By Courtney Potter
It’s our favorite time of year… when the crypt doors creak, and the tombstones quake—and all our favorite spooks come out for a singing wake! Yes, Halloween is almost upon us, and the good folks at Disney Parks & Resorts across the globe have some frightfully fun plans up their collective sleeve. From seeing the Headless Horseman on Disneyland park’s Main Street, U.S.A. (for the first time ever!) to a brand-new show at Tokyo Disneyland, there’s a little spooky somethin’ for everyone.
Take a gander at a few of our favorite ways Disney Parks & Resorts is celebrating All Hallow’s Eve, below. (Do you have a favorite Halloween tradition at a Disney park? Or a great idea for a Disney-themed costume? Trick-or-treat over to D23’s Facebook and Twitter and let us know!)
Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort—Bigger and Better than Ever!
Calling all grim-grinning ghosts! It’s time to socialize at Disneyland Resort! Halloween Time just kicked off, with tricks and treats all the way though October 31—including Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy; a special celebration of The Twilight Zone® Tower of Terror at Disney California Adventure (DCA); and an amazing new “Pumpkin Festival” display on Main Street, U.S.A. Plus, fall is for foodies: Look for Halloween-inspired sweets and treats throughout both parks, like an Apple Pie Funnel Cake at Hungry Bear Restaurant, and “Bat Mickey” Cookies at DCA’s Award Wieners.
But that’s not all! Mickey’s Halloween Party, a separately ticketed (and totally memorable) event, kicks off Friday, September 23! The 17-night celebration features the brand-new Frightfully Fun Parade (with a special, first-time appearance by the Headless Horseman himself!); the Cadaver Dans (a spooky take on your favorite barbershop quartet); the Halloween Screams fireworks spectacular; trick-or-treating at special candy carts; and a frightful new meet-and-greet photo opportunity with Disney Villains at Villains Square.
Nightmare Before Christmas’ Sally Gets Stitched Into Haunted Mansion Holiday
Speaking of Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort, the highlight for many fans (us included!) is the return of Haunted Mansion Holiday—when Jack Skellington and his cohorts from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas join the happy haunts inside the iconic attraction! This year’s Holiday is especially special, as it features the addition of Jack’s beloved Sally as an all-new figure in the graveyard scene. Plus, there’s a distinctly Sally-ish feel to the attraction’s gingerbread-house—a Haunted Mansion Holiday tradition.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World Resort: More Nights, More Fun!
Not to be outdone by their West Coast compatriots, Walt Disney World Resort is jumping on the Halloween hay-wagon in a big way! Mickey’s Not So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom park is a separately ticketed event that’s been sending shivers down guests’ spines since September 2. (It runs for a whopping 29 evenings total, through October 31.) Last year’s über-popular “Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular” is back at the Castle Forecourt Stage, hosted by those hilariously sinister Sanderson Sisters and featuring your favorite villains from The Princess and the Frog, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, Sleeping Beauty, and more. Guests can also enjoy the Happy HalloWishes fireworks show; the Boo-to-You Halloween Parade; a delightful Scream-o-Ween Dance Party (with Mike and Sulley from Monsters, Inc.); and plenty of time for trick-or-treating. And for the serious treat fan, look for delicious specialty items like Candy Corn Cotton Candy and a Halloween-themed ice cream cookie sandwich (at the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor).
And since you’ll be in the area, don’t forget to head over to Disney Springs—where fall-themed treats will be the order of the day during the month of October. Amorette’s Patisserie will feature a delightful new “Pumpkin Mickey” dome cake; D-Luxe Burger will offer a delish Caramel Apple Shake; and The Ganachery will debut new flavors like Pumpkin Spice Latte and Cinnamon Apple.
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort’s Disney Halloween Time
Mickey and Minnie are the new King and Queen of Halloween Time—and they’re hosting a big celebration at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort this fall! But look out… infamous villains from 24 of your favorite Disney films are crashing the party. After dark, a spooky professor leads guests on a villain-filled journey called The Nightmare Experiment, through the park’s Pavilion; meanwhile, the Evil Queen, Jafar, and Captain Hook are ready to hijack Halloween Time’s nighttime spectacular, Villains Night Out! Disney-themed trick-or-treat booths will delight young and young-at-heart, and guests can discover their inner villain through both a brand-new mobile game, and at new “Wicked Fun with Disney Villains” interactive digital booths throughout the park. Wanna take home some Halloween spirit? Don’t miss the awesome new Halloween Time Tsum Tsum collectibles, including a new Gelatoni (in the Duffy and Friends assortment).
Disneyland Paris’s Halloween Festival
Across the pond, our pals at Disneyland Paris offer up some mysterious merriment from October 1 through November 2. Dazzling decorations will be found around every corner, and the littlest pumpkins in your party will delight in dressing-up at the Halloween Costume Corner. All your favorite Disney characters will get in on the act, wearing their own Halloween best—and villains like Captain Hook and Jafar will join Maleficent at her bewitching briar bush near the Castle Courtyard for a spooky meet-and-greet opportunity.
Disney’s Halloween at Tokyo Disney Resort
This year, it’s a totally tune-filled Halloween over at Tokyo Disneyland! Mickey Mouse and friends join ghost and skeleton “stars” in Halloween Pop’n LIVE—a brand-new parade; each portion of the procession will be uniquely themed to a different genre of music, and decorated with jack-o’-lanterns, skeletons, and other Halloween-y motifs. Plus, look for a special version of the park’s Super-Duper Jumpin’ Time stage show… and their own Haunted Mansion attraction gets the Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas treatment, with Haunted Mansion Holiday featured now through January 4, 2017.
Disney Cruise Line: Halloween on the High Seas
Spending part of your All Hallow’s Eve holiday on board one of Disney Cruise Line’s fabulous ships? You won’t miss out on any of the wickedly wonderful fun. Halloween on the High Seas, which takes place through September and October on the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy—and through October on the Disney Magic—includes the Mickey’s Mouse-querade Party (don’t forget to pack a costume!); the mysterious Pumpkin Tree; a “Creepy Cabaret,” with a band of ghostly musicians; spooky movie screenings by the family pool; and special treats created by Disney Cruise Line chefs. And keep your eyes peeled for the Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas—Sing and Scream interactive movie experience!
Halloween Memories, the Whole Year ‘Round…
Visiting a Disney Park during the Halloween season is always memorable… but if you’re looking for a little something extra—something to help celebrate once you’re back home—there are several brand-new souvenirs available this year at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts. The 2016 collection features a cool new look by Disney Design Group artists, who incorporated elements inspired by horror movies of the 1950s. These designs can found on coffee mugs, hooded sweatshirts, and so much more. Additionally, keep your eyes peeled for commemorative Mickey’s Halloween Party and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party pins (at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, respectively); fun light-up necklaces; and collectible popcorn buckets (especially useful on Halloween night)!
