Updated April 2026. A complete guide to Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort 2026, including dates, what is included with regular admission, the Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween party, ride overlays, decorations, seasonal food, and tips for planning your visit.
Halloween Time is one of the best times of year to visit Disneyland. Both parks transform with seasonal decorations, ride overlays, special entertainment, Halloween-themed food, and characters in their spooky best looks. Most of it is included with your regular park ticket — you do not need to pay extra for the majority of what makes Halloween Time special. The separately ticketed Oogie Boogie Bash is the only major add-on that costs extra.
Halloween Time at Disneyland 2026 Dates
Halloween Time (included with park admission): August 21 through October 31, 2026
Oogie Boogie Bash (separate ticket required): Select nights August 18 through October 31, 2026 — 33 total event nights
Plaza de la Familia / Día de los Muertos: August 21 through November 2, 2026 in Disney California Adventure
2026 marks the third consecutive year that Halloween Time has started in late August rather than the traditional first Friday of September. This earlier start is now likely the permanent format going forward. Oogie Boogie Bash begins a few days before the rest of Halloween Time kicks off, starting August 18.
What Is Included with Regular Park Admission
The majority of the Halloween Time experience at Disneyland Resort is included with your standard park ticket. You do not need to purchase Oogie Boogie Bash tickets to enjoy most of what makes this season special.
Disneyland Park
Haunted Mansion Holiday — The most beloved seasonal overlay at the entire resort. The Haunted Mansion transforms into a Nightmare Before Christmas-themed experience, with Jack Skellington and the residents of Halloween Town taking over the ride from October through January. The exterior, queue, and ride itself are redesigned with elaborate holiday theming. This is genuinely one of the best things Disneyland does all year and draws long lines — use Lightning Lane or arrive early.
Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy — Space Mountain gets a Halloween overlay with a ghost-in-space theme, altered audio and lighting, and a genuinely effective jump scare moment during the ride. Available select nights during Halloween Time.
Halloween Screams fireworks — A nighttime fireworks and projection spectacular with a Halloween theme. Shown on select nights during the season. Check the Disneyland app for show nights and times on your specific visit date.
Decorations throughout the park — Hundreds of hand-carved pumpkins line Main Street USA, many carved to resemble Disney characters. Jack-o-lanterns, seasonal lighting, and Halloween decor appear throughout every land. Main Street at night during Halloween Time is one of the most atmospheric experiences at the park all year.
Characters in Halloween costumes — Mickey, Minnie, and other characters appear in specially designed Halloween outfits. Character meet and greet locations are updated with seasonal looks.
Haunted Mansion Holiday Halloween tour — A separately paid guided tour through Disneyland Park that includes chilling stories, Lightning Lane entry for Haunted Mansion Holiday, preferred viewing for Halloween Screams, a photo op with the Hitchhiking Ghosts, and souvenir pin and trading cards. Worth considering if Haunted Mansion Holiday and Halloween Screams are priorities.
Disney California Adventure
Guardians of the Galaxy — Monsters After Dark — After 3pm daily (including Oogie Boogie Bash nights), Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: Breakout transforms into the Monsters After Dark overlay. Rocket Raccoon must break back in to save Groot while horrifying creatures lurk in the darkness. A genuinely spooky and excellent version of an already great ride. Note: the regular Guardians ride closes around 2pm to transition to the overlay, so there is a 30-60 minute window each day where the attraction is not available.
Radiator Screams in Cars Land — Cars Land gets a full Halloween makeover as Radiator Screams. The cars wear car-stumes, the land is draped in purple and green spooky lighting, and two ride overlays run during the season: Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree and Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween. Cars Land at night during Halloween Time is one of the most visually impressive seasonal transformations at either park.
Plaza de la Familia — A celebration of Día de los Muertos inspired by the Pixar film Coco, running August 21 through November 2. Includes themed entertainment, cultural displays, food, and character experiences tied to the film. One of the most genuinely moving seasonal experiences at the resort.
Buena Vista Street Halloween decor — A Headless Horseman statue, bat motifs on the Carthay Circle Theatre bell tower, purple lighting throughout the trees, and Oogie Boogie’s silhouette visible from the main entrance set the tone for the whole DCA Halloween experience.
Oogie Boogie Bash — The Separately Ticketed Halloween Party
Oogie Boogie Bash is an after-hours Halloween party held exclusively in Disney California Adventure on select nights. It requires a separate ticket on top of regular park admission and is held from 6pm to 11pm, with mix-in access starting at 3pm for ticketholders already in DCA.
2026 dates: 33 select nights from August 18 through October 31. Parties run primarily on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Check the Disneyland website for the complete date list.
What is included with an Oogie Boogie Bash ticket:
- Trick-or-treat trails throughout DCA with candy at multiple stations
- Villains Grove — an immersive walk-through experience in Redwood Creek Challenge Trail area with elaborate villain-themed lighting and environments
- The Frightfully Fun Parade — a Halloween parade through DCA featuring floats, characters, and villains
- Exclusive villain and rare character meet and greets not available during regular park hours (past guests have included the Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus, Bruno from Encanto, Kingdom Hearts characters, and others)
- Special Halloween food and treats available only at the party
- Limited park capacity resulting in shorter ride wait times than during regular hours
- Costumes permitted for guests of all ages
Important limitations: An Oogie Boogie Bash ticket only gives you access to DCA, not Disneyland Park. You cannot visit Haunted Mansion Holiday, Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, Galaxy’s Edge, or any other Disneyland Park attraction with just a party ticket. If you want those experiences on a party night, you need a separate regular Disneyland Park ticket for daytime access.
Is Oogie Boogie Bash worth it? It depends on your priorities. The shorter lines, exclusive characters, Villains Grove, and parade are genuinely excellent. But the event is in DCA rather than Disneyland Park, which means you miss the most iconic Halloween experiences — Haunted Mansion Holiday, Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, and Halloween Screams — with your party ticket. For families who love villains, enjoy parades, want to trick-or-treat through the park, and have the budget for the extra ticket, it is a great night. For families prioritizing the classic Disneyland Park Halloween experiences, a regular daytime visit during Halloween Time delivers more of what makes the season special at a lower cost.
Tickets: Oogie Boogie Bash tickets go on sale through the Disneyland website, typically in late June with Magic Key holder pre-sale access before general sale. Tickets for popular dates sell out quickly. If Oogie Boogie Bash is on your list, set an alert for the ticket sale announcement and buy early.
Halloween Time Food and Seasonal Treats
Seasonal food is one of the highlights of Halloween Time at Disneyland. Both parks roll out Halloween-themed menus across dozens of locations. Highlights from recent seasons that typically return include:
- Pumpkin spice Mickey beignets at the Mint Julep Bar
- Halloween-themed churros with seasonal sugar coatings and dipping sauces
- Seasonal popcorn buckets in Halloween designs (sell out fast — buy early in the day)
- Halloween-themed Dole Whip and float variations
- Seasonal items at the Tropical Hideaway, Cozy Cone, and other quick service locations
- Oogie Boogie Bash exclusive food items available only at the party
Full seasonal menus are typically announced closer to the August start date. Check the Disneyland app when you arrive to see every seasonal food option available that day.
Tips for Halloween Time at Disneyland
Visit in September for the best combination of full seasonal content and manageable crowds. Halloween Time starts in August but peak crowds hit in October, particularly in the weeks leading up to Halloween. September offers the full seasonal experience with lower crowd levels than October weekends.
Haunted Mansion Holiday has long waits. This is one of the most in-demand experiences during the season. Use Lightning Lane or arrive before the park opens and head there first.
Cars Land at night is worth staying late for. Radiator Screams looks significantly more impressive after dark when the purple and green lighting takes over. If you are in DCA during Halloween Time, plan to be in Cars Land after sunset.
For Oogie Boogie Bash, use the 3pm mix-in time strategically. Ticketholders can enter DCA starting at 3pm. Use this time to ride popular attractions before the party officially starts and crowds thin further as day guests exit.
Costumes are allowed for guests of all ages during Halloween Time and Oogie Boogie Bash. During regular park hours, costume guidelines apply — full masks that cover the face are not permitted for adults, and costumes cannot trail on the ground or be excessively elaborate. At Oogie Boogie Bash the rules are somewhat more relaxed. Check the current Disney costume policy on the Disneyland website before you visit.
Book hotel stays with GetAwayToday for the best pricing. Halloween Time is a popular season and hotel rates near Disneyland rise accordingly. Bundling your hotel with park tickets through Get Away Today frequently produces better combined pricing than booking separately.
Planning your Halloween Time visit? Download the Enchanted Insider Disneyland Itinerary Guide — updated for 2026 with seasonal strategy, ride priorities, and day-by-day plans for both parks.