Now through October 31, 2018, you can get your Halloween on in a big way at the Disneyland Resort.  They are always uping their game and this year the Disney culinary masters have unleashed a huge menu of tasty treats that will most definitely tickle your taste buds.  Of course, Jack Skellington is back and has decked the halls of the Haunted Mansion, while Oogie Boogie has scared up a batty good time over at the California Adventure, including the amazingly decorated Haul-O-Ween fun at Radiator Springs with vampire Mater and his friends.  Both parks are also celebrating el Dia de los Muertos with colorful displays, delicious food, and lasting memories.  Join us as we cover the parks so you won’t miss a thing…

The First Decision – Where to Start Your Day?

The mood is set as you walk toward the main entrance.  The Fab 5, carved from pumpkins and gourds, of course, greet you on the Disneyland side of the plaza while Oogie Boogie beckons you over to join the festivities at the California Adventure.  There is plenty of atmosphere in either direction so it’s up to you to decide where to start first.  Which way you head depends solely upon what your prime HalloweenTime objective is – Attractions, Treats, or Atmosphere – and both parks have it all.

Tasty Treats

I’ve never really been a churro fan but my cousin’s son, RJ,  is a true fanatic and several years ago he awoke the inner love for churros in me and I’ve been rather addicted ever since.  And when they started introducing flavored churros, well, just try to hold me back!  Some say that they have gotten out of hand but I say, BRING IT!  You can never go wrong with the Pumpkin Spice but if pumpkin is not your thing, there are several other options to tempt you.   The HiolloweenTme collection does not disappoint, here is the official rundown of what you’ll find and where you’ll find them:

Disneyland 

• Frontierland near Big Thunder Mountain – Orange Sugar Churro with Candy Corn Sauce
• New Orleans Square near Haunted Mansion – Pumpkin Spice Churro with Cream Cheese Frosting
• The Hub near Sleeping Beauty Castle – Maleficent Churro covered with chocolate cookie crumbles blended with colored sugar 
• Town Square – Maleficent Churro covered with chocolate cookie crumbles blended with colored sugar
• Tomorrowland near Buzz Lightyear – Sour Apple Churro (with the option to add Caramel Sauce to this one!)

California Adventure

• Willie’s Churros near Carthay Circle – Purple, Green, and Orange Sugar Churro; Pumpkin Spice Churro
• Grizzly Peak near Redwood Creek Challenge Trail – S’mores Churro with graham cracker, chocolate chips, and a marshmallow drizzle
• Paradise Gardens near Goofy’s Sky School – Purple Sugar Churro
• Cars Land at the Cozy Cone Motel – Pumpkin Spice Churro with Cream Cheese Dipping Sauce

There are also churro related items at a couple locations:

• Hungry Bear Restaurant – Churro Bites Cereal Sundae with fruit cereal-dusted churros, cereal milk anglaise, strawberry ice cream, and raspberry sauce
• Golden Horseshoe – Churro Sundae with cookie butter gelato garnished with a cinnamon sugar-dusted churro and topped with cajeta and whipped cream

For a comprehensive, colorful, descriptive list and pictorial of all of the HalloweenTime offerings, that will undoubtedly have your mouth watering, head on over to the Disney Parks Blog!

Dia de Los Muertos

One of the highlights of HalloweenTime is the homage to Dia de los Muertos. The Day of the Dead is a multi-day Mexican holiday focused on the gathering of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey.  In 2018 the official dates are Wednesday, October 31 through Friday, November 2 but at the Disneyland Resort, this party has already started in both parks.

Disneyland

• El Zocalo Park – Located adjacent to the Rancho El Zocalo restaurant near Big Thunder Mountain you’ll find a colorful salute to the day of the dead where you can learn the history and traditions of the holiday

California Adventure

• Plaza de la Familia – Make sure you schedule the time to visit the Paradise Garden Grill area which has been transformed into the Plaza de la Familia to celebrate el Dia de los Muertos through music, history, and tradition.  Miguel, Mama Coco, Pepita, Dante, and others join the celebration and during the street party, the Grammy award-winning Mariachi Divas make an awesome appearance.  Take a few moments of reflection at the  Árbol de la Vida, or Tree of Life, where you can write down your thoughts for your loved ones and hang them on the chains or wall of memories

Attractions

Seasonal overlays are as popular as the churros!  Wait, what?  Okay, perhaps not as popular as the churro’s but they certainly add a ton-o-fun to the festivities and each brings its own twist to the party.  They are all popular so grab a Max or Fastpass if you can.  It will allow you to get them all in during your visit if your timing is right.  The Haunted Mansion Holiday and Monster’s After Dark provide you with the best wait time experiences, in my opinion, so if the queue isn’t too long it’s more immersive and will build your anticipation for the adventure.

Disneyland

• Haunted Mansion Holiday – Join Jack, Sally and the entire crew from Halloween Town as they deck the Haunted Mansion with their version of Christmas.  Did you know that the gingerbread house in the ballroom scene is created with a new design each year by the Disneyland Bakery and Entertainment staffs?  The smell of gingerbread permeates the air as you pass – the season doesn’t officially start without a whiff!
• Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy –  Yep, galactic ghouls are out to get you on this seasonal version of Space Mountain

California Adventure

• Mater’s Junkyard JamBOOree – It’s an awesome seasonal hoe-down at Mater’s junkyard.  Don’t miss stopping by the little petting zoo to the right of the attraction entrance where you can snap a pic with a mummified towtruck!
• Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween – the dance floor is festooned, the cars are gassed-up, and the holiday music is ready for you to get your groove on!
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Monsters After Dark – How on earth can this attraction keep getting better?!?  This time around Rocket is working to rescue Groot from a cavalcade of creatures within the Collector’s fortress.  An original seasonal soundtrack plays in the background which rounds it all out.  RIP Hollywood Tower Hotel!  The monsters come out each day at 5 pm – the awesome regular version of GOTG: Mission Breakout run throughout the day

Decorations, Shopping, Entertainment & Photo Ops

Disneyland

• The Main Street Pumpkin Festival – It is pretty hard to miss the gigantic Mickey pumpkin in Town Square but take some time to explore the hundreds of other pumpkins scattered throughout the area.  Many are themed to the shops they inhabit and were created with great artistry and sense of humor.  The Elvis pumpkin above the music shop for example, or the poor pumpkin who lost part of his mustache during a shave at the Emporium, the list goes on and on – see how many you can discover
• Villians & Old Friends Abound – If you are looking to gossip with Cruella DeVille or hang with Jafar it won’t be long after you enter the turnstile until you come face-to-face with one of the Disney Villians.  Mickey and his friends are also in costume and meeting guests in the Town Square area
• Fortuosity Shop –  It would be hard to validate this statement because there is so much going on at the resort, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say that this shop is, by far, the most decorated of them all.  You immediately notice the murder of crows that are staring down at your from every perch available but then as you look closer there is one of the best collection of vintage Halloween decor to be found anywhere.  Don’t have time to take it all in – we’ve got you covered.  Check out the video below!
• The Hub – Surrounding the beloved Partners statue of Walt and Mickey in the Hub are pumpkins carved to represent each of the radiating lands.  These make this an even better photo spot than usual
• The Halloween Tree – The plaque at the foot of the tree reads; “On the night of Halloween 207 this stately oak officially became the Halloween Tree realizing famed author Ray Bradbury’s dream of having his symbol for the holiday become a part of Disneyland.”  The tree is ablaze with lights at night and is a must see on your visit,  For more of the backstory click HERE
• VIP Tour – Wandering the parks on your own giving you FOMO?  RSVP for one of the special Happiest Haunts Tours which takes you on 2.5-hour adventure where you’ll get the backstory on your favorite haunted attractions, movies, & characters
• Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party –  This special separate ticketed event sells out quickly, as a matter of fact as of the date we published this post all of the 2018 parties have been sold out.  I’ve never been but I hear that they are fun for the whole family with trick or treating, photo ops galore, workable crowds, a special Halloween parade and fireworks and more.  If you are interested in getting your tickets next year – watch the Disneyland website mid-summer – beginning in 2019, the party will be moving to the California Adventure to make way for another little thing opening at Disneyland- Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

California Adventure

• The Shops of Buena Vista Street – I am a sucker for vintage holiday decor and the windows of these shop are a great demonstration of blending the old and the new.  I look forward to seeing what’s new every year.  I dare say that these windows just might be the best during Halloween
• The Headless Horseman – This statue instantly gets you into the spirit of the season and becomes even eerier at night when the lighting and music amp up exponentially with freight.  It made its first appearance out in front of the Ellias and Company Store last year and we’re happy to see it return
• Radiator Screams – The entire town is decked out in its haul-o-ween finest, even the cars have gotten into the spirit with their creepiest costumes.  The lighting ceremony at dusk is also remixed and highjacked by ghosts

Around the Parks

I can never get enough of HalloweenTime at the Disneyland Resort.  Just wandering the exploring is half the fun.  We’d love to hear what your favorites are!  Are you a pumpkin spice churro lover or do you stick with the original?  Haunted Mansion Holiday or Monsters After Dark?  Leave us a comment and let us know what you look forward to.

Want More Halloween at the Happiest Place?

Need even more?  There are a ton of Disney Vloggers out there that can keep you occupied until Halloween and beyond:

• Fresh Baked
• Offhand Disney
• A Slice of Disney
• Life Disney
• Inside Disney

And for information on all things Disney, go to my favorite source – Mousetalgia.com

Get up, get out and Be Forever Wandering But Not Lost!

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