at a time. So, I will see you all at Knott’s, Universal and the Queen Mary before I stroll down Main Street U.S.A. this season.

That’s of course, after the Olympics are over…

-- Rick West (September 20, 2000)

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