Smile of The Day: The Evil Queen

Mickey's Boo-To-You Parade at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World hosts numerous villains, including The Evil Queen and her Magic Mirror.

The Queen has been getting more popular with the ABC TV series "Once Upon a Time" portrayed by Lana Parrilla.

Did you know that in the first edition of Brothers Grimm book containing this fairytale, the Queen is Snow White's biological mother, not her stepmother.

                                                                                                                                 © Steven Liebman

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Smile of The Day: Maleficent

Mickey's Boo-To-You-Parade at The Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World features many Disney Villains. And one of the crowd favorites is the self-proclaimed "Mistress of All Evil" herself - the one, the only Maleficent.

For those who did not know, the word maleficent is an adjective, defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary as "working or productive of harm or evil." So, this wicked fairy is aptly named.

                                                                                                                                    ©Steven Liebman

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Smile of The Day: Zombie Couple dancing

Mickey's Boo-To-You Parade at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World has many dancers participating. One of the more scary ones are what I like to call the zombie couples. The facial
expressions are priceless and quite frankly a little scary.

                                                                                                                               © Steven Liebman

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Smile of The Day: Hitchhiking Ghosts from Boo to You Parade

It's that time of the year to celebrate Mickey's Boo-To-You Halloween Parade. Here's a look at The Hitchhiking Ghosts. During the Halloween season, this parade will travel a total of 23 miles through The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

                                                                                                                                © Steven Liebman  

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Smile of The Day: Pumpkins and The Castle

Halloween time at Walt Disney World is always fun. The Magic Kingdom is filled with hundreds of pumpkins. Here's a look at Cinderella Castle with some pumpkins in the foreground.

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Haunted Mansion in Disneyland is transformed for Halloween

Disneyland opened the transformed Halloween Haunted Mansion this week.

This is the time of the year that Jack Skellington and all of his buddies from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" kick out all 999 ghosts from the Haunted Mansion and move in for a few months.


The work done on building and the grounds is phenomenal. While the ride remains the same, the entire storyline is changed and each room is transformed.

According to Disney:

• More than 400 flickering candles create the Mansion’s eerie nighttime glow
• More than 100 jack-o-lanterns illuminate the exterior
• All the iconic black ravens that appear throughout the original Haunted Mansion experience have been replaced by Vampire Teddies.

Here's a Disney video showing the 18-day transformation.

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Disney World releases Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Map

Walt Disney World has released online its official Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween map for the events taking place this month and next month at the Magic Kingdom.

The map provides the parade route, the times of all the special shows and, of course, the trick-or-treat locations

The Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party dates are as follows:

• September 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28 and 30
• October 4, 5, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30 and 3
• November 2

Tickets range from $50.95 to $64.95 depending on the dates

More Disney World Halloween Planning

• A Guide to Celebrating Halloween at Disney World
• Mickey's Not-so-Scary Halloween Party By the Numbers

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Disney Facts: Mickey's Not-so-Scary Halloween Party By the Numbers

This marks the 18th year that Walt Disney World is putting on Mickey's No-so-Scary Halloween Party at The Magic Kingdom. The part kicks off on Sept. 12.

Here's a some quick look at the party, by the numbers:

586,000: The number of photos the Disney Photo Imaging team took during last year’s Halloween event season.

                                                                                              © Steven Liebman
The headless horseman rides during the parade
at Mickey's Not-so-Scary Halloween Party

23,100: The number of feet of cable installed for special lighting and sound effects that are part of the party’s Halloween entertainment.

999: The number of happy haunts in the Haunted Mansion.

215: Tons of candy to be handed out during all the parties.

190: The number of individually-themed carved pumpkins on the balconies and windowsills along Main Street, U.S.A. 

175: The number of performers needed to bring the Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade to life.

40: The different amount of brand-name candies that will be offered to trick-or-treaters at the party.

23: The number of miles Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade will travel during the season.

23: The number of nights the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will take place.

11: The number of Disney characters exclusive to Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade: Big Al, Captain Barbosa, Christopher Robin, Kanga and Roo, Shenzi, Banzai and Ed — the three hyenas from “The Lion King,” — plus three Hitch-Hiking Ghosts from the Haunted Mansion.

Source: Walt Disney World public relations

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Your Guide to Celebrating Halloween at Disney World

Now that the summer crowds are gone, it's one of the best times of the year to visit Disney World: Halloween. The decorations should be showing up any day now, and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party kicks off next week. Here's a look at Halloween at Walt Disney World:

®Mary Yanni Liebman

Malefecient and Captain Hook on stage during the Mix 

and Mingle show, part of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween 

Party. After the show, they're available for photos. 

Not So Scary Halloween Party: The annual party at the Magic Kingdom is certainly the headline event of the season -- and also the big-ticket item. The party, which requires purchase of a separate ticket, includes the Boo To You parade led by the Headless Horseman, special Halloween fireworks and, of course, trick-or-treating. The party happens on selected nights from Sept. 11 through Nov. 2 and costs $50-$70 (depending on age, the date of the party and when you buy your tickets. Here are the details. One of the great things about the Not So Scary Halloween Party is that the elusive Disney Villains are out in force for photos with guests. This year Disney is adding a twist to the Boo To You parade, trying to get visitors warmed up for a Not So Scary Street Jam, a line dance that will be performed to the song "Calling All the Monsters" by China Anne McClain. See the dance and learn the steps before your trip. 

The weather: When the Halloween celebration starts in Disney World, the average high temperature is around 90 degrees and the average low is a still-balmy 72. By the end of October, the averages are down to a much more comfortable 81/61. But the weather can be unpredictable -- the records on Halloween in Orlando are 91 for a high and 44 for a low. So keep that in mind when you're planning your costume. Speaking of which ...

®Mary Yanni Liebman

Themed statues of some Disney

favorites are displayed in front of

the castle. 

Costumes: The Not So Scary Halloween Party is the only time of year when adults can wear costumes to the Magic Kingdom, so if that's your thing, you'll have to take the plunge for the Halloween party. If it's only the kids who want to get dolled up, they can do that anytime. Two things to consider when you're thinking about costumes: Unless you're serious about packing -- and wanting to carry an elaborate costume -- think light and foldable. Also: You're still going to have to do a whole lot of walking, so be sure your costume includes comfortable shoes. (Here's an idea: Go as Linguine from "Ratatouille" -- comfy shoes are a must for any chef!)

Trick-or-treating: Disney discontinued its trick-or-treating at Downtown Disney last year -- it had gotten too crowded. Personally, I'd rather indulge in some of Disney's own Halloween-themed sweet treats from the Main Street Bakery at the Magic Kingdom -- maybe a mummy cookie, a wicked witch cupcake or a Jack Skellington candy apple. But if you want to collect your 10 pounds of free candy, there's still the Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Holiday merchandise: Some of us are Disney Shopaholics. Why fight it? Disney always has theme t-shirts for the holidays as well as packaged treats to take home as souvenirs, but I love their home decor -- flags, candelabra, even holiday ornaments. Can't get away this season? Many theme park products are available online.

Also not-so-scary: Can't get enough of the villains? The Fantasmic show over at Hollywood Studios features villains invading Mikey's dreams. Pair that with a trip or two through the Tower of Terror, and you've got a spine-tingling night.

©Mary Yanni Liebman

More decorations at Magic Kingdom. 

Fort Wilderness: If you really want to immerse yourself in the holiday, consider staying at Fort Wilderness, which typically holds a range of activities for the holidays. This year's schedule won't be released until mid-October, but last year's events included a pet parade, a golf cart parade, site decorating and pumpkin decorating, dance parties and pool parties, crafts and trick-or-treating. Most resorts have special events on Halloween, but Fort Wilderness is by far the most festive.

What else is going on: October might be the best time of the year to make last-minute plans for Disney. Any other time of year, dining reservations are snapped up six months in advance. But October? During October, you can do all your eating at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. And back at the Magic Kingdom, the Country Bear Jamboree is reopening Oct. 16 after a lengthy refurbishment. Disney hasn't shared details but rumor has it the show will be shortened. Hopefully, it will also be improved -- the original show could never hold a candle to the late, lamented Country Bear Christmas.

What you can't do this year: We've already mentioned that Downtown Disney's Halloween trick-or-treating was cancelled last year -- and presumably will stay cancelled this year. This year, Disney also has called off its popular Haunted Carriage Rides at Fort Wilderness. Disney hasn't said why, but fans are speculating that DVC construction is to blame.

How have you celebrated Halloween at Disney World?

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Disney unveils latest Gingerbread House for Halloween Haunted Mansion in Disneyland

Every year when the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland is transformed into the holiday home for Jack Skellington and the gang from "Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas," a gingerbread house is created for the centerpiece of the ballroom scene.

                                                                                                      © Disney

The latest design, unveiled on the Disney Parks Blog ahead of the Sept. 14 opening, shows a house perched on a skinny mountain. The snowy cliffs are covered with pounds and pounds of sweet fondant, a simple sugar-water-cream of tartar mixture that is pliable (and edible). Jack’s pet ghost dog Zero is also covered in fondant, with a small glowing nose that looks like a jack-o-lantern as he flies in circles around the top tower, according to the blog.

At nine feet tall, it will be one of the tallest centerpieces ever created, Brian D. Sandahl, Senior Designer for Disney Entertainment Creative Development, tells the blog.

“Jack’s house, candles eerily flickering in the windows, is perched atop a steep, snow-covered peak, with gingerbread steps to his door,” Sandahl explains. “Along the way, there are lighted pumpkins in the ‘snowy’ cliffs."

A train will appear on the cliffs as a ghost train. And as the train travels its course, "the ‘ghost lady’ at the right end of the ballroom table blows out the candles on the cupcake,” he said.

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Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain in Disneyland to get prepped for Halloween

Disneyland will close down the Haunted Mansion Aug. 27 and Space Mountain and Big Thunder Ranch on Sept. 10 to prepare them for the Halloween.

Everything will re-open Sept. 14 for the start of Halloween Time in the park, which lasts through October.

                                                                                        © Steven Liebman

Jack Skellington and all his friends from Tim Burton's film "The Nightmare Before Christmas" return to take over the Haunted Mansion. Legend has it that this is the one time of year the 999 ghosts are kicked out of the mansion to roam the park as Jack and Zero hold a party.

If you've never the mansion in all it's Christmas finery, it is worth the trip, and the crowds. The rehab of the mansion is phenomenal with every single room redone. You won't recognize the ride. And every year a new and different ginger-dread house is created for the ballroom scene.

In addition, Space Mountain is turned into Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy as ghosts appear and reach out to grab you as speed through the galaxy.

Here are some more photos from last year's Haunted Mansion rehab. 

                                                                                                                           © Steven Liebman

                                                                                                                            © Steven Liebman

                                                                                                                        © Steven Liebman

                                             © Steven Liebman

                                            © Steven Liebman

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