As the saying goes, Disneyland is the “Happiest Place on Earth.” However, while that may be true 365 days of the year, we like it best during the spookiest season: Halloween.
Compared to other theme parks that focus on frights and scares, Disneyland Halloween is appropriate for guests of all ages. So, no matter how you like to celebrate the holiday, Disneyland Resort has something for you.
With that in mind, let’s break down everything you need to know about this celebration, including attractions, rides, characters, and more. We’ll also discuss how you can save money on your Disney trip by becoming a Boardwalk Travel agent.
A Brief Overview of Disneyland Halloween
Although it’s a huge celebration today, Halloween wasn’t really celebrated at Disneyland during the first few years. Then, in 1959, there was a “Parade of the Pumpkins,” which also involved a pumpkin carving contest. Since then, Halloween has become a huge part of the Disneyland experience, with both Disneyland and California Adventure going all-out for the holiday.
This celebration also starts much sooner than you would think. In 2024, it begins on August 23 and runs until October 31. So, it’s easy to partake in the holiday spirit, even if you don’t go on Halloween itself.
What to Expect During Your Stay
As we mentioned, both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure celebrate the spooky holiday, so you may want to visit both parks during your trip. Here’s an overview of the different elements you can find in each park.
Decorations
Both parks are drenched in Halloween-related decorations, with Mickey-shaped pumpkins standing out as the most unique. There’s a massive pumpkin sign at the front of the park, as well as along Main Street, USA. Everywhere you can find orange trees, witches, spiders, and other Halloween memorabilia.
Many of the rides have additional decorations, especially the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland. In fact, during this season, the Haunted Mansion becomes one of the most popular rides, with an average of a two-hour wait.
One benefit of coming during Halloween Time is buying holiday-themed souvenirs and toys. For example, there’s a specialty popcorn bucket, spirit jerseys, and figurines of all the major characters dressed in Halloween attire. If you’re looking for a fun and Disney-fied way to decorate your own house this season, you can buy all kinds of products at any gift shop in the park.
Attractions
During the two-plus months of Halloween Time, you can experience a wide variety of shows and attractions at both parks. At Disneyland, the main event is the Pumpkin Festival, where you can see all kinds of expertly crafted Jack O’ Lanterns and pumpkin carvings. There’s also the Halloween Character Cavalcade, where your favorite characters are dressed in costume.
At night, the firework show becomes the “Halloween Screams” show, complete with unique firework shapes and Halloween-themed lights and projections on Cinderella’s Castle.
Disneyland is also doing a Dia De Los Muertos celebration in Frontierland if you want some Mexican flair to go along with everything else. You can even visit the Halloween Tree in Frontierland, as described by Ray Bradbury in his novel The Halloween Tree.
Over on the California Adventure side, the main event is the Oogie Boogie Bash. This dance party is a separate ticketed event, and you can attend even without a park ticket. However, keep in mind that it sells out fast, so you have to book your date well in advance. Also, the bash only happens on select days, so you’ll need to plan your trip accordingly.
In addition to the Bash, California Adventure decks out Cars Land with Halloween decor, and you can experience the magic of the movie Coco in Plaza de la Familia. This area is similar to the Dia De Los Muertos celebration in Frontierland, but it’s all based on the movie, not the holiday.
Characters
A big reason to visit Disneyland is to see your favorite characters up close and take pictures with them. During the Halloween season, many of these characters will have costumes or decorations. However, you can also see characters that are not out and about for the rest of the year. Some examples of Halloween-only characters include:
- Jack Skellington and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas
- Cruella DeVille
- Captain Hook
- Claude Frollo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
- Governor Ratcliff from Pocahontas
Overall, the villains spend more time in the park during this period, so if you want to take a picture with one of them, now is the time to do it. That said, keep in mind that lines get long for photo opportunities, so plan your day accordingly.
Rides
At Disneyland, the only ride that gets something of a makeover is the Haunted Mansion. The ride is covered in more Halloween-themed decor, but the main elements are still the same. As we mentioned, lines for this ride can get ridiculously long, so we recommend investing in the Genie Pass or waiting until nighttime to get on.
At California Adventure, the rides in Cars Land get a Halloween makeover, including Luigi’s Honking Haul-O-Ween and Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree. Additionally, the Guardians of the Galaxy Ride (formerly Twilight Zone Tower of Terror) transforms into Monsters After Dark every night.
Before 2 pm, the Guardians ride is normal, but then it shuts down from two to three to switch over. Then, from 3 pm to park closing time, it’s Monsters After Dark. During this season, the park usually stays open until 11 pm or midnight, although it closes at 6 pm when an Oogie Boogie Bash is going on.
Tips and Tricks for Getting the Best Disneyland Halloween Experience
These days, Disneyland is always busy, regardless of the time of day, day of the week, or time of year. However, Halloween Time is especially busy, particularly on the weekends. So, while you’ll have to encounter crowds no matter what, here are some ways to make your experience more enjoyable and less stressful.
Go in September
The first two weeks of Halloween Time are pretty busy since many kids are still out of school for summer break. Also, the last three weeks of the celebration get the busiest, especially as you get closer to Halloween night. So, the best time to go is mid-September. Yes, there will still be crowds, but they’ll be much more manageable.
Stay Till the Park Closes
Since the weather is still pretty warm at this time of year, the park often stays open until 11 pm or later. Typically, families with small children tend to leave around 10 pm, meaning the lines for rides will start to dwindle. We recommend saving one or two popular rides for the end of the day when you can get on in a matter of minutes, not hours.
Book Tickets Well in Advance
The Oogie Boogie Bash sells out pretty fast, so make sure to have a few dates in mind when booking your tickets. Your primary date may get sold out immediately, so you want to have at least one or two secondary options ready to go.
For the park itself, you may want to plan to visit during the week if possible. Weekdays tend to be less busy, especially if you get there early and leave late.
Prioritize Your Halloween Haunts
For some, Disneyland Halloween is all about meeting unique characters or experiencing seasonal attractions like the fireworks show or Oogie Boogie Bash. For others, the season is all about seeing the decorations and riding Halloween-themed rides.
No matter how you want to celebrate, write a list of your priorities and plan your visit accordingly. For example, if you want to get photos with Jack Skellington and Sally, you’ll need to hang out in the New Orleans district and by Haunted Mansion. It may take an hour or so to get a picture, so that should be your first stop of the day.
Alternatively, if you want to ride the Haunted Mansion, you can invest in a Genie Pass or get in line as soon as the park opens (right after rope drop). Or, you can save it for last and get on once most families have left for the day.
Overall, you likely won’t be able to do everything in the park in a single day, so make sure to hit your top priorities before moving onto anything else.
Get a Park Hopper Pass
Since both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure are across the street from each other, it’s easy to go to both parks in a single day or weekend. If you’re worried about the cost of a park hopper pass, you can often get a discount as a Boardwalk Travel agent (more on that later).
Having this pass allows you to focus on Halloween-only events and attractions. Once you do everything in one park, you can hop to the next and keep the party going. We recommend starting in Disneyland and then moving to California Adventure. This way, you can take advantage of Monsters After Dark. Then, head back to Disneyland for the Halloween fireworks.
Stay at the Disneyland Resort
One of the best perks about staying at the Disneyland resort is that you get early access to both parks. Plus, you can take the shuttle to the park, so you don’t have to sit in line or pay for a parking pass to get in.
Again, staying at the resort can be pricey, but if you get a package discount as a travel agent, you can save a lot of money (while earning commissions).
Book a Discounted Vacation With Boardwalk Travel Agency
By becoming a travel agent, you can save money on your Disney vacation two ways. First, you get access to special deals and perks that are only available to travel agents. Second, you earn a commission from Disney, meaning you’ll get money back once you go on your trip.
If you’re nervous about getting started, check out our article about how to become a travel agent without experience. Boardwalk has you covered and will help you every step of the way.
We get you access to many of the best travel partners, but if you know you want to specialize in Disney travel, learn how to become a Disney travel agent with Boardwalk.
But how easy is it to become a travel agent? It’s as simple as one, two, three!
Step One: Become a Boardwalk Travel Agent
One of the issues with other travel agencies is that you have to work a set number of hours and you can only book with their vendor partners. Even if you work as an independent contractor, many agencies charge a monthly or annual fee to access their network and support team.
Thankfully, Boardwalk Travel Agency only charges a one-time membership fee. From there, you’ll get lifetime access to a wide variety of top vendors (including Disney). You’ll also get training materials and support from experienced agents.
That said, depending on where you live, you may have to fulfill some additional obligations before you can start making money as an agent. So, make sure to see what requirements are necessary so there are no surprises later on.
Step Two: Get Access to Exclusive Perks and Discounts
Boardwalk Travel works with Disney, Universal, Expedia, Sheraton, and most other major travel vendors. Booking through their system means you get special access to discounted rates and perks that aren’t available to the general public.
The main reason why vendors offer these incentives is to keep attendance and occupancy rates high. Typically, these deals will be available during slower seasons when there are already fewer crowds. However, you can get lucky and find something during Halloween Time as well.
Another reason why vendors offer perks is because it’s a win-win situation. By allowing your clients to upgrade to better accommodations, both you and the vendor earn more money.
Step Three: Start Booking Your Vacations!
The sooner you book a trip to Disney, the better. As we mentioned, tickets sell out quickly, so you want to be as ahead of the curve as possible. Plus, once you go on a few vacations yourself, you can learn the ropes of how to become a travel agent, allowing you to work better with clients.
Also, because Boardwalk Travel allows you to work whenever you want, you can turn this into a viable money-making side hustle.
Become a Travel Agent and Start Vacationing More
Are you ready to experience Disneyland Halloween? Now is the perfect time to sign up with Boardwalk Travel Agency and start exploring these resorts. Best of all, Boardwalk pays up to 70 percent commissions, so you can get more money back in your pocket. Get started today!
