Four Fall Must-Do’s at Disneyland
Fall is officially here, and this Louisiana girl couldn’t be more excited about cooler weather in the near future! A few weeks ago I got to visit Disneyland Resort during spooky season for the very first time. As a Disney fan, I’ve always dreamed about experiencing Haunted Mansion Holiday and grabbing a picture with the Mickey Pumpkin, so this was a fun thing to check off my Disneyland Bucket List!
Today I thought it’d be fun to share four must-do Disneyland Resort experiences if you visit during fall. These are experiences that are only available during spooky season, and only at the Happiest Place on Earth. The best part? None of these experiences require a ticket to a special event like Oogie Boogie Bash! Anyone who has a ticket to Disneyland or Disney California Adventure can check these off on their fall trip.
Fall Decor on Main Street U.S.A.
If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting Disneyland in Autumn, I’m sure this first item is on your mind. Disneyland (along with the other Disney Parks) is decked out every fall in Halloween decorations until it’s time to celebrate the next season! Before you even walk through the gates, you’re greeted by larger-than-life pumpkins shaped like Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto. Once you’re inside Disneyland, make sure you don’t rush to the castle too quickly. If you do, you’ll miss out on some of the fun details up and down Main Street U.S.A. The shop windows have Halloween banners hanging, there are themed pumpkins, and of course, you have to grab a picture or two with the Mickey Pumpkin!
This year while admiring the windows of Main Street U.S.A., I noticed this fun, Elvis-inspired pumpkin with a record player near the music shop. On top of the doorway into the Mad Hatter, you’ll find jack-o-lanterns all wearing fun hats! This theme continues all the way down Main Street U.S.A. where you’ll find Walt & Mickey’s Partners Statue surrounded by pumpkins each carved with a Disney character to represent each land of the Happiest Place on Earth. Since this decor will be removed in just a few weeks with the start of November, it was surreal to finally experience these views in person for the first time ever!
Taking Pics with the Mickey Pumpkin
This year at Disneyland, PhotoPass photographers still aren’t allowed to touch your phone due to COVID restrictions. What this means is that if you aren’t investing in PhotoPass for your trip, you’ll have to rely on others to grab your Mickey Pumpkin shots while you’re there. I feel like Disneyland did a great job of filtering this process for guests this year, and here’s how it works:
Everyone wanting a picture with the Mickey Pumpkin waits in a line to the right of the pumpkin. As you approach the front of the line, a PhotoPass Cast Member asks if you have PhotoPass or not. If you have it, they put you on the side of the pumpkin with a PhotoPass photographer. If you aren’t doing PhotoPass, they line you up on the other side. My friend Adam and I weren’t participating in PhotoPass, but thanks to this system we were able to get our photos taken by the person behind us in line. Since the Mickey Pumpkin has two sides to his face, this method was great for filtering guests ready to grab this photo opportunity!
Pro Tip: The sides flip at the end of the day, so if you wanted a photo with the other side of the Mickey Pumpkin too just visit later in the day for your chance.
Monsters After Dark
Disney California Adventure is home to Avengers Campus and the popular thrill attraction, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! Did you know this attraction experiences a special spooky overlay during the fall season? Starting on September 3, 2021, every night from 3:00 PM until park close, this attractions transforms into Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark.
Guests helps Rocket rescue Groot from the monsters lurking around the Collector’s Fortress. By screaming and waving your hands in the air, you can distract the monsters, giving Rocket the opportunity to grab Groot and get him to safety! I’m a huge Tower of Terror fan, but the energy of this overlay was something else. It’s definitely my favorite version of the attraction at DCA.
The theming begins as soon as you enter the building. All of the screens are glitching and there’s even a difference preshow with Rocket than the usual attraction. As you board your vehicle, you’ll starting jamming out to the “Monsters After Dark” soundtrack which really builds the energy. Even without a ticket to Oogie Boogie Bash, on party nights general admission guests can experience this overlay from 3 PM until 6 PM when the party begins!
Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark disappears the morning after Halloween, so don’t miss your chance to experience it this season before it’s gone until 2022.
Spooky Season Decor in Radiator Springs
Carsland is one of the most immersive lands in any Disney Park, and lucky for guests visiting Disneyland Resort, it’s located at Disney California Adventure Park. The cars of Radiator Springs go all out with decorations for Halloween in their own way, and it’s a sight you don’t want to miss. There are fall and Halloween-themed cars scattered all over the land, fun banners and decor on every building, and even a change in soundtrack for the season for Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree (normally Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree).
What I love about these decorations is that it’s clear that the cars did the decorating themselves. Using tires, chains, and traffic cones, they were able to transform their town into something festive for spooky season! Believe it or not, the area is even more exciting at night — so don’t forget to stop by after dark if you can to see it all lit up.
Haunted Mansion Holiday
I’ve saved the BEST must-do for last because it’s celebrating a big milestone this year! Haunted Mansion Holiday has been enhancing guests’ experiences for two decades, and there’s never been a better time to check it out. In case you missed it, the Haunted Mansion gets a special Nightmare Before Christmas overlay each year from Halloween time until the new year. Imagineers transform this classic Disney attraction into a new type of tale temporarily, complete with different animatronics, soundtrack, and decor!
When you make it to the ballroom scene, keep an eye out for the elaborate gingerbread house on the table. Each year a unique gingerbread is created for the attraction, and this one features elements from every other gingerbread house in its past! When Disney Parks Blog shared a first look, they even pointed out what year each detail represents.
If you’re a big fan of Haunted Mansion, you’ll want to experience this attraction in a whole new way. For me it was very humbling to see all of the extra effort Disney Imagineers put into this overlay that’s so popular for guests! The animatonics are so vibrant in color and the soundtrack is festive. I was sure to experience it as much as I could before I headed back to Louisiana!
If you can’t make it for fall, no worries! This overlay remains at the Haunted Mansion until the Christmas decor comes down around the parks in early January.
As you can see, it’s a great time to explore the Happiest Place on Earth! If you’re big into pumpkin spice and fall vibes, this Disney vacation should be on your bucket list! (Check out my Disneyland Bucket List here.) You can read some of my other fall Disney Parks posts on my blog here!
I also shared a TikTok and a Reel on these four must-do’s so you can check those out as well.