We are coming up on the most wonderful time of the year, and by that I mean spooky season and Halloween of course! And that means the return of one of the most popular times at the Disneyland Resort running from August 21, 2026 to October 31, 2026. This time of year in the parks is truly amazing, and there is so much to do and see!
***This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you! ***
Now before we get into this, if you are hoping to experience Halloween Time in the parks, you need to book your trip now as this time of year fills up very quickly, and the best way to do that is with my friends at Get Away Today. You will always get the best prices when booking with them and their amazing customer service reps will help you plan the perfect trip and take all the hassle out of planning. You can book your trip here and use code RAMBLING10 or call them at 1-855-GET-AWAY and tell them I sent you to receive additional money off of your package!
Now we’ve got a lot to cover from characters to seasonal food offerings, ride overlays, entertainment options, and amazing decorations, so let’s get in to what you can expect from this amazing time of year in the parks.
This year Halloween will have a little more to offer as Disneyland is currently celebrating the 70th anniversary of Disneyland park, so along with the Halloween entertainment options below, you will also be able to find entertainment options like the Paint the Night Parade and Tapestry of Happiness at “it’s a small world”, both taking pace in Disneyland, as well as “world of Color Happiness!” taking place in California Adventure. Other 70th celebration offerings may still be available in the parks during Halloween Time, but let’s look at the Halloween Time items coming to the parks on August 22.
Character Meet and Greets
Meeting characters at Disney is always one of the best parts of visiting the parks, but during Halloween Time that experience gets even better. Every year the characters throughout the parks whip up their best costumes for that years festivities! Here is the concept art Disney parks released for their look for the 2026 spooky season.
As well as the classic characters in their Halloween best and other traditional characters out and about, there are opportunities to meet various villains throughout the park, typically along Main Street and in Fantasyland. You will also see some rare characters emerge throughout the park like Jack and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas, so keep an eye out on the app for when they’ll be out and you can always ask cast members when they will be greeting guests.
If you’re looking for Jack and Sally, you can find them in New Orleans Square next to the Pieces of Eight shop at the exit of Pirates, back it the walkway with the staircase. There’s even a fun Nightmare Before Christmas decorations set up as the backdrop for the meet and greets. The line typically forms outside the Port Royal Curios and Curiosities shop.
Halloween Decor
In true Disney fashion, the entire park is transformed to feel like you’ve stepped into the Halloween season and it is absolutely beautiful. As soon as you step into the esplanade, you are greeted with the most festive decor that represents the feeling of each park. Disneyland is more fall based decor with oranges and pumpkins while California Adventure is more centered on spooky season with purples and greens and I love that each park has it’s own unique personality during this time of year.
Along with all the decorations scattered throughout the parks, there are a few main decor pieces you won’t want to miss:
Main Street Pumpkin Festival
As soon as you enter Town Square at the beginning of Main Street USA, you will see the Main Street Pumpkin Festival. At the heart of this of course is the giant Mickey Pumpkin in Town Square which is a can’t miss photo op and make sure to go around the back of the giant Mickey pumpkin to see Blinky as he has lovingly been nicknamed. As you walk up Main Street, you will see pumpkins everywhere leading you to the pumpkin statues at the end of Main Street. Surrounding the Partners Statue in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, you will find a pumpkin representing each of the lands in Disneyland which is a really fun touch. Don’t miss the chance to see all the pumpkins along Main Street at night when they’re all lit up for the full effect.
Buena Vista Street
In the main hub of Buena Vista street in from of Carthay Circle, during the day you will notice subtle touches of Halloween like the purple banners and bats coming out of Carthay Circle’s windows. But at night, everything is lit up with purple lights, a headless horseman statue, bats, and more! It’s truly one of the most beautiful places in all the parks during this time of the year.
Halloween Tree
The Halloween Tree is one of the most iconic Halloween decor pieces in the parks. This tree stands alone in Frontierland right next to the Golden Horseshoe across from Big Thunder Mountain and during the day it may seem like just some tree, but at night it is lit up with beautiful orange lights and is decorated with jack-o-lanterns. Based on the Ray Bradbury story “The Halloween Tree” it symbolizes the true meaning of Halloween.
Radiator Screams
The most detailed part of the parks is Radiator Springs. The entire land is transformed to become Radiator Screams with so many fun details. From big decor pieces like the Cozy Cone and Flo’s V8 decor to the little details like the tire pumpkins, gas can pumpkin patch, and more, there is so much to see in Cars Land during Halloween Time. And make sure you are in the area around sunset as the neon in the land will come to life just like in the movie.
Dia de los Muertos
If you head over to Frontierland, you can find this special celebration outside of Rancho del Zocalo near Big Thunder Mountain. This is a celebration to honor those who have passed away complete with beautiful bright flowers, a trio of skeleton mariachi musicians, and other traditional decorations used on ofrendas on the Day of the Dead. Don’t miss the beautiful walkway leading from Frontierland and the Fantasy Faire area right outside the entrance to Rancho del Zocalo.
Plaza de la Familia
Found in California Adventure in the Paradise Gardens area near Goofy’s Sky School, Plaza de la Familia brings to life Coco and everything it represents. You can enjoy music from the beloved film, meet Miguel, and post messages to love ones on the Memory Wall. There are lots of fun crafts, delicious Mexican food, and mariachi performances.
Seasonal food and drinks
Halloween Time offers some of the best food and beverage options of any time in the parks. From Halloween themed sweets to spooky snacks, there is so much to try in the parks during Halloween! Below I have a 4 page printable foodie guide for you to use in Disneyland, California Adventure, as well as Downtown Disney so you can pick and choose your must try items for your visit!
Along with seasonal food offerings, the parks also offer novelty items like sippers, glow cubes, popcorn buckets, and more throughout both parks at various locations.
Attraction Overlays
Haunted Mansion Holiday
One of the most highly anticipated parts of Halloween Time at Disneyland is the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay of the Haunted Mansion. Jack Skellington has been up to some mischief transforming the mansion for the holidays. This version is a Nightmare Before Christmas makeover that any NBC fan will absolutely love. You will notice changes outside the mansion as well as throughout the attraction, and my personal favorite touch is in the ballroom scene where a gingerbread house is created each year. Each year is a new design, but it is always spectacular and the room smells of freshly baked gingerbread which is heavenly.
If you visit Haunted Mansion Holiday at the right time you may get to see the lighting ceremony that takes place each evening. You will hear the traditional Haunted Mansion monologue begin which then begins talking about Sandy Claws as the lights come on around the mansion and music begins playing. There isn’t a specific time posted for this event, so you just want to be there between 7 and 7:30 as that’s usually when it happens.
Guardians of the Galaxy- Monsters After Dark
Every night, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! becomes Monsters After Dark in a thrilling new overlay as Rocket and the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy work to rescue Groot with guests help to distract all the creatures and monsters that have been set loose. The attraction opens at the normal Mission Breakout everyday but closes from 2-3pm daily to be switched over to the Halloween overlay. Starting at 3 pm, you can experience Monsters After Dark. So if you want to ride this one with the overlay, you need to wait until 3 pm. Also if you purchase the lighting lane multipass, you can get a lightning lane for the normal attraction in the morning and then get another lighting lane for that night to experience the monsters after dark version.
Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree and Luigi’s Honkin Haul-O-Ween
Both attractions in Cars Land get a little dose of Halloween spirit as they begin to play spooky Halloween songs and get an overlay fit for the season with cute spooky additions, spooky lighting, and more!
Entertainment
Mickey’s Trick and Treat
This is a great option for kids as they can watch the show, dance, and get a treat at the end. Check the Disneyland app for showtimes.
Halloween Screams
Every night during Halloween Time, guests can experience Halloween Screams along Main Street USA, the Rivers of America, and on the façade of “it’s a small world.” This show is a mix of projections and special effects, with fireworks added on the weekends.
Oogie Boogie Bash
Oogie Boogie Bash has quickly become one of the best after hours parties Disney has ever done. This is a separate ticket, after hours event held in California Adventure on select nights throughout Halloween Time. It’s basically a giant Halloween party with limited capacity where you can dress up, do treat trails, meet rare characters, see the Frightfully Fun Parade, experience the highly popular Villains Grove, and indulge in special treats and beverages. For more information about Oogie Boogie Bash, check out this post.
If you are not planning to attend this event, I would recommend getting a park hopper pass for the days this event is happening so you don’t miss out on time in the parks or make your reservations for Disneyland that day so you get your money’s worth for your tickets.
So what are you waiting for? Book your trip, find a hotel, or purchase tickets here and see all these amazing things for yourself! Or if you would like to speak to a Get Away Today travel agent directly you can call them at (855) 438-2929 and tell them The Rambling Introvert sent you to save additional money off of your package!
[…] Before we get into all the details about Oogie Boogie Bash, if you’re hoping to visit the parks you need to book your trip with my travel partner Get Away Today. They will always get you the best prices possible on tickets and hotels as well as the best customer service to make sure your trip is absolute perfect. You can book your ticket/hotel package, purchase tickets, or find low rates on hotels at Get Away Today’s website or by calling 1-855-GET-AWAY. And to make it even better, tell them that I sent you or use code INTROVERT for additional money off of your Disneyland package! You can find more information about visiting Disneyland during Halloween Time here. […]