12 Halloween-Themed Disney Movies to Get Your Spooky On

Happy Spooky Season to all who celebrate! It’s officially October, which means it’s now socially acceptable to adorn your house with Halloween decorations. Notice I said, “socially acceptable.” Real ones know that Halloween is a state of mind, and you can hold fast to that year-round.

To help you embrace the best holiday ever to holiday, I’ve compiled a list of 12 Halloween-themed Disney movies to watch. ‘Tis the season to crank up the thrills and the chills with the House of Mouse.

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The Nightmare Before Christmas

If you’re a Millennial like me, this one is a given. The Nightmare Before Christmas is easily Tim Burton’s seminal work, and he didn’t even direct it (that would be the great Henry Selick). It opened the floodgates for more wildly weird, whimsically dark projects. And who doesn’t love stop motion? As a former – and, let’s face it, current – emo kid, this movie meant a lot to me during my teen years.

In addition to being aesthetically unique with catchy songs and great vocal performances, The Nightmare Before Christmas is quite versatile on the holiday front. You can watch it for Halloween and Christmas. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.

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Hocus Pocus

“Oh, look. Another glorious morning. Makes me sick!” Hocus Pocus cast a spell on audiences worldwide back in 1993, and to this day, that spell refuses to wane. The film boasts hilarious performances from our Sanderson sisters trio – Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. “I Put a Spell on You” is also an iconic musical moment, y’all.

There’s a cozy autumn feeling to it, too. Nineties kids get it. It brings on a wave of candy-corn-colored nostalgia, of going trick-or-treating on chilly school nights, and seeing all the neighbors’ houses bedecked with the most garish yet delightful Halloween decorations you’ve ever seen.

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Halloweentown

I desperately wanted Aggie Cromwell to be my third grandmother when I was growing up, and that’s thanks to Disney’s Halloweentown. Who wouldn’t want to be a witch? Who wouldn’t want to move to a quaint village where it’s Halloween 365 days a year and supernatural beings dwell in harmony? Sure, Kalabar’s a bit of a drag (villains always are), but if anyone’s going to defeat him, it’s the Piper/Cromwell clan.

In my humble opinion, Halloweentown burst open the doors for Disney to produce more Halloween-themed original movies on both the small and big screens.

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Coco

If Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) had to be in film form, Coco fits the bill. It’s a vividly colored, vibrantly detailed animated movie that touches on themes of family and honoring one’s roots. The central character, Miguel, even visits the Land of the Dead, where he interacts with relatives long passed in a bid to return home.

Bolstered by toe-tapping tunes and incredible vocal performances, Coco honors Mexican culture and tackles the tricky subject of death in a way that’s digestible – and less scary – for kids. And since Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 1 and 2, you can keep the spooky train rolling beyond Halloween.

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Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire

What would you do if you found out that your mom is on a date with a creature of the night? The Hansen kiddos make a break for the outside world after their mother grounds them, viewing her date with the seemingly charming Dimitri as a way out of their suburban prison. However, when the youngest of the bunch believes Dimitri is a vampire, they call upon vampire hunter Malachi Van Helsing to help them save their mom from becoming dinner.

I love the idea that it’s so easy to contact a vampire hunter. Hey, it was Y2K – he probably had his landline number in the yellow pages back then. Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire is a silly, kooky Disney Channel Original Movie that offers all the nostalgia vibes.

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Descendants

Cue Lady Gaga singing “Born This Way.” A Disney Channel Original Movie from 2015, Descendants sees the children of your favorite villains on a mission to free their parents. The objective? Steal the Fairy Godmother’s wand. If you’re a fan of Once Upon a Time, this is definitely right up your alley.

It’s a real who’s who of Disney’s expansive cache of famous antagonists. Descendants certainly boasts Halloween costume ideas aplenty if you feel you’ve drained that well dry. More importantly, though, it’s pure camp. All the camp. If I’m watching a Disney musical with a magical twist, that’s all I want when I hit play. The film doesn’t take itself too seriously, and in an age where there’s a serious lack of silliness, it’s a balm for the soul.

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Cruella

The titular Cruella de Vil is hellbent on making a name for herself in 2021’s Cruella. Emma Stone stars as the infamous villain from the iconic ’60s animated flick 101 Dalmatians. Here, we meet her as the young Estella, a woman with a keen eye for fashion. After befriending street urchins Horace and Jasper, Estella climbs through the fashion ranks, becoming a household name the world over.

Set against the backdrop of the 1970s punk rock scene, Cruella boasts envy-inducing outfits, rocker aesthetics, and a killer soundtrack showcasing the music of that era. It also cleverly incorporates other characters from the original film, including Anita Darling and Roger Dearly, and your favorite Dalmatians, Pongo and Perdita.

While Stone’s performance makes us somewhat sympathize with Estella/Cruella, nothing excuses what Cruella wanted to do to those poor puppies. If I could sue a fictional character for emotional damages, I would.

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Frankenweenie

We’ve got another Burton entry on this list. He’s essentially the King of Halloween in my eyes. Anyway, Frankenweenie is based on the 1984 live-action short of the same name, directed by Burton from his own story. The 2012 version, which I’m highlighting, is a stop-motion-animated remake that feels more aligned with Burton’s trademark style.

Frankenweenie follows Victor Frankenstein as he reanimates his beloved pup, Sparky, after the latter is struck by a car. The film has an impressive cast roster, including Burton favorites (and Beetlejuice co-stars) Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara. It boasts a cornucopia of supernatural characters and horror literature homages (Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein being the most prominent), making it the perfect addition to your Halloween watchlist.

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Monsters, Inc.

Monsters, Inc. is a childhood favorite of mine. While it’s not particularly scary, it has monsters, and what’s more Halloween than monsters? In Monstropolis, monsters work hard to harness children’s screams as a source of energy. It’s very eco-friendly. Mike Wazowski and Sulley Sullivan befriend one little girl, Boo, who inadvertently wanders into Monstropolis via an open door from her bedroom.

What transpires next is a madcap adventure, bursting at the seams with humor and heart. Monsters learn that humans aren’t so different from them and vice versa, and that, ultimately, making kids laugh produces more energy than their screams.

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Edward Scissorhands

More Tim Burton! Edward Scissorhands kicked off Burton’s most popular decade and a career high. It was released via 20th Century Studios, so it’s Disney-adjacent. Starring Johnny Depp as the eponymous character, the narrative zeroes in on Edward, an artificial humanoid with, you guessed it, scissors for hands.

Naturally, Edward puts those scissorhands to good use by becoming a famed barber for all the housewives in the little suburbia he calls home. The movie explores common themes in Burton’s work, like otherness and embracing what makes you unique. Fun fact: Vincent Price plays The Inventor, the scientist behind Edward’s creation. Price is a hero of Burton’s, and this film is the last of his filmography to be released in his lifetime.

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James and the Giant Peach

Stop motion animation is inherently Halloween-esque. I don’t make the rules. Henry Selick’s 1996 film James and the Giant Peach adapts Roald Dahl’s 1961 novel of the same name. The story follows a young boy who discovers a massive, enchanted peach and sets sail for NYC with his crew of misfit anthropomorphic insects.

With a host of catchy songs written by Randy Newman, the movie is as charming as it is fun to look at. The visuals bear a uniqueness seldom seen in animation today. While the comparisons to The Nightmare Before Christmas surely exist, there’s a lightness and a brighter quality to the animation style here.

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Haunted Mansion

Grim, grinning ghosts come out to socialize. If you’ve ridden the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland or Disney World a million times (like I have), you’ve probably at least heard of its film adaptations. There’s the 2003 iteration with Eddie Murphy. However, I’m focusing on the 2023 version, starring LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, and Danny DeVito.

The movie sees a mother and son enlist the aid of supernatural experts to rid their New Orleans manor of ghosts. Spooky shenanigans ensue. Expect to see characters from the popular attraction pop up, including Madame Leota and The Hatbox Ghost.

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What are your favorite Halloween-themed Disney movies? Share with us at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!

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