6th October to 4th November 2007
Location
Near Trick or Treat Stage
Entertainment Type
Piñata streetmosphere
Performances
Up to 4 times daily
Children 3-7
Children 8-12
Teens/Yng Adults
Adults
Seniors
Viewing Tips
- The Halloween Piñata regularly draws a very large and eager crowd around its hanging orange pumpkin filled with sweets.
- You'll no doubt find it hard to get a good viewing position as other guests push fowards, hoping for their children to be chosen by the Pink Witches to take part, but the frantic and fun atmosphere of the piñata is what makes it such a unique piece of entertainment for Disneyland Resort Paris.
Fun Facts
- Early piñatas were clay pots decorated with colourful paper. Today, they're usually made from papier-mâché and can come in all shapes, sizes and designs.
- Traditionally, the child attempting to hit the swinging piñata is also blindfolded, though this isn't true here.
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Gather around, get your youngest little horrors at the ready... it's time for a Halloween-lo-ween tradition were a sweet-tasting "treat" is always guaranteed!
Towards the heart of Frontierland, the wooden buildings of Thunder Mesa lead to the simpler pueblo styles of New Mexico, the perfect setting for the Mexican tradition of piñata, where children attempt to hit a swinging papier-mâché creation filled with sweets.
The piñata can be found to the right of the Trick or Treat Stage, hanging from Cowboy Cookout Barbeque.
The Halloween Piñata!
Between shows on the Trick or Treat Stage, the Pink Witches host the Halloween Piñata in the forest clearing at Cowboy Cookout Barbeque. Hanging on a rope is a giant papier-mâché Halloween creation, such as a pumpkin or ghost, filled with sweets.
To a lively soundtrack of Halloween music and hilarious cackling from the witches, children will be invited one-by-one to step into the middle of the gathering and try their hand at hitting the piñata with a bat. All the time, the Pink Witches' spells will be keeping it bobbing up and down and swinging side-to-side in the air.
Once a lucky child finally whacks the pumpkin piñata, all horror breaks loose as every child watching rushes forwards to claim the treats as their own. The trick is, to be on your toes at all times!
History
- The exact origins of piñata present some confusion. Whilst many agree the first to celebrate such an event were Chinese, one side of the debate suggests Marco Polo saw this on his travels and brought examples back to Europe, with the first Sunday of Lent later becoming 'Piñata Sunday'. Other histories suggest the Western tradition originates primarily from Mexico and the offering of gifts to the Aztec god of war through the breaking of a clay pot, the treasures landing at the foot of his image.
- Piñata's modern history, however, undoubtedly lies in Mexico. It was made popular there in the 16th Century by Spanish missionaries who used it as a way to lure converts to their ceremonies, star-shaped to represent the Star of Bethleham. Over many hundreds of years, it became a less primarily religious practice and is now used for events from birthdays to Christmas, not to mention Spanish and Mexican Halloween celebrations!
- The Halloween Piñata has been taking place every Halloween outside Cowboy Cookout Barbeque since the 1999 festival. In 2000 it became part of a trio of "hoedown"-themed events in this clearing of the forest, playing off of the Western/Mexican themes of the area with a 'Macabrena' dance event and 'Halloween Hoedown Party' all hosted by the live scarecrows which previously populated the land.
- Following the introduction of the Pink Witches in 2005, the piñata became a part of the new Pink Witches' Academy area, hosted by Gruzella and two other witches, with the scarecrow theme reserved for just a small number of decorations in Cottonwood Creek Ranch. The Halloween Piñata remains an incredibly popular piece of small streetmosphere, particularly thanks to the increase in Spanish guests seen in recent years.
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