A heatwave hit Southern California over the weekend, just in time for the launch of Disneyland’s fall celebration… Halloween Time! It was so sweltering that most guests sported shorts and tanktops instead of their new Halloween Time spirit jerseys and jeans… and we’d be shocked if anybody was drinking their pumpkin spice latte any way other than iced! Still, all of the favorite seasonal offerings are back, with a ton of specialty food and beverage items for guests to enjoy. In addition to spooky fun, Disney will once again open up Magic Keys for new sales this week, just as they announced a big cut to Hotel perks. We’ve got all of the news and Halloween Time fun ready for you in today’s update, so let’s get started!
Magic Keys Unlocked!
In July, all Magic Key passes had sold out, leaving guests looking to buy new passes during the height of the summer season out of luck. Well, the temporary sales freeze on new passes is coming to an end and Disneyland will make some Magic Key passes available again for new purchases this week.
Starting on Tuesday, August 26, Magic Key passes at the Imagine and Enchant levels will go back on sale. Sales will start no earlier than 9 a.m. If you’ve been thinking about getting a Magic Key, we recommend getting it sooner rather than later once sales open up — you never know how much inventory there is, how high demand will be, and how long they’ll be available for. For more information, please check out our full coverage at the link below:
Some Disneyland Magic Keys Are Unlocking Again – Everything You Need To Know
Hit the Snooze… Early Entry is canceled!
Last week, Disneyland announced it would be ending the longtime Early Entry perk for Disneyland Resort Hotel guests. The last day for Disney hotel guests to enjoy early entry will be January 4, 2026. In lieu of early entry, Disneyland will instead give one complimentary Lightning Lane per guest, per stay — not per day. The change is yet another downgrade for guests paying premium prices for a product that is increasingly less-than-premium. Disney will save some money in the operations budget by cutting this perk, but how much will it cost them in guest goodwill?
The early entry announcement came alongside news that the special Disney California Adventure entry gate for Pixar Pier Hotel guests would also be closing. Its final day of operation will also by January 4, 2026. Disney said low guest usage led to the decision to permanently close the gate, but perhaps more guests would have used it if it were easier to find? Not only is the exclusive entrance difficult to locate but it’s also stuck behind a gate requiring a Hotel key card for entry, making the pathway to it look closed. Pixar Pier Hotel guests will be directed to use the Grand Californian Hotel’s gate or the park’s main entrance to access Disney California Adventure.
The gateway was even more difficult to find from inside the park, with only a very small sign next to a path wedged between Corn Dog Castle and Seaside Souvenirs.
It looks like a Cast Member-only backstage entrance. No wonder nobody used this entry point.
Halloween Time returns!
Disneyland’s ever-popular Halloween Time kicked off its annual run on Friday. Fans of the season will see all of their favorites from the last several years return, including seasonal decor in both parks, Haunted Mansion Holiday and Halloween Screams fireworks in Disneyland, and Plaza de la Familia in Disney California Adventure.
The Halloween Time lamppost decorations no longer feature the “Disney’s Halloween Time” logo that has been part of the decorations since Halloween Time debuted in 2006. But they still have a spray of fall foliage and pumpkin Mickey.
Tilly’s all dressed up for Halloween at the Main Street Cinema. 
And the parade of pumpkins from one end of Main Street to the other has returned…
In the Central Plaza, the land-specific character jack-o-lanterns that surround the Partners statue have gotten a small update.
The Critter Country pumpkin that featured Winnie the Pooh has been replaced with a new Bayou Country pumpkin featuring Princess Tiana. Unfortunately, because there’s only so much detail that can be created from carved pumpkin, Tiana has a bit of a sinister look… but it somehow fits the season…
The rest of the jack-o-lanterns remain unchanged, including the Adventureland pumpkin that still features Tarzan, even though he no longer has an attraction in the land. What character or feature would you like to see featured in a future update to the Adventureland pumpkin? A tiki bird? Jungle Cruise boat? A Dole Whip? Get creative and leave us your thought in the comments below!
In New Orleans Square, Haunted Mansion Holiday is back for its annual run as well. No major changes
This year’s gingerbread house is very nice but doesn’t seem as animated as in previous years.
For those curious, the Haunted Mansion’s new extended queue and new ADA accessible elevator didn’t receive much in the way of Haunted Mansion Holiday theming this year. A bit disappointing, but we hope to see enhancements in coming years. As guests leave the attraction and head into the hallway that leads to the elevator, Disney has placed six paintings that depict some of the Mansion’s occupants. Our understanding is that these prints come from conceptual illustrations of characters by Marc Davis and other WED Imagineers.
At the end of the new ADA elevator hallway, there’s a small painting depicting Sally from the ride’s final scene. As guests pass by, they’ll hear her familiar “Hurry back, hurry back” audio, just like at the main exit. It’s a thoughtful addition, but unfortunately, the artwork is quite small and noticeably low in quality.
In Frontierland, the Dia de los Muertos display has returned. It’s a lovely, charming little display that we look forward to every year.
Over in Disney California Adventure, Buena Vista Street is decked out in spooky bats and is once again home to the Headless Horseman.
Plaza de la Familia returns to Paradise Garden and the whole offering highlights what a great fit the upcoming Coco attraction will be in this corner of the park.
The “Storytellers of Plaza de la Familia Celebrate the Musical World of Coco!” show has returned as well. This show is a lot of fun and very sweet and charming but beware when it’s hot outside — there is absolutely zero shade for guests watching the show.
70th? What 70th?
With Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary celebration still underway, one might have expected a more cohesive blend of the milestone with the arrival of Halloween Time. Rather than incorporating subtle nods—such as orange-hued 70th logos or anniversary-themed pumpkins woven into the fall décor—we’re instead presented with a bit of a visual mismatch: bright, cheerful 70th Anniversary elements mixed in with the darker, autumnal tones of Halloween.
In the Esplanade, the large 70th Anniversary music box sculpture remains on display, even as California Adventure’s Halloween decorations loom behind it. But, in most areas, Halloween Time has clearly taken precedence. At Disneyland, the 70th elements have started to disappear entirely: the medallion in Town Square has been replaced by the iconic Mickey jack-o’-lantern, and the 70th banners on Carthay Circle have been removed to make way for nighttime Halloween projections.
The 70th medallion in Town Square has left to make way for the Mickey jack-o-lantern.
Sleeping Beauty Castle’s modest but tasteful 70th overlay is still in place.
There’s simply no sign of the 70th celebration left at Disney California Adventure. The Headless Horseman has replaced the 70th medallion at the end of Buena Vista Street and the decorations on Carthay Circle Theater have been removed to accommodate the nighttime Oogie Boogie projections.
Downtown Disney’s 70th medallions are still on display, with the usual Halloween Time decor mixed in.
Surely, there was a more elegant way to bridge these two celebrations. A unified visual approach… perhaps using fall-inspired versions of the 70th branding? Too late now, and it certainly saved them a lot of money by mixing and matching.
Halloween Time Eats & Treats
The Disneyland Resort has 116 special food and beverage items available for this year’s Halloween Time, with 89 of those items being new this year. So if you are one of those people who needs to try everything new, you better come to the parks ready to eat!
For a full guide to Halloween Time food, check out our MiceChat coverage below:
Halloween Time Entertainment Offerings
At Disneyland, guests can catch a daytime Halloween cavalcade down Main Street USA. Keep in mind it’s just a cavalcade and not a parade and if we’re totally honest, it’s underwhelming compared to the previous 70th Anniversary cavalcade. It’s a shame Disneyland won’t put together something nicer for this simply because they want to keep the real Halloween parade behind the Oogie Boogie Bash paywall.
Still, it gives you a chance to let the kiddos see the characters… and perhaps convince them you don’t need to wait in line in ToonTown.
In Disney California Adventure, the “Mickey’s Trick and Treat” show is back for the younger crowd at the Disney Jr. theater.
And at night, Disneyland’s “Halloween Screams” nighttime spectacular returns — with fireworks on select nights.
Halloween Time After Dark
Of course, Halloween Time really comes to life in the evening. The parks are hauntingly beautiful at night during Halloween Time… with the glow of the jack-o-lanterns on Main Street, the twinkle of the purple lights on Buena Vista Street, the flickering candles on Haunted Mansion Holiday, and the colorful glow of Radiator Springs in Cars Land!
While Disneyland lights up in more traditional warm lights and flickering pumpkins, Disney California Adventure glows in purples and greens for a much more eerie take on Halloween.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Monsters After Dark is awash in blues, purples and reds during the Halloween season. 
Cars Land is always a Halloween Time highlight at night.
Radiator Springs lights up in creepy colors at night, even with major refurbishment underway.
So does Halloween Time still scare up enough fun? Of course, but the truth is that some of the seasonal offerings are getting a little long in the tooth, and we’ve been saying that for years, so the tooth grows. It wouldn’t hurt Disneyland to spend some money and freshen things up. Disneyland’s side of the offerings hasn’t changed much since Halloween Time debuted in 2006 — in fact, big parts of Disneyland’s lineup have been lost over the years, including Space Mountain’s Ghost Galaxy overlay and the Halloween Carnival at Big Thunder Ranch. Over at Disney California Adventure’s, Halloween Time offerings got a big boost in recent years thanks to Coco’s Plaza de la Familia in 2017 and by moving the Oogie Boogie Bash parties permanently to that park in 2019.
But with so much construction getting underway in DCA for the foreseeable future, is it possibly time to move Oogie Boogie Bash back to Disneyland? Moving the party back to Disneyland would be a great excuse to refresh and reinvigorate Disneyland’s rather stale Halloween Time decor package and attraction lineup.
Disneyland’s Main Street Pumpkin Festival is a shadow of its former self, Space Mountain should still be haunted (especially with its new nighttime lighting package), the hole left by the loss of Big Thunder Ranch has never been filled, a proper Halloween parade is needed in Disneyland, and the entirety of Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure could utilize show lighting and sound effects to extend the “Monsters After Dark” or villains storyline throughout the land. There’s so much opportunity for improvements (big and small) and with this season being one of Disneyland’s most popular, the investment is easily justified. If Knott’s and Universal can refresh their offerings every year, surely Disneyland can one up them with regular creative additions. What would you like to see changed or added to Halloween Time?
For coverage of this year’s Oogie Boogie Bash special-ticket event, check out the article below:
Disney California Adventure: Oogie Boogie Bash 2025 Event Guide
AND… we also have dedicated Halloween guides for:
Oga on Standby
Last week, Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge stopped offering dining reservations. This location is now walk-up availability only, effective August 19.
Guests looking to join Oga for a drink can join the standby queue at anytime now. Any existing reservations will still be honored. Just hop in line and a Cast Member will ask what your party size is and add you to the list. Overall, it’s much easier and more guest-friendly than needing a reservation for EVERYTHING.
For more information on this change, check out our full coverage at the link below:
NOW WITHOUT RESERVATIONS – Oga’s Cantina Delivers the “Star Wars” to Galaxy’s Edge
Construction Kingdom
Let’s take a look at some of the current construction and refurbishment projects underway at the Disneyland Resort. But first, the current refurbishment schedule:
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: Closed June 30th-September 4th.
- Storybook Land Canal Boats: Closed July 28th-TBA.
- Casey Jr. Circus Train: Closed July 28th-TBA.
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: Closed September 2nd-TBA.
- Mark Twain Riverboat: Closed September 8th-11th.
- Main Street Cinema: Closed September 8th-25th.
- Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island: Closed September 15th-17th.
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant: Closed September 17th.
- Sailing Ship Columbia: Closed September 22nd-25th.
Star Tours: The Adventures will Continue soon.
Star Tours remains closed through September 4 for refurbishment.
Will they fix the long-damaged marquee before it reopens next week? Seems unlikely at this point.
Storybook Land Canal Boats and Casey Jr. Circus Train:
Storybook Land and Casey Jr. remain closed for a lengthy refurbishment. No reopening date has yet been announced for the classic rides.
But, from all the scrims and construction walls throughout the huge area, it sure looks like a significant refresh!
Major Radiator Springs Racers refurbishment
Radiator Springs Racers closed at the start of last week and will remain down through September 25th. The attraction’s mountain range, thankfully, is still lit up in spooky colors for the Halloween Time season, even with the attraction closed for refurbishment.
Lots of scaffolding was going up over the weekend. More is likely on the way, as major work gets underway on the popular E-Ticket ride.
Edelweiss Snacks facade refurbishment
Facade refurbishment work continues at this turkey leg stand across from the Matterhorn’s main entrance. The kiosk is still open during refurbishment.
Troubadour Tavern
The Fantasyland Theater’s concession stand is also getting some facade work but remains open, even with the theater dark.
Elias & Co. entrance refurbishment
The entrance to Elias and Co.’s “jewelry department” room is closed while some entryway work is underway. The shop is still accessible from inside the main Elias and Co. room.
Avengers Campus rising
Major construction is moving quickly on the new Avengers Campus Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab attractions. The structure might not look that big in photos but it’s massive in real life and set much further back than I realized it would be. This expansion is really significant in terms of scale and we’re excited to see this project continue to take shape!
This building is going up FAST! 
A view of construction from the Pixar Pal-A-Round. You’ll see it just behind the Cars Land’s mountain range. 
Earl of Sandwich construction
In Downtown Disney, work continues on the new two-story Earl of Sandwich facility. It won’t be too much longer now. A holiday reveal is entirely possible.
Arthur & Sons construction
Not much to see at the site of the former Tortilla Jo’s and future home of the Arthur and Sons steak and bourbon restaurant. This one has been stalled like this for months now.
Sunglass Hut remodel
Sunglass Icon by Sunglash Hut looks like it is being remodeled from the more high-end “Sunglass Icon” spinoff concept to a more traditional Sunglasses Hut store.
Wetzel’s Pretzels work
Work has wrapped on the project we reported on last week, out front of Wetzel’s Pretzels. Looks like the groundwork has been completed and the wall removed.
This & That
A look at a couple odds and ends around the Resort…
Shuttered Pixar Fest
With the summer season at a close and Halloween Time in full swing, the Pixar dance party offerings at the Fantasyland Theater are now closed and the space is dark. We hope to see something move in here during the holiday season… but if not, the dance party should return with the rest of the 70th anniversary celebration in January.
Cars and Luca Photo Opts are still accessible.
The remaining guest photo booth is still operating.
Coca Cola celebrates Disneyland 70
At the Halloween Time press event, Disneyland announced Coca Cola will be releasing a special edition Disneyland 70th Anniversary bottle design. The exclusive design will only be available at the Disneyland Resort starting September 1. Here’s a sneak peek:
Discount Disney Theme Park Tickets & Hotels!!!
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Let’s Hear From You
Alright, that wraps up this week’s Disneyland update. Would you like to see Disneyland refresh the Halloween Time offerings or are you happy with the classics just as they are? Are you less inclined to stay at an official Disneyland Resort hotel now that more perks have been slashed? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Special thanks to Brian Pinsky for his additional help with photos and coverage in today’s update!
