Complete Guide to Halloween at Tokyo Disneyland & Tokyo DisneySea 2016

This guide is no longer updated. Visit our new and updated guide to Halloween at Tokyo Disney Resort.

From September 9 to October 31, 2016, Halloween takes over Tokyo Disney Resort to offer limited merchandise, food, and entertainment to guests. This year Tokyo DisneySea offers their Villains theme once again, while over at Tokyo Disneyland a brand new parade debuts, themed to musical genres.

Use our complete guide to Halloween to get the most out of your time at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea during one of the best times of the year!

Differences from Other Disney Parks

Halloween is a relatively new “holiday” in Japan and Tokyo Disney Resort was one of the first places to embrace this time of year, which has since become a staple of the fall season in Japan. The Tokyo Parks have their own spin on Halloween, which means that some aspects are done differently compared to other Disney Parks:

• There is no “Halloween Party” compared to Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World
• Your Park ticket includes all entertainment (No separate ticket is needed)
• On select days at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, guests may dress as their favourite Disney Characters (see Costume Dates below)
• The Haunted Mansion is transformed into the Haunted Mansion Holiday (similar to Disneyland Resort)
• Both Parks offer limited food menu and merchandise, while the Disney Hotels offer limited food menu items:
  • Tokyo Disneyland
  • Tokyo DisneySea & Duffy the Disney Bear
  • Tokyo Disney Resort Hotels
• Tokyo DisneySea offers “interactive” Cast Members who add to the overall atmosphere of Halloween

When to Visit

Photo by Duy Phan Photography

Halloween starts at the beginning of September, which still has summer weather and humidity, along with being typhoon season until October  (August and September are the peaks for typhoons.) The best time to visit is during the Costume Days at the end of October (see the dates in the section below).

Not only is the weather cooler, but you get to enjoy the spectacle that is Costume Days. While the crowds may not be at their lowest, going during a weekday on Costume Days will make for lower crowds. On the weekends there are more guests in costumes, however. It all depends on what you want to accomplish during your visit.

If you just want the entertainment, food, and merchandise, then the end of October during the week is perfect, both crowd and weather-wise.

Entertainment

Photo by Duy Phan Photography

Both Parks offer a variety of entertainment options for the Halloween season, from the nighttime fireworks to daytime parades. To make your planning easier, aim for the daytime shows at either Park. These are, on average, the best shows and the most popular, and are worth the effort. For Halloween 2016, the daytime shows I recommend are:

• Halloween Pop’n LIVE at Tokyo Disneyland
• The Villains World: Wishes and Desires at Tokyo DisneySea

The atmosphere of entertainment at Tokyo Disneyland varies based on the land and is rather simple to follow even if you don’t speak Japanese. As for Tokyo DisneySea, the comedy show in the Arabian Coast and the “Villain Recruiters” in the American Waterfront are dialogue-heavy. Meaning if you don’t speak Japanese, you will have a hard time following what’s happening.

Check showtimes in the Park guides, which are available in English.

Food

One of my favourite parts of seasonal events is all the delicious food to try. Halloween is no exception, and there’s no shortage of what you can stuff your face with. Options range from desserts to full meals at select restaurants and all of which match the overall theme of the Park. There’s quite a bit of food to cover, so I won’t list is all here, but you can check it out in our articles which cover it for Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, and the Disney Hotels.

Here are my recommendations that you cannot miss for 2016 — read my full list of favourites in our top 10 list:

• Halloween Gyoza Dog at Tokyo DisneySea
• Ursula Spicy Shrimp & Pork Steamed Bun at Tokyo DisneySea
• Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll at Tokyo Disneyland
• Mickey 3 Colour Steamed Bun at Tokyo Disneyland

Merchandise

Over the top and tons of selection is one way to describe the variety of merchandise across both Parks during Halloween. There are three sets of merchandise, each with a different theme. Each Park has its own unique theme and is only available in that Park (or in Bon Voyage) and a generic Halloween theme, which is available in both Parks.  Some of the merchandise available includes:

• Plush keychains of Disney Characters from the Halloween shows
• T-Shirts
• Ear Headbands
• Pins
• Tomica Toys
• Stationary
• Food (snacks for souvenirs)
• Smartphone accessories

Check out the merchandise for Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.

Costume Days

You never know who you will run into! @Jongsuwat_a

Costume Days allow guests of all ages to dress as their favourite Disney Characters and enjoy a day at the Park. If you are unsure when to visit during the Halloween season, then make it during these special days (dates are below for 2016).

Why do I recommend visiting during this time? For myself, this is the best part of Halloween. The sheer amount of effort that guests put into their costumes is outstanding, and it’s a spectacle that can’t be missed or replicated elsewhere. You have to see it for yourself to see why.

Here are the dates for the Costume Days:

• September 9 to 15, 2016
• October 25 to 31, 2016

There are a few things to know about Costume Days, which you can read in our full guide to Costume Days at Tokyo Disney Resort.

Past Years

Photo by Duy Phan Photography

Not every year is exactly the same as the last. The Resort makes anything from minor updates to the shows and food to a complete overhaul of the theme. Here’s a look at the years past:

• Halloween 2015
  • Tokyo Disneyland Halloween Merchandise 2015
  • Tokyo DisneySea Halloween Merchandise 2015
  • Disney Hotel Halloween Offerings 2015
  • Tokyo Disneyland & Tokyo DisneySea Food Menu 2015
  • Duffy the Disney Bear Halloween 2015
  • Video: Halloween 2014 Merchandise Unboxing
• Halloween 2014
  • 19 Must Buy New York Halloween 2014 Merchandise from Tokyo DisneySea
  • 31 Must Have Funny Monster Merchandise from Tokyo Disney Resort Halloween 2014
  • Gelatoni Halloween 2014 Merchandise

Recommendations & Tips

Here are our recommendations to make the best out of Halloween at the Parks:

• Visit during Costume Days to experience the culture of cosplay in a Disney setting
• Participate in the Costume Days and have your photo taken
• Don’t miss the parade or harbor shows at both Parks. Check the Park map for show times or online.
• Grab a Japanese Park map to see the Halloween food offerings and go enjoy them all!
• Don’t skip the lounges or restaurants at the Disney Hotels; their Halloween food items are unique and found only there.

Keep up with the latest from Tokyo Disney Resort by subscribing to TDRExplorer and following us on Twitter & Facebook.

If you found this article useful, please share this with your friends, family, and followers! We want everyone to experience the best of Tokyo Disney Resort. Start planning your trip with our Ultimate Guide to Tokyo Disney Resort!

Photos by Duy Phan Photography and the official Tokyo Disney Resort website.