10 Best Things to Do During Halloween Time at Disneyland 2026

Halloween Time is one of the best seasons at the Disneyland Resort. The parks are filled with pumpkins, attraction overlays, character costumes, nighttime entertainment and food that you can only find for a limited time. For 2026, Halloween Time runs from August 21 through October 31.

There is far more to do than most guests can fit into one day, so I narrowed it down to the 10 best things to do during Halloween Time at Disneyland. This list includes experiences in both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, plus one separately ticketed party.

For dates, entertainment schedules, attraction details and all the planning information in one place, start with my complete 2026 guide to Halloween Time at Disneyland.

Planning a Disneyland Halloween trip? I put together a complete 2026 Disneyland Halloween Time Game Plan to make planning so much easier! It includes park plans for Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Oogie Boogie Bash and non-party nights, plus food tips, character information, packing lists, checklists and helpful bonuses. Take a peek inside the guide and find the perfect plan for your Halloween trip!

Halloween Time 2026 Dates

• Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort: August 21 through October 31, 2026
• Plaza de la Familia: August 21 through November 2, 2026
• Oogie Boogie Bash: 33 select nights from August 18 through October 31, 2026

Pin this guide so you can find it when you are planning!

1. See the Main Street Pumpkin Festival

The giant Mickey pumpkin near the entrance to Disneyland Park is the classic Halloween Time photo. Main Street, U.S.A. is also filled with hundreds of smaller pumpkins, fall colors and jack-o’-lanterns inspired by the businesses along the street.

Do not rush straight past the details. Look above the storefronts, around the lamp posts and inside the windows. Visit early in the morning for an easier photo by the Mickey pumpkin, then walk through Main Street again after dark when everything is glowing.

2. Ride Haunted Mansion Holiday

Haunted Mansion Holiday returns on August 21, 2026. Jack Skellington and the residents of Halloween Town transform the mansion into a wonderfully strange combination of Halloween and Christmas. The enormous gingerbread house in the ballroom changes each year, giving returning guests something new to look for.

This is one of the most popular attractions of the season. Ride early or reserve a Lightning Lane return time when available. The mansion’s exterior decorations are also worth seeing after dark.

3. Explore Cars Land Haul-O-Ween

Cars Land becomes Radiator Screams with automotive spiders, cone-shaped jack-o’-lanterns and some of the most creative decorations in either park. The residents of Radiator Springs also appear in clever car-themed costumes.

Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree becomes Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree, while Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters receives its own seasonal music and celebration. Visit during the day to notice the details and return after sunset for the neon lighting.

4. Ride Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark

Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! changes into Monsters After Dark in the late afternoon. The story continues after the daytime mission, with Rocket returning to the fortress to rescue Groot from the creatures that were accidentally released.

The seasonal version has a different song, lighting and story, so it feels like a completely different attraction. Return times can disappear quickly. Check the Disneyland app early if Monsters After Dark is one of your priorities.

5. Watch Halloween Screams

Halloween Screams features projections, music, special effects and Jack Skellington as the host. Projections are scheduled nightly from August 21 through October 31, 2026, with fireworks added on select nights.

Check the entertainment schedule for your date because fireworks are not guaranteed every night and can be canceled because of weather. Sleeping Beauty Castle and Main Street offer the most complete view, while the it’s a small world facade is another excellent projection location.

6. Meet Characters in Their Halloween Costumes

Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and their friends wear special Halloween costumes during the season. The costumes can change from year to year, which makes these photos feel different from a normal Disneyland character meeting.

Check the Disneyland app for current character locations and appearance times. If photos are important to you, meet characters earlier in the day before lines grow and schedules become more limited.

7. Try the Seasonal Halloween Food

The Halloween menus are huge, with limited-time meals, snacks, desserts and drinks throughout both parks, Downtown Disney and the Disneyland Resort hotels. Popular mobile-order windows can fill, so decide what you want before you become hungry.

My Disneyland Halloween Foodie Guide has the current menus and a free printable checklist. I recommend printing it, marking the items you want to try and checking them off as you go so you do not forget a favorite while you are in the parks.

8. Visit Plaza de la Familia

Plaza de la Familia celebrates Día de los Muertos with colorful decor, music and activities centered on family and remembrance. The area is inspired by Coco and is one of the most beautiful seasonal spaces at Disney California Adventure.

Plaza de la Familia runs from August 21 through November 2, 2026, a few days longer than Halloween Time. Check the daily entertainment schedule so you can plan around the live performances and activities.

9. Join Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit

Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit is a fun scavenger hunt that runs from August 21 through October 31, 2026. Purchase a map and stickers for $11.99 plus tax at a participating location, then search for 13 character-themed pumpkins in the designated hunt area.

Match the correct sticker to each pumpkin on your map, then return the completed—or even partially completed—map to a redemption location for a keepsake. It is an easy activity to work into your day when attraction waits are high or you want to slow down and explore.

10. Attend Oogie Boogie Bash

Oogie Boogie Bash is a separately ticketed Halloween party at Disney California Adventure. In 2026, it takes place on 33 select nights from August 18 through October 31. Event tickets allow entry beginning at 3 p.m., and the party runs from 6 to 11 p.m.

The 2026 party includes immersive Villains Grove, villain treat trails, rare character encounters and trick-or-treating. The new Madame Leota’s Swinging Wake – A Haunted Mansion Street Party replaces the former parade, and Ichabod Crane’s encounter with the Headless Horseman adds another new piece of street entertainment.

You do not need Oogie Boogie Bash tickets to enjoy Halloween Time at Disneyland, but the party offers experiences that are not available during a regular park day. Read my complete 2026 Oogie Boogie Bash guide before deciding whether it fits your trip.

Planning Tips for Halloween Time

• Make a theme park reservation. Standard Disneyland tickets require valid admission and a park reservation.
• Check the Oogie Boogie Bash calendar. Disney California Adventure closes to regular guests at 6 p.m. on party nights, which also affects crowds at Disneyland Park.
• Arrive for rope drop. The first hours of the day are the best time for popular seasonal attractions and photos.
• Use mobile order early. Limited-time food makes popular restaurants especially busy.
• Plan for warm weather. August, September and October can still be hot even though the parks look like fall.

My updated Disneyland Halloween crowd guide explains the best 2026 dates to visit and how Oogie Boogie Bash shifts crowds between the two parks.

Discount Disneyland Tickets

My partners at Get Away Today offer discounted Disneyland tickets and vacation packages, plus helpful customer service and layaway plans. If you bundle your park tickets and hotel, use code MIX10 to save an extra $10 on a qualifying package. That is more Halloween treat money, friends!

You do not have to do all 10 things to have an amazing Halloween visit. Pick the experiences that matter most to your group, leave room for the seasonal details and remember to see your favorite areas in both daylight and after dark. Halloween Time changes the entire atmosphere of the Disneyland Resort, and that is what makes it so much fun.

For more Disneyland planning videos, visit my YouTube channel. You can also find the Mix In Some Magic podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast app.