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The Ultimate Guide to Disneyland at Halloween

By U.S. News & World Report

Get into the holiday spirit with themed soirees, festive decorations and decked-out characters.

While Disneyland is known for its ornate celebration of Christmas and the winter holidays, its take on Halloween is also elaborate. Disneyland Resort’s Halloween Time celebration each October brings spooks and frights at every turn, jack-o’-lanterns galore and Jack Skellington and his crew from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” in a complete redecoration of the parks. From revamped rides to seasonally themed foods, Disneyland Resort and Disney California Adventure is well worth a trip this October.

Embrace the Haunted Mansion Holiday.

From October to December, the Haunted Mansion gets an entirely new look themed around Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” This impressive spectacle features Jack Skellington, Oogie Boogie and other movie characters, giving the classic ride a fun holiday twist. From jack-o’-lanterns in the graveyard of the New Orleans-style mansion to the dancing ghost scene now with Jack Skellington and friends, the Haunted Mansion Holiday is nothing less than you’d expect from the creative engineers at Disney Imagineering.

Check out Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy.

Disneyland’s version of Space Mountain is a bit different than Walt Disney World, with larger cars and improved special effects. Instead of watching scenes from outer space projected on screens as you zip around the dark on this roller coaster, you’ll encounter ghosts and monsters that seemingly pop out of nowhere for extra thrills. Plus, the ride is set to an eerie soundtrack, complete with screams, haunting music and other spooky sound effects for a more chilling effect.

Visit Disney California Adventure to join in on the fun.

For the first time, Disney California Adventure will also be decorated as part of Halloween Time at the resort. Radiator Springs will transform into “Radiator Screams” in Cars Land, with all of the characters dressed in “cars-tumes” for “trunk-or-treat.” For Halloween, there’s Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween bash with music and dancing. The new Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: Breakout! ride at will also get a Halloween makeover each night where guests can help save Groot from a fortress of monsters. Plus, there’s a new story line for the attraction at night, along with special events, songs and more.

Attend Mickey’s Halloween Party.

For an extra cost, you can continue the thrills — with a bit of trick-or-treating — at Mickey’s Halloween Party. Collect treats and goodies at candy stations around the park in between riding attractions that stay open late for the party at both Disneyland parks. Other special events include the Frightfully Fun Parade down Main Street, the Halloween Screams fireworks show and plenty of Disney villains hanging out in the parks for photo ops.

Use your Disneyland FastPasses wisely.

Halloween is one of the most popular times of the year at Disneyland, translating to long attraction lines, so you’ll want to be sure you understand — and maximize — their FastPass system. At Disneyland, machines near each attraction print FastPasses, or you can purchase Disney MaxPass for $10 per person per day to reserve FastPasses from within the Disneyland app. Disney recommends checking availability for rides on the app before purchasing. Keep in mind, you will not be able to get a new FastPass until the time stated on the app or your printed FastPass.

Stay at Disneyland hotels.

Disneyland offers several accommodation options, however, they tend to fill quickly during busy times. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, designed in California’s classic arts and crafts architectural style, opens directly into Disney California Adventure for the convenience of guests. The Disneyland Hotel is a short walk through the downtown area to the parks and features classic Disney design elements, along with a monorail-themed pool area. Meanwhile, Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel leaves you feeling that you’re staying at one of the state’s classic boardwalks. Other highlights include a rooftop pool deck and a direct view of the Disneyland fireworks from the third-floor pool area.

Invest in the right ticket options.

You can purchase tickets to the parks directly from Disney, but the Southern California CityPass is another option if you want to see more theme parks in the area. The pass gives each person a three-day park hopper pass for Disneyland Resort parks, as well as one Magic Morning to enter the parks an hour ahead of the regular opening time. You also get a ticket to SeaWorld San Diego and Legoland California, both in the San Diego area, which is about 95 miles south of Anaheim. The passes save more than $150 per person compared with buying each theme park ticket separately.

Get the most out of your time in Anaheim, California.

Anaheim, home of Disneyland, has more to offer than just the parks. Located in California’s Orange County, Anaheim is home to two professional sports teams and offers a range of shops and craft breweries. In downtown Anaheim’s Packing District, the Packing House hosts 20 artisan eateries and live music each weekend. In addition to Disneyland Resort hotels, there are plenty of other accommodation options, including the Anaheim Marriott with spacious guest rooms and views of Disneyland fireworks, as well as the Hilton Anaheim, with a Disney Desk for all Disney-related questions, as well as a food court, Starbucks and fine dining establishments.

More from U.S. News

10 Top Budget-Friendly Disneyland Hotels for Frugal Families

America’s Best Small Towns to Visit for Halloween

8 Tips for Celebrating the Holidays at Disneyland

The Ultimate Guide to Disneyland at Halloween originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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