Disneyland announces major changes to their Halloween Party – could the same happen at Disney World?

With Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opening at Disneyland this summer, the tiny park is expected to see record-breaking crowd levels throughout the summer and into the fall. Disney has been working around the resort on multiple projects to help improve guest flow, part of a comprehensive plan known internally as Project Stardust. The latest move, though, is also one of the most shocking: Disney has now confirmed the long-running Mickey’s Halloween Party will officially be moved to Disney California Adventure (DCA) this fall, where it will receive a new name and innovative new activities.

Known as "Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party," the new event will still include a Halloween-inspired parade (that, yes, will continue to have the famed Headless Horseman); multiple dance parties, including one inspired by Disney Channel's Descendants film franchise; a Mickey Mouse stage show, and trick-or-treating trails. It will also include a new World of Color nighttime show and a new walk-through exhibit Redwood Creek Challenge Trail area.

The Disney Parks Blog describes this new walk-through attraction as
"a wondrous and ethereal world of Disney villains unlike anything seen before," continuing: "Redwood Creek will be tricked out in a dreamlike environment. This new experience unfolds in a series of scenes, each creating a hauntingly beautiful dream-space of color, sound, light and shadows, as stories emerge from the darkest night to create an enchanting world."

This isn’t the first time Disney has hosted the Halloween event at California Adventure instead of Disneyland. In the years after first opening when the new park was still struggling with attendance, the Halloween event was moved there, but after a few years, it was moved back to Disneyland where it has remained for the last decade.

A similar move has been rumored for Orlando, where WDW's Magic Kingdom park dramatically beats all the other theme parks in attendance. By moving the Halloween Party to another park, it would allow for the Magic Kingdom, WDW's cash cow, to remain open later while also driving more attendance at one of the other, less popular parks. Previously, the obvious choice was Hollywood Studios, but with the addition of Star Wars, this may no longer be the case, at least for the next few years.

Longer term, Hollywood Studios still seems to be in the running for the eventual home to the Halloween Party that has outgrown its Magic Kingdom setting. Night of Joy faced a similar issue a few years back, with Disney trying out the event at Hollywood Studios and eventually moving it to the Wide World of Sports. That event ended two years after that move.

With the Halloween Party, the move is more problematic thanks to numerous traditions that are included in the party, such as the iconic parade, which might eliminate some locations like Wide World of Sports and possibly Epcot, though updates to Future World might better address those restraints there. Another rumored option for Disney World is the possibility of opening competing Halloween events, keeping one at the Magic Kingdom and having a second one at another park, most likely Hollywood Studios.

For now, Disney World's "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party" remains at the Magic Kingdom while Disneyland Resort's will be getting a brand-new theme and location.

Get our top picks for the best events in Orlando every Thursday morning. Sign up for our weekly Events newsletter.