2. This is Halloween (and, also, refurbishment season)

Fall means beautiful colors, (not-so-scary) Halloween parties, and, apparently, in the case of Southern California, triple-digit temperatures.

Despite the recent heat wave, however, Westcoaster trekked out to take a look at all of the impressive and pervasive decorations being installed throughout Disneyland for Halloween Time, which officially started on September 12 and will continue on until Halloween Day.  Although not anything particularly new – and, in the case of Mickey’s Toontown, a little controversial – it is still nonetheless beautiful to see (particularly the Dia De Los Muertos section of Frontierland).

But fall also means refurbishment season, as the summer crowds dissipate and the holiday rush looms on the horizon, and Disneyland is certainly seeing its fair share of downed attractions.  Mice Chat was nice enough to report on them from the park last week, and we’ve compiled everything into a nice, easy-to-digest format for you here:

• It’s a Small World – October 20 - November 6
• Big Thunder Ranch – November 1 – November 6
• Pinocchio’s Daring Journey – November 4 - 5
• Snow White’s Scary Adventures – November 4 - 5
• Mark Twain Riverboat – November 28 - end of February

Additionally, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage will finally, after a lengthy, eight-month refurb, reopen on September 27.

3. Oswald the Lucky Rabbit has arrived at Disney California Adventure

Finally, Disney made a surprise announcement earlier this month, making fall also something of a time for family reunions (or would that be for homecomings?).  Oswald the Lucky Rabbit started hitting the streets of California Adventure on September 14 in meetable character form, making it only the second time – and at the second Disney park, after Tokyo DisneySea – that he has made a live appearance.