Halloween 2026 dates: 26 September to 1 November
The Disney Halloween Festival 2026 runs from 26 September to 1 November 2026, at Disneyland Park. Disney announced these dates very early, back in November 2025.
The big change this year is the start date. For the first time, the season begins before 1 October: it opens on Saturday 26 September. From 2022 to 2025, Halloween always started on 1 October, so this is a real break from the usual calendar.
Towards the end of the season, on 31 October, the parks extend their opening hours until 23:00. I go into that evening in more detail further down.
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What’s new for Halloween 2026 and the season’s programme
Halloween 2026 brings several notable new additions. Mickey and his friends wear new outfits, Main Street U.S.A. gets a new look and Unlucky Nugget Saloon expands. Here’s the programme, point by point.
- [New] Mickey and friends in Halloween outfits Mickey becomes a mystic count, Minnie a witch, Donald a vampire and Daisy a bat lady. They all wear the same bat-shaped brooch, set with a diamond. Of these, only Donald and Daisy have a Halloween meet and greet on the Disneyland Park programme: they pose as a pair on Main Street U.S.A.
- [New] A new look for Main Street U.S.A. The station (Main Street Station) unveils four Art Deco stained glass windows of the Villains: Maleficent, Ursula, Hades and Dr. Facilier. Town Square is decked out with Mickey and Minnie pumpkins. New banners cast the silhouettes of the Villains all the way along the street. Night-time projections and new music complete the atmosphere. The walk ends at Le Théâtre du Château, overrun with brambles and crows.
- [New] Unlucky Nugget Saloon, now expanded upstairs In Frontierland, the saloon goes back to its haunted version, themed around the wedding that Melanie Ravenswood, the bride of Phantom Manor, never had. New this year: the experience now extends upstairs, completely reimagined, with a revamped menu that includes a slice of her wedding cake.
- [New] The experience spreads around the saloon This year, the atmosphere no longer stops at the saloon. The Last Chance Cafe right next door and the popcorn kiosk opposite also take on the colours of the Ravenswood family.
- The Halloween cavalcade "Mickey’s Halloween Celebration" is back at Disneyland Park: four floats led by Daisy, with rarer characters such as Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar. The finale puts Mickey in the spotlight. More details on my cavalcade page.
- The Disney Villains Around ten Villains join the party, including Maleficent, Cruella, Jafar, the Queen of Hearts and Dr. Facilier (back in Frontierland). You’ll find them, with their locations, in the table further down. More on my Villains page.
- Other Halloween characters Vampire Stitch, skeleton Goofy and ghost Chip ’n’ Dale pose for photos, at the times in the table further down. You can meet Jack and Sally (from The Nightmare Before Christmas) with a free booking, through the virtual queue in the app (how it works). My tip: book as soon as your ticket is scanned at the entrance, because the slots go fast.
- An autumn atmosphere in the park and the hotels On Main Street U.S.A., around forty new pumpkins and 170 new candles complete the decorations. Frontierland celebrates the "Day of the Dead" near Casa de Coco and the Disney hotels switch to autumn colours. New decorations, lighting and ghostly effects add to the atmosphere.
- The M&M’s Mysterious Doors hunt This free treasure hunt is back this season. Ask a Cast Member for a map (while stocks last), then spot the doors hidden around the park. Then collect your treats at the Boardwalk Candy Palace, on Main Street U.S.A.
- Seasonal treats and souvenirs For food, new creations such as the Brookie d’Enfer and Ursula’s cake make their debut, plus a collection of Halloween-themed souvenirs, including the Pumpkin Mickey shoulder plush.
- 31 October, the big night Disneyland Park extends its opening hours that evening, with M&M’s handed out (the season’s official partner). The evening ends at 23:00 with Disney Tales of Magic and its pyrotechnics. That day, everyone can come in costume, adults included. Everything is included in the dated ticket for that day, the most expensive of the season (the undated ticket, Billet Liberté in French, isn’t valid). See my page on the evening of 31 October.
Times for the cavalcade and meet and greets
Mickey’s Halloween Celebration passes twice a day, at 15:25 and 17:00. There’s no Halloween-specific night-time show. Disney Tales of Magic closes each day, at park closing time. It starts at 22:00 most evenings, at 21:00 when the park closes earlier and at 23:00 on 31 October.
To compare with previous years, you can check the details of past seasons.
Here’s the list of Halloween characters and where to meet them. All these meet and greets are included in your ticket. No booking is needed, except for Jack and Sally (free booking in the app).
| Character | Where | How and when |
|---|---|---|
| Donald and Daisy, in Halloween outfits | Main Street U.S.A. | 8:30-10:30, then 12:00-13:30 |
| Vampire Stitch | Main Street U.S.A. | Every 30 minutes, 8:30-13:30 |
| Ghost Chip ’n’ Dale | Adventureland | 10:45, 11:15, 11:45 and 12:15, then 15:15 and 15:45 |
| Skeleton Goofy | Frontierland | Every 30 minutes 10:45-12:45, then 15:15, 15:45 and 16:15 |
| Jack and Sally | Frontierland | By booking only, in the Disneyland Paris app |
| Dr. Facilier | Frontierland | 9:30, 13:30, 16:00, 17:00 and 18:15 |
| Jafar | Adventureland | Every 30 minutes 9:30-10:30, then 13:00-15:00 |
| The Queen of Hearts | Fantasyland | 12:45, 13:00, 13:30 and 14:00 |
| Captain Hook | Adventureland | Every 30 minutes, 13:30-16:30 |
| Maleficent and the Evil Queen | Le Théâtre du Château | Photo spot, no times announced |
| Cruella de Vil | Near Toad Hall Restaurant | Surprise appearances, no times announced |
| Lady Tremaine and her daughters | Castle Courtyard | Surprise appearances, no times announced |
| Gaston | Near The Old Mill | Surprise appearances, no times announced |
Official Disney times, checked on 26 September: the same every day until 31 October, unless adjusted. Before the park opens, the slots take place during Extra Magic Time (Disney hotels, Disneyland Pass Gold).
I introduce the Halloween Villains one by one, who they are and where they come from, on my Halloween Villains page.
Where can you find today’s times?
You’ll find them in the Disneyland Paris app and on my website. For meet and greets with set times, the page linked in the table shows the day’s slots, live, based on Disney’s official programme. The same goes for the Mickey’s Halloween Celebration page. Surprise appearances, on the other hand, have no announced times. Disney publishes its programme several weeks in advance, but can still adjust it the day before or on the day itself.
When should you go for Halloween 2026 to avoid the crowds?
The start of the season is usually quieter. This year, ideally aim for a weekday before 17 October, when the French autumn half-term (Toussaint) begins. It then covers the whole end of the season, until 1 November.
On the other hand, crowds build during this half-term and 31 October is the busiest day of the season. Over this period, I recommend planning ahead and booking your tickets and hotel early.
To fine-tune your dates, see my crowd guide.
Planning your visit for Halloween 2026
For the full background (which park Halloween takes place in, who it’s for, what to expect from the atmosphere), see my guide to Halloween at Disneyland Paris. And for visiting with the family, check out my guide to Halloween with children.
To dig deeper and organise everything, you’ll find my dedicated guides below. You can also go straight to the rules for dressing up and my cavalcade page.
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Read the articleFrequently asked questions
01 When is the full Halloween programme announced?
Disney usually reveals the detailed programme between mid-August and mid-September, 2 to 6 weeks before the season opens. The 2026 programme was announced in early September.
02 What’s new for Halloween 2026 at Disneyland Paris?
Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy wear new Halloween outfits. Main Street, U.S.A. gets a new look, with Villains stained-glass windows at the station and projections in the evening. In Frontierland, The Unlucky Nugget Saloon expands upstairs. The season also opens earlier than usual, from 26 September.
03 When should you go to enjoy the season without the crowds?
Your best bet is to come early in the season, on a weekday, outside French school holidays: the first two weeks are usually fairly quiet. The busiest days are 31 October for Halloween and the period between Christmas and New Year for Christmas. The day-by-day breakdown is in my crowd guide.
04 Can you dress up for Halloween at Disneyland Paris?
During the season, costumes are for children under 12 only, who can come dressed up throughout the season. On 31 October, everyone can dress up, adults included. The exact rules (no masks, face uncovered) are set out in my guide to dressing up for Halloween.
05 Do you need a special ticket or pay more for 31 October?
There’s no "evening" ticket: you book 31 October with a dated ticket for that day. It’s the most expensive of the season, for 1 park as well as for 2 parks. The prices for the day are in my ticket guide. Opening hours are extended (9:00-23:00 in 2026) and everyone can dress up. It’s also a peak day for crowds.
06 What are the dates of this year’s Halloween season at Disneyland Paris?
The Halloween season runs from 26 September to 1 November, at Disneyland Park. The pumpkin decorations are concentrated on Main Street U.S.A. and in Frontierland, with Disney villains to meet and a dedicated parade. On 31 October, both parks extend their opening hours into the evening (exact times on the official calendar).
