Halloween is big business for theme parks and we have photo reports from two great Halloween haunts this weekend. Join us for a unique look at Busch Garden's Howl O Scream  and Universal Studios Hollywood's Halloween Horror Nights events. But don't worry, we'll help you get over your nightmares with a tour of beautiful Helsinki, Finland.  And if all that has you ready for a luxurious rest, perhaps a bit of pampering at the St. Regis Monarch Beach resort is in order.  We finish up this week's Weekend Update with a treasure trove of vintage Halloween postcard images.

View: Weekend Update Photo Tour Of Great Theme Parks and Vacation Locations

Darkbeer is back to fill us in on the latest Southern California theme park news.  He is being run ragged by bridezilla, but that hasn't stopped his pursuit of the week's best theme park deals, news, photos, and more.  This week, news from Knott's Berry Farm, Six Flags, Universal Studios, and much more.

View: In The Parks - Disneyland and Theme Park Blog

Marc Davis was an iconic Disney Imagineer responsible for many favorite attractions from Haunted Mansion to America Sings.  He had a knack for bringing out the comic relief in any subject or attraction.  Pirates of the Caribbean may have its share frightening elements, but it is Marc Davis' sometimes silly characters and gags which keep the tone fun and approachable and make it a timeless classic.  Many of his projects had a broad canvas and large scale.  But his masterpiece may never have been built.  For the then new Walt Disney World, Marc proposed a Pirates of the Caribbean type of attraction called Western River Expedition.  It would have been an epic attraction with classic Marc Davis characters and gags set in and around a western town.  While Disney World eventually passed up Western River to build the better known Pirates of the Caribbean, the attraction almost got built in another park in the early 1990's.  Join us for a rare look at a class attraction which never got built but which lingers in the minds of Disney fans and Imagineers.

View: A Rare Look At Proposed Marc Davis Attraction, Western River Expedition

The MiceChat weekly news, discussion, rumor, and trip report round up is back with even more fun and interesting news from the parks.  The first MiceChat family has spotted Disneyland's new president in the parks and has the pictures to prove it.  Knott's Berry Farm is running some great ticket specials, including Haunt.  Disney's newest characters from Princess and the Frog are already making appearances in the parks.  New animatronics for Indy.  A possible high speed rail station to Anaheim and connecting Peoplemover to Disneyland.  Animal Kingdom has two very tall babies.  MiceChat rates 'Where The Wild Things Are.'  Plus - Hatbox Ghost, Balloon Boy, FanArt, crowded parks, and dozens of top news and discussion links.  The greatest diversion on earth just arrived - enjoy the round up!

View: Top Disney news, rumor, discussion, photo, and trip report round up

Construction crews have been working through weekends lately to meet World of Color's deadlines.  The amount of technology crammed into one lagoon is impressive and Dateline Disneyland brings us lots of shots to drool over.  Also in Disneyland News today, the first of the 55th anniversary merchandise has begun to hit the stores.  A bit of Disneyland history has returned to the back of Tom Sawyer Island.  New Disneyland President, George Kalogridis, has only been on the job for one week, but is already making a mark on the park.  As always, Dateline Disneyland brings us the news, photos, and construction updates from the Disneyland Resort.  It was a glorious week to be in the parks.

View: Dateline Disneyland News, Photos, and Construction Updates from the Disneyland resort

Hello, and welcome to the Weekend Update.  Each week, we take a unique journey.  This week, join us for the unveiling of a brand new attraction at Walt Disney World.  Tucked inside Epcot's Innoventions, guests are being turned head over heals for Raytheon's Sum of All Thrills!  Then we visit something really sweet, Candy Corn Acres at Disney's California Adventure. Next up is opulent Saint Petersburg, Russia. And as a special treat, we will view more vintage postcard images - this week, Pirates of the Caribbean!  Enjoy the journey.

View: Weekend Update Disney and Family Travel Blog

The In the Parks Disneyland and Southern California theme park blog is back to fill us in on what's happening at our favorite parks.  Everyone seems to be following the status of California Adventure's Paradise Pier Lagoon.  Not only is it fun to watch the progress of the World of Color installation, but when will it finally be filled with water?  Knott's Berry Farm and Disneyland are both supporting childrens charities.  Quirky local news, photos, tips, and much more.

View: In The Parks Disneyland and So Cal Theme Park Blog

No theme park captures the imagination in quite the way that Tokyo Disney sea does.  At its heart, lurks the fire belching volcano of Mysterious Island.  And at the center of the volcano itself is a ride which plays upon a favorite Disney subject - Jules Vern.  Today, we take a look at the concept art of Mysterious Island and its unique  attraction, Journey to the Center of the Earth.

View: The Art of Tokyo Disney Sea's Mysterious Island

Wow, what a week!  One Disneyland President resigns, another is appointed.  Al Lutz spills the beans on a potential new Starbucks on Main Street USA.  A new Indy animatronic was installed in the Temple of the Forbidden Eye.  Halloween Time is packing Disneyland park with an uncomfortable level of crowds.  MiceChatters are also in a sharing mood this week with lots of videos and trip reports from Disneyland's Halloween festivities, to a Tokyo Disneyland visit during a typhoon!  A new Toy Story 3 trailer is out as is a new Kingdom Hearts game for the Nintendo DS.  Disney's fan club, D23, has announced a trio of Holiday events.  And Disney Vacation Club owners are beginning to get concerned about an erosion of benefits.  This is just the tip of the iceberg folks, the Round Up is packed with the best Disney and theme park news, discussions, photos, and trip reports.  Your adventure begins here!

View: The Best Disney and Theme Park News Links of the Week

Ed Grier, President of the Disneyland Resort, stepped down on Friday.  His sudden announcement last week, followed the recent trend of three-year Disneyland Resort Presidents.  But business carried on as usual at the resort with construction at a fever pitch, holiday lights are going up for Christmas, new stores opening in Downtown Disney, and Halloween packed in record crowds. Join us for photos and news from around the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.

View: Dateline Disneyland Photos and News from the Disneyland Resort

Every weekend, MiceChat takes you on a unique journey.  This week, we visit the beautiful Gilroy Gardens theme park - we hope you like garlic.  Then we zip across Japan at 180 mph on the Nozomi Super Express Shinkansen Bullet Train.  And if that wasn't frightening enough for you, perhaps you'll enjoy a video from this year's Knott's Halloween Haunt.  And we wrap things up with the ever popular vintage Disneyland postcards.  Well, what are you waiting for? Your tour awaits!

View: Weekend Update: Gilroy Gardens, bullet trains, Halloween Haunt, and vintage Disneyland postcards

It was a week of tremendous change and announcements.  Today is the last day for Disneyland President, Ed Grier, his replacement still hasn't been announced.  Universal Studios ousted their two top bosses.  And perhaps the biggest news was the sale of Busch Entertainment (Sea World, Busch Gardens, and a total of 10 family entertainment locations across the United States), to Equity firm, Blackstone - which  already owns Legoland, Madame Tussauds, Merlin Entertainment, and a 50% stake in the Universal Orlando parks.  Change has also come to Downtown Disney in Anaheim California with the addition of a new shop, Ridemakerz, and a newly expanded Little Miss Missmatched.  In the park, progress on returning the magic to the Magic Shop, Princess and the Frog promotion and more.  Join us for news, photos, and commentary from Disneyland and Southern California attractions in today's In the Parks Theme Park Blog.

View: In The Parks: Disney and So Cal Theme Park Blog