Halloween, to me, means 3 things: pumpkin patch trips, candy, and Disney Channel Halloween Movies. I consider myself quite knowledgeable in this area, having watched nearly every Halloween movie that Disney Channel has ever released. Each year, without fail, I pre-record and watch any Halloween movie appearing on Disney. The nostalgia and warmth I feel from watching these movies are some of the reasons I continue to watch every year, and I would hope this article makes someone else as excited as I am for Halloween on Disney Channel.
7. Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire (2002)
This lesser-known Halloween movie features three siblings who suspect that their mother’s date is, in fact, a vampire. This movie is one of my personal favorites because it perfectly sums up Disney Channel Halloween: spooky and somewhat relatable!
6. The Haunted Mansion (2003)
Eddie Murphy stars as a realtor and dad who has been neglecting his children. In trying to rectify this situation, he takes his kids on a road trip and, on the way, stops at a ~haunted~ mansion he’s been asked to sell. Eddie Murphy is undoubtedly hilarious, and putting him in a scary situation makes the whole film that much funnier.
5. Roxy Hunter and the Horrific Halloween (2008)
If you have ever seen any of the Roxy Hunter movies, you should understand why this movie made the list. Roxy Hunter returns in the final instalment of this franchise and suspects that her friend is a vampire. There is not much to say about this movie, other than that I recall being genuinely afraid the first time I watched it!
4. Don’t Look Under the Bed (1999)
This movie is considered Disney’s most terrifying original movie, and Disney was forced to stop airing it at the request of unhappy parents. The terrifying boogeyman and “grown-up” themes were deemed too mature for Disney’s demographic, which should be enough to convince you to watch it this Halloween!
3. Halloweentown I, II, III, IV (1998, 2001, 2004, 2006)
The Halloweentown film franchise is one of Disney’s most popular film series, if not the most popular. This movie follows Marnie and her siblings as they navigate life and their new-found witch powers. Even though they replaced the actress who plays Marnie in the last movie and expected us not to notice, these movies are quintessential Disney Halloween.
2. Hocus Pocus (1993)
Although Hocus Pocus was not popular at the time of its release, it has gone on to become a cult classic. In 2018, Hocus Pocus was viewed 8.2 million times during its first week of airing. Hocus Pocus is arguably Disney’s best Halloween movie, which explains why its viewership increases every year.
1. Twitches I and II (2005, 2007)
In my (self-proclaimed) expert opinion, the best Disney Halloween movie is Twitches, and its sequel, Twitches Too. This movie follows Alec and Camryn, twin witches who were separated at birth. As they learn about their history and witch powers, a “darkness” threatens their home, the magical dimension of Coventry. These movies are my personal favorites because they never seem to bore me. The plot has and always will be interesting to me. If I were to recommend that you only watch one movie on this list, it would have to be Twitches.
Remember, however, that this list is not all-encompassing. There is an infinite number of amazing Halloween movies out there for you to enjoy. As Halloween is nearly here, I would suggest grabbing some popcorn and friends and stream any or all the movies on this list and beyond. That is what I will be doing at least.