Mad T Party

June 2012 – March 2016

LOCATION

Hollywood Land – On most weekend nights and holidays, guests would find the Mad T Party in the rear of Hollywood Land. When entering from Buena Vista Street, guests followed the path to Hollywood Land, keeping left at the side street. From A Bug’s Land, the Mad T Party could be found straight ahead, just beyond the Hyperion Theater and the Monsters University dorm.

BACKGROUND

The Mad T Party was a dance party and a light show experience inspired by Tim Burton’s 2010 Alice in Wonderland. Live performers or DJs blasted electronic music as party guests watched various performing acts, enjoyed specialty food and drinks, or explored the Rabbit Hole, a foggy tunnel with tons of special effects. Whether guests just passed through as they explored Hollywood Land or stayed for the full experience, the Mad T Party offered a fun and unique experience in California Adventure.

EXPERIENCE

The Mad T Party was set up with a couple of different areas for guests to explore. The main stage, which showcased performers or bands, always drew a big crowd. There was also a side stage, which had various street performers that amazed audiences (my favorite was the aerialist group!). You could also find a wave of guests by the snack bar, enjoying the drinks and food items available exclusively at the T Party, or playing the Alice-themed arcade games. And for those seeking their own adventure, the Rabbit Hole offered a sensory experience mixing light, sound, and color. The Rabbit Hole also had an added challenge of finding the password to get inside; guests had to find the Mad Hatter somewhere in the T Party to get the password for the evening.

CLOSURE

The Mad T Party developed an obsessive following among millennial Disney fans; Hollywood Land was packed for every single show. But the show’s popularity was unfortunately not enough to save it. Disney announced the show’s closure about a month before the final show, and gave no official reason and announced no replacement attraction. Fans have speculated that the show’s closure came as a result of Disney’s cost reduction efforts in Disney parks due to the cost of building Shanghai Disneyland. But the Mad T Party’s closure was a bit of a mystery, and for the time being, much of Hollywood Land remains quiet, waiting for a new attraction to arrive.

TRIVIA

My original rating: Depending on how crowded the park is during your visit, the Mad T Party can be overwhelming or a lot of fun. If the crowds are really massive, it’s hard to navigate the back area in Hollywood Land, and the lines for food or for the Rabbit Hole get pretty long. But if you’re visiting the park on a day that isn’t too crowded, the Mad T Party is a lot of fun. I’m personally not a huge fan of the music they play at the Mad T Party, so I never stay for very long, but it’s cool to check it out when you’re nearby. (★★★★☆)

You can purchase glowing Mickey ears in various places in the park that glow alongside shows. These ears also light up to match the Mad T Party performances.

The Mad T Party replaced ElecTRONica, an similar attraction based off the 2010 film Tron: Legacy.

From December 2014 to May 2015, The Mad T Party had a “Frozen” overlay, as part of Frozen Fun.