Happy Hallo-September everyone! The Disneyland Resort launched their Halloween season on Friday and the parks have been transformed into a playground for ghosts and ghouls of every age. We’ve got way too many photos of pumpkins, and bunting, and decorations of all sorts.
Halloween Time Arrives at the Disneyland Resort
When hinges creak and tow trucks wriggle, that is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their not so scary terror with ghoulish delight.
If you visited the Disneyland Resort for Halloween last year, you have a pretty good idea of what it looks like again this year. But there are a few changes here and there, and the parks really do feel festive. Let’s take a look.
The Fab Five have returned as pumpkins above the Disneyland turnstiles. Inside the park, Halloween colors, villains, and pumpkin spice have taken over.
Main Street USA
Pumpkin Mickey looms large on Main street as long lines of guests queue up on both sides to take a selfie.
Familiar red, orange and yellow bunting adorns the shops of Main Street, along with themed pumpkins.
Nearly all of the windows feature pumpkins, ghosts and/or Disneyland Halloween merchandise.
We’ve been sharing the Halloween merchandise for weeks now. Most of these items can be found throughout the resort. It’s not a huge collection.
The popular Oogie Boogie popcorn buckets return this year.
Frontierland
Frontierland has a natural feel for Halloween.
The Halloween Tree is one of my favorite Halloween tributes in any theme park. The tree celebrates the friendship between Ray Bradbury and Walt Disney.
Dia De Los Muertos comes roaring back from death near Big Thunder. It’s a cute little area – ‘little’ being the operative word.
Nearby, at Rancho Zocalo, there are some nice decorations up.
But are those Christmas ornaments?
New Orleans Square
Speaking of holidays colliding, Le Bat en Rouge has a Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay of its own.
And just outside the shop, a long line has formed . . . for . . .
A Jack and Sally meet and greet in the Royal Courtyard between Le Bat en Rouge and Pieces of Eight.
But the real star of Disneyland’s Halloween festivities are the two attraction overlays. Haunted Mansion takes the top spot with its Nightmare before Christmas retheme. 
The always amazing DisneyBySteph shares her Haunted Mansion Holiday images. WOW!
The Hatbox Ghost was having troubles on Friday. His face projections were significantly off. And there were times when his face was neither under his hat nor in the hatbox. He’s likely already fixed. But please let us know if you experienced the same on Saturday and Sunday.
You can find more photos from the marvelous @DisneyBySteph here.
Ghost Galaxy
But the Mansion isn’t the only game in town, Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy is another big draw. Surprisingly, the parks weren’t as busy on Friday for the launch of Halloween as there were last year. The big crowds didn’t show up until the cooler temperatures that evening. So I had no trouble getting on Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy. 
Mickey’s Halloween Party
In addition, Mickey’s Halloween Party will be offered on the following dates in 2018 at prices which range from $105 to $130: Sept. 19, Sept. 21, Sept. 24, Sept. 26, Sept. 28, Oct. 2, Oct. 5, Oct. 9, Oct. 12, Oct. 16, Oct. 19, Oct. 23, Oct. 26, Oct. 29, Oct. 31
Mickey’s party includes the wonderful Halloween Screams Fireworks, Frightfully Fun Parade, trick or treating, and entertainment throughout the park. While the event is best for kids, many adults and even teens enjoy the opportunity to ride many of the park’s attractions with little or no line.
DCA-LLOWEEN
DCA now offers its own festivities. While not too much has changed from last year, DCA’s decorations are fantastic (particularly Cars Land). At night, Buena Vista Street is illuminated in a purple glow and the background music is switched to a spooky track. It’s much scarier than Disneyland and I LOVE it.
It looks like they reused last year’s banners, take a closer look at the coaster banner. just above the loop are the words “Paradise Pier.”
Oogie Boogie greets guests above the DCA front gate again this year. He taunts the crowd with fun audio clips.
Buena Vista Street
Compared to the bright and silly Disneyland decorations, DCA strikes an immediate change in tone. The colors here are dark and there’s an edge to the decor. Bats fly from the belfry of Carthay Circle and a life-sized Headless Horseman statue is erected at the corner of Buena Vista Street and Hollywood Land.
Hollywood Land
The purple bat banners have been installed down part of the parade corridor and Hollywood land as well.
We’ll have more about the Halloween Time food later this week, but you’ll find signs up wherever new seasonal food is being offered.
Keep your eye open near the old Millionaire Theater in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot area. You’ll find an Oogie Boogie photo backdrop.
Guardians of the Galaxy once again transforms into a scarier version each night. “Monsters After Dark” tells the story of what happens just after the Guardian’s “Breakout” of the daytime version of the ride. Poor baby Groot has been left behind and Rocket needs your help to save him. It’s fun, the whole building is glitching, lighting is much darker and it’s a unique take on the attraction.
I don’t know what this was a bigger part of, but a cast member ran past me holding Rocket in a bag. Cool!
Over in Paradise Gardens, Coco takes up residence again for a Dia De Los Muertos themed celebration. They’ve renamed the area “Plaza de la Familia. Here you’ll find performances, crafts, face painting, special foods, and a Coco Day of the Dead installation.
Crazy for Coco
Mexican food at the Paradise Garden Grill.
The Coco installation returns to the gazebo.
There’s also a temporary photo wing-wall. It’s sure to be very popular with the Millennials and those who need the latest set of wings for their Instagram pages.
And on the parade corridor, just outside of Paradise Gardens, you’ll find a streat party with dancers and a storyteller. It’s the same show as last year and quite beautiful. But choose the performance time wisely. The sun is positioned such that it shines directly into your face during the later shows.
Cars Land
It’s Cars Land which has captured my heart. How would the Cars celebrate Halloween? Let’s see . . .
Think about it. For a car, what would be a graveyard? A junkyard!
These gas can pumpkins are really clever. 
As are the movie poster spoofs.
Mater is dressed as a Vampire again this year.
Glow
And at night it all glows . . . and doesn’t require an extra ticket to stay for Halloween.
The Headless Horseman’s pumpkin lights up and a fog comes out of his steed’s nostrils.
Of course, there’s a LOT more about Halloween Time we haven’t touched on yet. There’s Downtown Disney, foods, treats, merchandise, entertainment . . . so we have another big Halloween update coming for you later this week.
Oh my goodness. We still have a full Disneyland News Update for you folks beyond all this Halloween insanity. But there are so many photos in here already that we need to start a second article. Please join us again tomorrow for even more from the Disneyland Resort, including some sad news, some bad news, some glad news, a juicy rumor, and lots more photos. See ya real soon!
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This is Halloween #headlesshorseman #disney #disneycaliforniaadventure #halloween
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