Credit: Jay Boogie, FlickrHalloween season at Disney means two very different things depending on which coast you are standing on.
Here in Orlando, it means Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom. Trick-or-treating, the Boo-To-You Parade, fireworks over Cinderella Castle, characters in Halloween costumes, and a tone that stays firmly family-friendly. Nothing about it is designed to actually frighten anyone.
Over at Disneyland Resort, the equivalent event is Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure, and it operates on a completely different premise. It is a villain’s party. The whole identity of the event is built around bringing out the rarest and most sinister characters Disney has, and letting them run the night.
Plenty of Disney fans will argue Oogie Boogie Bash is simply the better event, and they have a case. But it really comes down to what you want out of a Halloween night. If you want your kids trick-or-treating past Winnie the Pooh dressed as a bumblebee, Magic Kingdom is your event. If you want to meet villains you will almost never encounter anywhere else, California is where you go.
Which brings us to this year’s announcement, and it is a good one for villain fans.
Yzma is joining Oogie Boogie Bash.
Yzma Makes Her Debut
The fan-favorite villain from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ The Emperor’s New Groove is making her grand debut at Oogie Boogie Bash, A Disney Halloween Party, on select nights from August 18 through October 31, 2026.
She will be taking up residence along the Treat Trail in Grizzly Peak.
Guests can expect the brilliant and eccentric villain to be stirring up mischievous mayhem with her potion-making, cackling at her own genius, and frantically searching for every lever she can find to execute her latest scheme.
If you know, you know. Pull the lever, Kronk.
Yzma is officially coming to the Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure! pic.twitter.com/7SAGLt14Fl
— Matt (@DisneyScoopGuy) August 12, 2026
The Full Treat Trail Villain Lineup for Oogie Boogie Bash
Yzma joins a genuinely stacked roster of returning powerhouses and rare villainous encounters hosting immersive Treat Trails across the park.
- Yzma from The Emperor’s New Groove, debuting in Grizzly Peak
- Oogie Boogie from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in Hollywood Land
- Ernesto de la Cruz from Pixar’s Coco near the Hyperion Theater
- Agatha Harkness from Marvel Studios in Avengers Campus
- Dr. Doofenshmirtz from Phineas and Ferb in Hollywood Land
- Hades from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Hercules in Hollywood Land
- Judge Doom from Who Framed Roger Rabbit in Hollywood Land
- Syndrome from Pixar’s The Incredibles
- Maleficent from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Sleeping Beauty
Look at that list, and the difference between the two coasts becomes obvious. Judge Doom and Ernesto de la Cruz are not characters you casually run into on a normal park day.
Rare Characters Beyond the Villains
The villains get the headlines, but the broader character lineup is part of why this event sells out.
- Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, and Clarabelle Cow dressed as the Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus
- Megara, Pain, and Panic from Hercules
- Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy in their Kingdom Hearts outfits
- Super Heroes and Super Families, including Scarlet Witch, Black Panther, Spider-Man, Edna Mode, Mr. Incredible, and select Toy Story pals
The Kingdom Hearts outfits are the deep cut there, and the Sanderson Sisters treatment gives West Coast guests their own Hocus Pocus moment.
New This Year: Madame Leota’s Swinging Wake
Beyond Yzma, the 2026 party introduces new entertainment.
Madame Leota’s Swinging Wake, A Haunted Mansion Street Party brings iconic spirits from the classic attraction directly onto the streets of Disney California Adventure.
Expect swirling ballroom dancers, eerie gravediggers, and the Hitchhiking Ghosts out socializing for a swinging wake.
That is a smart addition. Haunted Mansion has enormous built-in affection, and turning it into a street party rather than a stage show means more guests encounter it organically.
What Else Comes With Admission to Oogie Boogie Bash
A few things worth knowing if you are comparing the two coasts.
Event admission includes unlimited Disney PhotoPass digital downloads, which is a meaningful value-add and not something offered at every hard-ticket event.
Guests can also ride Halloween Time attraction overlays during the party, alongside the trick-or-treating.
And costumes are welcome, whether you show up as a princess, a galactic defender, or one of Yzma’s loyal henchmen.
How It Compares to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary
Since the debate never really ends, here is the honest breakdown.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party runs August 7 through October 31 at Magic Kingdom and leans warm. Parade, fireworks, candy trails, and character meets that skew friendly. It is built for families with young children first.
Oogie Boogie Bash runs August 18 through October 31 at Disney California Adventure and leans wicked. Villains, rare characters, and a tone that treats Halloween as an occasion for mischief rather than cuteness.
Neither is objectively better. They are solving different problems for different guests.
But if villains are your thing, this year’s Oogie Boogie Bash lineup makes a strong argument.
Dates to Know for Oogie Boogie Bash
Oogie Boogie Bash, A Disney Halloween Party, takes place on select nights from August 18 through October 31, 2026, at Disney California Adventure.
This event has a history of selling out well in advance, so if Yzma’s debut is enough to get you across the country, sooner is better than later.
