Disney Axes Halloween Last Minute, Even More Cancellations Expected This Week

Disney pulled plans for its spooky celebration yesterday, disappointing guests who gathered to celebrate the Halloween season at its parks.

While Disney’s theme parks go all-out for a wide variety of festive occasions, Halloween is arguably up there with the most popular times of year.

At Walt Disney World Resort, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party embraces the wicked revelry of the studio’s most iconic villains while also loading guests up on an unimaginable amount of free candy (well, as free as anything that comes with a ticket priced up to $229 can really be).

The same is true on the West Coast, with Disneyland Resort offering similar fun at Oogie Boogie Bash – an event that also offers adult guests the freedom to dress up in character costumes and encounter rarer characters, such as Mother Gothel, Sid from Toy Story, and Syndrome (whose costume has faced backlash from diehard Disney fans).

While some Disney parks no longer host ticketed Halloween events — Disneyland Paris seemingly retired its Halloween party several years ago — the seasonal spirit is still alive. At Tokyo Disney Resort, both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea mark the occasion with a full slate of offerings.

Tokyo Disney Resort Axes Early Halloween Offerings

This year’s Disney Halloween begins today, September 17. A planned preview on September 16 was largely canceled, leaving many guests disappointed after braving early morning crowds to ensure good views.

Tokyo Disneyland’s “The Villains’ Halloween ‘Into the Frenzy'” – its daily parade through the Halloween season – was pulled at the last minute as temperatures soared over 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Performances of this kind are often axed when hot or humid weather may pose a threat to character performers, many of whom wear heavy costumes, wigs, or masks.

If an incident that took place at Shanghai Disneyland earlier this summer – in which a character performer dressed as Tigger collapsed mid-performance – tells us anything, it’s that it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Despite the heat, guests were pictured optimistically waiting for the parade in the plaza at the end of World Bazaar (the park’s version of Main Street, U.S.A.) prior to its official cancellation.

10時
プラザ既に最前埋まりました
どうかご無事で… pic.twitter.com/kmCI2nvF2q

— しろちゃん (@bonocyan) September 17, 2025

Later that same day, Tokyo Disney Resort (which is owned by The Oriental Land Company, not Disney) axed its planned performance of Night High Halloween. This would have marked Tokyo Disney Resort’s first fireworks performance since the traditional summer cancellation of Sky Full of Colors.

While it didn’t confirm the reasons why, the Tokyo Disney Resort website does note that “depending on the wind conditions, the performance may be canceled.”

Unsurprisingly, guests were disappointed by the last-minute cancellations, with local news outlets reporting that they were particularly let down by the lack of parade. Guests may face further disappointment as today’s weather forecast predicts even higher temperatures, with thunderstorms also slated for September 18 that will likely cause further operational issues.

Fortunately, temperatures are expected to drop from Friday onwards.

Other elements of this year’s Halloween season at the resort include Haunted Mansion Holiday Nightmare – similar to the festive overlay found at Disneyland Park through Halloween and Christmas – and the Disney Halloween Greeting at Tokyo DisneySea.

From September 16 through September 30, and from October 16 through October 31, guests also have the rare opportunity to visit Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea in full character costumes.

Have you ever experienced Halloween at Tokyo Disney Resort?