It’s that time of year again! Starting Sept. 26, Disneyland Paris celebrates the spooktacular season that is Halloween with the annual Disney’s Halloween Festival.
Meet Mr. Osvaldo del Mistero!
Disneyland Paris resort’s Osvaldo del Mistero is best known for his work with the Festival of Pirates and Princesses, Timon’s Matadance, and Frozen 2: An Enchanted Journey. Most notably, he served as a Disney ambassador in 2011-2012 before securing the role of producer in 2018. It was as a producer that he merged his obsession with Halloween with the not-so-spooky event, Disneyland Paris’ Halloween Festival.
“What I love about Halloween is that it’s a celebration,” states del Mistero. “The fall is just beginning and there are still a lot of sunny days ahead of us to have fun. The colours of this season are very warm and have such an immersive quality. As soon as you step into Disneyland Park, you can immediately notice the change. It’s a unique opportunity to rediscover the park under a different light.”
A Unique Patchwork of Tradition
What makes Disneyland Paris’ version stand out from the rest? For starters, it does not try to replicate the American version. Rather, it pulls from the inspiration of several different cultures and traditions.
“Our Halloween Festival is like a patchwork. It’s obviously in reference to the Anglo-Saxon festival, but we also definitely wanted to add a Disney touch. For instance, when strolling down Main Street, U.S.A., ghosts can be seen along the street and in buildings. They represent inhabitants of times past who come back to visit the park as ghosts – iconic characters like the mayor, the ice cream man or the three Barbershop singers.
“In Frontierland, the theme is meant to recall fall. The pumpkin men are our mascots this season, and Fuente del Oro Restaurante pays homage to Mexican culture and the Disney/Pixar movie ‘Coco.’ Depending on where you are in the park, Halloween is celebrated in a different way.”
While you won’t find any trick-or-treating as part of the event, you will find plenty of surprises parked around every corner.
No Trick-or-Treat? No Problem!
“When thinking about Halloween, we tend to think about children wearing costumes and going from door to door to collect candies. There’s a very fun ‘hide and seek’ element in this tradition, and we thought we could develop this idea and make it entertaining for our guests. So, we imagined that the day could unfold with many surprises along the way.”
Selfie Spots
The event showcases Disney characters dressed in glittering costumes, featured at arranged and pop-up “Selfie Spots.”
Each photo opportunity provides guests the ability to take socially distanced photos with their all-time favourite villains.
“As of Sept. 26, we will welcome a large number of Disney characters, including Mickey and friends, in their most iconic Halloween outfits,” states del Mistero. “Disney villains will also be featured, notably the Queen of Hearts and the terrifying Jafar. Next to Sleeping Beauty Castle, you might run into Maleficent or Ursula.”
Meet Mickey Mouse
If you’re dying to have your photo with the main mouse himself, you will find him stationed in Fantasyland at the aptly named selfie spot, “Meet Mickey Mouse.” This location will highlight Mickey, his friends, and a special haunted house backdrop.
“At ‘Meet Mickey Mouse,’ we decided to focus on a traditional version of Halloween, with orange and pumpkin tones which perfectly complement our storytelling,” del Mistero explains. “Costumes are also very important. They immerse guests in the spirit of Halloween. The beautiful stage located in the standby line wasn’t used to its full potential, so we tried to use it differently. We’re using it as a character meet-and-greet with Mickey and Friends, and the set fully reflects the theme of this season. In the same way, at Studio Theater, we realized that we could create a particularly immersive Selfie Spot experience.”
Disney Villains Have All The Fun
Starting October 1st, guests may engage in special selfies with legendary Disney villains at the Studio Theater in the Walt Disney Studios Park.
“Throughout the day, up to eight Disney villains will be present for the very first time. Our guests will have the opportunity to meet in the same location with several Disney characters, some of which only come out for Halloween. It’s truly a unique opportunity!”
“We found great music to go along with this encounter, the lighting of the room was changed, screens and projections were added. When we thought about staging, we wanted to play with the frightening feeling conjured up by Disney villains, while making sure it would not be deterring either. We were looking to do something colourful and happy, even with experiences that are meant to be somewhat scary. The result is a successful mix between darkness and light, which perfectly characterizes Disney villains.
Our guests have to be ready for anything and everything to happen –Disney villains may appear at any given time, anywhere. We had so much fun playing with this and creating an even more interactive experience than in previous years.”
Like all Disney parks around the world, this year sees an enhanced focus on health and safety. “As soon as Disneyland Paris reopened, we innovated and changed our approach to entertainment. This also applies to this festival, which was adjusted in keeping with the current health and safety situation,” del Mistero says.
Bringing this much-loved annual event to the park isn’t just a dream come true for del Mistero, it’s also a chance to branch out creatively, overcome challenges presented by the current global situation, and allow the show to go on.
Terrifyingly Fun Attractions
And don’t forget, there are plenty of terrifyingly fun attractions already in the parks, such as The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Walt Disney Studios Park and Phantom Manor!
Decor-to-Delicious
Don’t miss out on all the glorious decor throughout Disneyland Park, from Jack ‘o’ Lanterns to Frontierland’s Mexican-inspired festival, complete with lively music and prancing skeletons. Follow up the festivities with enchanting sweet and savoury foods!
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