Disneyland Halloween 2024 Ultimate Guide
Our guide to Halloween Time 2024 at Disneyland, California Adventure & Downtown Disney features tips & tricks for the event, throughout September and October. Info includes Oogie Boogie Bash, decorations, food, Haunted Mansion Holiday, and more!
Disney has released the Full 2024 Calendar of Events at Disneyland, which includes the dates for spook season. Halloween Time at Disneyland starts on August 23, 2024 and runs through October 31, 2024 (with Plaza de la Familia and A Musical Celebration of Coco continuing until November 2, 2024 for Día de los Muertos).
The huge news here is that Halloween 2024 at Disneyland starts in August–the first time ever it has ever kicked off that early. The typical cadence for Halloween is it starting the first Friday in September, sometimes with a soft opening on the Thursday before that. That means that, following the historical pattern, Halloween should have started on September 6, 2024. That’s late, but consistent with past precedent (including 2019, when it started on September 6).
For Halloween 2024, instead of starting one week earlier and moving forward to August 30, Disneyland is essentially starting two weeks early with the August 23, 2024 start date. While earlier than ever at Disneyland, this is still later than the start date of Halloween at Walt Disney World (by almost 2 full weeks!) in recent years.
There are sure to be complaints about this from diehard Disneyland fans who think it’s “too early” for Halloween or don’t want to “endure” two more weeks of Haunted Mansion Holiday. But we strongly disagree. To the contrary, we have been advocating for an earlier start of the spook season at Disneyland for the last few years.
From our perspective, this all comes down to demand. Halloween Time crowds have been getting worse and worse, to the point that mid-September until late October is one of the busiest stretches of the entire year. There’s an element of seasonality to this with fall breaks at West Coast school districts. A big part of it, though, is simply that Halloween continues to grow in popularity.
The other big reason we’ve advocated for this is due to the difficulty of purchasing Oogie Boogie Bash tickets the last couple of years. That hard ticket event keeps getting more and more popular, and the virtual queues for the most recent Oogie Boogie Bash were a veritable nightmare (before Halloween).
Adding more parties to the calendar dilutes demand and enables more people–who were previously shut out–attend. (For full details, dates, and pricing about this hard ticket event, see our Guide to the Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party.)
That’s pretty much our view on moving the start date forward for the 2024 Halloween season at Disneyland. Starting right after schools go back into session during what’s historically one of the slowest times of the entire year will spread out demand, draw guests to the park earlier during the season, and (hopefully) make dates in October a little less crazy.
In the grand scheme of things, this is a net positive for both Disneyland and guests, even the fans who might complain about it starting “too early.” (That is, unless those people enjoy chaotic crowds, long lines to park, or waiting around for hours on end in virtual queues. In which case, complain away!)
For now, that’s everything we know about Halloween 2024 at Disneyland Resort. What follows is our normal guide to the seasonal event, which should be about 95% accurate. (The biggest changes will likely be to Oogie Boogie Bash and the character costumes, which should be new again for 2024.)
Above is a photo Disneyland released of the most recent Halloween character costumes. Keep in mind that this is a publicity shot, and you cannot meet all of the characters together like this. Nor can you meet them in front of the awesome Mickey Mouse pumpkin head on Main Street, for that matter.
For each of the last few Halloween and Christmas seasons, Mickey & Friends have been getting new costumes each year for their meet & greet appearances around Town Square. These are a huge hit with fans, and the costumes are usually really good for Mickey, Minnie, Daisy & Donald Duck, and especially Goofy. (Pluto is present, too, but typically just gets a new collar.)
Minnie and Mickey don luminescent sheer fabrics that will give a ghostly glow to their festive new ensembles at Disneyland. Be on the lookout for lots of cobwebs and details like bat bowties and spider-shaped bells.
These costumes are really well done, and some of them are arguably even better than last year. While we liked last year’s whimsical looks, the more stately and sophisticated styles of Minnie and Mickey Mouse are nice. In particular, the more formal suit suits Mickey Mouse, who is reminiscent of a phantom mayor.
The luminescent fabric is also great for Chip ‘n’ Dale, allowing them to be spooky spirits and lift up their ghostly layer to reveal the pumpkin shirts underneath. They’re playful meet & greet characters, and these costumes give them something to work with. We had a hoot meeting them, as they imitated Sarah’s baby bump and showed off what’s on their stomaches, too.
Speaking of which, we’ve had the chance to meet all of the characters for Halloween, and it can be a tad tricky. All of these meet & greets are in Town Square, but the locations aren’t clearly marked, the characters rotate, and most do not have PhotoPass. If you want to meet them, your best bet is being in Town Square between 9:45 am and 2 pm, which is when most of them appear.
Failing that, some of them are back out in the evenings between 5 pm and 10 pm. Those appearances are more sporadic, and characters are not out during the afternoon parade or fireworks. Another option is seeing them at the very beginning of the day, shortly after Disneyland opens and they appear at the Train Station; they also do the same thing at the end of the night. This is not a meet & greet, but you can get selfies and see them much more easily.
The bottom line is that we’d caution against planning to meet specific characters unless you’re willing to dedicate a lot of time to it. The far better approach is going with the flow, and meeting whoever has the shortest line, PhotoPass photographer, etc. Disneyland purposefully makes these meet & greet unpredictable so the lines don’t get unmanageable. (In case you’re frustrated by the vagueness and wonder why it’s done this way–that’s it.)
Another big update is that the Halloween Screams nighttime spectacular returned with supernatural projections, special effects and music on Main Street, Sleeping Beauty Castle, Rivers of America, and “it’s a small world.” Halloween Screams also integrates with MagicBand+ to add other effects. Note that Halloween Screams is only presented with fireworks on select nights, which typically means weekends or busy holiday weeks.
To make way for Halloween Screams, the new Disney100 nighttime spectacular Wondrous Journeys has now made its last performance of the year. Don’t get us wrong, we appreciate that Disneyland does the seasonal fireworks for Halloween and Christmas, but it’s kind of unfortunate that the new Disney100 show is going on hiatus for the rest of the year. Wondrous Journeys is a new classic–one of the best fireworks shows that Disneyland has ever produced.
For everything you need to know about watching nighttime spectaculars at Disneyland, including best viewing spots, pyro vs. projections shows, etc., see our Guide to Fireworks Viewing at Disneyland.
There’s also new merchandise and food for Halloween at Disneyland Resort. At the intersection of these two things, there are several new collectible popcorn buckets, the most popular of which is witch Minnie Mouse as a Sanderson Sister from Hocus Pocus. There’s also a new glow-in-the-dark Skeleton Mickey Mouse popcorn bucket that seems highly coveted.
Here are our quick-hit recommendations for Halloween food based on what we’ve tried:
- Pumpkin Chai Cream Puff, Poison Apple Macaron & Halloween Macaroon (note the different spellings) – Jolly Holiday Bakery
- Pumpkin Churro Funnel Cake – Hungry Bear Restaurant
- Te Kā Dog – Award Wieners
- Candy Corn Churro – Cozy Cone Cafe
- Pumpkin Spiced Tiramisu Ice Cream – Salt & Straw
Finally, there’s a seasonal version of the Goofy’s Kitchen buffet for the first-time, but we haven’t had a chance to try that yet. It’s unclear whether this is just decorations, or if it’s also Halloween-themed cuisine, too.
That covers everything new or changing for Halloween at Disneyland Resort. What follows is everything else you need to know before you go, based on our decade-plus of experience doing spook season at Disneyland Resort…
As a quick overview of what to expect at DCA, Buena Vista Street is decked out in Nightmare Before Christmas decor and Cars Land has an amusingly clever Halloween overhaul once again. Back in Paradise Garden’s Plaza de la Familia, there’s an underrated celebration inspired by Pixar’s Coco that features live entertainment, meet & greets, craft making, unique foods, and merchandise.
Inside Disneyland, you’ll find the giant Mickey Mouse pumpkin and other decor on Main Street, Ray Bradbury’s Halloween Tree, and Dia de Los Muertos decorations in Frontierland. At the front of both parks, you’ll also find Mickey and other classic Disney characters meeting for photos in their Halloween costumes. There’s so much more to Halloween Time than just these basics, so let’s cover everything you need to know!
Halloween Crowds at Disneyland
Anyone who has visited Disney California Adventure and Disneyland at Halloween knows it can get pretty busy. In fact, the last several years have featured really heavy crowds, which is a big reason why so much of the event has shifted over to Disney California Adventure.
In large part, the goal of these Halloween attraction overlays and decorations is to draw crowds to Disney California Adventure during the busy Halloween Time season. Additional rumors have suggested that the goal is to phase-in the idea of DCA as the “Halloween Park” and draw crowds away from Disneyland.
Generally speaking, crowds start out slow in early September, which is one of the least busy times of the entire year at Disneyland. Towards the end of the month, attendance starts to pick up, and crowd levels become moderate by early October.
By late October 2024, expect pure chaos. This is especially true on weekends. In fact, it can be so busy during the Halloween season, that all of the parking at Disneyland can close to capacity. (Due to changes to Magic Keys and how they charge for parking, we highly doubt this will be an issue in October 2024…but it has in the past.)
Beyond that, the hard ticket Halloween party has led to a veritable roller coaster of crowd patterns. On dates when Oogie Boogie Bash is held, Disney California Adventure is less busy during the daytime hours and Disneyland is busier. The opposite is true on non-party dates–DCA is busier and Disneyland is less busy.
The reason for this crowd dynamic is pretty simple and straightforward. Since DCA closes early to day guests on dates when Oogie Boogie Bash is held, tourists avoid DCA and do Disneyland instead. After all, who wants to pay full price for a ticket only to get kicked out several hours early?
Accordingly, the best strategy is to purchase Park Hopper tickets and visit DCA during the daytime hours on Oogie Boogie Bash dates before Park Hopping over to Disneyland at around 3 pm. Do the opposite on dates when Oogie Boogie Bash is not scheduled. If you do not purchase Park Hopper tickets, we don’t recommend this strategy–the time you’re losing due to DCA’s earlier closing is not offset by lower crowd levels.
For more specific recommendations and attendance projections, see our September 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar and October Disneyland Crowd Calendar.
With all of that said, we think Halloween Time at Disneyland is an incredible time to visit Disneyland. In fact, after Christmas at Disneyland, Halloween Time at Disneyland is our absolute favorite time of the year to visit, particularly when it starts in mid-September. The only reason Christmas gets the edge is because all of its entertainment is included with the normal cost of admission.
We’ve updated this post with new photos and thoughts about the festivities, so let’s take a look at Halloween Time at Disneyland & Disney California Adventure, sharing some of our tips and reviews for the various offerings. And speaking of that hard ticket event at DCA that disrupts crowd dynamics, here’s what you need to know about it…
Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party
Oogie Boogie Bash seems like a good place to start the substantive portion of this guide as it is the major Halloween offering, which is in its fifth year in 2024. We won’t fixate on this party too much as we have the aforementioned Guide to Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party that covers it in excruciating detail.
It’s a really well done (if uneven) event with a lot of selling points and more than enough to fill an evening, which is where our strategy guide so you know what to prioritize comes into play. We’ve attended the party every single year, and always have a blast. Read our Photos & Review: Oogie Boogie Bash Party Report for more on what we did, photos, etc. last year.
Additionally, there are a few things you need to know about Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party…
First, Oogie Boogie Bash sells out quickly. The same will likely happen in 2024 when tickets go on sale, so if you’re already planning ahead, be prepared and buy them ASAP if you’re hoping to attend. (We will be closely monitoring what’s released and will notify subscribers of our free email newsletter immediately when Oogie Boogie Bash dates are announced!)
With that said, you may be able to purchase tickets to Oogie Boogie Bash on the day-of at ticket booths or the on-site hotels if there are cancellations or Disneyland releases more tickets. This is highly unlikely, so we don’t want you to get your hopes up, but it has happened in the past.
Second, on nights when Oogie Boogie Bash is occurring, DCA closes at 6 pm. This is significant because it results in Disneyland being more crowded on party days and DCA being less crowded until around 4 pm, as tourists don’t want to use their tickets for what amounts to a little over a half day at DCA.
As such, we highly recommend Park Hoppers during the Halloween season. If you’re not attending Oogie Boogie Bash, start in DCA on the mornings of the event, and then head over to Disneyland in the evenings. The latter will absolutely be busier than on a normal night, but it’s still your best option from a crowds perspective.
DCA Halloween Decorations
On Buena Vista Street, there’s Halloween decor inspired by Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Oogie Boogie has risen from the shadows to take over Disney California Adventure, and his oversized silhouette rises above the main entrance turnstiles, and a bat motif is present throughout the area.
At night, Buena Vista Street looks even better, as the special lighting and audio take prominence. This lighting is pretty well done, and even the simple touches like purple lights in the trees really enhance the area. The whole area has a wonderfully spooky vibe and is really enjoyable.
However, it doesn’t hold a candle to the best area of Disney California Adventure at Halloween…
The “Haul-O-Ween” decor in Cars Land takes the crown there, and is an absolute hoot. Cars Land has received an extensive Halloween overlay, as the citizens of Radiator Springs don their Halloween costumes and decorate their homes to celebrate “Haul-O-Ween.”
From Fillmore’s Jack-Oil Lanterns and Flo’s Spider-Car to Witchy Miss Lizzie’s shop, Radiator Springs has become Radiator Screams. This overlay nails the vibe of Cars Land, which always has had a ton of cool ‘wink and nod’ type details that are meant to elicit a chuckle out of astute guests.
I’m surprised at the level of detail in the Haul-O-Ween overlay, and there’s really a ton to see, especially if you take the time to really explore the land. Some of it is totally cheesy, but in way that really works for Cars Land, and that’ll put a grin on your face.
We highly recommend visiting Cars Land for Haul-O-Ween just before sunset, and sticking around for the unique lighting moment (it’s different from the normal one).
Although they are not “decorations” per se, the Super Hero Lightning McQueen and Vampire Mater meet & greets are incredibly popular (and the costumes are HILARIOUS!). There’s also the glorious Clown Red costume, which I can only assume is synergy for the upcoming cross-over film, Pennywise the Car.
We’d recommend asking a Cast Member when the sets for each character start, and jumping into line 5 minutes before one of their sets. Once the vehicle actually appears, the lines tend to balloon.
DCA Halloween Attractions
Every night once the sun goes down, Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT! transforms into Guardians of the Galaxy — Monsters After Dark. This means you can experience two versions of this attraction in the same day.
Monsters After Dark has a different plot, starting immediately after the conclusion of Mission: BREAKOUT when (spoiler alert!), the Guardians have successfully escaped the Collector’s Fortress. Unfortunately, Groot was accidentally left behind. So now you’re helping Rocket distract the creatures while he saves Groot. There’s also an oddball song, “Monsters After Dark,” created especially for this attraction.
Whether you love it or loathe it will likely depend upon your opinion of Mission: BREAKOUT. I do appreciate that there’s an entirely unique storyline, and enough to differentiate this attraction from the regular Mission: BREAKOUT, but I can’t say it does a ton for me. There are a few clever, tongue-in-cheek moments, and it’s fun enough.
My only quibble with Monsters After Dark is that it replaces the iconic classic rock songs that play a huge role in the regular attraction with an incredibly grating “song” that attempts to sound like death metal and, as best I can tell, has lyrics consisting of only three words: MONSTERS AFTER DARK!
Nevertheless, Monsters After Dark is incredibly popular. We’d recommend doing it as early as you can. Failing that, save it until the end of the night, and jump in line at the last minute.
For the Haul-O-Ween overlay in Cars Land, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree becomes Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree and Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters transforms into Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween.
We did both of these attractions, and found them to be quite cute and fun. Ultimately, nothing has changed aside from the soundtracks, but those are well-done. This is particularly the case with Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree, which is every bit as goofy as you’d expect for this attraction. As with the normal version of the attraction, Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree is a hoot that we highly recommend.
Haul-O-Ween in Cars Land is a smash hit with guests, and for good reason. It’s clear a lot of work and effort was put into the decorations and attraction overlays, and the results bear that out with something that’s detailed and just plain fun. I’m optimistic this is just the start of what will become a huge Halloween draw at DCA, and hope it expands even further.
Music of Coco at Plaza de la Familia
As with Viva Navidad during the holiday season in November and December, the entertainment at Plaza de la Familia is the sleeper hit of the September and October entertainment at Disney California Adventure. This celebration of Latino holiday culture takes place in the Paradise Garden area at the back of the park, and is easy to miss as a result.
Plaza de la Familia’s daily festivities include dancing and live music, crafts and face-painting for children, special Mexican foods at Paradise Garden Grill and BoardWalk Pizza & Pasta (and nearby carts), Mariachi music, a special photo opportunity with Miguel from Coco, and an iconic Tree of Life experience.
The highlight of this all is the Musical Celebration of Coco street party. This brings to life songs from Pixar’s Coco via enchanting performances by the Storytellers of Plaza de la Familia, singer/storyteller Mateo, a folklórico dance ensemble, and the Grammy-winning Mariachi Divas. Miguel even makes a cameo in an appearance inspired by Mexican folk art!
This is the sleeper hit of Halloween at Disneyland Resort, and is something every guest should see. Find time to fit it into your schedule, because it’s full of fun cultural offerings. It’s a rich cultural experience with touches of Disney whimsy–the kind of thing you’d expect the old EPCOT Center to deliver!
Disneyland Halloween Decorations
The bulk of the Halloween decorations at Disneyland Resort are in Disneyland. This is apparent as soon as you approach Disneyland from the Esplanade, as the Fab Five are all above the turnstiles in pumpkin form. These just might be our favorite decorations, as they are clever and really set the tone from the beginning.
The decorations continue in front of the Main Street Train Station, and then throughout Main Street once you’re into the park. While other areas of Disneyland are decorated, Main Street definitely has the most decorations. Our favorite of these decorations is the large Mickey Mouse pumpkin photo op at the near end of the street.
This is a popular photo op early in the day, but is less popular during the middle of the day (grab your first photo of it in mid-afternoon when the Southern California skies are most likely to be blue–after the coastal haze has burned off). It’s again popular on the way out of the park at the end of the night, unless you wait until the very end, which is when we recommend grabbing a second photo of it.
Much like Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Disneyland normally has pumpkins adorning the ledges and windows on the second story of Main Street buildings. Many of these are decorated to reflect the adjacent shops, and there are a ton of clever hidden gags and references in these, so keep your eyes peeled.
Main Street normally has a lot of decorations, but Frontierland is the show-stealer when it comes to Halloween. Perhaps the coolest “decoration” of all is one that’s frequently overlooked, and that’s the Ray Bradbury Halloween Tree in Frontierland. This tree is modeled after Bradbury’s 1972 novel, titled The Halloween Tree.
As a Disney history fan, I really appreciate this tree. Ray Bradbury was a huge proponent of EPCOT Center. There’s a good chance EPCOT Center wouldn’t have been the theme park it was at opening without Ray Bradbury so strongly advocating for it among other scholarly minds.
His writings on the significance of Disney theme parks have given them an air of legitimacy to otherwise dismissive critics, too. Ray Bradbury is definitely deserving of this tribute, and I hope it continues on for decades to come. If you want to read and see more, read our The Halloween Tree at Disneyland post.
Also in Frontierland, there is plenty of Dia de los Muertos decor near Rancho del Zocalo. These vibrant and authentic decorations are really well done, and a great change of pace from the normal pumpkins elsewhere.
Disneyland Halloween Attractions
Haunted Mansion Holiday is the flagship attraction during the holiday seasons (both Halloween and Christmas) at Disneyland, and we absolutely love it. We think it’s brilliant how the attraction is totally transformed into something different, and how it changes each year to keep the locals coming back to see those changes.
Some traditionalist Disneyland fans don’t care for it, and if you’ve never seen regular Haunted Mansion, you might be disappointed by seeing the overlay instead of that, but for everyone else, this is great fun. In the last few years, an Audio Animatronics Sally figure was added to Haunted Mansion Holiday’s graveyard scene. Also, there’s a new cake in the ballroom every year.
In terms of when we recommend doing Haunted Mansion Holiday, early morning is your best bet. Normally, Haunted Mansion is a low-wait attraction, but since the overlay is a big draw for locals, the line for Haunted Mansion Holiday gets longer and longer as the day goes on.
By nighttime, it’s often one of the longer lines in the park. Although it’s not specific to Halloween Time, read our Ideal 1-Day Disneyland Park Itinerary to get an idea of more strategy for the park, but move Haunted Mansion Holiday up to an earlier time due to its increased Halloween popularity.
Definitely don’t wait until night to experience it. The ambiance at night in the queue is better, but that can be seen without getting in line for the attraction. Since the entire ride is indoors, there’s no benefit to actually waiting in line and doing Haunted Mansion Holiday at night.
Halloween Entertainment at Disneyland
Each night through October 31, you can see “Halloween Screams” presented high in the sky over Disneyland.
Halloween Screams is hosted Jack Skellington and his ghost dog Zero, with the nighttime spectacular featuring soaring flames, projections of rising ghosts and classic Disney villains like Maleficent and Ursula the Sea Witch, lasers, spotlights, and other effects set to a medley of Halloween-inspired songs.
Note that there are two versions of Halloween Screams. On weeknights, it’s presented as a not-so-frightful projection and special effects show in Disneyland…without pyro. On weekend nights, Halloween Screams is enhanced with fireworks. You can view Halloween Screams from several different locations throughout the park, including Main Street, U.S.A., Sleeping Beauty Castle and the façade of “it’s a small world.”
We’re big fans of Halloween Screams, and highly recommend viewing it no matter what–but especially on a weekend, when there’s actually pyro (well, if the Santa Ana winds cooperate!).
If you’re looking to meet unique characters or familiar Disney friends in their Halloween costumes, you’re in luck. The two most popular characters are Jack Skellington and Sally, who “materialize” near Haunted Mansion. Aside from them, our favorites are Mickey Mouse and friends, who meet in Town Square throughout the day wearing their Halloween costumes.
In addition to the above, free-roaming characters are common at Disneyland, and those are great for spontaneous interactions and random moments. As for the others, we highly recommend consulting the “characters” drop-down in the Disneyland app, which gives set times for each character.
For Town Square in particular, arrive slightly before the time of the character you want to meet, and inquire with a character attendant where the character you’d like to see will be meeting. This is our approach, and it saves us a good deal of time waiting in line!
Halloween Food at Disneyland
Disneyland’s Halloween snack game is strong. This is because these seasonal snacks can be marketed to Disneyland locals, many of whom actually might make a special trip to the parks to try some of them. This is great for guests, especially pumpkin fanatics like us.
Seriously, we love pumpkin foods. Our fridge is currently stocked with pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin macaroons, and pumpkin cheesecake. We have pumpkin coffee and pumpkin candles. Disneyland Resort Halloween snacks are heavily skewed toward pumpkin lovers like us. If you don’t love pumpkin foods, you’re far less inclined to be as smitten over Disneyland’s Halloween snacks as we are, but there’s still plenty for you.
To us, this is one of the biggest draws of visiting during the Halloween season, and we enjoy these snacks so much that we usually spend multiple days following the “Food Guide” pamphlet and grazing around the parks. You can see some of our favorites in our Best Halloween Foods & Desserts at Disneyland post.
Disney’s Happiest Haunts Tour
We have not done the Happiest Haunts Tour at Disneyland. Consensus on it seems to be that it’s less informative than the Holiday Time at Disneyland Tour, and more about adventure and the charisma of the tour guide. Everyone seems to gush over the Christmas tour and we really didn’t think it was all that great, so we opted not to do this tour (which still generally gets positive reviews, but slightly less positive reviews than the Holiday Time at Disneyland Tour).
This tour is generally a scavenger hunt/adventure through Disneyland and Disney California Adventure that takes guests on a number of “spooky” attractions (roughly 6) with front of the line access. The scavenger hunt is tied together as a story that the tour guide tells along the way and supposedly has a surprise ending. You’ll probably know based upon the description whether this tour will appeal to you. It doesn’t really appeal to us, but your mileage may vary.
Overall, Halloween Time at Disneyland is a ton of fun, and a great time to visit both in terms of offerings and park atmosphere. September and October are great times of year to visit Disneyland, generally, so it’s unlikely that you’ll be disappointed with a fall trip to Disneyland, even if you aren’t a Halloween fan.
While Halloween doesn’t top Christmas in terms of best times of year to visit, it does have a lot to offer that’s different from the “normal” Disneyland entertainment, and the Halloween offerings are far more than some light decorations, even if you opt not to attend the Halloween Party.
If you’re heading to Disneyland for Halloween Time at Disneyland, we have tons of posts to help you plan, including our Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets, a look at Disneyland Area Hotel Reviews & Rankings, our Unique Packing List for Disney Trips, an index of our Disneyland Resort Restaurant Reviews, and a number of other things in our comprehensive Disneyland Trip Planning Guide!
Your Thoughts…
Do you enjoy Halloween Time at Disneyland? Which seasonal event at Disneyland is your favorite? Have you attended Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party? Have a favorite attraction overlay and entertainment during the Halloween season at Disneyland and DCA? Any questions? Hearing from you is half the fun, so if you have additional Halloween tips or questions, please share them in the comments!
Do you have any restaurants that you would recommend for dinner while we are there for the Halloween Party? Not sure if something special is going on at one, or not. Thanks!
Hi I’m not quite understanding how the Halloween Party will work. If I pay regular admission for Disneyland during the morning, do I have to leave the park completely before the event begins at 7P or can I remain in the park until normal closing time at at 12A?
Yes, you need to leave once the party starts.
Hi, first of all, I love your site.
I am taking my son to the States for a Disney holiday in 62 days (not that I’m counting or anything), and your reviews and tips are super helpful.
What time does the park close for regular ticket holders on Halloween party days?
Thanks again 🙂
6pm or 7pm, depending on the day. Typically 6pm for weekday parties and 7pm on weekends, but always check the calendar!
I was just on the Disney Parks Blog and saw that the Halloween Carnival at Big Thunder Ranch will NOT be offered this year. Waiting for the writer to respond to questions about where pumpkin carving and character meet & greets might be located, if any are available! I’m very disappointed-was hoping to add my own photos to the #goatgalaxy collection! 🙁
I’m surprised by that…I assume the petting zoo will still be open, but am not totally sure yet.
Question: Do the tickets for the Halloween Party sell out? We have tentative plans and wouldn’t be ordering until about a week before we go. I want to make sure there would still be some available. Thanks.
They can sell out. I’ve heard that weekends and any day closer to Halloween will be most likely. It’s best to order in advance if possible.
Hello,
Enjoying your blog very much! I’m planning on attending Disneyland during the first week of October (just bought our first annual pass!). I don’t plan on buying an extra ticket for the Halloween Party. If we’re at Disneyland during the day on one of the Halloween Party days will they kick us out when the party starts if we’ve not bought the party tickets? I suppose we could head over to CA Adventure for the night.
Thanks!
Joane
They give out wristbands for the party-goers, which you get when you show your party ticket. CMs will ask to see your band, and if you do not have one, you will be escorted out of the park.
The only other time I’ve visited Disneyland was during Halloween time so I wanted to avoid it for my upcoming trip but there was no way around it, unfortunately.
This article has helped turn my disappointment into excitement, though!
But I’m curious, do they shorten the park hours for Mickey’s Halloween Party?
Our group has decided that we won’t be attending it but one of our nights will be shared with the Halloween Party (September 30).
Will we be missing out on valuable park time because the Halloween Party is going on?
Yes, the park will close early to guests without party tickets. That may be 6 or 7pm depending on the day you go (typically 6 on weekdays and 7 on weekends, but always double check!).
Is there a time between Halloween and Christmas where there’s no decorations in the parks? Or do they just replace the Halloween decorations with Christmas decorations right away?
I’m threading the needle between Halloween & Holidays, I think, with a Nov 8-12 trip planned–I’ll let you know. 😉
My guess is the Halloween decorations are gone by November 2nd (especially with Diamond still going strong), and Holiday won’t go up until mid-November (I’ll probably just miss it, dangit!).
This is all pure speculation–I won’t be surprised if there are still some pumpkins and stuff on Main Street when I go, and I certainly won’t object if Holiday theming goes up earlier than expected!
We went to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween last year for 2014 and had a blast!! We are in our mid 30’s and do not have kids and there was still SO MUCH to do!
The coolest thing for me was seeing the park decorated and lit up differently having grown up in Florida and being fortunate enough to have visited Disney numerous times throughout my childhood.
Some of our favorite experiences were doing the Haunted Mansion, queue line and all at night time! Visiting the new Haunted Mansion gift shop Memento Mori and seeing the Halloween parade which was led off by the Headless Horseman, who actually road a real horse through the parade route while carrying his pumpkin head.
We did Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens (recommended for older kids 13+ probably) along with Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights (also for older kids) the days before and I still LOVED Disney’s Halloween event because of how well done it is for both kids and adults of all ages!
One tip I will offer readers is to obviously get to the parade route early for the Halloween Parade which starts near Thunder Mountain. We got there about an hour early and grabbed food and ate dinner while we secured a spot on the parade route. But here’s the great TIP! There is a wooden platform near the bathrooms that connect Adventureland and Frontierland. The platform is on the parade route. If you get there early and sit on the platform when the parade starts you can stand up and see over the heads of people who try to sneak in front of you at the last minute. This is a great vantage point for small kids on parents shoulders, short wives and an all around wonderful place to watch the parade.
More information concerning this Kombat Compromise,
you may read on our guide below.
So excited, we are considering a visit this Fall,. We haven’t done a Halloween party at DL since they first started at CA Adventure many years ago.
Hi, I have a,question. Our anniversary is November 1 and we have decided to celebrate by going to Disneyland. We don’T want to be there on Halloween Oct. 31 because of the crowds but are thinking of being there on our actual anniversary of November1. What are the chances of it being terribly crowded the day after Halloween? It is a Sunday but I am hoping the Halloween crowd might be a little less that day. We are two adults (ages 49 & 53) coming without children by the way. We x are thinking of getting a 2 day park hopper ticket and doing Disneyland one day and the other park the next on a Monday. Does this seem like a good plan? I’d really appreciate some advice as we,are out of state and this will be our first visit to Disneyland. Thanks!
Is space mountain ghost galaxy available in Orlando?
No, it is not.
Mickey’s Halloween Party is a tough sell if you think of it in terms of money value. I’ve been nearly every year for the past five years and I make sure I get at least $30 in candy to off-set some of the cost differential. However, as an annual pass holder, I keep shelling out the money because I continue to have an amazing and magical experience, year in and year out. For me, it’s all about how the event makes me feel. There’s something about planning my costume (always Disney themed), carrying on the tradition of attendance with my best friend, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the insanely creative costumes, having the run of the park (I’ve never been on a crowded night), the special thrill when the villains take over the fireworks, and always having the feeling of being in very, very good company with my kind of people (e.g. other Disney fanatics). I simply love it. Many can have the same experience without going to the party, but to me, it’s always been a unique and wonderful experience. This year I’ll be attending on Halloween for the first time and I simply cannot wait! I hope you enjoy your first experience of the party as much as I do. 🙂 (P.S. Your blog is the best! I used it to plan my my trip to WDW in Jan and to Disneyland Paris a few weeks ago. Cheers!)
$30 worth of candy? Do you bring in a garbage bag or something?! 😉
Haha! Close! We tend to buy the Halloween themed reusable bag for sale at the park, rather than use the little plastic bag the Park gives out when you enter for the party. I’m not kidding when I say I try to get my money’s worth out of candy — it usually saves me having to buy any for “actual” Halloween and it feeds my coworkers for several weeks. Everybody wins!
Just wondering if anyone has any info on decorations this year with being the 60th anniversary and all. Im sure they would want to keep as much of the 60th out as they can. Any idea when/if halloween decorations will be up?
No official info yet. My guess is that there will be some Halloween decorations (like the giant Mickey pumpkin), but mostly, the 60th stuff will stay up. That’s just a guess.
Does Anyone know when Disneyland will release it’s schedule and tickets for he Halloween Party? Wanting to plan a trip but I’m a little worried about how DL will incorporate halloween this year with the Diamond Celebration. (Magic Kingdom had had their dates out for a while, making me wonder what the fate of Halloween is this year at DL)
Also – can anyone who has previously attended speak to which villains are about during Halloween? I am crossing my fingers for someone we haven’t seen at MNSSHP like Hades!
Tom
We always like getting ornaments each year at WDW. Do you know if Disneyland has an ornament store like “Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe?” We are planning to visit Sept or Oct 2015
Thanks,
Kelly
Hi
I agree totally that the Halloween party is not worth it. It is the first time I have been a bit disappointed at Disneyland. The place was way too crowded and while the trick or treating was cool for us Aussies some people bought suitcases to collect the treats! People it is only candy and not even that great. They tried giving us carrot sticks but we were to cluey for that caper.
Halloween time at Disneyland is great, just not the Halloween party.
Thanks for the blog Tom, we love it.
Hi there
We are heading to Disneyland in October and our day coincides with the Halloween Party. Given that we are there for just one day should we do the park during the day then go to the Party? Or should we just hit the park at 3.00pm just for the party? We have 4 kids aged 12 – 17. We would appreciate any advice!
Thanks
Veronica
I would also like to know the answer to this question! Anyone have any advice??
Hi.
Love all of your tips. We are planning a trip mid oct 2015. I was planning on 3 day hopper pass since we cant beat military discount. However i just realized the park closes early 2 of the 3 nights and unless we buy extra tickets thats it. Question is California adventure still open would we be able to hop over there when we get kicked out of disney for the party?
Hello, we are also planning a trip oct 2015 and wanted to know the days the park closes early for the Halloween parties as we won’t be attending those…where did you find the Halloween party schedule??
Thanks!
Hi, I’m also trying to find out the info for the Special Event tickets for Mickey’s Halloween Party. My family is going from Oct. 7th-12th. I’d love the know more info about the event and make sure I can get the tickets in advance. Thx