20 of the best Disney Halloween movies to watch during spooky season

Ghosts, zombies, witches, oh my!

Disney is no stranger to a holiday flick. Over the decades, Disney has released a host of movies to help viewers get into the Halloween spirit. While some films have become cult classics as time has passed, others have gained immediate popularity and spawned several sequels for fans of the franchises.

To get into the spooky mood, here's a list of some of Disney's best Halloween movies, with many streaming directly on Disney+.

‘Hocus Pocus’ (1993)

In “Hocus Pocus,” several hundred years after their deaths, the Sanderson sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) are brought back from the dead for one night only by Max Dennison, a teenage boy in Salem, Massachusetts. Max, his little sister Dani, and his crush, Allison, race against the clock to get rid of the three witches, forever.

The cult classic film received a sequel nearly two decades after the first installment. “Hocus Pocus 2” came out in September 2022, bringing back Midler, Parker, and Najimy for another round of magical hijinks.

‘Halloweentown’ (1998)

In the 1998 film “Halloweentown,” Aggie Cromwell (Debbie Reynolds) visits her family — daughter Gwen Piper and grandchildren Dylan, Marnie and Sophie — in the human world from the supernatural world called Halloweentown. Unbeknownst to Dylan, Marnie and Sophie, they come from a powerful family of witches. When Marnie finds out about her powers on her 13th birthday, she also learns that the Cromwell family has to fight a battle against the forces of evil to save the human world from being taken over.

In subsequent years, Disney released several more installments of the series, including “Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge” in 2001, “Halloweentown High” in 2004, and “Return to Halloweentown” in 2006.

‘Zombies’ (2018)

In Seabrook, a power plant explosion causes half of the town to turn into zombies. As a result, a wall is constructed to quarantine the zombies from the unaffected population. At Seabrook High School, students are thrown for a loop when students from Zombietown transfer to the school. Both groups of students are presented the challenge of working together in an effort to celebrate their differences and prove a sense of unity.

Disney also released two more films in the franchise, including “Zombies 2” in 2020 and “Zombies 3” in August 2022.

‘Twitches’ (2005)

Tia and Tamera Mowry helped bring alive the popular children’s book series “Twitches” by H. B. Gilmour and Randi Reisfeld. When twin sisters Alexandra and Camryn reunite on their 21st birthday, they have to use their magic to save their kingdom from the forces of evil.

“Twitches Too” premiered in October 2007 and followed Alexandra and Camryn as they continue to work in tandem to strengthen their magical powers.

‘Mom’s Got A Date With A Vampire’ (2000)

Siblings Adam and Chelsea Hansen have their plans canceled when they get grounded by their mother. In an effort to get their mom out of the house, they set her up on a date with Dimitri so they can sneak out of the house. Everything is going smoothly until their younger brother, Taylor, realizes that their mom went on a date with a vampire after witnessing Dimitri turn into a bat.

‘The Haunted Mansion’ (2003)

Based on one of Disneyland’s most popular attractions, “The Haunted Mansion” follows real estate agent Jim Evers (Eddie Murphy) after he is accused by his wife of neglecting their two children. Jim decides to take his family on a vacation, but when they take a detour to stop at a mansion that he has been tasked with selling, the Evers family discovers that the home is haunted by ghosts who need some assistance breaking a curse.

20 years after the original movie premiered, a reboot directed by Justin Simien was released in 2023.

‘Girl vs. Monster’ (2012)

In “Girl vs. Monster,” 15-year-old Skylar accidentally frees a dangerous monster that puts her family at risk. All the while, she discovers a big secret about her and her family — she’s a 5th generation monster hunter. Skylar and her friends have to work together to capture the monsters again and save her parents from creatures seeking their revenge.

‘Frankenweenie’ (2012)

A young Victor Frankenstein is an outsider at his school, but he has one friend by his side: Sparky, his dog. When Sparky dies, he is given an idea by his science teacher to bring Sparky back to life. Victor’s experiment is a success, but when other students follow in his footsteps to bring back other animals to life, there are big consequences that follow.

‘The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad’ (1949)

This animated film adapts two classics, split into separate segments. In “The Wind in the Willows,” Mr. Toad finds himself desiring yet another fad, going to great lengths to attempt to get a car. In “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” Ichabod Crane falls in love with Katrina Van Tassel and gets caught in a love triangle with Brom Bones. However, Ichabod has a bigger fear — the local legend, the Headless Horseman.

‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (1993)

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” toes the line between Christmas and Halloween. Jack Skellington is the pumpkin king of Halloweentown. However, when he finds himself bored with scaring people, he accidentally discovers Christmastown. Jack gets familiar with the community and scenery and finds himself plotting to kidnap Santa Claus so he can take over Christmastown.

‘Phantom of the Megaplex’ (2000)

When 17-year-old Peter Riley gets a part-time job at the local megaplex, things get a little strange. After it’s announced that the theater will host a premiere of a big movie, Peter and his friends get excited by the prospect of major celebrities in attendance. On the big night, Peter has bigger problems on his hands, including a broken popcorn machine, equipment malfunction and staff members disappearing.

‘Under Wraps’ (1997)

Right before Halloween, Amy, Marshall and Gilbert accidentally revive a mummy they discovered in their neighbor’s basement. The group of 12-year-olds race against the clock in an attempt to return the mummy — who they have named Harold — back to his resting place before midnight on Halloween.

“Under Wraps” received a reboot in 2021, with its sequel “Under Wraps 2” premiering in 2022.

‘Don’t Look Under the Bed’ (1999)

Frances Bacon McCausland doesn’t believe in the supernatural. That is until she comes face-to-face with the boogeyman under her bed. When pranks are played around the neighborhood, Frances is blamed until she realizes the real culprit — the boogeyman.

‘Monsters, Inc.’ (2001)

James P. Sullivan — better known as Sulley — and Mike Wazowski are best friends and roommates. The dynamic duo work at Monsters Incorporated, a scare factory where Sulley is one of the top scarers. After Sulley and Mike take a visit to the human world to scare Boo, she finds herself where humans never go — Monstropolis.

In 2013, Disney and Pixar released the prequel “Monsters University,” telling the story of how Sulley and Mike came to be best friends.

‘The Scream Team’ (2002)

After Frank Carlyle dies, his son Richard begrudgingly returns to Steeple Falls to handle his father’s affairs, including attempting to sell his hardware store. Richard’s children, Ian and Claire, soon discover that their grandfather’s hometown is a purgatory for ghosts who can’t move onto the afterlife until they have redeemed themselves, but he hasn’t made it.

All the while, Zachariah Kull, who was burned at the stake 200 years prior, begins to steal spirits to gain power in order to exact revenge on the town.

‘Invisible Sister’ (2015)

When Cleo is working on a high school science project, she accidentally creates a vapor that turns a moth invisible. At least, that’s what she thinks. As it turns out, Cleo accidentally turned one other living being invisible — her older sister, Molly. Cleo and her friends have to work fast to find a cure to make Molly visible again.

‘Tower of Terror’ (1997)

On Halloween in 1939, five people walk into an elevator at a hotel but never come out. Decades later, reporter Buzzy and his niece, Anna, go to the hotel to investigate the mystery. It’s there they meet an elderly woman, Abigail, who tells them a secret about the hotel — if they can discover one belonging from each of the five people who disappeared, they can be freed from the hotel.

‘Escape to Witch Mountain’ (1975)

When orphaned siblings Tony and Tia Malone’s psychic powers attract the attention of millionaire Aristotle Bolt, he kidnaps them with the intention of exploiting their powers for his own financial gain. With the help of Jason O’Day, Tony and Tia are able to escape and avoid Bolt while they begin to discover where they are truly from.

“Escape to Witch Mountain” was followed by the sequels “Return from Witch Mountain” in 1978 and “Beyond Witch Mountain” in 1982.

‘Mostly Ghostly: Who Let the Ghosts Out?’ (2008)

Max Doyle is an aspiring magician who discovers two lost ghosts, Nick and Tara, haunting the basement of his house. He agrees to help them find eternal rest and, in return, they help him win the heart of the most popular girl in school, Traci. When their magic makes them a target of Pheas, an evil apparition, they have to stop his plan to free himself and his minions on Halloween.

‘Mr. Boogedy’ (1986)

Carlton Davis, a novelty salesman, moves his family into a new home in Lucifer Falls, New England, on a gloomy night. Upon arrival, they are warned by an old man that the house has a tragic history and to be wary of the Boogedy Man. As strange incidents arise in the house, the family writes them off until they discover that their house is actually haunted by inhabitants from three centuries prior.

“Mr. Boogedy” was followed by a sequel in 1987 called “Bride of Boogedy.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com