Plus, the brand-new Tiana’s Palace restaurant is now open
It’s always a good time to visit Disneyland, but nothing beats the spooktacular fun at Halloween Time! Through October 31, you can expect to find Halloween celebrated throughout Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park from the costume characters to the immersive rides and special food items.
Dia de los Muertos is also a part of the fun this time of year with live entertainment running through November 2 in the Plaza de la Familia cultural experience.
We checked out the scene as Halloween Time and the Plaza de la Familia experiences kick off and have the full scoop on when you can expect this year along with the brand-new Tiana’s Palace restaurant that you’re going to want to check out.
What’s New For Halloween Time 2023 at Disneyland
At Disneyland Park, you are sure to see plenty of your favorite characters in their finest Halloween-inspired get-ups. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and some of their pals cast a ghostly glow with new outfits made with luminescent fabrics and bat details.
Jack Skellington and his friends from “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” wreck the halls of Haunted Mansion Holiday once again and take you on a doom buggy ride the whole family will enjoy.
Each night you’ll be treated to a delightfully spooky display of vibrant lights, projections of ghosts flying through the air, frightful Halloween songs, and so much more. You may even get a fireworks display if you time your visit right.
What’s New for Halloween Time 2023 at Disney California Adventure Park
Disney California Adventure Park had our favorite Halloween ride overlays that truly transformed the park into what felt like a Halloween Adventure Park. The family-friendly Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree in Cars Land opts for a happily hair-raising soundtrack to become Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree. The nearby Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters takes guests on a wicked whirl as Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween.
What’s New for Plaza de la Familia 2023
Be sure to catch “A Musical Celebration of Coco” at the Paradise Gardens Park in Plaza de la Familia for a heartwarming celebration of family. If you’re lucky you can even get a picture with Miguel. Speaking of music, nearby at the Paradise Garden Bandstand, we loved the Mariachi Divas who performed some of our favorite traditional Mexican songs.
New Food Offerings for Halloween and Dia de los Muertos
One thing we know about Disneyland Resort is they’re going to roll out familiar favorites but they’ll also keep plenty of new and exciting offerings coming our way. This year for Halloween and that’s evidenced by all of the new merchandise and food located throughout the resort. Some of the ones that stood out were: Poison Apple Macaron, Pumpkin Cheesecake Cold Brew, Curry Royale (spiced fried cauliflower, basmati and green pea rice, and spinach with chickpeas and romanesco served with curry sauce – plant-based), Poison Apple Funnel Cake Fries, Apple Strudel Hard Float, and Candy Corn Churros. Yum!
Specially for Plaza de la Familia, Paradise Garden Grill will feature a limited-time menu that invites families to partake in a valued tradition in Mexican culture with menu highlights including chile verde chicken flautas, carnitas burrito, a plant-based chorizo quesadilla, and vanilla layer cake.
*Pro Tip: Take advantage of mobile ordering within the Disneyland Mobile App. It allows guests to pre-order and pre-pay for food at participating (counter service) restaurants throughout the resort. Skip the line and go straight to the pick up area for your order; this is especially exciting with kids.
The parks always go all out for the holiday, but this is the first time Goofy’s Kitchen at Disneyland Hotel will feature characters dressed in Halloween attire, fall decor, and themed desserts.
Exciting New Attractions Around the Resort
If you’re planning a fall visit you’re in for some exciting new additions to both parks, including the opening of Tiana’s Palace in New Orleans Square. This quick-service restaurant inspired by “The Princess and the Frog” serves some of your favorite New Orleans-inspired dishes like gumbo, cajun spiced half chicken with baked macaroni and cheese, muffuletta sandwiches, Po’boys, and shrimp and grits. *Please note this is not a character dining location but you may be lucky enough to see Tiana strolling through New Orleans Square throughout the day.
Across the way at Disney California Adventure Park, enter through the iconic San Fransokyo Gate Bridge for a new dining experience that you cannot miss. San Fransokyo Square is inspired by the film, “Big Hero 6” and is a merger of……you guessed it, San Francisco and Tokyo. The food selections are vast and the offerings are diverse featuring selections such as Boudin sourdough bread bowls, a festive beer garden featuring Karl Strauss beers, Soba Noodle salad, street corn, margaritas (and non-alcoholic options), birria tacos, Ghirardelli desserts, and so much more.
This district also includes fun shopping options such as San Fransokyo Maker’s Market, Collectible Medallions, and Pan Pacific Pin Traders. Kid and adult fans alike will love the character meet and greet for Baymax and Hiro.
Tips for Your Disneyland Halloween Visit
Our family had an amazing time at Disneyland Resort. I must say one of the things that helped was entering the park with a plan and list of all the things we wanted to see, do and eat. That really helped us expertly navigate our way through both parks and focus on our collective “Musts.” Do yourself a favor and plan out the details of your trip so that you can maximize your time there. I don’t even know if Halloween itself will compare to our experience at Disneyland Resort!
Note: This trip was paid for by Disneyland Resort but all opinions expressed here belong to the writer.
