Credit: Disneyland ParisOne of the key elements of any Disney Park experience is the host of Character Meet and Greets. Every Disney property has them in some form or fashion, but there’s been some changes to Walt Disney World’s line up, and it’s decisively not one for the better.
As the Parks enter the Halloween season, Disneyland, Disney World, and so on are donning their spooky attire and offering special events like Oogie Boogie Bash and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. As fun as those events are, the difference between them is night and day, and its going to do more harm than good.
Disney World Drops Villains From Event
Disneyland’s Oogie Boogie Bash has been making headlines on social media due to the immense amount of time and energy that went into bringing the event to life, especially with the villains on the Trick or Treat Trail.
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Two of the highlights from Disneyland’s character guest list include the returning fan-favorite Ernesto de la Cruz and the newly introduced Judge Doom. Along with other icons like Mad Madam Mim, Mother Gothel, and Dr. Faciler, Disney has pulled out all the stops for California Adventure.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in the Magic Kingdom at Disney World. While there have indeed been villainous additions to the Boo to You Parade, they aren’t given nearly the attention they are at the Oogie Boogie Bash.
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As of now, the current Meet and Greet roster for MNSSHP includes all the regulars like Mickey, Minnie, and the gang in their Halloween costumes, the cast of Aladdin, and even the Seven Dwarfs, but apart from the Queen of Hearts and Cinderella’s Stepsisters, no other villains make an appearance.
At one time, Halloween events featured Meet and Greets with characters like Jafar, Gaston, and even Maleficent. While these were all special appearances, at least Disney World had the basics covered.
When compared to Disneyland’s rare Meet and Greets, California Adventure is getting the goldmine and Magic Kingdom is getting the shaft. That’s not a good look on both an aesthetic and financial level. This point is driven home even further given the fact that the Magic Kingdom alone ranks higher than the Disneyland Parks.
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There has always been a divide between the Parks on the East Coast with those on the West, but Disney has only further pushed them apart with blatant favoritism for Disneyland. This isn’t the first time they’ve done this, but trimming down Disney World’s already slim character roster is only pushing the blade further toward the bone.
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