Ultimate Guide to Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular
It hasn’t quite been 600 years since the sinister Sanderson sisters made their big screen debuts, but 25 years after its cinematic release Hocus Pocus is more popular now than ever! Don’t believe me?
I’ve been on a waiting list at my local library for almost FOUR WEEKS waiting for my turn to borrow the Hocus Pocus DVD and am still #22 on the list. There are 18 DVD’s in circulation…so it’s certainly safe to say that this is one seasonal film that has aged gracefully, just like Winifred and her 600 year-old sisters!
Sanderson Sisters
The Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular made its castle stage debut during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party in 2014, and the wickedly hilarious, attention-loving Sanderson sisters didn’t hesitate to step right into their headliner roles!
In fact, until the show opened, the Sanderson sisters had never made an appearance inside of a Disney Park! The crowd’s raucous reaction to the show during its debut year practically guaranteed it an encore…and today it’s the most popular castle show of any season!
Since its debut year, the incredibly hysterical and wildly popular Sanderson sisters have been delighting Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party attendees. The show not only features the sisters, but a lineup of spooky Disney villains who only come out during the hauntingly awesome Party evenings!
Behind the Curtains
Recently, Disney released some never-released, behind-the-scenes facts and stories about the show, and we can’t wait to peel back the curtain on everything that goes into making the show a true…Spelltacular!
-When Disney creatives collaborated on writing the script for the show, they wanted the story to be completely new; no -retelling of the film here!
-Disney villains were called forth to reinforce the ‘not-so-scary’ theme of the Party. To keep it family-friendly, all child-eating references have been strategically avoided in the sisters’ dialogue!
The REAL costumes
-To accurately re-create the costumes the witches so effortlessly rock, the real costumes Middler, Parker, and Najimy wore in Hocus Pocus were pulled from a highly-secured Disney vault and shipped to Walt Disney World! Right down to Winifred’s hand-jeweled shoes, you won’t find closer replicas anywhere!
-The sisters are onstage during most of the show and interact with the other Disney villains in ways that you won’t find on any Hocus Pocus DVD. Scenes with Jafar and Ooogie Boogie really steal the show!
High Tech
-You might not realize it, but Disney used their digital mapping technology on Cinderella Castle to create the dark and dangerous projections that serve as the backdrop for the action taking place onstage! There probably isn’t a cooler canvas than Cinderella Castle, so next time you catch the show, be sure to keep an eye out for the character-specific projections!
Safety
-Safety is always a top priority at the Disney Parks– both guests’ and performers’! The pyrotechnics used in the show are operated by a trained expert who keeps constant eyes on the performance and will make a last-minute decision should he/she deem the pyro unsafe.
-The actresses portraying the Sanderson sisters reference makeup diagrams when prepping for each performance to make sure no one, not even their own mothers will mistake them for anyone other than a Sanderson!
Lots of Laughs
-Comedic writing and sinister villains blend seamlessly to guarantee one thing: this show is the farthest thing from spooky! Even the youngest of guests will leave with beaming smiles…and maybe a few new spells up their sleeves!
–Hocus Pocus celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and there have been rumors swirling that a special reference has been added to this years’ show! Keep those ears open.
The Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular
The Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular is performed exclusively during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, taking place on select nights at Magic Kingdom Park. The hard-ticket event still has limited availability, and if you’re hoping to trick-or-treat your way through Magic Kingdom, and maybe catch a little Sanderson sister action on the castle foreground stage, don’t wait any longer to purchase your ticket (we can help with that!).
So, have you ever seen the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular? What is your favorite part of the show? Is Hocus Pocus your favorite Halloween movie? Leave us a comment and let us know!
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below and one of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Platinum level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon!
Special thanks to Maria Salerno for writing this article: Hiya pal! I am a NYC-based writer thrilled to be a part of your Disney vacation planning! I’m a WDW Annual Passholder, so you can find me in the parks regularly throughout the year. In addition to being a Disney Parks loving girl, I’m also a Disney toy and merchandise collector, a runDisney enthusiast, and Disney music and movie aficionado. You can follow me on Instagram: @mariasalno and find me on YouTube: @NYCtoAP. Thanks for reading, hope to see ya real soon!