69 Fun Facts About Disney Halloween

In which Massachusetts town do the Sanderson sisters return from the dead in Hocus Pocus?

Salem, Massachusetts: the Sanderson sisters were hanged there in 1693 and return exactly 300 years later, on Halloween 1993, when a teenager relights their candle.

What object does Max light to accidentally resurrect the witches in Hocus Pocus?

The Black Flame Candle revives the witches when a virgin lights it on Halloween night under a full moon; skeptical newcomer Max lights it to impress Allison.

Thackery Binx, cursed by the Sandersons in 1693, spends three centuries in what form?

Thackery Binx is turned into an immortal black cat in 1693 after failing to save his sister Emily, and guards the Sanderson cottage for 300 years.

In which month of 1993 was Halloween staple Hocus Pocus originally released to US cinemas?

Hocus Pocus opened in US cinemas on July 16, 1993; the summer release is one reason it flopped, reportedly losing Disney about $16.5 million before home video made it a perennial.

Which future Shape of Water star plays the zombie Billy Butcherson in Hocus Pocus?

Doug Jones, later the Amphibian Man in The Shape of Water, plays Billy Butcherson, Winifred's lover, poisoned by her in 1693 and dug up with his mouth sewn shut.

Which High School Musical director made Hocus Pocus?

Kenny Ortega directed Hocus Pocus (1993) years before High School Musical; the screenplay came from Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert under the working title Disney's Halloween House.

Which song do the Sanderson sisters perform to enchant the adults at the town Halloween party?

Bette Midler's Winifred belts I Put a Spell on You, a 1956 Screamin' Jay Hawkins song, bewitching the adults into dancing all night until they drop.

Hocus Pocus 2 skipped cinemas and premiered where in 2022?

Hocus Pocus 2 premiered on Disney+ on September 30, 2022; Disney called it the most-watched film premiere in the service's US history to that point.

In Hocus Pocus 2, Becca accidentally conjures the Sanderson sisters on which birthday?

Whitney Peak plays the aspiring witch; the sequel was directed by Anne Fletcher rather than the original's Kenny Ortega.

Which Hollywood legend plays Grandma Aggie Cromwell in Halloweentown?

Debbie Reynolds played Aggie in all four films; the first premiered on Disney Channel on October 17, 1998.

The town of Halloweentown was filmed in which US state?

Oregon: the Columbia River town of St. Helens, northwest of Portland, stood in for Halloweentown during the 1998 shoot.

What civic office does Kalabar, the villain of the first Halloweentown, hold?

Kalabar is the mayor of Halloweentown, played by Robin Thomas; his son Kal returns as the villain of the 2001 sequel, Kalabar's Revenge.

What job does Benny the skeleton hold in Halloweentown?

Benny is Halloweentown's skeleton taxi driver, voiced by Rino Romano; his cab ferries the Cromwells around in several films of the series.

In Halloweentown II, what is the name of the curse Kal casts on Halloweentown?

Kal's Grey Spell drains Halloweentown of its colour and magic, leaving the residents dull and lifeless; Daniel Kountz plays Kal in the 2001 sequel.

In Halloweentown High, what was the fanatical order that once wanted to destroy all things magical called?

The Knights of the Iron Dagger were the mortal order sworn to wipe out magic; in Halloweentown High, Marnie bets the Cromwell family's magic that her exchange programme will succeed.

Who replaced Kimberly J. Brown as Marnie in Return to Halloweentown?

Sara Paxton took over as Marnie for Return to Halloweentown (2006), which sends her to Witch University; Kimberly J. Brown had played the role in the first three films.

Who directed The Nightmare Before Christmas?

Burton wrote the original poem in 1982 and produced, but he was busy with Batman Returns, so Selick spent three years directing the stop-motion shoot.

Who provides Jack Skellington's singing voice in The Nightmare Before Christmas?

Danny Elfman, the film's composer, sang all of Jack Skellington's numbers himself, while Chris Sarandon provided Jack's speaking voice.

Disney released The Nightmare Before Christmas under which label, thinking it too dark for kids?

Touchstone Pictures, Disney's label for more adult fare, released the film in 1993; Disney reissued it under the Walt Disney Pictures banner for the 2006 3-D rerelease.

Roughly how many different heads were made for the Jack Skellington puppet?

Around 400 interchangeable heads were made for Jack Skellington, one per expression, among the 227 puppets built for the three-year stop-motion shoot.

The Nightmare Before Christmas was the first animated film nominated for which Academy Award?

Best Visual Effects: the 1993 stop-motion feature was the first animated film nominated in that category, losing to Jurassic Park at the 1994 ceremony.

Which Pee-wee's Playhouse cast member voices Lock, one of Oogie Boogie's trick-or-treaters?

Paul Reubens, Pee-wee Herman himself, voices Lock; with Shock and Barrel he kidnaps Santa Claus for Jack and delivers him to Oogie Boogie instead.

Which pair of twin sisters star as the reunited witches in Twitches?

Tia and Tamera Mowry, the Sister, Sister twins, play Alex and Camryn in the 2005 Disney Channel movie, adapted from H. B. Gilmour and Randi Reisfeld's Scholastic books.

In Twitches, the twins are born on Halloween night in which magical dimension?

Coventry is the magical dimension where the twins were born as Artemis and Apolla, named for the moon and sun deities; the sequel Twitches Too followed in 2007.

Miguel's dog Dante in Coco is which hairless Mexican breed?

Dante is a Xoloitzcuintle, the hairless Mexican dog tied to the underworld since Aztec times; in the Land of the Dead he proves to be an alebrije and sprouts wings.

Which song from Coco won the Academy Award for Best Original Song?

Remember Me, written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, won Best Original Song at the 2018 Oscars, where Coco also took Best Animated Feature.

After banning music, Miguel's great-great-grandmother Imelda starts what family trade in Coco?

That is why the Riveras expect 12-year-old Miguel to make shoes instead of playing guitar like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz.

Tim Burton's 2012 Frankenweenie is a feature-length remake of a short he made in which year?

Burton made the original live-action Frankenweenie short in 1984 while at Disney; the 2012 stop-motion remake keeps the black-and-white look and Victor reviving his dog Sparky.

In the 2003 film The Haunted Mansion, Eddie Murphy's Jim Evers has what job?

Jim Evers is a real estate agent whose firm, Evers & Evers, is invited to sell Gracey Manor; Rob Minkoff, co-director of The Lion King, directed the 2003 film.

Which actress voices the crystal-ball head Madame Leota in the 2003 Haunted Mansion film?

Jennifer Tilly voices Madame Leota, the spirit in the crystal ball; Terence Stamp plays Ramsley, the butler who turns out to be behind the mansion's tragedy.

In which year did the Haunted Mansion open to guests at Disneyland?

The Haunted Mansion opened on August 9, 1969; its New Orleans Square facade had stood empty since 1963 while the ride was finished, and the Magic Kingdom copy followed in 1971.

According to the Ghost Host, how many "happy haunts" live in the Haunted Mansion?

The Ghost Host says 999 happy haunts live in the mansion, but there is room for a thousand, so any volunteers are welcome.

What are the ride vehicles of the Haunted Mansion called?

Doom Buggies are the mansion's Omnimover vehicles, able to rotate to face each scene; the same system carries riders through Epcot's Spaceship Earth.

The Haunted Mansion's Stretching Room at Disneyland is secretly what?

The Disneyland Stretching Room is an elevator that lowers guests beneath the railroad berm to a show building outside it; the Florida version stretches its ceiling upward instead.

Which voice actor narrates the Haunted Mansion as the Ghost Host?

Paul Frees, also the voice of Boris Badenov, narrates as the Ghost Host; Thurl Ravenscroft is one of the singing busts, and Buddy Baker composed Grim Grinning Ghosts.

What is Disneyland Paris's reimagined version of the Haunted Mansion called?

Phantom Manor sits in Disneyland Paris's Frontierland with a Western ghost-town storyline; Hong Kong Disneyland's Mystic Manor, opened in 2013, has no ghosts at all.

In which year did Haunted Mansion Holiday, the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay, debut at Disneyland?

It opened on October 3, 2001, and runs from Halloween through Christmas; Tokyo Disneyland has a version too, with a giant cake in place of the gingerbread house.

Mr. Boogedy, the 1986 Disney Sunday Movie villain, gained his powers by selling his soul for what?

Mr. Boogedy, born William Hanover, a grouchy Pilgrim, sold his soul to the devil for a magic cloak that grants his powers; the Davis family meets him in Lucifer Falls, and Bride of Boogedy followed in 1987.

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a separate-ticket event at which Walt Disney World park?

Magic Kingdom first hosted Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in 1995, a hard-ticket evening event with trick-or-treat stops marked by giant inflatable towers.

Which character rides ahead of Mickey's Boo To You Halloween Parade at the Not-So-Scary party?

The Headless Horseman gallops down Main Street ahead of the parade, holding a lit jack-o'-lantern, a nod to Disney's 1949 Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Oogie Boogie Bash, launched in 2019, is held at which park?

Oogie Boogie Bash debuted at Disney California Adventure in 2019, replacing Mickey's Halloween Party next door at Disneyland Park, and added the Villainous! water show at Paradise Bay.

In the 1937 short Lonesome Ghosts, what business do Mickey, Donald and Goofy run?

Ajax Ghost Exterminators: four bored ghosts hire the trio just for someone to scare, then flee when the heroes, doused in molasses and flour, look like ghosts themselves.

In the 1952 short Trick or Treat, who helps Huey, Dewey and Louie get revenge on Donald?

Witch Hazel, voiced by June Foray, later Rocky the Flying Squirrel, brews a potion for the nephews; the cauldron scene winks at the Three Witches of Macbeth.

Instead of candy, what does Donald put in his nephews' trick-or-treat bags in the 1952 short?

Donald drops firecrackers into the nephews' bags, then yanks a string to dump a bucket of water on their heads, which sends them off to find a witch.

Which crooner narrates and sings Disney's 1949 Legend of Sleepy Hollow segment?

Bing Crosby narrates and sings the Ichabod half of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949), whose Wind in the Willows half is narrated by Basil Rathbone.

In Fantasia's Bald Mountain sequence, on which occasion does the demon Chernabog summon the dead?

Walpurgis Night, as Deems Taylor explains in his introduction; Bela Lugosi posed as reference for Chernabog, but animator Bill Tytla preferred director Wilfred Jackson's modelling instead.

In Sleeping Beauty, which good fairy softens Maleficent's death curse into a deep sleep?

Merryweather, the blue fairy, had not yet given her gift, so she softens Maleficent's curse: Aurora will not die but sleep until woken by true love's kiss.

Ursula's look in The Little Mermaid was largely modelled on which drag performer?

Divine, the John Waters drag star, inspired Ursula's heavy make-up and bulk; early designs tried a manta ray before the animators settled on the octopus body, and Pat Carroll voiced her.

How did Lucille La Verne change her Evil Queen voice for the hag in Snow White?

Lucille La Verne removed her false teeth to find the hag's toothless cackle after her first attempt sounded too much like the regal Queen; she voiced both roles in 1937.

Which actor voices the fast-talking, flame-haired Hades, brother of Zeus, in Disney's Hercules?

James Woods; Hades's hair is a blue flame that turns red when he loses his temper, and his shapeshifting imps Pain and Panic do the dirty work.

Cruella de Vil first appeared in a 1956 novel by which English author?

Dodie Smith introduced Cruella in her 1956 novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians; Disney's 1961 version, voiced by Betty Lou Gerson, ranked 39th on the AFI's villains list.

Which actor voices Dr. Facilier, the Shadow Man, in The Princess and the Frog?

Keith David voices Dr. Facilier, whose showstopper is Friends on the Other Side; his shadow moves independently of him throughout the 2009 film.

The Black Cauldron, home of the Horned King, was the first Disney animated feature to receive which rating?

PG: The Black Cauldron (1985) was the first Disney animated feature to carry that rating; John Hurt voiced the Horned King, and the film was Disney's first animated feature to use computer-generated imagery.

Under Wraps, in which three kids befriend a mummy named Harold, holds what distinction?

Under Wraps premiered on October 25, 1997, as the first film branded a Disney Channel Original Movie; a remake followed in October 2021.

Which 1999 Disney Channel Boogeyman movie was pulled from October rebroadcasts as too scary?

Don't Look Under the Bed was dropped from Disney Channel's October lineup after parents complained it was too scary; imaginary friend Larry Houdini helps Frances prove a Boogeyman is framing her.

Who plays the Ghost Host in Muppets Haunted Mansion, the Muppets' first Halloween special?

Will Arnett plays the Ghost Host in the 2021 Disney+ special, in which Gonzo and Pepe must survive a night in the mansion while Taraji P. Henson's ghost bride pursues Pepe.

The Skeleton Dance, with skeletons played like xylophones, was the first entry in which Disney series?

The Skeleton Dance (1929) launched the Silly Symphonies; Ub Iwerks animated most of it in about six weeks, and it entered the US public domain on January 1, 2025.

In Mickey's House of Villains, which villain leads the takeover of the House of Mouse on Halloween night?

Jafar leads the villains' takeover; Mickey, in his Sorcerer's Apprentice robes, ends it by trapping Jafar in a magic lamp in the 2002 direct-to-video film.

In Toy Story of Terror!, who or what has been stealing toys from guests at the Sleep Well motel?

Mr. Jones, the manager's pet iguana, was trained to snatch unattended toys so he could sell them online; Carl Weathers voices Combat Carl in the 2013 ABC special.

Gravity Falls celebrates Halloween a second time in summer under what name?

Summerween, with jack-o'-melons carved instead of pumpkins; the episode aired on Disney Channel in October 2012.

In Hocus Pocus, from which West Coast city has Max Dennison recently moved to Massachusetts?

Max Dennison has just moved from Los Angeles, which he misses; he reluctantly takes his sister Dani trick-or-treating and meets classmate Allison Watts, his crush.

Which three actresses play the Sanderson sisters in Hocus Pocus?

Midler, Parker and Najimy - Bette, Sarah Jessica and Kathy - play the comically villainous trio, resurrected by a teenage boy played by Omri Katz.

Halloweentown (1998) was which numbered Disney Channel Original Movie?

Halloweentown premiered on October 17, 1998, as the fourth Disney Channel Original Movie; Kimberly J. Brown, Joey Zimmerman and Judith Hoag starred in the first of its four films.

In a 2012 Disney Channel Halloween movie, Olivia Holt's Skylar learns on Halloween Eve that she is a fifth-generation what?

A monster hunter; the comedy-horror Girl vs. Monster premiered on Disney Channel on October 12, 2012.

In the 2000 Disney Channel movie Phantom of the Megaplex, what job does 17-year-old Pete Riley hold at the cinema?

Assistant manager; Taylor Handley's Pete battles malfunctioning equipment on the night of the premiere of the fictional blockbuster Midnight Mayhem.

Which Monty Python member stars in The Scream Team, a 2002 Disney Channel Halloween movie?

Eric Idle plays the ghost Coffin Ed; Tommy Davidson, Mark Rendall and Kat Dennings also star in the 2002 Disney Channel movie.

Who directed the 2023 Haunted Mansion film starring LaKeith Stanfield and Rosario Dawson?

Justin Simien, of Dear White People, directed the 2023 film from a Katie Dippold script; despite Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito and Jamie Lee Curtis in the cast, it lost Disney an estimated $117 million.

In Coco, what is the name of the Mexican town where Miguel and the Rivera family live?

Santa Cecilia, named for the patron saint of musicians, is the Riveras' home town; Anthony Gonzalez voices 12-year-old Miguel, who teaches himself guitar from tapes of Ernesto de la Cruz.

In Frankenweenie, what breed of dog is Victor's beloved Sparky?

A bull terrier; the Frankensteins live in the quiet town of New Holland, with Charlie Tahan voicing Victor and Catherine O'Hara his mother.