Looking for a spooky movie marathon this Halloween? Look no further than Disney+! We’ve gathered the best movies to stream this October.
Is Halloween your favorite time to watch a scary movie? Would you prefer something light and family-friendly instead? With Disney Plus, you can choose from a wide selection of Halloween movies.
Whether you’re in the mood for a classic like “Hocus Pocus” or something more recent like “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” you’re sure to find something to fit your mood. We’ve compiled a list of the best Disney Plus movies to stream this Halloween, so check it out!
Halloween Movies On Disney +
Here are some of my personal favorites: “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Hocus Pocus,” “The Addams Family,” “The Witches,” and “Frankenstein.” So get your popcorn ready and prepare for a night of scares!
1. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Release date: October 19, 2007 (Canada)
Director: Henry Selick
Distributed by: Touchstone Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures
One of my personal favorites. In 1993, Tim Burton and Henry Selick released the stop-motion animated musical dark fantasy film The Nightmare Before Christmas.
There are some dastardly and comical consequences when Jack Skellington, a skeleton living in Halloween Town, opens a portal to Christmas Town.
Jack Skellington’s singing voice was provided by Danny Elfman, who wrote the film’s songs and score. During its first run, The Nightmare Before Christmas received positive reviews from critics and grossed over $76 million.
2. Hocus Pocus
Released: 1993
Despite its unusual and whimsical plot, Hocus Pocus is an American Halloween fantasy comedy film directed by Kenny Ortega and written by Neil Cuthbert and Mick Giarris. In Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween night, Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker play witches who are accidentally raised by a teenage boy. Hocus Pocus was released by Walt Disney Pictures on July 16, 1993, and grossed $39 million in the United States on its initial release.
3. Girl vs. Monster
Initial release: October 12, 2012
Director: Stuart Gillard
Music composed by: Robert Duncan
Awards: WGA Award for Best Children’s – Long Form or Special
A 2012 Disney Channel Original Movie, Girl vs. Monster is an American fantasy teen comedy. Skylar is a teenage girl who discovers that she is the fifth generation of monster hunters on Halloween night. The monsters will try to stop her from practicing the family tradition. Tracey Jeffrey produced the film, which was directed by Stuart Gillard.
4. Toy Story of Terror!
Initial release: October 16, 2013
Director: Angus MacLane
Distributed by: Disney–ABC Domestic Television
Toy Story of Terror! Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment produced this 2013 American direct-to-video animated horror comedy. The toys go missing when Mr. Potato Head goes missing when they stop at a motel with Woody and Buzz. During their search for him, the gang becomes embroiled in a mysterious plot.
5. Halloweentown
Initial release: October 17, 1998
This is the fourth Disney Channel Original Movie in the Halloweentown series, but it is also the weakest. In Halloweentown, the kids from the franchise have graduated high school and are heading to college.
Every October, if you watched Disney Channel growing up, you eagerly awaited the return of teenage witch Marnie Piper and her dysfunctional, at times displaced, family.
6. The Haunted Mansion
Release date: November 26, 2003 (USA)
Director: Rob Minkoff
Adapted from: The Haunted Mansion, Haunted Mansion Holiday
Director Rob Minkoff and writer David Berenbaum bring supernatural horror comedy to life in The Haunted Mansion. It stars Eddie Murphy as a realtor trapped in a haunted mansion with his family based on the Disney attraction of the same name. Supporting roles are played by Terence Stamp, Nathaniel Parker, Marsha Thomason, and Jennifer Tilly.
7. Coco
Release date: November 22, 2017
As Miguel seeks to prove his talent, he finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead. Miguel and Héctor embark on an extraordinary journey to discover the true story behind Miguel’s family history after meeting a charming trickster named Héctor.
8. Frankenweenie
Release date: October 5, 2012
Awards: New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Animated Film
Directed by Tim Burton and produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Frankenweenie is a 2012 American 3D stop-motion animated comedy horror film. A young boy brings back to life his dead dog Sparky in Frankenweenie. It is a remake of Burton’s 1984 short film of the same name and is based on Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The voice cast includes Charlie Tahan, Winona Ryder, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, and Martin Landau.
9. Muppets Haunted Mansion
Initial release: October 8, 2021
Featured song: Rest in Peace
Distributed by: Disney+
Originally aired in 2021, Muppets Haunted Mansion is based on the Disney properties The Muppets. It was released on October 8, 2021, via Disney+. It is the first Halloween special for the Muppets. The story revolves around Gonzo and Pepe who have to stay in a haunted mansion for a night.
10. Z-O-M-B-I-E-S
Characters: Addison, Zed, Willa, Wyatt, Eliza, Wynter, Zoey, MORE
On February 16, 2018, Disney Channel premiered Zombies, an American musical and dance original movie. Based on the unaired pilot by David Light and Joseph Raso, Zombies and Cheerleaders is a zombie comedy.
11. Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie
Distributed by: Disney Channel, Disney–ABC Domestic Television
A force of evil, wizards, and magic. Halloween doesn’t get any better than this, does it? During their family vacation, the Russos put their magic skills to the test and their relationships to the test.
12. The Ghosts of Buxley Hall
Initial release: December 21, 1980
Distributed by: Disney–ABC Domestic Television
Original network: NBC
The ghosts of a military academy and a young cadet fight to prevent it from being closed. More than a century has passed since Buxley Hall became an all-boys school. When the money runs out, officials decide to make it a co-ed school. The ghosts roaming the halls reveal themselves to help stop a plot to demolish the school as an unforeseen enemy conspires to do so.
13. Twitches
(TV Movie 2005)
When Alex and Camryn were born, they were separated. The strange incidents they’ve been experiencing might mean something more magical when they’re reunited on their 21st birthday.
14. Don’t Look Under The Bed
To clear her name after being framed for a bunch of awful pranks in her hometown, France McCausland enlists the help of Larry Houdini, her brother’s imaginary friend.
15. Phantom of the Megaplex
Strange occurrences begin taking place at the Megaplex theater as Pete Riley and his colleagues prepare for an event with a star-studded cast, causing everyone to suspect the theater is haunted.
16. Smart House
Release date: June 26, 1999 (USA)
Distributed by: Disney Channel, Disney–ABC Domestic Television
There are plenty of scary moments in this movie, even though it’s not technically a Halloween movie. Ryan Merriman plays the role of Ben Cooper (Ryan Merriman), who wins a “Smart House,” but his digital assistant, Pat, transforms into an overbearing mother.
17. Spooky Buddies
Often referred to as the Air Bud and Air Buddies franchise, Spooky Buddies is a 2011 American-Canadian supernatural comedy film. This week’s Air Buddies installment takes the team to Fernfield, Massachusetts, for a Halloween adventure. On September 20, 2011, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released the film on Blu-ray, DVD, and as a film download, directed by Robert Vince and produced by Anna McRoberts.
18. Halloweentown Ii: Kalabar’s Revenge
In the last two years, Marnie has spent the majority of her time living with her grandmother Aggie. She tries to impress a cute new boy, Kal, by showing him Aggie’s magically-hidden room with a spellbook while hosting a neighborhood Halloween party.
Aggie soon begins to experience unwelcome magical symptoms. Halloweentown’s portal to the mortal world, open only on Halloween, closes at midnight, so she and Marnie hurry to investigate and resolve the problem.
19. Maleficent (2014)
A live-action adaptation of Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent (2014) tells the story from the point of view of the villain. Maleficent is portrayed by Angelina Jolie, with Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, and Harris Dickinson also appearing. The film was released on May 30, 2014.
There is a powerful fairy called Maleficent who lives in a magical kingdom. To defend her people, she uses her magic when the king’s army threatens her home. Nevertheless, the king and his daughter, Aurora, betray her. Many years later, Maleficent wakes up from a deep sleep put into her by Aurora.
20. Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire
Initial release: October 13, 2000
Adam Hansesn (Matt O’Leary) and his sister are desperate to get their mother out of the house so they can sneak around. The situation takes a turn for the worse when Adam learns that his mom’s new date might be an evil vampire.
21. Escape To Witch Mountain
Release date: March 21, 1975
The 2000 horror-comedy film Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire was directed by Steve Boyum and starred Caroline Rhea, Matt O’Leary, Charles Shaughnessy, Laura Vandervoort, and Robert Carradine. Premiering October 13, 2000, it was a Disney Channel Original Movie.
What Are Some Fun Facts About Disney and Halloween?
Halloween is a time for families to get together, and what better way to celebrate than with some of your favorite Disney movies?
Here are some fun facts about Disney and Halloween that might surprise you:
- In 1934, Mickey Mouse made his first appearance in a Halloween-themed cartoon called The Haunted House.
- In 1957, Sleeping Beauty became the first animated movie to be released during the Halloween season.
- The Nightmare Before Christmas is the only movie to be both a Halloween movie and a Christmas movie.
- In 2017, Moana was the first Disney movie to feature a Pacific Islander as the lead character.
Disney Halloween Costumes
Here are some of my favorite costume ideas:
- The Lion King: Rafiki’s Staff
- The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Seashell Bra
- Aladdin: Jasmine’s Harem Pants
- Frozen: Elsa’s Ice Crown
