5 Halloween Experiences in Disneyland That Disney DOESN’T Tell You About!
It’s Halloween time at the Disneyland Resort, and there’s tons to do! You can get into the spooky spirit by digging into some terrifyingly tasty treats, picking up some hauntingly cute merchandise, or riding the frighteningly fun seasonal ride overlays. But how about the other Halloween experiences that Disney doesn’t tell you about?
Oogie Boogie has taken over DCA!
Okay — Disney doesn’t exactly hide that these experiences exist, but you’ll have to do some digging of your own to find them. But don’t worry, we did the work for you. Let’s check out five Halloween experiences most guests don’t know about in Disneyland!
The Halloween Tree
To check out the Halloween Tree in Disneyland Park, you’ll need to head over to Frontierland. To get the full experience of this tree, wait until nighttime to take this stroll. Once you reach the area by The Golden Horseshoe, the Halloween Tree will be hard to miss, as it’s decked out with orange lights and hand-painted jack-o’-lanterns that hang on its branches.
Photo: Disney
Ray Bradbury’s novel, “The Halloween Tree” is the inspiration for this seasonal decoration. Bradbury wanted to have a Halloween Tree in Disneyland Park, so on the 35th anniversary of the novel, Disney brought the tree to life in Frontierland!
Photo: Disney
So head over to Frontierland to check out the Halloween Tree! Oh — and don’t forget to read the plaque at the base of the tree, which commemorates the tree’s debut.
Haunted Mansion Holiday’s Lighting Ceremony
Before you check out the Halloween Tree at nighttime, make sure you stop by the Haunted Mansion before the sun sets! And no — you won’t need to hop on the ride to take advantage of this experience (although we never turn down a ride on a doom buggy).
Sally in Haunted Mansion Holiday
In order to take advantage of this experience, you’ll need to be flexible, as an exact time isn’t provided. However, sometime around sunset (usually between 7 and 8 PM), Haunted Mansion Holiday hosts a daily lighting ceremony.
Credit: Disney
It’s actually a fun ceremony to partake in. You’ll hear the ghost host announce that the mansion’s ghosts have lit the way for Sandy Claws. And, of course, you’re invited to scream along as the mansion lights up for the night.
Cars Land’s Lighting Ceremony
Much like the Haunted Mansion Holiday, Cars Land in Disney California Adventure also puts on a lighting ceremony each night! Again, there’s no set time for this experience, but it also occurs around sunset.
Cars Land at Sunset
The lighting ceremony kicks off with the sheriff of Radiator Springs taking over the sound system, welcoming you to Halloween time in his town.
Cozy Cones Decorated for Halloween
He’s then followed by an exciting lighting of Radiator Springs, accompanied by some fun music!
Buena Vista Lighting Ceremony
Yes — there’s yet another lighting ceremony that takes place on Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure! But this one is…a bit spookier. This is another sunset experience, with no set time provided.
Oogie Boogie is the host of this ceremony, which lights the trees of Buena Vista Street, brings the Headless Horseman to life, and…
Headless Horseman
…sparks the spooky skeleton projection on Carthay Circle.
Photo: Disney
And do you hear that scary laughter…or is it just our imagination?!
Grand Californian’s Edible Halloween Display
Head over to the lobby of Disney’s Grand Californian to check out their edible display! Each Halloween season, the hotel puts out a display for guests to observe, made entirely of food. This year’s display is inspired by Coco!
‘Coco’ Display
And while it’s edible, you can’t actually eat it…unfortunately. But there are some seasonal snacks in the lobby that can satisfy your sweet tooth!
Gingerbread Cookie at Grand Californian
That rounds out our list of five Halloween experiences that Disney doesn’t tell you about! Keep following us at MickeyBlog, as we’ll continue to bring you the latest in all things Disney!
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below and one of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond-Level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon!
