MOUSE PARTY: If you’re taking advantage of...

MOUSE PARTY: If you’re taking advantage of the free Disneyland entry this morning--for those in Halloween costume only--the party centers around the Haunted Mansion. Don’t be surprised if the crowd is huge. . . . “This is certainly a first for us,” said John McClintock, spokesman for the Anaheim amusement park. But be aware of the rules: Doors open at 6 a.m. but nobody gets in free after 8:30 a.m. And no offensive or dangerous costumes. . . . The park will open as many rides as it can at that hour, McClintock said, depending on crowd size.

PUMPKIN HEAVEN: If you like lots of pumpkins, Fashion Island in Newport Beach should have enough to keep you happy today: nine tons, give or take a pound, in its Pumpkin Patch display. . . . All 18 shopping centers in Irvine and Newport Beach have aligned for special Halloween events today. A sampling: a haunted house at the Walnut Village Center, a costume contest at the Irvine Marketplace and a parade at Newport Hills F2.

FRANK TALK: The Children’s Crusade Against Tobacco Use wasn’t about to pass up this chance. The president-elect of the Orange County Medical Assn. happens to be a lung specialist, and very anti-smoking. . . . And his name happens to be Frankenstein--Dr. Richard S. Frankenstein. He’ll join more than 200 young people--all in costume--today at the old County Courthouse in Santa Ana for a Halloween anti-smoking rally. . . . Frankenstein knows exploitation when he sees it--the ad says “Dr. Frankenstein Wants You”--but says he doesn’t mind: “Halloween is my favorite holiday.”

TIPS FOR GHOULS: Halloween ranks up there with Christmas for a lot of youngsters. But the Adam Walsh Center in Orange, which lobbies to protect exploited children, urges parents to follow some common sense tips about trick-or-treating: Never let them go alone, have them carry a glow stick or reflective clothing, make sure masks don’t mar breathing, and parents inspect all treats. Says Laura Henry from the center: “This is a potentially dangerous time for our children.”