Pumpkin Picking Fun in the North West - Perfect for Families!

Pumpkin Picking Fun in the North West - Perfect for Families!

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Last Updated Sept 24 

Pumpkin picking has become a must-do autumn activity for us. Before Little J came along, we’d grab a few pumpkins from the local supermarket, but once we discovered pumpkin patches, we were hooked! There’s something special about wandering through a field and choosing your own pumpkin. Over the years, more and more pumpkin patches have popped up across the North West, and many of them are just a short drive from Liverpool. Some of them offer full-day experiences with fairground rides and maize mazes, while others keep it simple with just pumpkins. Whatever you’re after, pumpkin picking is such a fun experience for the whole family, especially little ones – they’ll love it!

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Visiting Disneyland Paris During Halloween Season

Visiting Disneyland Paris During Halloween Season

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Last Updated - October 2024 

Halloween is always a magical time, but nothing quite compares to spending the spooky season at Disneyland Paris. Over the years, we’ve made some amazing memories at Disneyland Paris during Halloween, and it’s become a highlight of our travels. There’s something so special about experiencing the park transformed into a festive autumn wonderland. If you’re planning a trip to Disneyland Paris this Halloween season, there are plenty of tricks, treats, and unforgettable experiences waiting for you!

What To Expect During Disneyland Paris Halloween Festival

The Disneyland Paris Halloween Festival is one of the most exciting events of the year, and 2024 promises to be bigger and better than ever. Running from 1st October to 3rd November, the park will be filled with spooky decorations, Halloween-inspired music, and, of course, lots of opportunities to meet your favourite Disney characters, villains included!

Disneyland Park

From the moment you step into Disneyland Park, you’ll find yourself surrounded by pumpkins, ghosts, and ghoulish surprises. The streets come alive with spooky fun, with plenty of photo opportunities around every corner. One of our favourite places to capture the Halloween magic is Main Street, U.S.A., which is always decked out with pumpkins, Mickey-inspired decorations, and festive autumn touches.

For any Disney fan, the attention to detail is incredible. The music changes to a more haunting, whimsical tune, making every step through the park feel like you’ve entered a spooky fairytale. The magical atmosphere adds a whole new level of excitement, and whether you’re a seasoned visitor or it's your first time, Halloween at Disneyland Paris will leave you mesmerised.

What Characters Are In Disneyland Paris For Halloween?

Halloween is a special time at Disneyland Paris, as it’s the only season when you can meet some of Disney’s most notorious villains! This year, the wicked Mother Gothel from Tangled is making her debut appearance. It’s such a rare treat to see her, so make sure you don’t miss out!

Villain fans will also be excited to know that Maleficent can be found lurking near Sleeping Beauty Castle. She’s always ready to strike a dramatic pose, making her one of the most popular characters to meet during Halloween. For those who are brave enough, head over to Adventureland where the mischievous Captain Hook will be ready to greet you near the Jolly Roger.

But it’s not all villains! Keep an eye out for some of Disney’s fun-loving characters who are also getting in on the Halloween fun. Chip, Dale, and Goofy are part of the Mischief Makers, and their antics will have everyone laughing. Whether it’s their playful banter or cheeky pranks, meeting them is sure to put a smile on your face.

Mickey's Halloween Celebration

No trip to Disneyland Paris would be complete without catching a parade, and during Halloween, Mickey’s Halloween Celebration takes centre stage. This lively parade features all your favourite characters dressed in their Halloween best, with the Mischief Makers leading the way.

The floats are beautifully decorated, and the music will have everyone tapping their feet. It’s a family favourite and perfect for capturing the magic of Halloween at Disneyland. Make sure to grab a spot early for the best view of this festive parade!

Nightfall With Disney Villains

As the sun sets and the evening begins, Disneyland Paris takes the spooky atmosphere up a notch with Nightfall with Disney Villains. This special event transforms Sleeping Beauty Castle with projections, music, and fountains for a spectacularly eerie experience. It’s a thrilling part of the Halloween Festival and one of those "must-see" moments if you’re visiting the park during the Halloween season.

Disney Electrical Sky Parade

For 2024, there’s an exclusive Halloween twist to the Disney Electrical Sky Parade. Villains take control of the show, with their own unique projections and drone displays, offering a chilling prelude to the Disney Illuminations. Seeing the sky light up with Disney magic and spooky Halloween elements is the perfect way to end your day at the park.

Hollywood Studios

Over at Walt Disney Studios Park, things get even spookier as evil villains and mischievous characters take over. From 1st October, the Studio Theatre will be the place to be for a spooky encounter with Disney’s most rebellious villains. It’s an experience that’s not for the faint-hearted, but for those who love a good fright, it’s absolutely worth a visit.

The Tower Of Terror

One of the highlights at Walt Disney Studios Park during Halloween is the iconic Tower of Terror. The haunted hotel offers a spine-chilling ride experience that will have your heart racing. The eerie atmosphere, combined with the surprises that await on the upper floors, makes it a Halloween favourite. Just remember, you never know what might happen in that rickety old lift!

As well as all the spooky shenanigans you can enjoy all your favourite rides. 

Tips for Making the Most of Halloween at Disneyland Paris

If you’re planning to visit Disneyland Paris during Halloween, here are a few tips to make sure you get the most out of your spooky adventure:

Plan Ahead

Before your visit, make sure to check the Disneyland Paris website for the most up-to-date information on opening times, ride closures, and any special events happening during your stay. This way, you can plan your days and avoid any surprises.

Get Your Spot for the Parade Early

Mickey’s Halloween Celebration is incredibly popular, so find a good viewing spot along the parade route well before it starts to ensure you don’t miss any of the magic.

Dress for the Occasion

While it’s not mandatory, wearing Halloween-themed outfits or costumes (in line with park guidelines) can make your experience even more fun. Plus, it’s a great way to get into the spirit of the season!

Capture the Magic

Halloween at Disneyland Paris is a photographer’s dream. With so many unique decorations and character meet-and-greets, make sure your camera or phone is fully charged so you can capture all the memories.

There’s something truly magical about Disneyland Paris during Halloween. Whether it’s the eerie decorations, the chance to meet your favourite Disney villains, or the spectacular shows, every part of the park is filled with spooky fun and Disney magic. If you’re looking for a Halloween getaway that combines fun, excitement, and a little bit of fright, Disneyland Paris is the place to be this spooky season. It’s the perfect family-friendly destination, offering memories that will last long after the Halloween decorations come down.

Have you visited Disneyland Paris during Halloween? We’d love to hear about your experience, so feel free to share your favourite moments in the comments!

If you found this post useful there are a few ways that you could say thanks and support Playdays and Runways

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Michelle

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Halloween Light Trails In The North West

Halloween Light Trails In The North West

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Last Update Sept 2024 

Over the years light trails at Christmas time have become so popular however we are now seeing light trails for Halloween too. I love a light trail so any excuse to visit one is fine by me. There are a few popping up in the North West already and I'll make sure I update if any others get announced too.

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Halloween Lakeside Light Trail Review

Halloween Lakeside Light Trail Review

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Last Update Sept 2024 

Disclosure - We were invited to enjoy the trail for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own.

Last year we visited our very first Halloween Light Trail. We have done lots of light trails at Christmas time but we had never done a spooky one before. I remember how curious we were as we had no idea what to expect, we just knew to wrap up warm and prepared for a spooky walk. Last week I saw an announcement that the Halloween Lakeside Light Trail is back for 2024 and we could not wait to visit. If you are a fan of all things spooky you will love the family friendly trail and if you are looking for something a little scarier you can visit their Terror Trail, that's new for 2024. 

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25 Halloween Events In Manchester 2023

25 Halloween Events In Manchester 2023

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Disclosure - This is a collaborative post. 

We try to find as many fun things to do around Halloween as possible and each year our list of places to visit gets bigger and bigger. The North West definitely gets in to the spooky spirit with so many Manchester Halloween events to enjoy. If you are looking for family fun this Halloween then you need to check out our ever growing list which I will keep updated.

Halloween Events In Manchester

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The Best Pumpkin Picking In The UK

The Best Pumpkin Picking In The UK

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Updated for 2022

A few years ago we went Pumpkin Picking for the first time and it was so much fun. We went to Kenyon Hall Farm in Warrington and it was really good. We wanted to choose somewhere close by, so I asked some of my friends and Kenyon Hall Farm was the most popular. Being popular means you usually have to book your tickets early and we have already secured ours for this year. If you are looking to pick a pumpkin this year, I have asked some friends from all over the UK to tell me their favourite places to Pumpkin Pick so check out their recommendations below.

North

A popular choice amongst us is Kenyon Hall Farm

Emma from A Farmers Wife and Mummy visited too. We loved it so much last year I think we will be visiting again this year too.

Midlands

Laura from Little Ladies Big World visits Adventure Farm in Staffordshire

Emma at Mrs Shilts visits Essington Farm in Wolverhampton

SOUTH

Sian from quite frankly she said recommends The Pop Up Farm in Hertfordshire. 

Victoria from Verily Victoria Vocalises visits Bailey ridge in Dorset

Katy from Katy Kicker recommends Cammas Hall in Essex/Hertfordshire

Laura from Dear Bear and Beany - Millets Farm in Oxfordshire

Emily from Emily and Indiana enjoyed Pick Your Own Pumpkin in Sevington, Ashford

Jenny from The Gingerbread House - Farrington's Farm Shop, Somerset

EAST

Lauren from Dilan and Me gives us a round up of the best in Norfolk

Are you planning on going Pumpkin Picking this year? If you have any other recommendations I'd love to hear them.

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Michelle

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How Scary Is Scarefest At Alton Towers?

How Scary Is Scarefest At Alton Towers?

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This post was updated September 2023

You all know we love Alton Towers. I have been visiting since I was a little girl and I love how the park has developed and expanded over the years just getting bigger and better every year. A few years ago Alton Towers announced lots of events that would happen over the year including Mardi Gras, Oktoberfest and our personal favourite Scarefest. We often get asked how scary is Alton Towers Scarefest? What I love about Alton Towers is they cater for all ages and you can make it as family friendly or scary as you want as there is so much going on. 

What To Expect When Visiting Scarefest, Alton Towers 

Alton Towers really do get their spook on when it comes to the Halloween event and you can expect all kinds of tricks and treats. 

Open till 9pm every night you can experience your favourite rides in the dark, 4 scare mazes, family fun and new for 2023 Daz Games - Panic 

How Scary Is Scarefest At Alton Towers?

The park itself isn't scary however like I said early it can be as scary as you like with 4 scare mazes and new for 2023 Daz Games Panic. These chargeable attractions are not for the faint hearted, trust me I've done a few. Whilst they make you jump and scream (I did both) the actors inside these mazes don't touch you they are just there to give you a scare. 

What Is Daz Games - Panic?

This is a new attraction for 2023 and it claims it will take you on the first adrenaline-inducing escape room meets live action scare maze for the ultimate horror experience.

I do love an escape room however you are plunged into darkness and have just 7 minutes to complete a series of tests that will challenge the mind and body as you try to locate the symbols and escape…. all whilst evading capture from the inhabitants within.

Racing against the clock you'll have to think fast and stay calm as you take on an AI-themed assault of the senses… all before the game strikes back and traps you within. Forever

What Scare Mazes Are Available This Year?

New for 2023 - Altonville Mine Tours - Tiny's Revenge

Rumours are afoot that the old Altonville Mines are alive with activity once again. Following a breakthrough from local law enforcers, the notorious Skin Snatchers have been detained...but for how long? The ironically named Tiny, however, has evaded capture and is believed to still reside within the Mines. Explore at your peril and risk the adventure, if you dare.

The Invitation 

The Lakeside Cemetery invites you to join them for a grave experience that will live with you for eternity. Their friendly funeral director is dying to assist you as you descend in to the burial chamber, where you can choose your final resting place. Some caskets have already been filled while others are empty, waiting for you. Recommended 12+

The Attic: Terror of the Towers 

In Alton people talk of the Governess – how she’s haunted by the death of young children. She wants revenge, and she will do it by seizing the spirits of the living in retribution. They say her ghost haunts The Attic and that’s where you’re headed. Recommended 12+

Darkest Depths

Enjoy some extra-spooky swashbuckling aboard ‘The Mutiny’, a notoriously spine-chilling ghost ship. You’ll truly earn your golden Piece of Eight by venturing into the darkest depths, avoiding the hazardous calls of the treacherous Sirens, dodging the swords of terrifyingly ghoulish pirate mutineers and coming face to face with the Kraken – the legendary monster of the seas! Recommended 12+

We have done a few scare attractions over the years with Altonville Mine Tours our most recent and I can confirm they are very scary.

How Much Are The Scare Mazes?

Each maze is chargeable and can be pre-booked online. 

Daz Games - Panic

£10 or £8 for Merlin Pass Holders

Altonville Mine Tours - Tiny's Revenge, The Invitation, The Attic: Terror of the Towers  and Darkest Depths

£34 for all 4 or £27.20 for Merlin Pass Holders. All 4 must be completed within 2 hours. 

I think on the day you can purchase single scare mazes as we have done that in the past.

What Attractions Are Suitable For All The Family?

Alton Towers do try to make it suitable for everyone and over the years we have seen new attractions introduced which make it a family friendly event too.

New for 2023 - Burial Grounds

Burial Grounds is a free-flowing outdoor scare zone shadowed by the mighty Wicker Man where you'll encounter the rejectors of modern-day society fulfilling their terrifying primal instincts.

Trick O'Treat Town

Suitable for all ages Trick O'Treat Town is an interactive walkthrough where you must pluck up the courage to knock on doors. The residents of Spooky Avenue up to Witchy Woods love Trick or Treating so be prepared for plenty of treats and tricks too.

Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. 2 adults can accompany a child without a purchase of a bag (£12 or £9.60 for Merlin Pass Holders)

Alton Ancestors

On Arrival you will usually bump in to the Alton Ancestors. They have left their gravestones behind and are back from the dead. One thing you should know about the Ancestors is they love to dance so make sure you check them out and even join in.

CBeebies Land Monster Ball

Join the CBeebies characters live in Big Fun ShowTime as they dance and play games. the show features Bing, Ubercorn, Peter Rabbit and many more of your favourite CBeebies friends, you can even dress up in your favourite costume.

Freaky Fun Zone

You won't want to miss the Freaky Fun Zone on the front lawns.  The five super-freaky Halloween characters put on the most spook-tacular shows, with meet and greets and photo opportunities. Little ones will love this as the characters are so much fun and very colourful. 

There are also many other reasons to visit Alton Towers during Scarefest including the Alton Towers Dungeon

Alton Towers Dungeon

As Scarefest descends on the Towers, enter The Alton Towers Dungeon for a little less laughing… and a lot more screaming! Will you be found guilty by the Bishop of Stafford, survive a visit to the Plague Doctor and make it out of The Witch of Burslem’s Cottage? Enter The Alton Towers Dungeon this Halloween, as we celebrate the most hideously horrible time of year with your delightful peasant screams… If you dare!

Recommended for guests age 10+ and a charge is applicable. Pre booking is advised. 

As well as as this scary fun you can enjoy your favourite rides in the dark as the theme park is open till 9pm every night during Scarefest. 

Also if you want to make the most of your visit to Scarefest you can stay over at the resort where the spooky fun continues. 

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- If you enjoyed this post leave us a comment.

-  Like us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and follow us on our adventures.

- If you have visited any of the attractions mentioned in this post share photos with us on our socials. 

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- If you would like to work with us please visit on Work With Us page for more details

Michelle

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Best Family Halloween Board Games

Best Family Halloween Board Games

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Disclosure - we received the games below for the purpose of this post. Any thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own. This post contains affiliate links. 

October is finally here and I am now allowed to get in spooky mode as I start to decorate the house for Halloween. October is one of my favourite months as it starts the countdown to Halloween, Fireworks and then Christmas. We are always so busy filled with days out around this time of year so it's nice to have time at home chilling watching movies and playing board games together. We have a lovely collection of board games and these are our best family Halloween board games that are perfect for perfect for the spooky season including Disney's Villainous, Hocus Pocus and Ghosted. 

Disney's Villainous

Disney's Villainous is a great choice of board game to get you in a spooky mood. The game has six main characters to choose from Captain Hook, Maleficent, Jafar, Ursula, Queen of Hearts and Prince John. 

Each character comes with their own guide. You need to use your characters guide to to learn their objectives and goals.and the guide will help you come up with strategies and tips to come up with an evil plan to win. 

We found the instructions really easy to understand. So far I have played with 3 characters Ursula, Queen of Hearts and Jafar. As each character is completely different they each have their own strategies on how to win making it different for the player each time. 

In the box you’ll find 6 Boards, 6 Villain Movers, 180 Villain Cards, 90 Fate Cards, 84 Tokens, 1 Cauldron, 6 Reference Cards, 6 Villain Guides, and Instructions. 

Although this is a Disney branded game you don't have to be a Disney fan to enjoy the game. It is suitable for 2-6 players and recommend age is 10+.

Disney's Hocus Pocus

You must play together during this game to protect Salem’s children and stop the Sanderson sisters from completing their wicked potion before the sun rises.  

Follow the step by step rule book to learn how to play potion ingredients, match all the colors or ingredients. Binx will offer a helping hand, while Winifred, Mary, and Sarah cast spells to thwart your plans. Use tricks like Burning Rain of Death and Billy Butcherson to help you along the way!

Halloween is definitely the perfect time to play Hocus Pocus especially with the release of Hocus Pocus 2 on Disney+. We did have to play this game a few times before we fully understood the rules. 

Each game comes with one cauldron board, 50 Ingredient cards, a Witch board, 13 Spell cards, a Sun token, 4 trick tokens, a rulebook, and one black cat Binx.

Hocus Pocus Board Game is suitable for those aged 8+ and for 2-6 players. 

Zombie Kittens

This pack is perfect for fans of exploding kittens card game. Zombie Kittens gives the game an undead twist on the original Exploding Kittens. Zombie Kittens will keep every player involved in the game, dead or alive, until the very end. The last player alive wins.

Once each player has their cards play continues clockwise giving each player the chance to play cards from their hand to determine their next move. Once completed they must then pick up a card from the deck and hopefully avoid the exploding kitten card. Don't worry if you do as you may not be dead for long, you can use a zombie kittens card or hope another player resurrects you from the grave. 

There are so many ways to play Zombie Kittens. Depending how confident you are with the game you can start off basic and build up so you're playing a more complex game. You can also combine this with Exploding Kittens card packs to increase the number of players and fun.

Each pack contains 61 cards and an instruction manual. Suitable for 2-5 players aged 7+.

Ghosted

You’ve come to an untimely end, been offed, put to rest, kicked the bucket, fatally finished. You've been GHOSTED! Your restless spirit won’t be calm until you solve your own demise from the great beyond. Identify which suspect had it in for you, what wacky weapon they used, and why they wanted you out of the picture. Be the first to figure it out in this spirited game of Boo-Dunnit!

Roll the dice to find out what question you can ask any other player to help you use the power of elimination and find out who killed you and why. You can use your dry wipe marker and board to help you log the answers and when you're confident and you know who done it then you can go in for a guess. If you're right you won the game but if you're wrong you will be eliminated. 

Ghosted is similar to other 'Who Done It?' games however each player has their own killer, motive and weapon. 

6 x evidence boards, 36 x cards, 1 x die, 6 x markers, 6 x tokens and 1 x instructions guide. Instructions were really easy to follow and the game is suitable for those aged 10+ and ideally 3-6 players.

These are just a few of our best family halloween board games and we can't wait to add to our collection this year. Do you have any recommendations?

Michelle

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Hocus Pocus 2 - Perfect Movie For Halloween

Hocus Pocus 2 - Perfect Movie For Halloween

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It's been over 29 years almost down to the day, but the witches are back, and there's hell to pay. Your wretched little lives have all been cursed because of all the witches working, they're the worst. They'll put and a spell on you and you will be glad they did. Hocus Pocus 2 debuted on 30th September 22 on Disney+ and it was definitely worth the wait. It's definitely the perfect movie for Halloween. 

Hocus Pocus 2 is set in Salem, 29 years after the first movie. It's All Hallows Eve and Salem is as busy as ever with a Halloween festival taking place that evening. It's also Beccas 16th birthday and along with her friend Izzy they do like to dabble in a little bit of witchcraft.  Gilbert the owner of the magic shop gives his regular customer Becca a gift to help her celebrate. As Becca and Izzy head to the forbidden woods their friend Cassie (the mayors daughter) is hosting a party without their fathers permission. 

What looked like an innocent candle was actually 'the black flame candle' and once lit Becca and Izzy brought back The Sanderson Sisters, Mary, Sarah and Winnifred. Will this be The Sanderson Sisters last attempt of gaining eternal youth and immortality and if they do, at what cost?

I am always a little nervous when movies such as Hocus Pocus announce a sequel. Hocus Pocus is such an iconic popular movie even after almost three decades. It's our go to movie for Halloween and I wasn't sure if Hocus Pocus 2 would live up to the original. One thing I was excited about was that it was the original cast. I don't think anyone could replace Kathy Najimy, Sarah Jessica Parker and Bette Midler, and they probably wouldn't want to. Imagine trying to fill those shoes!

Before we watched it there were already some reviews popping up on line and seeing 2/5, 'far from bewitching' and a rotten tomatoes score of 61% I was even more nervous. We had all agreed to watch it together as a family. I had prepared a cinema at home evening which the boys love and I really wanted it to be good and for us all not to be disappointed. We weren't. We all loved it. It's such a great movie for Halloween with a decent storyline and an ending that was just everything and more. We laughed and I cried and I'm so glad Kathy, Sarah and Bette agreed to return as The Sanderson Sisters.

Did you watch Hocus Pocus 2? What did you think?  Leave us a comment below and let us know.

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- If you enjoyed this post leave us a comment.

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- If you have visited any of the attractions mentioned in this post share photos with us on our socials. 

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- If you would like to work with us please visit on Work With Us page for more details

Michelle

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