Halloween Time is Disneyland’s yearly Halloween celebration from mid-September through October. The park features plenty of special entertainment and decorations included in park admission.
Pumpkins and Decorations Galore – Main Street, USA is full of the Halloween spirit with tons of jack-o-lanterns everywhere. The huge Mickey Mouse jack-o-lantern in Town Square is a popular photo spot, and you’ll also find unique jack-o-lanterns all along the buildings of Main Street. The Partner Statue is also surrounded by jack-o-lanterns, each representing one of the lands of the park. Be sure to enjoy all the decorations and the many photo opportunities. Over in Frontierland near Rancho del Zocalo, you’ll find a beautiful Dia de los Muertos display framed by gorgeous flowers. Right across from this is the Halloween Tree, inspired by and dedicated to Ray Bradbury’s story of the same name. Make sure to see it at night when it’s lit up.
Haunted Mansion Holiday – Each year beginning at Halloween Time, the Haunted Mansion receives an incredibly detailed overlay to tell the story of the Nightmare Before Christmas, complete with special decorations inside and out, changed narration, and animatronics suited to tell this holiday story. Definitely take time to observe all the details on the outside, and don’t miss the way it looks at night. Because Haunted Mansion Holiday is so popular, this attraction offers a seasonal FastPass, which I highly recommend using.
Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy – Disneyland’s other Halloween overlay is at Space Mountain, where added projections and sound effects makes it seem like your spaceship is being chased by, well, a ghost galaxy. It definitely ups the scary factor of the ride and is a great addition for those looking for something extra-spooky to celebrate Halloween.
Halloween Snacks – There are Halloween snacks galore at Disneyland, so be sure to check the snack stands and bakeries for “poison” caramel apples and other fun Halloween treats. We absolutely loved the pumpkin beignets, available at Café Orleans and the Mint Julep Bar.
Character Meets – During Halloween Time you’ll find more villains prowling about than usual (and a few rare ones, as well), but the most popular meet during this time is Jack Skellington and Sally. You can find them just outside the Haunted Mansion entrance, and be prepared to meet them as early in the day as you can, because their waits can get very long.
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Elizabeth lives in Kansas City with her wonderful family. Elizabeth first visited Disney as a child, and when she prepared to visit Walt Disney World as an adult, she foolishly thought she may have ‘outgrown’ Disney. Happily, Elizabeth was proven wrong – but she also realized how good planning can make such a difference for having a fun, relaxing vacation! Elizabeth became her family’s go-to resource for Disney planning. Now she is dedicating her planning skills to helping other families create vacation memories as a travel agent specializing in Disney destinations. She will plan your trip as if it were her own. Her blog, planningformagic.com, has tons of advice on how to plan your next Disney trip, including trip planning instructions, sample itineraries, dining tips, and more. Visit her on Facebook or Twitter for more planning tips and theme park news. Contact Elizabeth at elizabeth@theaffordablemouse.com.
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