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Vote up your favorite family-friendly Halloween films from the House of Mouse.
Halloween doesn't have to mean scary. In fact, there are plenty of Halloween-centric films that aren't really scary at all. With a name like Disney involved, you know being family-friendly is going to be front and center. Thankfully, Disney+ has you covered with all sorts of not-at-all-scary movies to watch when carving pumpkins and chowing down on candy.
Whether it is a bona fide classic like The Nightmare Before Christmas or more recent Disney Channel Original Movies like Z-O-M-B-I-E-S, Disney+ has plenty of Halloween-related flicks to enjoy throughout the month of October. So put on your costumes and vote up your favorites as we run through some of the best not-at-all-scary movies you can stream this scary season. All of these and more are now streaming on Disney+.
This sponsored list was created with the participation of Disney+.
What kid doesn't want their grandma showing up revealing they're actually a witch from another realm? And what kid wouldn't love having the legendary Debbie Reynolds for a grandmother? This is the reality Marnie Piper stumbles into early on in Halloweentown, setting in motion a chain of events that introduces her to a land of (mostly) friendly witches, monsters, and vampires.
It's easy to see why Halloweentown became a beloved Disney Channel Original Movie after first airing in 1998. This DCOM celebrates everything that is fun about Halloween without being too frightening for the little ones. It proved so popular that it spawned three sequels: 2001's Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge, 2004's Halloweentown High, and 2006's Return to Halloweentown.
There are few Disney films with a cult following as dedicated as 1993's Hocus Pocus, and it's not hard to see why. The film centers around the villainous Sanderson sisters and their accidental resurrection on All Hallows' Eve. It's up to the unassuming Dennison siblings to end the Sandersons' hijinks and set things right in the town of Salem, Massachusetts.
The success of Hocus Pocus lies with the three actresses who bring Winifred, Mary, and Sarah Sanderson to life: Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker. These three dedicated thespians certainly got the assignment and really play up the weird campiness of their roles. Although it was a box office dud upon original release, Hocus Pocus's cult following proved strong enough to earn a sequel almost thirty years later in 2022.
Released in 1993, The Nightmare Before Christmas just might be the quintessential Disney Halloween movie. Directed by Henry Selick and produced by Tim Burton, this stop-motion classic tells the story of Jack Skellington and his discovery of all things holly and jolly. Tired of being the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, Jack schemes to take over Christmas from good old “Sandy Claws.” You can imagine how well that goes over with St. Nick.
Packed to the brim with striking imagery, The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a fan-favorite over the years. With just the right balance of fun and thrills for a young audience and more catchy songs than you can shake a stick at, Jack, Sally, and the rest of the Halloween Town crew are sure to be family favorites for years to come.
What's more Halloween than a pair of identical twin witches? Starring Disney Channel mainstays Tia and Tamera Mowry, 2005's Twitches is based on the children's book series of the same name. Separated at birth after being born on Halloween night in a magical dimension known as Coventry, Alex and Cam are raised apart from one another on Earth, unaware of each other's existence or their mystical heritage.
Their lives change when they bump into each other and accidentally unleash their witchy powers, setting them on a course to save Coventry from “the Darkness” and realize their joint destiny of becoming magical princesses. Twitches combines Halloween theming with traditional Disney princess fare to become something the whole family can enjoy during the holiday season.
The only thing 12-year-old music lover Miguel wants to do is play guitar, but his family is decidedly anti-music after his great, great grandfather seemingly abandoned the family to follow his musical dreams. Well, wouldn't you know it, Miguel ends up in the Land of the Dead and must rely on the help of that same family member to get home.
While not explicitly about Halloween, 2017's Coco beautifully parallels its familial themes with Mexico's Day of The Dead celebration - making it an excellent watch during October. Besides, what is more Halloween than a bunch of skeletons? Coco successfully tells an enchanting tale about family heritage, packed with memorable songs and signature breathtaking visuals that both children and adults will appreciate.
Leave it to Tim Burton to bring the idea of not-so-scary scariness to life. In 2012, the legendary director remade his 1984 short film Frankenweenie into a full-length feature, and the results are delightful. An obvious play on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, this film tells the story of a young Victor Frankenstein who brings his dog Sparky back to life.
A family-friendly retelling of the classic tale, Frankenweenie highlights the same themes while being tame enough for younger viewers. And, for the adults who don't think they'd be interested in yet another Frankenstein story, you get Catherine O'Hara and Martin Short doing their own comedic icon thing in full force. Seriously, you can't lose with this one.
