Halloween at Disneyland® Paris 2026: Our Real Experience (The Good and the Disappointing)

I’m going to be completely honest: I arrived at Disneyland® Paris on October 12, 2026, incredibly excited to experience the Disney Halloween Festival. Chris and I had prepped a list of must-try snacks, I was ready to photograph every single pumpkin, and I fully expected to be swept up in that wonderfully unique atmosphere you only get during seasonal events.

And well… it wasn't quite what I imagined.

Here is the bottom line: the decorations felt sparse, several snacks were either sold out or served incomplete, Halloween merchandise was practically non-existent in the shops, and the parade was tough to enjoy due to the massive crowds. The absolute highlight, by a landslide, was the nighttime projections on Main Street.

This is exactly what we experienced from October 12th to the 16th. Your experience might be totally different, but I prefer to tell it exactly as it happened.

The Decorations: I expected more

The very first thing I noticed was how bare everything felt. Normally, they only decorate Main Street, U.S.A. and Frontierland, and that’s perfectly fine; the problem this year was that even those areas felt empty. In past years, Main Street was draped in vibrant autumn flowers and garlands, while Frontierland was guarded by the iconic Pumpkin Men. This time around, I barely found any of that.

The most eye-catching decor was concentrated right around the gazebo: the two large Mickey and Minnie pumpkins, the glowing candles shaped like Goofy and Donald, the beautifully crafted plant-pumpkins, and a few simpler candles. The train station’s stained glass windows were up, and a few banners featuring villain silhouettes lined the street. It was pretty, but it was all contained in one single spot, making the rest of the street feel far more subdued than I had hoped.

The same thing happened in Frontierland. The Unlucky Nugget Saloon was decorated, but outside the restaurant, it was mostly just dry flowers that added very little, and the classic Pumpkin Men from previous years were nowhere to be found. Further down the path, heading towards the Coco-inspired restaurant, we did find some absolutely stunning alebrijes and catrinas. The issue was that they were spread so far apart in such a massive area that the space felt empty. My absolute favorite part was the area directly surrounding the restaurant, where the figures were clustered closer together and the bright flowers brought the space to life. I just wish the entire land had felt like that.

Throughout the rest of the park, the decor was extremely sparse: an occasional pumpkin display, like the one we spotted near the Pirates ride. I didn't expect every single corner to be covered, but I did expect to feel the Halloween spirit throughout the park. For me, this was one of the biggest letdowns.

The Snacks: A Treasure Hunt (Without the Treasure)

Trying the seasonal snacks is usually one of my favorite parts of visiting during special events. I love seeing Halloween translated into food, with unique shapes, characters, and flavors you can't find the rest of the year. That’s exactly why we made a list and turned the hunt into a fun little adventure. Our first night we had dinner at The Unlucky Nugget Saloon, so we saved the snacks for the next morning.

Morning One. We headed out early, list in hand and spirits high. First stop: Jack’s snack. Nowhere to be found. Next up, the mini waffles: they had them, but without the colorful toppings that make them special. We walked over to Café de la Brousse for the little ghost treat: closed. We crossed over to Fantasyland for the Queen of Hearts ice cream, but they were out of the special syrup. And by 10:00 AM at The Old Mill, they had completely sold out of donuts. We ended up just grabbing whatever we could for breakfast. I don't expect to find absolutely everything all the time, but starting the day like that was definitely disheartening.

Day Two. We tried again. We found the brookies, but they were missing the chocolate piece with the villain’s face. Café de la Brousse was still closed, and the mini waffles were still missing their toppings. We finally snagged the donuts, though they were served freezing cold, as if they hadn't fully thawed out yet.

But it wasn't all bad, and I want to be fair: we tried the Cheetos popcorn, and by the afternoon we finally managed to track down the Mystery Mousse Treat and the Gâteau Flammes d’Hadès, which we had missed earlier. And at Last Chance Café, we found absolutely everything on our list with zero issues.

Café de la Brousse, closed for five straight days. This really caught my attention: it was shuttered for our entire stay, from October 12th to the 16th. We couldn't try the little ghost treat there, and we couldn't find it at the food cart near the entrance to Disney Adventure World either, despite checking both locations repeatedly.

I completely understand that things happen and products sell out. But when you are in the park for several days and continuously run into closed kiosks, snacks missing their signature elements, or items sold out first thing in the morning, the disappointment starts to pile up. For me, the special toppings, the chocolate character pieces, and the unique syrups aren't just garnishes: they are the very things that make a Halloween snack different from something you could buy on any regular Tuesday. And that’s exactly why we made the list in the first place.

The Shops: More Christmas Than Halloween

Another surprise was waiting for us inside the boutiques. I wanted to bring home a Halloween souvenir, but the seasonal merchandise was practically non-existent: we only found Halloween items in two shops. And what confused me the most was seeing significantly more Christmas merchandise on display. We were in the middle of October, smack in the middle of the Halloween season, and I genuinely struggled to understand why.

I didn't expect every single shop to carry the exact same items or to have an endless collection. But I did expect a much stronger presence during a season that, for many guests, is the sole reason they chose to visit. It was just another piece of the puzzle that reinforced that same feeling: Halloween felt surprisingly muted.

The Parade: Hard to Enjoy with So Many Crowds

The park was packed to the brim. There were crowds everywhere, the lines to meet the classic characters were massive, and that sheer volume of people definitely impacted the parade experience.

I love the concept of the characters stepping down from the floats to dance in the center and interact with the crowd; it’s a fun idea that can create truly magical moments. But with so many people, the format becomes complicated. Not everyone is elevated on the floats, and those dancing on the ground practically disappear behind the sea of guests. Plus, when the parade splits in two to make room for the dance breaks, the character you were desperate to see might end up on the opposite side of the route. With a massive crowd blocking your view, it’s incredibly easy to miss them completely. You stand there, waiting with so much excitement, and end up missing parts of the show simply because you can't get a good sightline.

I think encouraging crowd interaction is a fantastic idea, but on extremely busy days, it would be amazing if the format ensured that everyone actually got to see the magic.

What I Absolutely Loved: The Main Street Projections

This is where my face completely lit up. The nighttime projections along Main Street, U.S.A. were absolutely breathtaking and, interestingly enough, were the only moments during the trip where I truly felt like we were experiencing the Halloween Festival.

The projections constantly shift, so it is absolutely worth dedicating some real time to them. It’s not enough to just walk down the street once: you have to stand there and watch how the scenes beautifully transition into one another. One of my favorite details was discovering that even the color of the castle changes to perfectly match the projections. It is a stunning effect that seamlessly ties the entire experience together. Right there, I finally felt that meticulous attention to the theme that I had been missing during the rest of the day.

What Frustrated Me the Most: The Unlucky Nugget Saloon

There was a special Halloween beer advertised on menus throughout the park. We searched for it multiple times without any luck, until a Cast Member at Victoria’s Home-Style Restaurant finally told us it was exclusively available at The Unlucky Nugget Saloon.

We went in fully intending to order that beer, along with a few desserts and other drinks I hadn't been able to try during our dinner there a few nights prior. After waiting in a long line, we reached the register only to be told that we were required to purchase a full €30 menu per person just to order anything at all. Nobody had warned us before we waited, and the way it was explained to us was incredibly dismissive.

What frustrated me the most was that we actively wanted to buy and pay for specific items; we weren't trying to just walk in and sit down without ordering. We had spent days hunting for a drink advertised by the park itself, and when we finally found it, we were hit with hidden rules we knew nothing about.

I completely understand that every restaurant has its own policies, but I strongly believe those rules should be clearly communicated before guests enter the queue—especially when it involves highly advertised seasonal items available at various spots around the park. And how the message is delivered matters, too. I would have appreciated knowing the rules before waiting, and I certainly would have appreciated a bit more warmth in how they were explained.

If you want to know how the food actually was, you can read our full review of The Unlucky Nugget Saloon right here.

If You’re Going for Halloween: My Top Tips

• Hunt for snacks early. Some items were already sold out first thing in the morning.
• Have a Plan B. If you have a snack wishlist, be prepared for items to be sold out, incomplete, or for the kiosk to simply be closed.
• Adjust your decor expectations. There were some beautiful details, but they were heavily concentrated in specific spots rather than spread throughout the park.
• Don't count on bringing home tons of Halloween souvenirs. During our visit, we only found themed merchandise in two shops.
• If you want to watch the parade, arrive early and pick your spot carefully: with massive crowds, visibility can get complicated very quickly.
• Set aside plenty of time for the Main Street projections, don't rush, and stay to watch them all.
• Ask about the ordering rules before getting in line at a restaurant if you are just looking to buy a specific seasonal item.

My Conclusion

I wasn't disappointed because I expected everything to go flawlessly, but rather because of the accumulation of many small things: sparse decorations, sold out or incomplete snacks, a kiosk closed for our entire stay, very few merchandise options in the shops, and a parade that was tough to see. For me, the decor, the food, and the exclusive merchandise are just as much a part of the Disney experience as the rides themselves.

Even so, Disneyland Paris remains an incredibly special place for us, and at Nubo Journeys, we love helping other families plan their trips. That’s exactly why I believe it’s important to speak up when an experience doesn't live up to expectations.

We walked away with some beautiful memories, especially of the nighttime projections, which perfectly showcase how incredible things can be when they are crafted with care. I just wish I had felt that exact same magic in more corners of the park.