We love Disneyland.
Yup, I’ll repeat it. We. Love. Disneyland.
And Walt Disney World for that matter. But a great place to go during the month of October – or Halloween Season as I call it – is Disneyland.
The decorations are fantastic and the addition of the Disney Villains to the park for Halloween is genius. Cruella de Vil, The Queen of Hearts, Hook, The Evil Queen and the rest of the evil gang are out in full force for rare photos with guests in all their finest. 
There are master pumpkin carvers doing spectacular things with pumpkins and Disney movie scenes.
Several rides are transformed into spooky fun. Space Mountain becomes Ghost Galaxy. The Haunted Mansion becomes a completely different experience based on Tim Burton’s movie characters.
BUT… if you can swing it, the best part is Mickey’s Halloween Party held select nights to special ticket holders only. Yes, if you were in the park earlier it’s extra money on top of the already steep tickets to get into the park for the day. But each time we’ve gone…I have to say, it’s been worth it. Early in the evening, they close the park to everyone. Then starting around 6 or 7pm, only those with tickets to the party can re-enter and the fun begins. You can dress in costume following some mild guidelines (about the same as when your kids wear costumes to school – those kind of rules) and you’re given a souvenir trick or treat bag.
There are trick or treat stations all around the park and along the way you might happen upon some villains who are all too happy to take photos with you. The nighttime shows, the parades… everything is dressed for Halloween.
All in all it’s just a lot of fun for everyone. SO – there are great decorations to see. Your favorite characters are in fun Halloween getups. The villains, whom you never get to see, are waiting to meet you. And trick or treating for all ages is right there in the park. I know what you’re thinking…Adults trick or treating…and in costume – there MUST be some crazy. I will say, we’ve been 3 different years and have never seen any crazy. I think people respect the Disney location a little bit more than most places. But you are bound to see some fantastically creative costumes by groups of college students that help to soften the price of admission.
You might even catch Mickey in all his Halloween finery…
Here’s a tip:
Most people ask: “Do I have to buy a park ticket on top of the party ticket?”
The answer: That depends on when you want to spend time in the park.
The Mickey’s Halloween Party tickets get you into the park up to 3 hours before the official party start time. So you do have some time to ride rides before the festivities begin if you wish. If you’re staying overnight in one of the onsite hotels (highly recommended) check in time lines up perfectly with the 3 hour window and you can get in and go out to the park. We like to go back to the hotel for dinner and then return to the park in costume for the trick or treating fun. This way you only buy regular park tickets for the second day of fun.
edit. your. life. 