Last year we enjoyed Halloween at Disneyland Paris. It coincided with my mothers 70th birthday and so the whole family went. We stayed at the Davy Crockett Ranch, arrived on 27th and stayed until the 1st November.
What’s the weather like for Halloween at Disneyland Paris?
Paris weather is similar, if not marginally better that that of the south of the UK, and so at the end of October you can expect it to be a bit chilly, and if you’re unlucky, it can of course be wet. Only one of our 5 days was rainy, the rest were cold and bright. We were so lucky! We did pack for all weather possibilities! Have a look at this post for money-saving ideas.
What happens at Disneyland Paris during Halloween?
Halloween Decoration at Disneyland Paris
In true Disney style the park transforms into a spooktactular Halloween wonderland. Don’t be alarmed, there’s nothing goory or too terrifying, they cater beautifully, as usual, for the youngest of children.
Halloween parades at Disneyland Paris
There is a fantastic seasonal parade, Mickey’s Halloween Tricycle Gang, which entertains over on Main Street. Enjoy the wicked wonder of Disney Characters gliding past on tricked-out tricycles. Mickey and his friends have gone all out with their colourful Halloween costumes.
And, of course, a Halloween parade would not be complete without some baddies to boo. Led by Captain Hook comes a crew of mischievous Disney Villains with some spooky tricks up their sleeves.
Disney parades are always wonderful aren’t they? The characters are always so fabulous and exciting. On your visit, you must atleast once, find a good spot, nice and early, enjoy a hot chocolate and a mickey shaped waffle and wait for the parade to appear. It especially worth taking so me time out and waiting for the parade during Halloween, not only to ensure you get the very best view, but also so you get a chance to take in the incredible costumes on display around the park. So many people make the effort and its just fantastic!
Can I dress up for Halloween at Disney?
Yes, yes, yes!!! Its possible to spot people that have made the effort throughout the Halloween season, but on the 31st October a huge amount of people make an effort! Come on, get involved, its such good fun. There are spectacular wigs, costumes and face paints to be seen.
The only rules are as follows –
- you may dress as your favourite character but may not pose for pictures or sign autographs for other guests
- costumes must be family – friendly ( not offensive, goory, violent)
- costumes may not contain weapons that resemble/could be mistaken for an actual weapon
- children under 13 may wear masks but 14 years and over may not
For a full list of all the rules regarding dress code its worth checking the Disneyland Paris page
Even my 70 year old mother, who’s never dressed up in her life, got into the spirit of things and thoroughly enjoyed it too.
Halloween Meet and Greets at Disneyland Paris
On the weekly programme you are given at check in and on the daily programme, which you can pick up at the entrance to the park at each day, there will be a list of meet and greets going on through the day. At Halloween some special guests arrive for some exciting and rare meet and greet opportunities. Be aware that the queues really can be quite long, especially for the more popular/rarer characters.
We were very excited to arrive at the Castle Courtyard on our first day to find Maleficent had just appeared and the queue had not yet developed. Maleficent was an absolutely remarkable character to meet, astonishingly realistic, excellent with the children and very funny. We also enjoyed meeting Captain Hook, Princess D challenged him to a dual – he ran away whimpering!
There’s so much magical mischief on the loose, there are characters everywhere you look. My favourite, apart from the magnificent Maleficent, was the Queen of Hearts. She was hilarious! Chasing children around the park, knocking someone’s hat off and stealing a lady’s ice cream and running off with it!
There are, of course, also the opportunity to meet your favourite, not quite so ferocious characters too…
Nanny FTWE achieved a lifelong dream of meeting her beloved Eeyore.
Mickeys Halloween Party
On 31st October the parks close early in preparation for Mickeys Halloween party, which takes place from 8pm – 1am. It is, of course, down to your discretion how late you stay out with your little ones. It is worth mentioning that the party is extremely busy. Its a hugely popular event and the crowds can be enormous. There are exceptional shows and parades, encounters with Disney characters and many more surprises. Many of the rides are open all night, some of them providing a brand new experience in the dark.
There’s live music, dancing, characters everywhere and there’s a unique buzz of excitement and fun, and the air is full of the sound of screams and shrieks as people brave scary rides in the dark.
We stayed out until midnight, which is unheard of for my two smalls, but I figured they could lie in in the morning and that it was a one off opportunity. My favourite parts of the nights were riding Pirates of the Caribbean at 11pm, shopping for baubles at 11.30pm was surreal, and watching the characters in full swing as they passed by during the parade.
My tips to enjoy Mickeys Halloween Party with small children
– I suggest that you plan what you would like to do during the evening, but don’t try to do too much, as if you feel pressured to get from one place to another you will start to feel stressed and spoil it for yourself.
-Bear in mind how busy it is, and that despite your best efforts your kids may not like the hustle, bustle, noise and excitement. When they have had enough, accept it and get them home.
– I booked dinner at The Plaza Gardens as early as I could in the months leading up to our holiday. My thoughts were that we would leave the park at lunchtime, go back to the cabin and get dressed up for the party. We went back into the park, fully dressed for the evening had dinner and watched the illuminations. We were already in and settled for the party to begin, and the queues were a fraction of what they were an hour before the party was due to start. On entrance you have to show your Party tickets and you get a wrist band to wear for the evening.
Whilst visiting Disneyland Paris be sure to also venture into he city and experience some of the other things that France is famous for. I would love to see your pictures and hear you experiences of Mickeys Halloween Party. Like our Disney dedicated facebook group to keep up to date with all things Disney – Disneyland Paris tips and advice with Family Travel with Ellie
If you would like some information on driving to Disneyland Paris click here
You can read all about the Princess dining experience at Auberge de Cendrillon here
We also have a post on some of the most family friendly hotels in Paris.
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