Inside the Magic of Disney Resorts and Cruise Line’s Halloween Celebrations

in Disney, Entertainment, Theme Parks

The Walt Disney Company is, without a doubt, the master of putting “Happy” into Halloween. With seven spirited spellbinding sites around the globe, Mickey Mouse and his friends conjure a haunting host of Halloween happenings to celebrate the spooky season.

From sea-worthy spooks onboard Disney Cruise ships to imaginative Halloween parades at any of six resort destinations, finding a fiendishly fun time for the season is easier than ever. We’ve gathered ghoulish treats from all over the world to bring you a cauldron full of Disney delights to help find the perfect pumpkin powered party.

The happy haunts are ready to assemble for a swinging wake. Either by sea or from France to Florida, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai or California – devilishly diverse Halloween fun can be found at all six Disney resorts.  Seven spirited selections to choose from, all ensure a Happy Halloween!

1. Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort (Anaheim California)

Initiating installation of spooky seasonal decor, Both Disney’s California Adventure and Disneyland parks prepare for Halloween Time in early September.

At Disney’s California Adventure, Oogie Boogie sets up shop at Carthay Circle while Cars Land turns up the chills with its Radiator Screams overlay.  After dark, the monsters materialize at the collector’s fortress for “Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark.”

Within New Orleans Square, at Disneyland Park, the Haunted Mansion continues its long-running rendezvous with Jack Skellington and the citizens of Halloween Town. In addition to Haunted Mansion Holiday, Space Mountain manifests its ghoulishly gripping transformation into Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy.

Arriving annually for fall festivities, Mickey’s Halloween Party takes place at Walt’s original park, Disneyland. The event emerges on select nights during the months of September and October. Trick or treat stations, Halloween parades, a Jack Skellington hosted “Halloween Screams” fireworks display and an appearance by the Headless Horseman.

2. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (Magic Kingdom, Orlando Florida)

This after hours, hard ticket event takes place on select nights from mid-August to the end of October at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.  Eerie experiences include a villain filled fireworks show, HalloWishes and a frightfully fun Boo to You Parade.

The Sanderson Sisters cast their spell over the crowd with the help Disney Villains during their “Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular” show.

Costumed characters, including rarely seen personalities like Jack and Sally (from “The Nightmare Before Christmas”), materialize along with macabre music from the Cadaver Dans.

3. Disney’s Halloween Festival (Disneyland Paris)

October and early November witness wickedly wonderful transformations as Disneyland Paris.  Eerie experiences include “tricked out tri-cycles” of Mickey’s Halloween Tricycle Gang on Main street, meet and greet with Disney Villains, photo ops with Mickey and Minnie in their Halloween costumes. Goofy greets guests with a swinging “Skeletoon Street Party.” The entire park receives ghoulishly great décor to create a fiendishly festive feel.  Halloween Festival is included with park admission.

4. Disney Halloween (Tokyo Disneyland Resort)

Both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea enchant guests with amazing Halloween entertainment. Each park has unique experiences and, during event days, allow guests to celebrate the season by dressing up.

In addition to a spooktaular “Nightmare Before Christmas” Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay, Tokyo Disneyland delivers a Halloween high energy, music-centric parade called “Halloween Pop’n LIVE.”

Villains rule during Halloween at Tokyo DisneySea.  The entire park is adorned with tributes to various villains. Mediterranean Harbor hosts the main event. Villains World features floats commanded by the likes of Ursula, Maleficent, Hades and Captain Hook. Micky Mouse and company join in the festive fun dressed their favorite foes.  A second show, Villains Halloween Party, offers comedic costume pointers to dressed up guests.

Halloween exclusive treats take over both locations. From Jack Skellington shaped curry bread with pumpkin cinnamon roll, to chicken and pumpkin pizza (both in festive packaging), amazing discoveries await at Tokyo Disneyland park. An equally intriguing selection of villain themed temptations terrorizes the DisneySea park.

5. Disney Halloween Time (Hong Kong Disneyland)

From mid-September through Halloween, visitors to Hong Kong Disneyland celebrates the season with a delightfully dark event.  “Disney Halloween Time’ includes a spooktacular street party, terror-ific trick or treating, and haunting Halloween décor.

Character greetings from ghoulish greats like Jack Skellington, Mickey Mouse, and friends along with a Pirates of the Caribbean Ghost Trail offer opportunities for excitement and up-close encounters.

Disney Villains have their own “Night Out,” a frightfully fun take over of Fantasy Gardens by Disney’s biggest baddies.

Brave guests can also face their fears from “the darker side of Disney stories” as they enter “Maze of Madness: The Nightmare Experiment

6. Disney’s Halloween Extravaganza (Shanghai Disneyland)

Halloween descended upon Shanghai Disneyland for the first time (2017). Disney’s Halloween Extravaganza emerged from the end of September to October 31st at Disney’s newest theme park. After dark, the spooks assembled for a nightly jamboree. Fearsome fun from ghost pirates at Treasure Cove to Guardians of the Galaxy dance parties in Tomorrowland entertained guests.

Adding to the fearsome festival, a trio of terror, Maleficent, Dr. Facilier and Hades, headlined a brand new nocturnal processional: “Villains’ Cavalcade”

Fearsome festivities spilled over into Disneytown as well. Devilishly delightful decorations appeared throughout the district as DJs powered Halloween Character dance parties on the weekends.  Disneytown shops hosted a Halloween weekend of Trick or treating for guests under 16 years old.

7. Halloween on the High Seas Cruises (Disney Cruise Lines)

Halloween on the High Seas means fall fun onboard Disney Cruise Lines! Maritime magic manifests with ghost stories, costume contests, and Nightmare Before Christmas Sing and Scream sessions.  During the voyage, Disney chefs will conjure up sweet spooky seasonal treats to tempt travelers.

Each liner (Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Wonder and Disney Magic) hauntingly highlights its very own unique “Mysterious Pumpkin Tree.” These peculiar perpendicular pumpkin patches magically transform from eerily quiet centerpiece during the day to nightly life of the party.

Halloween on the High Seas set sail starting in September through October. Check Disney Cruise Line’s website for departure details.

Source and images: Disney Cruise Line, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Mickey’s Halloween Party, Hong Kong Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Shanghai Disney Resort, TDR Explorer, YouTube, ITM Archives

 

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