Fall favorite celebrations return to the Disneyland Resort with seasonal offerings and festive activities for guests of all ages to enjoy. Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort casts its spell throughout the entire resort from Sept. 2 through Oct. 31, 2022. Featuring festive seasonal décor including the Mickey Mouse pumpkin and the Headless Horseman statue, Halloween-themed attractions like Haunted Mansion Holiday and Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark, photo opportunities with favorite Disney characters and villains, and specialty treats, there is something for everyone during this spirited celebration. The Halloween spirit also extends to Downtown Disney District with colorful autumn décor, seasonal merchandise, and specialty dining. From Sept. 9 through Oct. 31, 2022, guests can enjoy the return of Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit in Downtown Disney District, a delightful family-friendly pumpkin hunt. Guests can also encounter Halloween-themed treats, décor, and entertainment in the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort.
Plaza de la Familia at Disney California Adventure Park, an immersive, limited-time celebration inspired by the spirit of Día de Los Muertos, returns from Sept. 2 through Nov. 2, 2022, with live entertainment, delightful foods, hands-on crafts, and interactive experiences.
Guests looking to add Halloween whimsy to their wardrobe and wares will encounter seasonal merchandise, apparel, and accessories at retail locations throughout both parks, as well as items such as pins, and plush and decorative items to summon the spirit of Halloween into their homes. Collections this year highlight Mickey Mouse, Disney’s “Hocus Pocus,” the Haunted Mansion, and more.
In addition, guests looking for sweet treats and delicious eats can find Halloween-themed specialty items at select food and beverage locations, such as the Mickey mummy premium bucket, rocky road Halloween sundae, and chocolate-espresso bread pudding.
Halloween Time at Disneyland Park
Throughout Disneyland Park, guests may encounter favorite Disney characters festively festooned in brand-new Halloween looks or wickedly wonderful Disney villains looking to stir up a bit of mischief. Guests can experience vibrant seasonal décor as the Main Street Pumpkin Festival transforms Main Street, U.S.A., with whimsical pumpkins displayed in storefronts, while ghouls and goblins of all ages will enjoy taking photographs with the iconic giant Mickey Mouse pumpkin.
Over in New Orleans Square, the Haunted Mansion attraction undergoes its annual seasonal transformation. The mysterious manor conjures up the collision of two holidays to become Haunted Mansion Holiday, as Jack Skellington and his friends wreck the halls with frightfully festive decor inspired by “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.” This year’s take on the mansion’s annual bespoke gingerbread house is a “cut above the rest,” featuring mischievous gingerbread cookies of Lock, Shock and Barrel using a guillotine and long spears to slice up holiday cakes and treats for the ghosts and ghouls in the mansion.
Also, every night from Sept. 2 through Oct. 31, guests can enjoy the return of the supernatural showcase “Halloween Screams,” a vibrant projection and light show. On select nights, “Halloween Screams” will take to the skies with fireworks that are sure to waken the Halloween spirits.* This seasonal nighttime spectacular can be viewed from several different locations throughout the park, including Main Street, U.S.A., Sleeping Beauty Castle and in front of “it’s a small world.”
Halloween Time at Disney California Adventure Park
Oogie Boogie, from “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas,” looms over guests at the entrance to Disney California Adventure, channeling his magic to create a forever Halloween for everyone to enjoy, transforming favorite attractions with eerie and ethereal details.
Guests will roll on down to Cars Land as Radiator Springs becomes Radiator Screams, where the resident “car-acters” transformed their homes with unique Haul-O-Ween twists. Lightning McQueen, Mater, Cruz, and Red will be ready to greet guests in their best “car-stumes.” Guests can catch a ride on popular Cars Land attractions that rev up with Halloween spirit: Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree opts for a haunted soundtrack to become Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree, and Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters takes guests on a wicked whirl-a-about to become Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween.
As night falls at Avengers Campus, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! transforms into Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark, an exciting adventure filled with creepy creatures and thrilling drops. During the Guardians of the Galaxy escape from The Collector’s Fortress, Groot was accidentally left behind. Guests can complete their rescue mission to save Groot by helping Rocket distract creatures from around the galaxy that have gotten loose. By teaming up with the Guardians, every guest can help save the galaxy from creepy crawlies this Halloween season.
Over on Buena Vista Street, Mickey Mouse and friends summon the wardrobes of seasons past with old-fashioned Halloween styles, poised and ready for photos. Festive Halloween décor adds to the ambiance on Buena Vista Street. When the sun sets, the façade of Carthay Circle Restaurant comes alive with Halloween magic as bats swarm, green energy pulses from within and projections light up the iconic tower structure with mesmerizing moments. Guests who want to commemorate their Halloween time visit can stop for a photo in front of the 10-foot-tall statue of the Headless Horseman holding his jack-o’-lantern head high in the sky.
Halloween Time across the Disneyland Resort
Downtown Disney District gets into the Halloween spirit with vibrant fall décor and special food and drink offerings at several restaurants and snack stops. From Sept. 9 through Oct. 31, 2022, guests can take part in Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit, a delightful family-friendly pumpkin hunt in the district, and performances from the a cappella group, the SCAREolers, take place Sept. 20 through Oct. 31, 2022, throughout the promenade and at the Downtown Disney LIVE! stage.
Friendly fun abounds at all three Hotels of the Disneyland Resort, including an eye-catching confectionery sculpture of Oogie Boogie in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, themed sweet treats at the GCH Holiday Cart in September, plus a cappella singers at all three hotels on select days in October and creative pumpkin carvers working their magic the week leading up to Halloween.
Plaza de la Familia and Día de los Muertos
Plaza de la Familia returns to Paradise Gardens at Disney California Adventure Park from Sept. 2 to Nov. 2. This immersive, limited-time celebration, inspired by the spirit of Día de los Muertos, features live entertainment, festive foods, crafts and interactive experiences. Can’t-miss activities include “A Musical Celebration of Coco,” a lively street performance honoring Disney and Pixar’s “Coco” and the everlasting bonds of family. Guests can also enjoy Mariachi music at Paradise Gardens Bandstand; Mexican cuisine at Paradise Garden Grill; a photo opportunity at the iconic Árbol de la Vida (Tree of Life); family craft activities as well as encounters with a hand-animated figure of Miguel from “Coco.”
Guests visiting Disneyland Park Sept. 2-Nov. 2 will also encounter a vibrant display commemorating the traditions of Día de los Muertos, featuring a musical trio of iconic skeleton figurines, brightly colored flowers and other festive décor, located in Frontierland.
A colorful merchandise collection inspired by “Coco” will be available across the Disneyland Resort.
Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party
Taking place select nights Sept. 6 through Oct. 31, guests already holding tickets to the after-park hours event Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party at Disney California Adventure will have the opportunity to enjoy the park’s attractions, unique entertainment, character sightings, food and beverage and more, while dressed in their favorite Halloween costumes.*** Although the event has sold out, guests with tickets will be able to explore areas inside Disney California Adventure that remain open during the party, including Avengers Campus. Highlights of Oogie Boogie Bash include immersive treat trails, the family-friendly “Mickey’s Trick and Treat” show, the “Frightfully Fun Parade,” character sightings, the ethereal wonderland of Villains Grove and more.
Guests planning to experience Oogie Boogie Bash, Plaza de la Familia and Halloween Time can extend the magic by staying at one of three Disneyland Resort hotel properties, just a short walk away from Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Parks and the Downtown Disney District. The latest offers and vacation packages can be found at Disneyland.com/offers.
Clint Gamache is the owner of ThrillGeek. He started ThrillGeek to share his love of theme/amusement parks and pop culture with the world. You can find him at Halloween Horror Nights. Also, be sure to follow him on Twitter @iamcg83