Disney's Happiest Haunts Tour (and a Dream Hour at Disneyland) October 7th, 2008

[Aladdin]

Disneyland started offering Halloween Tours in just the last few years. After seeing this group travel through New Orleans Square, it intrigued me enough to check with City Hall for the availability on October 7th. City Hall informed me that the tour had changed from last year, and gave me a little info on what was included in the tour. With the Annual Passholder Discount, and since it had been at least 5 years since I took the Christmas Tour of DL, and at least 10 years since I took the Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour, it was indeed, time for another tour, this time with a Halloween Theme.

When I enter Disneyland on October 7th, it wasn't just in anticipation of the tour later that day, but also because someone informed me that this would likely be a day designated with a Dream Hour for some lucky guests. So my ears and eyes were wide open, for any clue about the extra hour. After going down Main Street, I head for the left side of the castle, and overhear one guest ask some one else "Where did you get that?". (AH-HA! This could be the exact thing I was looking for!)

The other guest responded "We got it as we were getting off the Matterhorn. The course was set and I quickly headed to the other side of the castle, and took the path between the Matterhorn and the Teacups. No sighting of any Dream Team members on that side of the Matterhorn, so I continue around the Matterhorn, and sure enough two Dream Team cast members were handing out lanyards for the extra hour, at the exit to the Matterhorn.



Their hands had a large supply, so I get in line for the Matterhorn, which stretched only a little past the handicapped entrance. Getting in the bobsled, the cast members still looked like they had a supply, and sure enough, when I exited the Matterhorn, they still were handing out lanyards!





A little later I'm on my way to Whitewater, BUT, while passing City Hall, I see a group of 4 cast member in light blue shirts and dark blue pants, and at least two large filled cloth bags! The Dream Team? Curiosity struck, and I followed them as they walked all the way down Main Street, toward the cast member door next to secret bathroom near the left side of the castle. Darn, stopped by a backstage area! So I proceed thru Frontierland and take Big Thunder Trail, no sightings. I continue through Fantasyland, and head to the Castle, and right at the entrance - There they are! The Dream Team is there!






What are they handing out this time. Oh, more Magic Hour Lanyards.



Before heading over to DCA, I stop by the Haunted Mansion, and see Jack and Sally with a long line of guests. They had already cut off the line, but I did attempt a couple pictures from off the side.



NEXT UP:

THE HAPPY HAUNTS TOUR
BEGINS!

[SeaWolf38]

MGB and I got OUR Extra Hours Event passes in the castle entrance too! You were at that party thing, Aladdin?

[Aladdin]

My Happy Haunts Tour lasted until almost 8pm. Then I headed to Big Thunder Trail, it was a rather long line. I didn't get in Big Thunder Ranch until about 8:25pm. I did hear some of the Disney Radio type songs, They almost released us Back into the rest of DL before everyone could even get into BTR! oh well.

I just added pics to the 1st post (somehow it posted before I was done)

Next part of the report will be up in a little while!

[Disney Liz]

Congratulations on the Dream lanyards! How cool is that?!

Great pictures so far and I look forward to the Happy Haunts Tour.

[aznshrek88]

Not only is he a street rat, riff raff...lol he's a STALKER!

[Aladdin]

My Tour Group was Scheduled for 5:15pm, and asked for us to meet at Guest Services, outside of DCA, to the left side of the main entrance.

After checking in, we were invited in to the DCA Hospitality Lounge.



"Ghost Hunting?" hmmmm, (cute poster)



Inside the hospitality room, there was a "kitchen" type area with a sink



with table and chairs,



There were a couple of the original designs for DCA hanging in the room.



A large seating area with a tv showing the Adventures of Mr Toad. We were told we can watch the Adventures of Ichabod (and the Headless Horseman) in fact several Cast Members mentioned that the tv was playing the story of the headless horseman, but they all failed to realize that they didn't set it to that part of the dvd. Hopefully they will eventually start setting it to the correct story, since the cast members kept referring to it.



A cast member lets us know that there will be 15 people in the tour, and that they have combined the 5:15pm and the 5:30pm tours. So we waited for the remaining part of the group to show up. At this point, it would have been nice IF they would have offered us beverages (someone in the group jokingly asked if there was any alcohol in the kitchen area) Really if they would have started us off with soft drinks and/or water, that would have been more hospitable.

Our Ghost hunting expert arrives and shows off here equipment used in detecting ghosts. (Her hand continuously shook, while holding the device, throughout the entire tour. I suppose it was to give the illusion that she was nervous about out ghosting hunting tour, a little hokey. Hopefully the acting will improve with each performance.)



She leads us throught the guest service are in DCA, and distributes ghost detection audio devices to each of us. (headphones with a battery pack and volume control.) We don't use the devices until later in the tour.

She leads us to the first sight where ghost sightings have occurred - Tower of Terror.



Here she talks about how she loves so many of The Twilite Zone episodes



She also tries to explain some of the items in the case, and seems spooked out by them. (not sure if I was missing something with her explanations) Then she pretended to be spooked out by the voice over the loud speaker saying to stand back from the library doors. Then our guide seemed spooked by some of the items in the library. (again, I'm not sure about the disjointed explanation of an item here and there)



Our tour group did get an elevator to ourselves



Our guide did not go on board the elevator, and remained behind with a couple of people in our group, who choose not to go on it.



The bellman was terrific! He made sure we were all strapped in



Said to hold on to anything that we wanted to keep with us (did he mention sanity?? )



We didn't have time to purchase the picture, but just a thought, include a freebie of a picture (even just a small wallet size photo) for each member of the group. Those could be handed out at the end of the tour. Here is a picture I took of our photo. Those are orange and green neon monkeys (won at paradise pier earlier in the day, appropriate colors for Halloween) And YES, during the ride, the monkeys DID take flight a couple of times!!!




As we exited the ToT we were informed that our original ghosting hunting guide had run away screaming, and she would take over the responsibilities.




As the new guide, she had a few rules to go over,
(I should have requested a copy of the list - I would love to have one)



We were then presented with a light up lanyard, and a Key from "Ghost Relations"



She asked us to follow her to the next stop on the tour.



While walking by the Hyperion Theater, I asked her we would be seeing
any Monsters on the tour. She hesitantly responded "There may be"
sounding really vague. But I liked the way she responded.

And our next stop was in front of Monsters Inc. She explained how monster originate their source of energy. She made sure to include in the conversation a little girl (about 9) who was celebrating her birthday that day) Our guide asked us all to scream, once, and then once again. That should help power them for another day, she said.



We don't go on Monsters Inc, but the tour continues on. . . . .

[aznshrek88]

I'm loving this trip report, I hope it gets featured next week on miceage

[Micoofy Duck]

wow, it's like I paid to be on it. love it! thanks!

[WheresMickey]

nice report so far, can't wait for more!

[MickeyMousePal]

Nice mini trip report, Aladdin.

[a-goofy]

I am headed down to DL next weekend and have been thinking about this tour. Thanks for the play by play. It looks like so much fun. I can't wait to see the rest!

[Peglegin98]

I'm excited for the rest. I have never been on a Tour so this is pretty fun for me!

[Coheteboy]

Wow cool TR! How much did this all cost? I musta missed that part.

[royaldisneyfan]

That tour looks fun. Keep the pics comin Aladdin!

[RumRunner31]

Originally Posted by Coheteboy

Wow cool TR! How much did this all cost? I musta missed that part.

The tour is regularly $59 (same as the Walk in Walt's Footsteps), and there is a 20% discount for AP, AAA and Disney Visa, as well as a 35% discount for CMs (up to the number on their blue/silver pass). It includes 4 attractions, the key and lanyard, and a surprise treat at the end.