Halloween Time at Disneyland and California Adventure

Updated January 15, 2026

***Oogie Boogie Bash dates were announced for 2026! Find those along with a guide for the party here.

***2025 info remains in this post until we have new links for 2026.

Halloween Time at Disneyland is a special way to enjoy the parks and if you’re a fan of fall and the color orange and pumpkins, you’ll be in heaven.

The park, as always, is decorated to perfection and it keeps getting better every year.

Halloween Time occurs from August 21 – October 31, 2026. This is a season at Disneyland. It does not cost anything above your theme park ticket.

Before We Get Started

A few important links before we get started:

• Oogie Boogie Bash is a paid event that occurs on several nights during Halloween Time. This post details everything you need to know.
• New to planning? Start here. It provides an overview of the parks and shares everything you need to plan your trip.
• Check my Crowd Calendar, too, for important dates throughout the year.
• Need discounted park tickets or hotels? Check pricing with my travel partner here. In business since 1990, they’re the absolute best with both cost and service. Unlike booking directly with Disney, they offer discounts and refund options.

Basic Scoop

Halloween Time is a general term given for how both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure celebrate the fall season.

On days that include Oogie Boogie Bash that evening, California Adventure is open to all guests just like any other day. When it’s time for the party to begin, guests without a party ticket will kindly be escorted out.

At that time, you may walk over to Disneyland park to continue the fun if you have a park hopper ticket. Otherwise, visit Downtown Disney to shop or dine.

Halloween Time Details

• The decor! Pumpkins adorn every nook and cranny of Main Street and they’re all carved to perfection, with no two alike! Disney villains can be found throughout the park.
• Pumpkin infused and Halloween designed treats can be found all around the park and in Downtown Disney, too. Check out Marceline’s Confectionery in DTD, Candy Palace on Main Street in Disneyland or Trolley Treats on Buena Vista Street at California Adventure. Pooh’s Corner in Critter Country will have treats, too!
• Seasonal, flavored beignets can be found at The Mint Julep in New Orleans Square and are divine! Mobile ordering is available at this location now. Do NOT stand in that long line. Mobile order and walk right up to grab your treats. This post explains how it works.
• Disney’s Happiest Haunts Tours became available in 2016, in addition to your theme park ticket. Find more info on that on the Disneyland website.
• The Halloween Tree can be found in Frontierland and it’s a site to see. Check out this post for more details on it and miscellaneous Halloween fun.

Oogie Boogie Bash

This event is hands down the best one I’ve attended at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

I have detailed dates, cost, what you can expect, and so so much more at this link. If you’re attending the party, don’t miss it.

Attractions that Transform During Halloween Time

Haunted Mansion Holiday

Haunted Mansion is turned into a celebration of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. This attraction is called Haunted Mansion Holiday.

Jack Skellington and Sally can often be found near the attraction in New Orleans Square for autographs and photos. Bring your camera and an autograph book for this.

The Haunted Mansion Holiday attraction transformation takes 2-3 weeks, so account for that timing during your trip planning. Classic Haunted Mansion is typically closed the second part of August in preparation for this overlay.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy – MISSION: Breakout! transforms into “Monsters After Dark” each day around 4:00pm.

Cars Land attractions

Two rides in Cars Land transform, too. These are less elaborate overlays but still fun. They include:

• Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree
• Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween

Food

Disney’s Foodie Guide to Halloween at the Disneyland Resort for 2025 can be found here.

And here is the 2025 Plaza de la Familia Foodie Guide.

Fall themed Character Meals

Consider these meals that include all you love normally plus Halloween/fall decor and attire for the characters.

The following options are available for 2025:

• Clarabelle’s Enchanted Halloween Dinner will be held at Storytellers Cafe inside the Grand Californian Hotel from August 22 – October 31, 2025 from 4-9pm. Make reservations beginning July 15, 2025. Here’s where to book.
• Mickey’s Autumn Adventures Breakfast and Brunch Buffet starts August 22, 2025, too. Book here.
• Goofy’s Kitchen Celebrates Halloween is available for bookings now. Find those here.

Here’s a complete guide to year round character meals at the Disneyland Resort.

Halloween Time Park Strategies

If you are visiting DCA for the day and attending a party: Use this post to ride every attraction in the park by late lunch. Then, during the party, you can focus on event-exclusive entertainment and characters.

If you are attending a party and want to visit Disneyland before the party starts: Use this post and strategies to get the majority of attractions complete by party time at DCA.

If You are Not Attending Oogie Boogie Bash

Here are some things to think about if you choose not to attend the party. My kids haven’t been in years, as it’s not in our budget. But, they love Halloween Time, regardless.

• Consider visiting the parks on a day that the Oogie Boogie Bash is not happening. If you do not have a ticket for the party, you will be ushered out at 6pm and that’s a tough walk down Buena Vista Street, watching the others brimming with excitement for their night ahead. I’ve done it. It’s not fun.
• However, the day of the Halloween event usually includes lower attendance at the parks due to people not wanting to leave at Halloween event time. So, check the calendar for closing times at Disneyland and consider visiting DCA during the daytime and leaving for Disneyland at party time.
• Disneyland will be more crowded than usual due to those leaving DCA for it when the party starts, however, you can still enjoy the park if you utilize what I suggest doing when the parks are crowded.
• Halloween Screams – the uber popular fireworks show previously exclusive to an after-hours event – is now showing every night during Halloween Time at Disneyland park. This link has more info on when it’s showing, where to watch and more.
• You can still enjoy a wonderful Halloween experience at Disneyland Resort without the party. Decor is up, characters are in Halloween gear and there’s an overall fun spirit at the park during this time. Don’t fret if you don’t want to spend the extra money on the ticket. Enjoy the decor and the park itself. Halloween Time is magical, with or without the party.

Halloween Screams Fireworks

Back for 2025!

I love that we get to see this fantastic show without the extra event fee.

Here’s all about fireworks at Disneyland. Look for this show at 9:30pm, but as always, check the app for your specific day’s entertainment schedule.

Expect projections only Monday – Thursday and then projections with fireworks Friday – Sunday and holidays.

Disneyland Resort Hotel Decor

Don’t miss the hotels! They’re decorated too.

I share all about what you can expect at each location in this link.

Plaza de la Familia and Dia de los Muertos

Celebrations take place at both Disneyland and California Adventure from August 22, 2025 – November 2, 2025.

Use this link to check the full entertainment schedule. Change the date on the calendar to find exactly what will be happening during your visit.

And, here’s the foodie guide for 2025!

“The Storytellers of Plaza de la Familia Celebrate The Musical World of Coco!” Find this show in the corner of the park, between Goofy’s Sky School and Silly Symphony Swings, daily.

Mickey’s Trick and Treat Show

Now offered outside of Oogie Boogie Bash for the first time, this cute show can be found at the Disney Junior Theater at DCA daily.

It runs at:

• 10:45 AM
• 11:45 AM
• 12:45 PM

More from Disney here.

Entertainment

• Halloween Screams plays nightly at Disneyland Park, with or without the actual fireworks. If the fireworks are NOT showing, don’t panic. The show is FANTASTIC even without the pyrotechnics. Here’s more about fireworks. This show runs most nights at 9:30pm.
• The only parade happening at this time is the Frightfully Fun Parade during Oogie Boogie Bash. These run at 7:50pm and 10:05pm.
• However! Mickey and Friends Halloween Cavalcade runs each day at 1:45pm and 2:45pm. No need to set up for this. Just take a look as you walk by the parade route.
• Fantasmic! plays too! 9 and 10:30pm most nights

Cars Land

Easily one of the best themed lands in any Disney Park, Cars Land is super impressive during Halloween Time. Don’t miss it.

This link takes you through a tour of what you’ll see.

Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit

Returning from its debut in 2021! This is a scavenger hunt like those we have done before during Valentine’s Day and Easter at the Disneyland Resort.

It’s only available in Downtown Disney from August 29, 2025 – October 31, 2025.

More information on this here.

Characters During Halloween Time

Characters can be found throughout Disneyland Resort in full Halloween gear during the day and at the parties, too.

As always, your best option is to use the free Disneyland app to locate characters. Find out more on the app, how to use it, which cast members to find for help, and more before you visit for Halloween Time.

Rare characters seen throughout Disneyland during Halloween Time include:

• Happy Haunts (the ghosts from Haunted Mansion), Constance (ghost from Haunted Mansion), and Tightrope Walker (from Haunted Mansion) – find them on Royal Street in New Orleans Square in the afternoon/evening after Jack Skellington and Sally
• Queen of Hearts – find her in Town Square
• Jafar – find him wandering
• Maleficent – find her behind the castle
• Evil Queen – find her wandering Fantasyland
• Chip ‘n’ Dale in police uniforms – find them in Town Square

Note: Characters are usually not in seasonal costumes at any of the character dining options. You’ll typically find classic costumes at character meals. However! 2025 includes Halloween costumes on characters at two locations – Mickey’s Autumn Adventures at Storytellers Cafe and Goofy’s Kitchen Celebrates Halloween.

Check the app for the characters you’re interested in seeing. If someone isn’t listed, ask a cast member who specializes in characters if he or she knows where to find who you’re looking for. This post shares more on this.

How to Make the Halloween Tree at Home

This post features our homemade Halloween tree plus info on how to make your pumpkins last for 6 or more weeks. Even in the heat!

Notes

• This post shares info about Halloween Time only. Review my Oogie Boogie Bash post for everything you need to know about this fantastic event!