Halloween and Fall Celebrations at Disneyland!

I am so excited for all the holiday adventures especially in the parks, specifically, Disneyland Resort because it is my home park. Here is everything you can expect during the spooky season.

Halloween Time returns to Disneyland Resort from August 21 through October 31, 2026. Before the spooky season begins, guests can continue to enjoy Paint the Night, Wondrous Journeys from August 10-20 plus World of Color – One will also make its return August 10 through the Halloween season.

Character Outfits, Pumpkin Decor and Halloween Fun

Mickey and Friends will arrive in Town Square with a brand new attire just for the season. This year their outfits will feature harlequin motif, frilled collars and cuffs and swirling confection details in of orange, yellow and black. Jack Skellington returns to take over the Haunted Mansion transforming it into Haunted Mansion Holiday. Not only will you get to see this years Gingerbread house but you can also smell it. This brand new gingerbread house will feature Sally, Zero, and Oogie Boogie from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.

The Halloween Tree in Frontierland is also materializing once again this year and it is a spooktacular photo spot. Guest can also spot a goird or two with Disney-inspired carving at the Main Street Pumpkin Festival which is anchored by the iconic giant Mickey Mouse pumpkin or Winkie Blinkie. There will also be some new pumpkins surrounding the Partners Statue, which will pay homge to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge with depictions of Chewbacca and the Millennium Falcon.

Villains will take over Sleeping Beauty Castle, Main Street USA, “it’s a small world” and Rivers of America with colorful projection during the Halloween Screams nighttime spectacular each evening. Maleficent, Ursula and other friends will cackle in the sky and on select nights watch as fireworks takeover and light up the sky.

Disney’s Happiest Haunts Guided Tour is a one of a kind strol through eerie tales across Disneyland and California Adventure will also be available with an additional cost with a valid theme park admission.

Halloween Rides and Family Friendly Entertainment at California Adventure

A festive chill arrives with decor that includes the famous Oogie Boogie silhouetted by a full moon (or tortilla), a cloud of bats bursting from the tower of Cathay Circle Restaurant and of course my personal favorite the Headless Horseman statue welcoming guests on Buena Vista Street.

Cars Land will become Radiator Screams, complete with Car-achnids, a pump-kin patch and residents will be dressed in their car-stunmes. Mater and luigi will also have a spooky layover and become Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree and Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween.

Beginning later in the afternoon each day, Guardians of the Galaxy will become Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark where you will team up with Rocket to distract menacing monsters ont he loose and save Groot. Be warned, you may run into a few unexpected ups and downs.

For the little ghouls who love to dance and play head over to Disney Theater in Hollywood Land to dance, play with bubbles and hang out with Mickey Mouse and his pals for at Mickey’s Trick or Treat starting August 18, 2026.

Halloween Food, Merch and More!

Disney released some items during halfway to Halloween event in April as a taste for whats to come. Some things that are returning this fall will include Oogie Boogie Lemonade at Smokejumpers Grill and Heatwave Pizza from Alien Pizza Planet. More food, drinks and novelties will be released as we get closer!

There will be plenty of merchandise for you to shop through the resort including Hockey Jerseys with a festive Mickey pumpkin and autumnal inspire eat headbands. Some merch is set to release soon, other we will have to wait once we get closer to the season.

Of course decor will be added to the spirit of the season at all the Hotels of Disneyland Resort, including all-new decor inspired by Disney and Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. at Pixar Place Hotel and Haunted Mansion-inspired touches at the Disneyland Hotel.

The Culinary teams are cooking up confounding confection displays for Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa and Disneyland Hotel and I cannot wait to see what they come up with this year. The hotels on property are always my favorite places to stop by because they put up some spooktacular decor.

Of course seasonal character dining options will be available . Storyteller Cafe at Disney’s Grand California will host Miskey’s Autumn Adventure for breakfaast and brunch. Clarabelle’s Enchantes Halloween Dinner in the evenings. Goofy’s Kitchen Celebrates Halloween at Disneyland Hotel will offer fun dining throughout the day. Adults 21 years and over may enjoy a Halloween themed cocktail menu at Broken Spell Lounge in Disneyland Hotel.

Head over to a wickedly talented team of Disney stylists at Tenaya Stone Spa in Disney’s Grand Californian to get a Halloween look with hair, makeup, or nails inspired by favorite Disney Characters or you cna indulge in a seasonal service like the Wicked to the Core foot treatments. This is an additional cost.

Halloween Movies, Music and mOre in the Downtown Disney District

Autumnal adornments, themed eats, and seasonal shopping will cast a spell throughout the promenade to make you shop until you drop. The new Downtown Disney LIVE! stage and lawn will hosts movie nights on select eventing with screenings of beloved fall flicks or maybe you will catch a live performance take the stage.

Plutos Pumpkin Pursuit

Search for pumpkins with unique Disney designs throughout Disneyland, California Adventure and Downtown Disney with Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit. Purchase a special map from retail locations thoughout the resort to aid in your search, then redeem it for a keepsake prize.

Plaza de la Familia at Disney California Park

Celebrate the bonds of family and the spirit of Dia de los Muertos with nods to Pixars Coco during Plaza de la familia at DCA starting August 21 through November 2.

The Storyteller of Plaza de la Familia Celebrate the Musical World of Coco as a traveling troupe of storyteller bring songs like “Remember Me” and “The World Es Mi Familia” to life. Guests can also sing and dance along to live mariachi music at the Paradise Garden Bandstand. As you walk through Paradise Gardens Park, make sure you take in the vibrant marigold arch, stunning calaca (skeleton) statues, and a memory wall, where you can add a note of remembrance for loved ones. The memory wall makes me cry every time. I have lost so many loved ones and I always stop to write their name.

Food and Beverages/Dia de los Muertos Decor in Disneyland

Paradise Garden Grill will offer specialty menu items just for the season including the returning Chilaquiles Carnitas Torta with red chilaquiles, refried beans, avocado spread, queso resco, pickled red onions and a fried egg served with chips. More food will be released soon, so stay tuned.

Decor influences by Dia de los Muertos will also be found in a vibrant installation in Disneyland near Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante, it will display skeleton figurines known as catrinas and calacas, colorful marigolds and other items traditionally found on ofrendas.

Oogie Boogie Bash – Halloween Party

This separately ticketed Oogie Boogie Bash is returning for select nights from August 18 through October 31. This after hours party is for all ages and is the perfect opportunity to don an iconic costume, collect candy and enjoy access to select attraction, often with shorter wait times. The event goes from 6 pm through 11 pm and admission includes entry to DCA three hours before the party officially begins. You can purchase tickets here. If you are a D23 member and want a VIP tour check out the tickets here.

New Street Party

Madame Leota’s Swinging Wake – A haunted Mansion Street Party will bring familiar and iconic moments from the Haunted Mansion tot he Streets of California Advenure. The new street party will feature multiple show-stopping moments for Madame Leota to host her spirited seance and swinging wake filled with happy haunts, ghostly dancing and ghoulish delight, inviting you to partake in a ghastly good time that beckons all 999 ghosts.

There will be some rare villain sightings and character dressed up for Halloween throughout DCA and you wont want to miss trick-or-treating along the immersive treat trails and selections of themed bites available just for the party. Villains Grove is also returning for the brave souls who want to encounter a run in with the Disney Villains. If you are lucky you may even catch Ichabod Crane through DCA evading the sinister specter of the Headless Horseman astride his dark steed. There is so much to do and see you don’t want to miss out!

-Dezi