If you’ve been reading my blog for a while now, then you probably already know that one of the most important things on my bucket list is to go to a Disney park during Halloween-time. Since Paris is the closest one to me, it made sense that I would end up there. So, did I hype it up too much, or is Disneyland Paris Halloween worth it?

I was in the park from September 28th to October 3rd (2023). The official start date for the Halloween season is October 1st until November 5th, but it starts earlier in other resorts. They actually start putting the decorations up bit by bit at the end of September, so if you can’t make it in October, you’ll still somewhat be able to experience it. Check out the other things on my Disney bucket list.

What Can You Expect During Halloween At Disneyland?

Before determining whether Disneyland Paris Halloween is worth it, I’ll break it all down into sections to make it easier to digest and so you know what to expect everywhere.

Hotels

We stayed in the Sequoia Lodge, which had a huge Bambi pumpkin outside, surrounded by smaller clusters of pumpkins. They also have Halloween garlands along the doors. Inside the hotel, the gift shop put some Halloween displays in the windows.

The other hotels should also have the giant pumpkins, but the characters depend on the film they’re themed around – hence why the Sequoia Lodge had Bambi, Thumper, and Flower on theirs.

As for the Disney partner hotels, we spent our first and last night in the B&B Hotel (which is next to Explorers). We didn’t see any Halloween decorations there, but I’m not sure if that applies to all of them.

Disney Village

Once you get into Disney Village, you’ll immediately notice they’re playing Halloween songs. Sometimes, it’s a villain song, like Agatha All Along from WandaVision, and others, it’s stuff from the Nightmare Before Christmas or songs Disney specifically recorded for Halloween.

They’ll also hand up banners, flash images of bats and witches on the buildings, and put up a display you can take photos with.

Disneyland Park & Studios

Most of the main park is decorated for Halloween, especially Main Street and Frontierland, and a little in Adventureland, but we didn’t see anything around Discoverland and FantasyLand.

You’ll spot lots of autumn foliage, pumpkins, and ghosts, so there are plenty of opportunities. The lights in Main Street are even turned orange to represent pumpkins with a singular green on top with a witch’s hat. You might also hear some ghost wails or evil laughs around the castle from time to time.

I was hoping to see the iconic giant Blinky Mickey pumpkin but couldn’t find it anywhere. I have seen older photos of Paris with it, so I’m not sure if they got rid of it entirely or if it just goes up later in the month. Still, I did love everything else.

We couldn’t see any Halloween decorations in Walt Disney Studios.

Characters

Pretty much all the characters in suits will have some kind of Halloween costume, but face characters, like Alice or Cinderella, won’t. When we met Stitch, they even had him in front of a Halloween display.

You’ll also see the villains around more than usual. We saw Jafar going through Adventureland multiple times a day and spotted the Evil Queen on a balcony of the castle.

Parades

There is also a new parade during the Halloween festivities. Honestly, it was cute! You’ll see the Fab 5, characters from Winnie The Pooh, and others on floats.

What I will say is that they only play one song, and it will be in your head forever. As much as I enjoyed the parade, I expected to see some Disney villains and for them to make use of songs from Halloween movies, like Hocus Pocus. Like I said, it was cute, but it could have been more.

Fireworks & Light Shows

We stayed late in the park one evening to see the Nightfall With Disney Villains show. Honestly, it was underwhelming – especially given that we saw the 30th Anniversary drone show a few days earlier. The show was essentially a song about Disney villains with projections on the castle before the regular fireworks (the Disney Dreams Nighttime Extravaganza) began.

I think the drones could have been put to good use and displayed different villains like they do with the Avengers in the Studio. Plus, there are so many iconic Disney villains songs, it felt like a shame not to play them.

With all that said, since I went early in the month, maybe things change closer to Halloween. Since we already saw the fireworks, it wasn’t worth sticking around for – especially if you don’t have a good view of the castle. I’ve embedded a video above so you can see for yourself.

New Merch

Of course, there’s always new merch released during Halloween, too. They really have everything, like snacks, clothes, ears, pins, and Loungefly bags. There was a lot that I wanted, but I had to control myself.

New Treats

Every year, the parks will release limited edition treats during the Halloween season, like baked goods and cocktails. I didn’t try any, so sadly, I can’t comment on whether they were any good, but My Castle Club put together a helpful guide.

Unrelated to the Halloween goodies, I couldn’t get enough of the churros in Casa de Coco and the pineapple whip (DLP’s version of dole whip) in Café de la Brousse.

Parties

We didn’t get to go to any parties during our trip, so I can’t comment on them. There was one held for annual pass holders while we were there, and lots of people were dressed up.

Final Thoughts: Is Disneyland Paris Halloween Worth It?

So, is Disneyland Paris Halloween worth it? Overall, I had an amazing time! This is something I’ve wanted to do forever, and I wasn’t disappointed. I’ve seen a lot of negative reviews about DLP, but honestly, I think it’s perfectly magical. Everyone we encountered working there was nice and the park was spotless, too. To be fair, it is the only Disney resort I’ve been to.

Like I mentioned, with the lack of Blinky Mickey and the experience of the Disney villains show and parade, they could have been better, but I don’t think those things necessarily ruined the trip.

Have you ever been to Disney during Halloween? What did you think?

You can watch these Disney Halloween movies to fill the void or get you into the spirit! If you’re going to Paris, I highly recommend checking out Shakespeare & Company, it’s right by Notre Dame and the Love Bridge.