It’s Halloween time! This means it is time for sweet treats, caramel apples, parties, costumes, and of course Halloween films! Disney+ has several of these that are great for watching throughout the Halloween season. Below are ten that are our favorites that currently can be found on Disney’s streaming service that shouldn’t be missed! They are in no particular order, just classics that we enjoy watching at my house every year during this spooky season! Feel free to add your favorite Halloween movies that are on Disney+ in the comments as well!
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
This is a classic Halloween film. While the Mr. Toad portion (The Wind and the Willows) of it might not be as Halloween-centric, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow sure is! This is the tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman in the town of Sleepy Hollow. Narrated by Bing Crosby, this tells the tale of a school teacher who encounters the Headless Horseman after attending a local Halloween Party. I remember this one being terrifying as a kid and as an adult I love it. It is also fun that the Headless Horseman can now be seen at Halloween parties in both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts. A statue of the Headless Horseman can also be found at Disney California Adventure during Halloween Time in Carthay Circle.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is also a classic Halloween movie, that also happens to be great during the Christmas season. This is the tale of pumpkin king Jack Skellington who has grown tired of scaring people on Halloween so decided to try out giving some Christmas cheer. However, things never go as planned and Jack soon discovers the true meaning of Christmas and also the joy of Halloween. He also finds true love as an added bonus. This film has a fantastic soundtrack, incredible vocal talent, and the stop-motion animation is amazing. This one should not be missed!
Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus is the story of what happens when three kids bring three witches back to life in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. This stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson Sisters who are inadvertently brought back to life on Halloween night and then seek immortality before dawn. With the help of a magical kids, the kids must stop the witches from succeeding at their heinous plan. This movie not only has a great Halloween vibe, it also has one of the best renditions of I Put a Spell On You. The casting is perfect and this film is full of fun moments that the whole family will enjoy.
Mr. Boogedy
This is perhaps the worst film in this collection. However, I definitely have fond memories of it from my childhood. After all, what could be better than having a scary-looking ghost man say “boogedy boogedy boo!” This is another movie about love lost and searched for by a soul that is haunting a house. This is discovered when a novelty salesman and his family move into a house with weird happenings. At first, it is assumed that the dad is just pranking everyone. However, soon the truth is discovered. It’s actually Mr. Boogedy. This movie is bad… like, really bad. However, I can still remember seeing it as a young kid in Iowa and being terrified by it and loving it at the same time. That nostalgia lives on today. This one is so bad it is fun and is worth checking out… just maybe not every year.
Halloweentown
Continuing with the trend of classic Halloween films from the 1990s, Halloweentown is the story of what happens when a mother and her kids follow grandma home… to a town called Halloweentown. There they discover that they are actually descendents of a family of witches. It also turns out that Marnie finds out on her 13th birthday that she is a witch and that she and her family are in the middle of a fight against evil that threatens to take over the world. This, to me, is the epitome of classic Disney Channel Original Movies and one of my favorites. It also has the added bonus of having Debbie Reynolds play the grandma!
Hocus Pocus 2
Hocus Pocus 2 saw the Sanderson Sisters return to Salem, Massachusetts years after the first movie. This movie has a similar plot to the original but continues the story. It is fun and while it doesn’t quite capture the magic of the original film, it is still a fun Halloween movie. It also has some good messages in it. I also thought they did a nice job of putting together the new cast for both modern times and the past. Was this movie needed? Probably not. Is it fun to watch? Yes.
Frankenweenie
Frankenweenie of Young Victor Frankenstein, a science nerd and outsider at school, who only has one friend. That is his dog Sparky. When Sparky unfortunately passes on, Victor’s teacher gives him the idea of how he can jolt Sparky back to life. This ends up working but also leads to unintended consequences when other students start trying to use electricity to bring other dead animals to life. I love the look, vibe, and animation in Frankenweenie. This is a classic that is vintage Tim Burton and definitely worth watching!
Muppets Haunted Mansion
Muppets Haunted Mansion is one of many different films and specials currently found on Disney+ that focus on this iconic Disney attraction. It is the only one that is specifically dedicated to Halloween, however. This is one of the best things that The Muppets have put out in years and should be on the list of things to watch every Halloween! It has great characters, great haunts, and great music! Oh, and it has The Muppets, need I say more!?
Blackbeard’s Ghost
While this one isn’t specific to Halloween, watching this movie during the Halloween season is an annual tradition for my family. It is the story of what happens when a track coach inadvertently summons the spirit of Blackbeard’s Ghost on his way to a new job. This leads to some ridiculous scenarios as Blackbeard seeks to find some element of good in himself and the track coach falls in love with a fellow teacher. While not the greatest film in the world, it is a classic that feels like vintage Disney to me. Oh, and did I mention it has a stellar cast?
Shorts/Specials Worth Noting
There are also some really fun shorts on Disney+ that are worth giving a nod to. Here are five of our favorites (check out a complete listing of animated shorts for Halloween here):
- Trick or Treat
- Lonesome Ghosts
- Mater at the Ghostlight
- Mickey and Friends Trick or Treats
- Toy Story of Terror
There are a LOT of different Halloween options to be watched on Disney+ during this time of year. These are just a few of our favorites here at Daps Magic. What are your favorites? Share them with us in the comments below! What is your absolute favorite? What are the ones you watch every year? Let us know! Happy Halloween!
**Updated with Mr. Boogedy and link to animated shorts**
