Get ready for a Disney World Halloween celebration this year!
Do you love the arrival of fall, with cooler temperatures and ghouls and goblins popping up around every turn? Do you crave Disney-themed snacks and immersive magic with that extra touch that only Disney can provide? Now you can have both with a Disney World Halloween!
Stop #1: Start your Disney World Halloween at Gideon’s Bakehouse
Gideon’s Bakehouse is a world-renowned, one-of-a-kind bakery in Disney Springs featuring unique recipes in a Gothic-styled setting. Its half-pound cookies, loaded with decadent toppings, have become famous; and people will start lining up an hour before opening to buy them.
The bakery got its start when a chef named Steve Lewis picked up an antique cookbook from 1898. The book is filled with doodles and notes from a boy named Gideon who wanted to become a baker one day. Steve decided to fulfill the child’s lost dreams and open a Victorian-themed bakery.
Gideon’s Bakehouse became popular and ended up opening its second location at Disney Springs. The building looks like it came from the world of Harry Potter, with its Gothic-style lettered sign and a gargoyle sitting on top of its roof.
When you enter the building, you’ll find a whimsical, spooky room, with drawings of endearing zombie children on the wall to the left, and an entire wall of bookcases on the right, brimming with curious odds and ends. The room is dimly lit by lanterns hanging from the ceiling, casting a warm glow onto the delicious baked goods below. It’s a must-see for a Disney World Halloween.
Stop #2: Check out Minnie’s Halloween Dine
If you want a spooky-themed character meal, you can stop by the Hollywood & Vine Restaurant in Hollywood Studios theme park. Minnie, clad in an orange witch’s dress, will be your hostess, along with Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and others. The restaurant is decked out with Halloween décor, and there will be Halloween-themed music playing in the background.
Like last year, the Halloween Dine is modified for COVID-19. Instead of normal character interactions and poses, Minnie and friends will walk through and parade in a mini cavalcade throughout the restaurant. The meal will also be served family-style instead of its usual buffet-style la. But this means you don’t have to get up from your table during the meal – everything is provided right there!
Stop#3: Watch the Cavalcades at Disney’s After-Hours Boo Bash
If anybody knows how to throw a party, Disney does. One of the unique features of the Boo Bash is the cavalcades. Throughout the night, you can enjoy four mini parades featuring Mickey, Maleficent, Jack Skellington, and more!
Mickey’s Happy Halloween Cavalcade
If your kids are small and prefer a friendlier performance, this cavalcade is perfect! It features Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, and others dressed in their Halloween costumes. Your child’s eyes will light up at the big, colorful floats and animated characters dancing to and fro.
Disney’s Villains Halloween Cavalcade
This is another exciting procession, including characters like Captain Hook, Jafar, and the Queen of Hearts! Watch as they twirl about and cackle their way down the street – no doubt looking to stir up trouble!
Jack’s Nightmare Cavalcade
This one is themed as the Nightmare Before Christmas. The float is designed as a graveyard with curtains framing Jack Skellington front and center. Join Jack, Sally, and Oogie Boogie as they dance and glide their way along the road!
Maleficent’s Cavalcade
Watch as Maleficent makes her appearance as a fire-breathing dragon! A full-scale, metal robotic dragon twists its neck and breathes fire out its nostrils. All the details of the dragon have been crafted by Disney, and it’s something you won’t want to miss!
Stop #4: Capture Memorable Moments at the Photopass Stations
Did you ever get stuck at a tourist stop needing someone to take your picture? Did they ever come out looking blurry, or is Aunt Sally not even looking at the camera, let alone smiling?
If you want to see yourself immersed in the Disney magic, you should try out their photopass service. For a nominal fee, you can have your picture taken in the parks. They will even throw in some Disney magic and include unique backgrounds and photoshopped props!
Disney’s fall offering of Halloween-themed extras includes the manual of Witchcraft and Alchemy from Hocus Pocus, a pumpkin with fire burning through its eyes, the Headless Horseman, three hitchhiking ghouls, a green bubbling cauldron, Maleficent in her scary dragon form, and a pirate ship in a bottle. Which items will YOU pick for your picture?
Stop #5: Character Meet-And-Greet at the Crystal Palace
Disney keeps the characters socially distanced from crowds so that nobody gets sick. During this trip, you may be despairing at the lack of pictures you’ve got with the characters.
Now you can take pictures with the characters! Winnie the Pooh and friends will be waiting for you on the porch of the Crystal Palace!
They will be all decked out in their costumes, waving away to those passing by. Even though you’ll be six feet away, you will still be able to interact with them and pose for pictures! Who wouldn’t want to take a picture with Tigger dressed like a pirate?
Stop(s) #6: Trick-or-Treating in the Magic Kingdom!
As a long-beloved staple in the Disney World Halloween celebrations, the Trick-or-Treating is a highlight of the Boo Bash. Children will be provided with treat bags and can stop at one of eight designated attractions for candy! Each spot is marked with a glowing, inflatable cylinder that says” Treats” on top, and the individual stations are listed below:
- Enchanted Tiki Room
- Pecos Bills
- Splash Mountain
- Pinocchio Village Haus
- Ariel’s Grotto
- Fantasyland Train Station
- Cosmic Rays
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
Of course, it wouldn’t be Disney without consideration for children’s health issues. Children with allergies can collect teal tokens at each of the trick-or-treating locations, and then redeem them in the Liberty Square Ticket Center for goodies that will be allergy friendly.
Stop #7: Madame Carlotta, Madame Renata, and Butler Broome
Stop on by the Haunted Mansion to see your favorite ghosts as they entertain you with stories from their lives… and their deaths. Watch Madame Carlotta as she sits on her bench in her iridescent, glowing blue gown and tells you all about the debutante ball and the shady chef.
In the process, she will entertain you with jokes and interact with the crowd! You’ll feel right at home as she tells you the latest gossip and giggles about the handsome men walking by. You will also hear all about the love triangle between herself, her sister, and Billy Bob.
Yes, she had a crush on a guy named Billy Bob. And what’s more, her sister did, too. They both ended up fighting over him at the ball, so much that they lost their balance and fell over the bannister!
And as luck would have it, they fell right on top of Billy Bob. The last thing that he saw before he died was her “deadly debutante derrier”. Poor Billy Bob.
This entire story is told in the first five minutes, and the show goes much longer than that! You won’t want to miss it, as Madame Carlotta invites Butler Broome to chat about the rest of the characters in the story, as well as the way that everybody else died that night. (Hint: it involves potato salad).
Hilarity ensues as the two of them strike up a banter, talking about where their bodies are laid to rest, and adding many puns about death as they go. It’s an event to DIE for.
Stop #8: The Haunted Mansion Itself
The Haunted Mansion is a classic, must-see attraction that takes you through the spooky abode in style. The ride starts off in a small, round room with no windows. A deep voice narrates an introduction and adds to the suspenseful atmosphere. The ceiling of the room rises to reveal the ominous bottom halves of the otherwise cheerful paintings in the room.
After the introduction, guests are ushered to their line and will be able to board their vehicle. Once seated, they are taken through the spooky atmosphere with the dimly lit hallways and the piano that plays itself. A pipe organ plays foreboding music in the background, and the pictures switch from happy, friendly portraits to pictures of skeletons when lightning strikes.
One of the fan-favorites is the ballroom. Disney imagineers used old theater tricks to make it look as if the banquet were inhabited by transparent spectres. Some are enjoying the music, others are sitting down to eat dinner, and still others are on their feet, waltzing across the floor.
You will see all that and more on the ride, with spooky new thrills around every twist and turn. The Haunted Mansion is a must-see for a Disney World Halloween.
Stop # 9: The Dead Vines Haunted House at Sea World
If you really want a scare, be sure to check out the haunted houses at Sea World’s “Howl-O-Scream” event. This one is not for the younger ones or the faint of heart. It’s got graphic imagery, flickering strobe lights, and amazing jump scares that will have you tip-toeing around every turn.
The story behind this one revolves around a group of voodoo practitioners that have run amuck. You are exploring the haunted bayou, wandering through a greenhouse in the dimming light. Vines hang overhead, and the crickets are heard loudly chirping away outside.
Suddenly, someone jumps out at you! You turn a corner and walk a bit faster, as more ghostly figures peep out at you from windows and hallways. Eventually, you emerge in a garden, and are met with an ominous-looking young lady. She stares at you, grins, and says, “Come to my tea party”, gesturing at the remains of a picnic that would give the Mad Hatter a run for his money.
The journey continues, as you’re sweeping vines and shreds of burlap aside, forging ahead in the purple twilight. More undead visitors, scary swamp monsters, and moving statues rush to greet you. Can you make it out alive?
Stop # 10: The Captain’s Revenge Haunted House
Also at SeaWorld is the foreboding Captain’s Revenge Haunted House. Watch out for pirates and other sketchy characters jumping out at you. Pass through the galley where one unfortunate soul ate his last meal. All this and more awaits you in this ominous passage.
You hear a cry for help, as a young pirate is trapped behind a net, begging for rescue. You continue on, through tattered pieces of fabric, and come across this same person, staring back at you from behind the net – transformed into something else.
You will pass on through the dungeon, filled with the carcasses of those who dared defy the captain. Some of them come to life, and stare at you as you pass by. Next, you pass the treasure room, as well as a very crazed-looking pirate cackling over his find.
When you reach the captain, threatening to feed you to the sharks, surrounded by other pirate cronies of his, dead and alive. More awaits your descent into the belly of the ship, but my lips are sealed. Dead men tell no tales.
Book Your Disney VIP Tour Today!
If you want to have a scary good time, book your adventure with World Class VIP! We’ll provide you a free quote, as well as important information and travel tips. Our Disney VIP tour guides will take care of all the planning details, so that you can focus on what’s important to you – making fantastic memories with your family with a VIP experience. All you must do is call (407) 270-2519 and we’ll do the rest!