Heading to Disneyland during Halloween is an exciting experience full of spooky fun, thrilling rides, and festive treats. However, it can also be overwhelming with crowds, long lines, and the ever-popular seasonal items. Don’t worry! Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a Disneyland regular, these five tips and hacks will help you make the most of your visit during this magical (and slightly spooky) time of year.
@thedavidvaughn Disneyland Halloween Tips for 2023 🎃 PUMPKIN PICTURE HACK – The line for the Mickey Pumpkin on Main Street lasts day and night and can take a while, even if it looks short. If you don’t want to wait, you can snap a photo of it north of the flag pole. You’ll be further back, but you can still get a memorable photo! Just wait until the moment between parties taking their photos next to the pumpkin. 🍿 HALLOWEEN POPCORN BUCKETS – The Nightmare Mayor Car and Mickey Skeleton Buckets are very popular this year! They’re around $32 each and sell out fast. • The Nightmare Before Christmas Mayor’s Car Bucket Locations: Popcorn cart near Haunted Mansion and New Orleans Square Outdoor Vending Cart (Disneyland) & Popcorn near Carthay Circle Restaurant, Popcorn at Grizzly Peak Airfield, Popcorn at Pixar Pier, and Outdoor Vending (Disney California Adventure) • Mickey Mouse Skeleton Bucket Locations: Various popcorn carts throughout Disneyland park and not available at Disney California Adventure. 🕷️ MEETING HALLOWEEN CHARACTERS – The Fab Five and their friends meet on Main Street, U.S.A., throughout the day. Characters usually appear near the hub on Main Street, and you also may see them all together at the start and end of the day on the steps of the railroad station. Jack and Sally meet guests next to Pieces of Eight in New Orleans Square. 💥 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: MONSTERS AFTER DARK – Two versions of the ride show throughout the day. The original version, Mission: BREAKOUT!, runs from open until 2 pm. The ride takes a break for about an hour and returns as Monsters After Dark at 3 pm. In this version, guests help Rocket find Baby Groot as alien monsters roam the building. It’s an entirely new experience and worth checking out both! Guests with Genie+ can book each version of the ride; just look on the Tip Board in the Disneyland app. Disneyland posts warnings that this version may be too scary for kids. 👻 HAUNTED MANSION HOLIDAY – The Nightmare Before Christmas overlay returns from Sept 1 through early Jan 2024! During this season, it’s one of the most popular rides in the park. I highly recommend riding the attraction at the start of the day as lines can grow very long #disneylandhalloween#hauntedmansion#disneyland#disneyparks#spookyseason#halloween#disneycaliforniaadventure#guardiansofthegalaxy#greenscreen♬ Halloween ・ cute horror song(191109) – PeriTune
1. Get a Picture of the Iconic Mickey Pumpkin Without the Line
The giant Mickey pumpkin on Main Street is a must-have photo op for many Disneyland visitors during Halloween, but the line for a picture with it can get really long. Here’s a hack: instead of waiting in line, stand near the flag pole on Main Street. From this spot, you can capture a picture of the Mickey pumpkin without any people blocking your shot. Just be patient and wait for the right moment when other visitors aren’t in the frame. This trick saves you time while still allowing you to get that perfect, Instagram-worthy shot of this iconic Disneyland Halloween decoration.
2. Popcorn Bucket Restock Strategy
Disneyland’s limited-edition popcorn buckets are always a hot commodity, especially during Halloween when themed designs are released. If the popcorn bucket you want is sold out at the moment, don’t give up! Keep checking back throughout the day because there’s a good chance that Disneyland will restock them periodically. While there is always the risk of them selling out for good, later in the Halloween season (October, in particular), they tend to be more available. If you’re aiming for one of these collectible buckets, keep an eye out, but act fast when you see it!
3. Meet Your Favorite Halloween Characters on Main Street
One of the most exciting parts of Disneyland during Halloween is the chance to meet your favorite Disney characters in their Halloween costumes. If you’re eager to meet them, head to Main Street in the morning. This is where characters like Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and more appear in their Halloween attire. The characters rotate throughout the day, so you’ll likely meet different ones each time you visit the area.
For those who are fans of “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, Jack Skellington and Sally are also available for meet-and-greets in New Orleans Square. Since these characters are extremely popular, be prepared to wait in line, but it’s worth it for those one-of-a-kind Halloween photos!
4. Experience Guardians of the Galaxy: Monsters After Dark
If you’re a fan of thrill rides, you’ll love this Halloween twist on a Disneyland favorite. After 3 PM, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! transforms into Guardians of the Galaxy: Monsters After Dark. This scarier, high-intensity version of the ride features a new storyline and even more thrilling drops.
Here’s a pro tip: If you’re using Disney Genie+, you can book both versions of the ride on the same day. Reserve the original Guardians of the Galaxy experience earlier in the day and then ride Monsters After Dark after 3 PM for a totally different experience. This way, you get double the fun and double the scares!
5. Prioritize Haunted Mansion Holiday Over Rise of the Resistance
During the Halloween season, one of the most popular attractions at Disneyland is Haunted Mansion Holiday, which gets a spooky makeover inspired by “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. The line for this ride can get incredibly long, so it’s wise to prioritize it early in your day, even over Rise of the Resistance.
Why? Haunted Mansion Holiday is unique to the Halloween and Christmas seasons, so it’s only available for a limited time. Plus, the attraction’s themed overlay makes it a must-do during the Halloween season. If you’re a big fan of Jack Skellington, Oogie Boogie, and the spooky ambiance, you won’t want to miss this version of the ride.
Conclusion
Visiting Disneyland during Halloween can be an unforgettable experience, but having a strategy in place will help you make the most of it. From grabbing that perfect Mickey pumpkin photo to riding special holiday versions of popular attractions, these tips and hacks will ensure you have a spooktacular time. So, grab your Mickey ears, your favorite Halloween costume, and get ready for an enchanting and eerie adventure!
For more Disneyland Halloween tips, be sure to follow along for all the insider tricks and updates!
if you’re going to Disneyland this Halloween season here are 5 tips and hacks you gotta hear before going so first up if you want a picture of the Mickey pumpkin without the line stand here on Main Street of the flag pole people stand here take their picture with the Mickey pumpkin you’ll take your picture here and just wait until they’re not there second if they sell the popcorn bucket that you’re looking for keep checking back throughout the day because it’s possible they could restock I also do expect the popcorn buckets will be more available later in the season though you do risk them selling out for good it is also a strong possibility that in October you’ll be able to easily get them third if you wanna meet Halloween characters this year they are on Main Street they rotate out different characters starting in the morning you can also meet Jack and Sally here in New Orleans Square fourth in the evening Guardians of the galaxy becomes even scarier Guardians of the Galaxy Monsters after dark starts after three PM so if you’re using Disney Genie plus you’ll be able to book two versions of the ride originals in the first part of the day and then after three is Monsters After Dark before I show you the last one make sure you follow me for more Disneyland Halloween tips so if I ride Haunted Mansion holiday early the line can get incredibly long I would even prioritize it over rise the resistance
