Falling for the Magic: Autumn at Walt Disney World 2025
There’s something extra magical about Walt Disney World in the fall. As the Florida sun softens ever so slightly and the parks transform with glowing pumpkins, fall garlands, and sweet scents of pumpkin spice, the whole property takes on a cozy, whimsical charm. From Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party to the delicious bites of EPCOT’s International Food & Wine Festival, fall 2025 is filled with festive fun, spooky surprises, and plenty of pixie dust. Whether you’re strolling down Main Street, U.S.A. lined with smiling jack-o’-lanterns or tasting your way around World Showcase, this season is one of the most enchanting times to visit Walt Disney World.
Fall Decorations at Walt Disney World
When it comes to seasonal magic, no one does it quite like Disney, and fall is no exception! As soon as you step into the parks, you’re greeted with charming details, glowing pumpkins, and festive touches that set the stage for an extra magical visit.
Magic Kingdom is the crown jewel of fall decor. Main Street, U.S.A. is lined with smiling jack-o’-lanterns perched on rooftops and windowsills, autumn garlands draped across the buildings, and wreaths accented with Mickey shaped pumpkins. It feels like you’ve stepped into a storybook Halloween town, but with plenty of Disney charm. The decorations set the perfect backdrop for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party nights, when the whole park comes alive with spooky fun.
EPCOT’s decorations blend beautifully with the International Food & Wine Festival. Around World Showcase, you’ll spot seasonal planters, harvest inspired displays, and fun touches that complement the flavors of the festival. While EPCOT doesn’t go as heavy on the pumpkins as Magic Kingdom, it leans into the cozy, harvest celebration atmosphere.
Hollywood Studios brings a touch of old school Halloween glamour. Think vintage decor, classic character designs, and subtle fall details that give the park a slightly spooky edge, perfect for the golden age Hollywood vibe. The real highlight here is the character costumes; you may spot Minnie, Mickey, and friends dressed in festive Halloween looks at special dining experiences like Minnie’s Halloween Dine at Hollywood & Vine. This seasonal character dining experience is one of the most festive ways to celebrate fall at Walt Disney World. During Minnie’s Halloween and Dine, guests enjoy a buffet filled with comforting, family friendly favorites (and often a few seasonal dishes), but the real star of the show is the character fun. Minnie, Mickey, Goofy, and Pluto make their way around the restaurant dressed in their Halloween costumes. Think Minnie in a sparkling witch costume, Mickey as a dapper vampire, and other playful looks that make for perfect photo ops. The atmosphere is lively and colorful, with themed decor that matches the season and music that keeps the spooky but not scary energy going. It’s a great choice for families, since kids get to meet their favorite characters without the party crowds.
Animal Kingdom keeps its decorations a bit more understated, letting the park’s natural beauty shine. You’ll find pops of fall color, themed treats, and seasonal merchandise at select shops. It’s more about autumnal touches than full transformations, but it creates a nice balance, perfect for a cozy stop between the bigger Halloween thrills elsewhere.
The fall fun doesn’t stop at the parks! Disney Springs is filled with themed photo-ops, seasonal snacks, and special shopping finds. Over at the resorts, many feature their own unique pumpkin displays, themed treats, and even character dining with a seasonal twist. It’s worth exploring beyond the parks to soak in all the autumnal details.
EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival
No fall trip to Walt Disney World is complete without a visit to the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival! From August 28 through November 22, 2025, this favorite event transforms World Showcase (and beyond) into a foodie’s dream come true. With over 25 global marketplaces, you can literally eat your way around the world tasting everything from sizzling street tacos in Mexico to delicate pastries in France, plus bold new flavors making their debut this year.
The hardest part of the Food & Wine Festival? Deciding where to take your first bite! To help you out, here are a few of the most talked about (and totally delicious) picks for 2025:
Brazil, Pao de Queijo (Cheese Bread): A festival favorite that always draws a line. Warm, cheesy, and oh so comforting. It’s the perfect snack between rides.
Japan, Firecracker Sushi Roll: This year brings a bold new twist, combining spicy tuna, tempura crunch, and just the right amount of heat.
France, Beignet au Chocolat: A returning treat that’s impossible to resist, a cloud like beignet filled with rich chocolate, dusted with powdered sugar. Pair it with a bubbly champagne for festival bliss.
Canada, Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup: Cozy and iconic, this dish tastes like autumn in a bowl.
NEW in 2025, Plant Based Flavors Booth: Disney has been sprinkling more and more pixie dust on plant based offerings in recent years, and this fall brings some especially cozy new bites. One of the star dishes is a rich pumpkin risotto topped with toasted pepitas. The perfect flavor for autumn at EPCOT. I can’t wait to try it myself!
Over at the Forest & Field marketplace, you’ll also find another plant based gem, the Autumn Chili. This hearty dish is made with Impossible Beef, roasted root veggies, plant based cheddar, and a dollop of sour cream, all served inside a warm bread bowl. Just right for strolling the festival under EPCOT’s golden autumn skies.
If you’re looking for a festive drink to pair with all those cozy fall flavors, head to the Tangierine Cafe, Flavors of the Medina in the Morocco pavilion. That’s where you’ll find this year’s new Hard Ciders, the spiced Golden Apple Chai Hard Cider from Keel Farms and the fruity Fig, Rhubarb, Orange & Ginger Hard Cider from Playalinda Brewing Co. Both are part of the Hard Cider Flight, alongside my returning favorite, Blackberry Pear Cider.
Don’t forget to grab a Festival Passport when you enter EPCOT. It lists all the booths and menu’s; plus lets you collect stamps as you taste your way around the world with a little foodie magic. Sample five cheesy delights while completing Emile’s Fromage Montage around the festival, collect your stamps, and trade in your completed passport at Shimmering Sips for a creamy, souvenir worthy treat. Plus, the passport even includes a handy QR code for allergy friendly and plant based options so everyone can join in the tasting fun.
But it’s not just about the food. The festival is packed with live music as part of the Eat to the Beat Concert Series, featuring a lineup of popular bands and artists that make every evening feel like a party. From August 28 through November 17, 2025, the America Gardens Theatre (tucked between Italy and Japan) transforms into the ultimate open stage, where you can sing, dance, and sway the night away. This years festival features hits from KT Tunstall, Joey Fatone & Friends, MercyMe, Sheila E., Ben Rector, Jordin Sparks, Bowling for Soup, and the legendary Beach Boys, all under EPCOT’s colourful autumn skies! You’ll get not one but three chances each evening to catch a show with performances at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8:00 PM.
Want to make sure you snag the perfect seat for the show? The Eat to the Beat Dining Package sprinkles a little extra pixie dust on your evening pairing a delicious meal at select EPCOT restaurants with reserved seating for the concert that night. Don’t have a package? No worries! Seating is first come, first served, so arriving a bit early is your best bet to score a magical view of the stage.
The Food and Wine festival also has culinary demos, child friendly activities, and plenty of festival exclusive merchandise that make great souvenirs for all food lovers.
The best part? The Food & Wine Festival adds an extra layer of fall magic to EPCOT. While Magic Kingdom glows with pumpkins and Halloween fun, EPCOT becomes the ultimate autumn harvest celebration where every bite feels like a little adventure. Whether you’re sipping your way through seasonal drinks, grabbing a foodie passport to collect stamps, or catching your favorite band under the stars, this is a can’t miss event for fall 2025. And if you’re visiting later in the season, there’s even more to look forward to! The Disney Nerds Podcast will once again host their annual Half Sample’thon around World Showcase on November 13th! It’s always such a fun way to wrap up the festival, and we love meeting new Disney Nerd friends along the way. Be sure to check out the event section on our Facebook page for all the details!
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
Step into a Spooktacular Night at Magic Kingdom! When the sun sets a sprinkle of pixie dust transforms the park into a glowing Halloween wonderland, because Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is back for 2025! From August 15 through October 31, this festive evening invites guests of all ages to trick-or-treat along candy filled trails, dance with favorite Disney characters in their spookiest (and cutest) costumes, and watch Cinderella’s Castle light up with dazzling, ghostly projections. And here’s the real treat, unlike past years, the shocking news for 2025 is that tickets are still available to purchase, so the event isn’t sold out yet! It’s not scary, it’s pure magical fun that makes fall at Disney feel extra enchanting!
The magic really comes alive after dark! Catch the Boo-to-You Halloween Parade, led by the Headless Horseman, where Disney villains, mischievous ghosts, and beloved characters march down Main Street, U.S.A. twice each night! Don’t miss the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, a bewitching stage show full of laughter, music, and a dash of villainous charm. And just when you think the night couldn’t get any more magical, Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular lights up Cinderella’s Castle with fireworks, projections, and even lasers, all hosted by Jack Skellington himself. From treats to thrills, this party is a spellbinding celebration of fall that’s fun for kids and grown ups alike!
Get ready for a night full of enchantment and surprises as some of Disney’s most magical characters appear exclusively at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party! This year, you can meet Jack Skellington and Sally together at the Town Square Theater. Jack even has a sleek new look that’s simply mesmerizing. In Adventureland, Aladdin, Jasmine, Abu, and Genie are ready to greet guests with a touch of magic, while over in Frontierland, the Haunted Mansion Gravediggers and mischievous Wendell (from the Country Bear Jamboree) add a dash of spooky fun. Fantasyland sparkles with whimsy as Alice, the Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts, Tweedle Dee, and Tweedle Dum welcome guests, and Anastasia and Drizella, Cinderella’s playful stepsisters, are up to their usual antics. Don’t miss Stitch rocking a rock ‘n’ roll costume in Tomorrowland, or Mickey and Minnie looking frightfully adorable in their Halloween outfits! With the many unique and exclusive meet and greets, it’s the perfect night to snap magical photos, collect autographs, and make memories you can only find at this spooktacular event. Be sure to check the official party map so you don’t miss a single enchanting moment!
Magic Kingdom is brimming with deliciously exclusive treats during the Halloween party! Sink your teeth into the Creepy Kimchi Corn Dog at Sleepy Hollow, or indulge your sweet tooth with Pumpkin Spiced Funnel Cake Sundaes from Golden Oak Outpost and Pumpkin Pie Mini Churros at Sleepy Hollow. Over at Main Street Bakery, Mickey shaped Pumpkin Cheesecake and Cinnamon Rolls add festive flair, while the Magic Potion Slushy at Liberty Square Market changes color right before your eyes! With treats this cute and tasty, your Halloween night is sure to be filled with flavor, fun, and a sprinkle of Disney magic!
Tips for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
1. Arrive Early, Magic Awaits!
Even before the party officially starts, you can enter the park and begin your Halloween adventure (ticket holders can enter at 4pm). Perfect time for photos and spotting your favorite spooky decorations!
2. Dress Up Disney Style
Costumes aren’t just allowed, they’re encouraged! From princesses to superheroes, pick a comfy outfit that’s magical and ride ready. Bonus points for twirling and sparkling!
3. Trick-or-Treat Like a Pro
Plan a route for candy stops so you hit them all without backtracking. Disney’s treat stations are plentiful. Don’t forget to say “trick or treat” with a big smile!
4. Shorter Lines for Your Favorite Rides
Take advantage of lighter crowds during the party for big attractions like Tron or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Ride first, snack later!
5. Capture the Magic
Exclusive photo ops and special Halloween themed merchandise are everywhere. Keep your camera ready, this is where the most magical memories are made!
6. Pace Yourself
The party lasts several hours, so take breaks to enjoy shows, snacks, and the atmosphere. You’ll have more energy to soak in every spooky moment.
7. Second Parade or Fireworks? Yes, Please!
If you stick around a little later, some shows rerun with fewer crowds. Double the magic, double the fun!
Extra Tip: Keep that Disney spirit alive! Wave at every character, twirl down Main Street, and let the fall magic fill you up. After all, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is all about making memories that sparkle!
As the leaves turn golden and the air grows crisp, Walt Disney World transforms into a fall wonderland bursting with magic at every corner. From spooky surprises at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party to the seasonal treats that are almost too cute to eat (but I promise you’ll want to), there’s a little something for everyone. Whether you’re twirling through EPCOT’s harvest festivals, snapping the perfect photo with pumpkin dusted decor, or enjoying the thrill of your favorite rides with a festive twist, fall at Disney is pure enchantment. So, grab your Mickey ears, bring your sweet tooth, and get ready to make memories that sparkle as brightly as the autumn sunsets, because there’s truly no place like Disney in the fall!
Just keep dreaming (and Disney-ing)!
Terri Lee
