Freebie!
Grab our Free dinner conversation starters
get it now!

Disney

Disneyland Halloween 2024! An Ultimate Guide + Must-See Attractions

August 12, 2023

Now Trending:
I'm amber

A mom of six through birth and adoption, family travel specialist, self-proclaimed chocolate chip cookie connoisseur, Disney lover, and, I hope to be, your new best friend.

hello,

School is back and while we might not be quite ready to say goodbye to summer, but how can we not get a little bit excited when we think about a Disneyland Halloween? To ease you into transitioning to Fall, we’ve brought together all there is to know about the very best party of the Halloween season. You guessed it, here’s the Ultimate Guide to Disneyland Halloween 2024.

Whether you are heading to the Oogie Boogie Bash (a separate ticketed event) or just buying tickets to head to the parks for all the fun spooks and snacks, you are sure to have a blast at the not-so-scary Disney celebration. The parks undergo their Autumn transformation from August 23 through November 2 this year, giving you two whole months to experience the magic.

Pro Tip: One of my favorite Disneyland tips is to visit the parks during this time of year. The weather is great (most of the time) and the parks are all decked out with so many fun decorations.

Halloween Time at Disneyland

Disneyland Halloween Mickey Pumpkin

Iconic Mickey Pumpkin on Main St.

Of course, the iconic giant pumpkin on Main St. is a must-stop. The giant Mickey pumpkin makes for the best Halloween photo op. Photopass photographers will be there to take your pictures, they will even take pictures with your camera or phone.

Pro Tip: The lines to take a picture in front of the Mickey Pumpkin can get long. So, if you see a short line jump at the opportunity, (or you can take the picture at an angle like this one). Typically the middle of the day around noon & 3-4 pm are the sweet spot.


Haunted Mansion Holiday

Haunted Mansion Holiday

Haunted Mansion Holiday where Jack Skellington transforms the Haunted Mansion into the Nightmare before Christmas is one of the best ride transformations ever. Wait times can get long for this ride, depending on the crowds but it is well worth it.

Just a few of the additions Jack Skellington makes – gingerbread smells, an incredible real gingerbread house, and so many more fun Nightmare Before Christmas decorations and animatronics.


Halloween Screams Firework Show

Disneyland Park transforms their nighttime show and fireworks display with your favorite Halloween characters including Jack Skellington and his ghostly dog Zero. It is a truly epic firework show!


shared19

Characters Dressed in Their Halloween Best

One of my kids’ favorite things to do is to see what costumes the Disney characters are wearing!

Everyone from Mickey to Goofey will be in their Halloween attire. You might just catch Jack Skellington, Sally, and a villain or two walking around the park as well.


Celebrate Día de los Muertos at Rancho del Zócalo Restaurante

You can celebrate Día de los Muertos at Disneyland’s Frontierland this year! El Zócalo Park will transform into a vibrant display featuring traditional ofrendas, brightly colored flowers, and iconic calaca skeleton figurines representing mariachi musicians. This heartfelt celebration honors the eternal connections we share with loved ones who have passed, making it a must-see event during your visit.

This is one of my favorite places to dine at Disneyland, so make sure to grab a bite while here.


Disneyland Halloween Souvenirs

Disneyland Halloween Merchandise

Halloween merchandise is one of my favorite things, I am a sucker for all things Disney and Halloween. You can find just about anything orange, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice flavored on the lists below.

We’ve included some of the yummiest treats and snacks that Disney has announced they will be selling this Halloween season. The only downside is trying to choose just one! Plus, if that is not enough fun there are quite a plethora of super cute souvenirs to enjoy as you visit the Theme Park’s stores. Check out the Disney Parks Blog for all the newest Disneyland Halloween gear


Disneyland Halloween Food & Treats

Just like California Adventure, Disneyland has a plethora of holiday-themed food and treats. We focused mainly on the delicious treats side gobbling up some caramel apples and mummy macarons. Again, check out the Disney Parks blog for the complete list of Halloween items!

Here are some of our favorites from over the years:

Souvenir Popcorn Bucket – Last year the Halloween Bucket was an adorable Mickey Mummy Souvenir Popcorn bucket. When we went to the parks they were sold out so if you see it, grab it.


California Adventure Halloween

As you know Disneyland Resort has two amazing parks and for the Halloween festivities, both parks are in full Halloween mode. In fact, many of my favorite Halloween activities are at California Adventure. Inside California Adventure there are two areas that scream Halloween (pun intended).

Cars Land Haul-O-Ween Party

Over in Cars Land, the entire land is transformed into a “Haul-o-ween” Extravaganza. Everything is completely transformed from the tires on the road to the stores, it is definitely worth seeing. Here are some of the amazing ghoulish fun you can have in Cars Land

Oogie Boogie Bash Photo Pass Picture

Take pictures with Mater and Lightning Mcqueen

The two cars are likely to be dressed up in their best Halloween outfits.

Ride Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween

You will spin around on the roadsters that dance to some fun Halloween Music. It’s a great ride for little ones and has no height limit.

Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree

While tractor-trailer dance partners swirl Guests around the graveyard, Mater becomes the life of the party by crooning creepy country tunes with a Haul-O-Ween twist—including “Welcome to Radiator Screams”

Pro Tip: Take time to enjoy all the decorations at Cars Land and allow time for picture taking as it is one of the best-decorated areas in the park. I absolutely love it.


Plaza De Familia Oogie Boogie Bash

Plaza De La Familia

At Disney California Adventure Park, Plaza de la Familia honors Día de los Muertos with vibrant music, decor, and cultural experiences inspired by Disney-Pixar’s Coco.

Running through November 2, 2024, this celebration features a newly updated musical performance, the iconic Árbol de la Vida (Tree of Life) photo spot, and opportunities to leave messages for loved ones on the memory wall. Don’t miss the chance to meet Miguel in this heartwarming tribute to family and remembrance.


Main Entrance & Hollywood Land

halloween-time-disneyland

When you enter California Adventure there are two great places to take a picture. The first is the entrance as Oogie Boogie lurks over the California Adventure sign. The second is with the Headless Horsemen Statue. Then veer left and head over to Hollywood Land for some great entertainment including: Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark!

One of my kids’ favorite rides in the park is the newly transformed Guardians of the Galaxy Ride at California Adventure (formerly Tower of Terror). During Halloween time, the ride is transformed once again to Guardians of the Galaxy Monsters After Dark, where the mission changes, and this time you have to rescue Groot.

Pro Tip: This ride is not available until 3 p.m. The ride shuts down from 2 pm to 3 pm, so get in line at about 2:45 pm and you will have a very quick wait.


California Adventure Delicious Halloween Food & Treats

A Disneyland Halloween is not complete without some amazingly ghoulish treats. California Adventure does not disappoint. They have expanded their dining with so many incredible Halloween-themed meals, snacks, and treats. Check out some of these delicious items, plus since California Adventure serves alcohol you can grab some yummy pumpkin-spiced beverages.

Candy Sundae From California Adventure Hallowentime
Cookies & Candy Sundae from Clarabelle’s Hand Scooped Ice Cream

In California Adventure our favorite items were the Cookies & Candy Sundae (pictured above), the Mickey Vampire Sourdough Bread, and the Oogie Boogie Macaron. There are literally at least 50 Halloween-themed food items just in California Adventure alone.


Oogie Boogie Bash at California Adventure – Additional Fee 

IMG 0257

The Oogie Boogie Bash is a separate paid event where everyone can put on their best costumes and enjoy an amazing party in California Adventure. While, normally kids can always dress up as their favorite Disney character, at this event kids of all ages can dress up and join in on the fun.

Getting dressed up for OOgie Boogie Bash

You can check out my full review of the Oogie Boogie Bash here.


Need help planning your spooky Disneyland adventure? Reach out to us at Best Day Ever Vacations for FREE travel planning!

Pin for Later – Disneyland Halloween! An Ultimate Guide + Must-See Attractions

Halloween at Disney

You Might Also Enjoy:

How to Buy Discount Disneyland Tickets; [9 Easy Ways to Save!]

Disneyland Birthdays- 10 Tips to Make the Day EXTRA Special

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Halloween Time an Additional Fee

No, Disneyland’s Halloween time is included with general admission. The Oogie Boogie Bash is an additional charge

Is Disneyland busy at Halloween time

Yes, it used to be one of the parks slow times of year, but with the new additional of Halloween attractions it is now one of the busiest times.

Mama Munchkin

+ show Comments

- Hide Comments

add a comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Browse By Category

lifestyle

disney

travel

hawaii

cruise

entrepreneur

so hot right now

Hey there!
I'm Amber Mamian,
the voice behind Global Munchkins.

more about me

hey there!

Browse my Most Requested Items

I need these

favorite things

Shop my Instagram
Feed

check them out

favorite things

Some of my Favorite Things

Get ready for your best day(s) ever

After years of families using our tips we finally created a travel agency that will do all the planning for YOU - at NO COST TO YOU!

Our team is ready to help you plan your perfect Disney vacation, cruise, or resort destination. (Skip the headaches & second guessing - and go straight to be fun part)

Free travel planning
Verified by MonsterInsights