Disney has announced that Halloween Time at Disneyland and California Adventure will return with frightfully fun experiences and entertainment in September and October 2023. This post shares details of the announcement, what’s missing, and what else to expect.
We’ll start with the big thing that’s missing…dates! Disneyland hasn’t released specific dates for anything. As covered in our full 2023 Guide to Halloween at Disneyland Resort, spook season started the first Friday of September last year, just in time for the Labor Day holiday weekend.
We expect that precedent to be followed again, meaning Halloween Time at Disneyland will run from September 1 through October 31, 2023. It’s also likely that some of the festivities will continue beyond that for Día de los Muertos on November 2, 2023.
Keep in mind that this is just a guess, albeit an informed one. Disneyland typically begins Halloween Time on a Friday–there’s always the possibility they’ll start a week earlier this year, kicking off on August 25, 2023–but that would be the first time Halloween at Disneyland starts in August.
Honestly, given the high-demand for all things Halloween, the season should kick off earlier. Pulling forward some demand to the off-season right after school goes back into session would be the savvy move, and is precisely what Walt Disney World has done for years.
Sure, some Disneyland diehards would complain about Halloween starting in summer, but that’s going to happen regardless. The reality is that Halloween draws huge crowds and Oogie Boogie Bash sold out in record time last year.
Adding more dates–both for Halloween as a whole and the hard ticket party–is simply the smart move and a good way to even out crowds throughout spook season. It would be more lucrative for Disneyland and better for guests, even if it resulted in some complaints.
In terms of what else is missing…almost all other details! The good news is that most of the major draws of spook season returned to Disneyland and DCA last year. Last year was an almost entirely normal Halloween season at Disneyland, with only a couple of very minor exceptions–and those omissions could be gone for good.
Haunted Mansion Holiday and Guardians of the Galaxy — Monsters After Dark were both back, as were the Halloween Screams fireworks and the Frightfully Fun Parade. All of the beloved seasonal décor like the giant Mickey Mouse jack-o’-lantern on Main Street was out, and delicious fall treats were available for purchase.
Now let’s turn to what Disneyland has announced for Halloween 2023. Most notably, Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween Party will return to Disney California Adventure. We’ve had a blast at that event in its first 3 years, and have every intention of attending again. Each year, there are new and different offerings, and they’re often not announced until after tickets go on sale. (Last year, the new additions weren’t announced until after tickets totally sold out.)
Our Guide to Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party covers anticipated dates, details, and pricing, so we won’t rehash that here. For those who are wondering, tickets didn’t go on sale for Oogie Boogie Bash until the middle of summer last year. Disneyland typically has a more laid back approach to Halloween party ticket sales–probably because they sell out quickly, regardless. I could be wrong, but I wouldn’t expect Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party tickets to go on sale before June 2023.
Next up, Disneyland Resort has revealed the new Halloween 2023 outfits for Minnie & Mickey Mouse!
This year, they’ll don luminescent sheer fabrics that will give a ghostly glow to their festive new ensembles at Disneyland. Be on the lookout for lots of cobwebs and details like bat bowties and spider-shaped bells! I can’t wait to join Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and their friends in their bewitching attire this Halloween season!
What follows are other elements of Halloween Time at Disneyland that we’re assuming will return based on a mix of past precedent and what’s currently listed on Disneyland.com. Until officially announced for 2023 all of this is subject to change.
As always, Main Street USA is the heart of Halloween at Disneyland. Guests will enjoy taking photographs with the iconic giant Mickey Mouse jack-o’-lantern in Town Square. The Main Street Pumpkin Festival transforms storefronts with whimsical pumpkins.
As guests journey into the park, they will find pumpkin statues representing Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Adventureland, Critter Country and Frontierland surrounding the Partners Statue in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. In Frontierland, there will be a celebration of the Day of the Dead with a colorful Dia de los Muertos tribute featuring a musical trio of iconic skeleton figurines, brightly colored flowers, and other decorations.
Haunted Mansion Holiday will feature a merry makeover of the beloved eerie estate. Jack Skellington is behind the mayhem, decorating the mansion with frightfully festive touches inspired by “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Dedicated fans of the holiday haunted house will look forward to spotting the annual gingerbread house on its precarious perch on the ballroom table, making its 21st appearance for this collision of two holidays. Other favorite sights await, including Sally, Zero and other characters from the movie.
Every weeknight during the Halloween season, guests will enjoy a dreadfully delightful treat in the form of “Halloween Screams”, a supernatural projection and special effects show.
On weekend nights, Halloween Screams also will take to the skies with fireworks. Guests will be able to view the nighttime spectacular from several different locations throughout the park, including Main Street, Sleeping Beauty Castle, Rivers of America, and the facade of “it’s a small world.”
At Disney California Adventure, Oogie Boogie will once again loom over the entrance. On Buena Vista Street, Mickey Mouse and friends will be throwing it back with old-fashioned Halloween costumes, once again meeting & greeting guests with hugs, autographs, and everything else.
Seasonal décor will also add to the Halloween ambiance on Buena Vista Street. At night, the facade of Carthay Circle Restaurant oozes with Halloween magic as bats swarm, energy pulses from within and projections light up the iconic tower structure with a spellbinding display. Also returning to this plaza is the 10-foot-tall statue of the Headless Horseman holding his jack-o’-lantern head to the sky.
Popular attractions will be transformed for the Halloween season at DCA. Cars Land will once again transform for its Haul-O-Ween makeover, as Radiator Springs becomes Radiator Screams.
Lightning McQueen, Mater, Cruz and Red will be ready to greet guests in their “car-stumes” before they race off to go “trunk-or-treating.” Guests can continue the family-friendly fun by taking a spin on popular Cars Land attractions that rev up with Halloween spirit: Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree croons spooky songs to become Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree, and Luigi’s Rolickin’ Roadsters takes guests on a wicked whirl as it becomes Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween.
The facade of Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT! will spark a state of total emergency as the attraction is transformed at night into Guardians of the Galaxy — Monsters After Dark, offering an exciting Halloween adventure filled with creepy creatures and thrilling drops.
While the Guardians of the Galaxy have successfully escaped The Collector’s Fortress, Groot was accidentally left behind. Guests can successfully complete their rescue mission to save Groot by helping Rocket distract creatures from around the galaxy that have gotten loose. By teaming up with the Guardians, every guest can find their inner hero this Halloween season.
Finally, there are the question marks for 2023 Halloween Time at Disneyland. First, there’s the question of Ghost Galaxy, the Halloween overlay of Space Mountain. It’s possible this will be announced later, as it’s not typically as high profile of a change as Haunted Mansion Holiday or Monsters After Dark. It’s been a while since Ghost Galaxy last ran, and it’s overdue for a return. It’s quintessential, kitschy Halloween fun. Like a cult classic b-horror movie that is just good, dumb fun.
Next, World of Color – Villainous! It was not shown last year, even after World of Color had returned in general. So it would make sense for it to not return once again. However, World of Color helps absorb crowds, which means a higher capacity cap during Oogie Boogie Bash. That means more ticket sales. After Oogie Boogie Bash sold out in record time last year, we’d imagine that Disneyland is trying to find any way possible to increase capacity. Whether that means adding entertainment or event dates remains to be seen, but one way or another, we expect Oogie Boogie Bash to be bigger than before during Halloween 2023 at Disneyland. As always, we’re really looking forward to Halloween Time at Disneyland. Outside of Christmas, it’s our favorite seasonal event of the year!
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of other places!
Your Thoughts
Are you excited for 2023 Halloween Time at Disneyland? Planning on doing Oogie Boogie Bash? What’s the highlight of the spook season at the California parks for you? Do you think World of Color – Villainous or Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy will return? Expect any other surprises? Any questions? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
