The Best Halloween Movies on Disney+ in 2022

BOO! Did we scare you? That's about the level of fright you'll find in this collection of family-friendly Halloween movies to watch on Disney+. These movies are all Halloweeny — they're about ghosts and witches and skeletons — but they're fun for the whole family. Even the biggest scaredy-cats will find something to enjoy on this spooky list. 

The best Halloween movies to watch on Disney+ include nostalgic favorites like Hocus Pocus and A Nightmare Before Christmas, as well as a few more recent releases. They're sweeter than a handful of candy corn. 

More Halloween recommendations:

• The Best Halloween Movies to Watch in 2022
• The Best Halloween Movies on HBO Max
• The Best Halloween Movies on Amazon Prime Video
• The Best Halloween Movies on Netflix
• The Best Halloween Movies on Hulu
  

Hocus Pocus

For fans of: Witches, Bette Midler, flying vacuums

If a trio of 300-year-old witches were accidentally summoned by some mischievous kids, what would happen? Just watch Hocus Pocus to find out. The witches are played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, and kids of all ages -- yes, even adults -- will get a kick out of their hijinks. Someone flies around on a vacuum, so what's not to love? Watch as the witches try to cast a spell on the town to become young again. Oh, and there is a talking cat. Whether you're nostalgic for this 1993 film or you want to show it to your kids for the first time, the entire family will enjoy the witchy shenanigans in this movie.

Hocus Pocus 2

For fans of: More witches, more Bette Midler, more flying vacuums

The long-awaited sequel to Hocus Pocus is Disney+'s big Halloween release of 2022, bringing the Sanderson sisters back together almost 30 years after the original movie. Maybe the movie doesn't live up to the fawning nostalgia of our youth or justify the sequel many of us clamored for — we didn't really have great taste as kids, did we? — but you can't NOT be curious to see what the witches are up to. The story is mostly the same — a couple of teens accidentally summon the Sandersons and must stop them from becoming immortal — and the performances lose a little sizzle over the decades past. But it is what it is. -Tim Surette

Halloweentown

For fans of: Good witches, Debbie Reynolds, family films.

In this 1998 movie, three siblings find out that their grandmother is not exactly as she seems. The oldest daughter, Marnie, discovers on her 13th birthday that her grandmother is a witch, and so are her other ancestors, which means she's a witch, too. Viewers follow the family back to a place called Halloweentown, where they meet a lot of different characters. There are goblins, vampires, and witches living their lives all year round in this spooky town. What can Marnie do to help when an evil force starts to take over the town? She teams up with mom and grandma to stop it. This is a live-action film, but it's good for kids of most ages and runs just under an hour and a half.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

For fans of: Magical thinking, animation, skeletons, musicals

Enter a world where every holiday has its own special land. In this family-friendly movie, you'll follow a Pumpkin King named Jack Skellington who is in charge of a place called Halloween Town. The only problem is Jack gets bored with the same old celebration. Before you know it, he has stumbled across Christmas Town and he decides to chip in -- by kidnapping Santa Claus and putting his own spin on the holiday! His friend Sally tries to warn him it will end badly, but Jack goes about helping with Christmas deliveries anyway. Unsurprisingly, seeing a giant skeleton in the sky just ends up scaring people… and then Jack has to fix it before the holiday is ruined. This movie is spooky but shouldn't be too scary for families with kids. Here just for the music? Disney+ also offers a sing-a-long version, that features lyrics to Danny Elfman's songs on the screen, karaoke style.

Muppets Haunted Mansion

For fans of: The Muppets, silly holiday movies, musicals

Cuddle up and turn down the lights and watch as the Great Gonzo takes on a night in the Haunted Mansion. This Disney+ original is the first Muppets Halloween special, and it includes a lot of original music. Songs include "Rest In Peace" and "Life Hereafter." There are plenty of ghosts in this new Disney classic, but instead of cursing the living, some of them are playing the accordion or swinging from chandeliers. Your favorite Muppets, including Miss Piggy and Kermit, all make appearances. This Halloween film is definitely a good-for-all-ages option. If you've ever been to a Haunted Mansion at any of the Disney parks, you'll especially love it. 

The Haunted Mansion

For fans of: Disney parks, movies based on rides, Eddie Murphy

If Muppets Haunted Mansion didn't satisfy your desire for Haunted Mansion content, check out the first movie based on the ride. The family horror comedy stars Eddie Murphy as a workaholic real estate agent who, along with his family, gets trapped in the Haunted Mansion by its ghostly owner. He has to learn the true meaning of family in order to make it out, you know? Not very successful at the box office or with critics when it was released in 2003, The Haunted Mansion has since been reevaluated as a minor cult classic among millennials who appreciate its Rick Baker-designed special makeup effects and fun, occasionally genuinely spooky ambiance. The scare when Eddie Murphy sees his zombified reflection in the mirror is a formative introduction-to-horror-movies moment. A reboot starring Rosario Dawson and Owen Wilson is coming in 2023. -Liam Mathews

Twitches

For fans of: The Twitches book series, twins, stories about magic.

This 2005 movie is based on the book series of the same name. Starring Tia and Tamara Mowry, the movie takes place in a magical location called Coventry. The two young women are the twin daughters of a royal witch and a powerful warlock, and they're born on Halloween. Their father bestows his magical powers to them upon their birth but dies in the process. Something evil is after them, and they must be sent to Earth and adopted for their own protection, and the two girls are raised by different families. When they meet on their 21st birthday, the twins discover that their powers are even stronger when they're together. Why not team up? This is a great sleepover movie for young adults and runs just under 90 minutes.

The Scream Team

For fans of: Stories about hauntings, family movies, Kathy Najimy

When their grandfather dies, kids Claire and Ian go to his funeral with their dad right before Halloween. Ian suspects that the ghost of his grandfather wants to communicate something -- but is it really him? The kids also discover that a man named Zachariah Kull haunts the town, and he could be preventing their grandpa from moving on to the next life. You'll watch as Ian and Claire try to free their grandpa's spirit with the aid of a group called the Soul Patrol. This live-action movie might be better for older kids and adults than kindergarteners. 

Toy Story of Terror

For fans of: Movie shorts, Toy Story, road trips

Who doesn't love the Toy Story characters? Our favorite come-to-life toys are back in this holiday-themed story. If you have little ones at home with a limited attention span, this 21-minute animated short might be the perfect Halloween tale. The short film follows Woody, Buzz, and Jessie on a road trip where Mr. Potato Head goes missing near a spooky roadside motel. Don't worry, we have a feeling the friends are able to safely recover their starchy friend before the animated short is over. 

Spooky Buddies

For fans of: Puppies, talking animals, spooky mansions

If you've been watching the other Buddies movies, you're already in love with these talking golden retrievers. But you don't have to know the backstory to jump into this sweet Halloween movie about talking puppy dogs. Great for little kids who want a Halloween experience but who are too afraid for a "big kid" movie, Spooky Buddies follows a bunch of puppers to a mysterious mansion. Once there, the dogs meet some new friends and team up to stop a warlock from releasing bad things into the world. There's even a friendly ghost!