Halloween at Disney World: How to Have a Spooktacular Time!

Will you be at Disney World for Halloween? Learn more about special opportunities for fun!

Halloween at Disney World is a spooktacular time to visit! Enjoy the special offerings and festive celebrations with these tips.

a float from Mickey's Boo to You parade during Halloween at Walt Disney World

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Halloween is a time for tricks and treats, but a Walt Disney World Halloween is all about the family-friendly spooks!

For 2021, the Halloween season officially kicks off with the Disney After Hours Boo Bash on August 10th, which will have trick-or-treating stations throughout the park.

Guests can also enjoy various entertainment like Halloween cavalcades, Miss Carlotta spinning stories on the lawn of the Haunted Mansion, and the back-from-the-dead a capella singing group, the Cadaver Dans!

There’s nothing like celebrating the Halloween season at Walt Disney World, and in this article, we’re sharing what you need to know to plan a great fall vacation.

Check out my free printable Halloween countdown chain to count down the days until your trip!

You can also print some free Disney Halloween coloring pages to keep kids busy on the drive or flight to Orlando!

Choose from our favorite Disney Halloween shirts to wear through the parks!

When Does Halloween Start At The Park?

The Halloween season officially starts on August 10th, 2021 with Mickey pumpkin wreaths around the parks.

You’ll start seeing more fall leaves and Halloween decorations going up at Disney World and we get closer to October 31st.

Halloween at Disney World

Let’s take a look at the fun offerings you can experience during a trip to Disney this time of year.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

The long-running Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party was temporarily replaced with the Halloween Boo Bash for a couple of years, but the original is back!

The Not-So-Scary event starts in Magic Kingdom at 7pm (with admission beginning at 4pm) on selected nights from August 11th to November 1st.

Guests can enjoy Disney After Hours, which means they’ll have access to fun rides and attractions after hours.

The attractions slated to be open during the after hours event include:

Trick-or-treating stations will be set up throughout the park for guests of all ages to get Halloween candy (they have allergy-friendly options, too!).

Party guests can also dress up in their favorite costume to take part in the fun! Start shopping for your spooky attire here so you’ll be ready!

If you don’t want to wear a costume, check out our Halloween option on our list of favorite Disney family shirts!

Some of the WDW attractions also get a Halloween makeover for the fall season including the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain.

You won’t want to miss these special seasonal changes.

Note: Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party event is an extra charge and reservations are needed.

Halloween Decorations

Disney World’s Halloween is a time when everything gets a spooky makeover, from decorations like ghosts and spiders to costumes that guests can wear!

It all starts in early August when Mickey pumpkin wreaths, Mickey-shaped pumpkins, and spooky lights start popping up around the parks.

Be sure to check out these Mickey Mouse pumpkin carving ideas for when you’re back at home!

Each park has their own Halloween style, and these decorations can be seen up to the end of October.

After Halloween, the parks begin decorating for Christmas at Disney World!

Halloween Merchandise

There are tons of great Disney-themed costumes for kids at Walt Disney World, including Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as pirates and princesses, as well as Disney Villains like the Queen of Hearts.

You’ll also find plenty of limited-time offerings that are only available during this time of year, including Halloween-themed gifts, clothing, toys, and accessories.

This kind of exclusive merchandise is the stuff Disney fans’ dreams are made of!

Halloween Treat and Drinks

Let’s be honest, iconic Disney snacks are part of the experience no matter what time of year you visit Disney World.

But during the fall, there are also plenty of limited-edition Halloween treats available at various carts around the parks.

Some of the highlights from years past include the Constance’s For Better or For Worse Wedding Cake (a Haunted Mansion themed cupcake with an axe on the top), a pumpkin spice milkshake complete with an orange Mickey-shaped marshmallow, and even a poor unfortunate souls Ursula ice cream float with a wicked twist.

This year, you’ll be able to snag a Foolish Mortal Funnel Cake or an Apple Ginger Dale frozen drink!

There’s just no denying Disney’s attention to detail and these snacks add a touch of Halloween magic to the parks each fall.

Characters in Costume

Halloween at Disney World is the one time of year where you’ll see characters dressed up in spooky costumes and running around throughout the parks.

In addition to any costumed character, there are also several special walk-around characters that make appearances during this season.

You can find some favorite Disney villains like Dr. Facilier from The Princess and the Frog or the Evil Queen from Snow White, as well as more iconic villains from your favorite Disney movies!

It’s a great way for kids (or adults) to get their photo taken with these memorable Disney icons – just be sure not to forget your camera!

Daisy Duck in a Halloween-themed costume during a parade at Disney World

Halloween at Disney Springs

The fun doesn’t stop at the Magic Kingdom!

Halloween celebrations also continue at Disney Springs with new merchandise and decorations popping up on the streets.

Although details haven’t yet been released for 2021, Disney Springs often hosts the “Fall into Magic at Disney Springs” event.

This often includes special fall-themed dining fare, such as a Halloween Cookie Dough Waffle Taco, loaded pumpkin macaroni and cheese, and chicken adobo nachos with pumpkin cheese sauce.

Food is a big part of the experience at Disney Springs, so be sure to check out our favorite restaurants at Disney Springs.

Not only that, but you can typically find a plethora of Halloween-themed merchandise at World of Disney during the season.

There are plenty of fun photo opportunities for guests to explore as well!

You can check back here for details as October draws nearer.

Halloween at Hollywood Studios

In years past, Hollywood Studios hosted “Minnie’s Halloween Dine at Hollywood & Vine,” a special Halloween-themed character dining experience at the Hollywood & Vine restaurant.

In 2020, a modified version of this event was held, where characters were visible but did not visit tables during that experience.

Disney has not yet announced whether it will hold this event in 2021.

Halloween at Epcot

While Epcot does not host any specific Halloween-themed events, this time of year is when the International Food and Wine Festival takes place at our favorite Disney theme park for adults.

This event is definitely a great reason to add Epcot to your fall travel itinerary!

Does Animal Kingdom Do Anything for Halloween?

While the majority of the Halloween fun takes place at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom does sometimes offer some fun Halloween-themed snacks, desserts, and beverages.

Disney is known for putting a lot of effort into even the littlest of details, and this is one of those examples. You can see some of the past offerings of Halloween-themed treats at Animal Kingdom.

a large artificial Jack-o-Lantern in the shape of a Mickey Mouse head, made with three pumpkins, on display at Disney World during Halloween

Where Can I Find More Info About Halloween at Disney World?

Don’t forget to check the My Disney Experience app for more information and updates about what’s happening during the season.

The Walt Disney World Resort is home to all your favorite things about fall, so if you’re looking for an exciting holiday experience plan a trip during Halloween at Walt Disney World today!

Be sure to add these Disney Halloween songs to your playlist to get you in the mood for your trip!

Not only that, but you can download a free countdown to Halloween chain–it’s perfect for eager anticipation of the day!

Download a free printable Halloween countdown chain!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this preview of Halloween at Disney World! Make sure to save this post so you can find it later when you’re planning your fall visit to Walt Disney World.

And if you have Disney friends that would love to visit during this spooky time of year, make sure you share this post with them. We’ll see you in the parks!

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