That kind a patient employee is unfortunately incorrect. This is actually the 9th year, the first was in 2002.
The 2nd year saw significant changes over the first, with the addition of all of the Oogie Boogie elements you still see today. Unfortunately that's where they stopped, with the only real change year-to-year being the gingerbread house centerpiece in the ballroom.
I'll let someone else tell the full tale of these two pictures:
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